Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Tony H on 13 October 2009, 17:13:27

Title: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Tony H on 13 October 2009, 17:13:27
Had to go and have a puncture repaired yesterday. While I was waiting I read a notice on the wall stating that due to new regulations lead balancing weights are no longer allowed and have been replaced by zinc based ones. As the cost of zinc ones are considerably higher they have no alternative but to pass this cost onto the customer. WTF :o when you think about the amount of lead that has been and will be used in industry, constuction and manufacture, in the grand scheme of things I fail to see what difference to the environment lead wheel balancing weights will make.
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: waspy on 13 October 2009, 17:40:46
Line the dots up & they don't have to use weights ;)
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Chris_H on 13 October 2009, 17:45:03
Lead and other toxic chemicals have been being reduced/banned in new products for quite some time now.  If you've seen the ROHS-compliant lables on electrical goods it means that lead-free solder has been used apart from other things.

Lead balance weights are likely to get quite a lot of lead into the environment especially when people kerb their wheels and the whole lot ends up down a drain.

I have a friend who sells balance weights and there is another problem with Chinese ones apparently.  They quite often break apart which can be quite dangerous at speed, not least because of the missile it produces!
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Tony H on 13 October 2009, 18:07:37
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Lead and other toxic chemicals have been being reduced/banned in new products for quite some time now.  If you've seen the ROHS-compliant lables on electrical goods it means that lead-free solder has been used apart from other things.

Lead balance weights are likely to get quite a lot of lead into the environment especially when people kerb their wheels and the whole lot ends up down a drain.

I have a friend who sells balance weights and there is another problem with Chinese ones apparently.  They quite often break apart which can be quite dangerous at speed, not least because of the missile it produces!
I wonder if the government intend not to use lead in all the new nuclear power stations that they intend to build ::)
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Pitchfork on 13 October 2009, 18:26:19
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Quote
Lead and other toxic chemicals have been being reduced/banned in new products for quite some time now.  If you've seen the ROHS-compliant lables on electrical goods it means that lead-free solder has been used apart from other things.

Lead balance weights are likely to get quite a lot of lead into the environment especially when people kerb their wheels and the whole lot ends up down a drain.

I have a friend who sells balance weights and there is another problem with Chinese ones apparently.  They quite often break apart which can be quite dangerous at speed, not least because of the missile it produces!
I wonder if the government intend not to use lead in all the new nuclear power stations that they intend to build ::)
No, they'll line the reactors with Scousers, it'll be thick enough! ;D
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 13 October 2009, 18:33:34
Indeed RoHS6 regulations mean no Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, PBB, or PBDE allowed.

(RoHS 5 covers all the above with the exemption of lead as per some specialist industry exemptions including Telecoms equipment as of today)
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Pitchfork on 13 October 2009, 18:37:46
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Indeed RoHS6 regulations mean no Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, PBB, or PBDE allowed.

(RoHS 5 covers all the above with the exemption of lead as per some specialist industry exemptions including Telecoms equipment as of today)
And don't fprget REACH either
http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/bespoke/bespoke8.jsp?ICID=i-f4bf-00003016&bespokepage=farnell/en/rohs/news/reach_access_info.jsp
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 13 October 2009, 18:42:49
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Indeed RoHS6 regulations mean no Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, PBB, or PBDE allowed.

(RoHS 5 covers all the above with the exemption of lead as per some specialist industry exemptions including Telecoms equipment as of today)
And don't fprget REACH either
http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/bespoke/bespoke8.jsp?ICID=i-f4bf-00003016&bespokepage=farnell/en/rohs/news/reach_access_info.jsp

Only really relevant to chemicals, not actualy to difficult to comply with either (it puts most of the emphasis on manufacturers registering the substances)
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Andy B on 13 October 2009, 18:54:04
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....
the ROHS-compliant lables on electrical goods it means that lead-free solder has been used apart from other things.

. .....

I'll have to use my lead solder sparingly then. The one I'm using has only lasted 30 yrs so far!  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: KillerWatt on 13 October 2009, 20:12:30
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Quote
....
the ROHS-compliant lables on electrical goods it means that lead-free solder has been used apart from other things.

. .....

I'll have to use my lead solder sparingly then. The one I'm using has only lasted 30 yrs so far!  ;D  ;D  ;D  ;D
Lead free solder is f**king useless!
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Gaffers on 13 October 2009, 20:21:13
I thought zinc was cheaper than lead  :-/
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Tony H on 13 October 2009, 21:24:53
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Quote
Quote
Lead and other toxic chemicals have been being reduced/banned in new products for quite some time now.  If you've seen the ROHS-compliant lables on electrical goods it means that lead-free solder has been used apart from other things.

Lead balance weights are likely to get quite a lot of lead into the environment especially when people kerb their wheels and the whole lot ends up down a drain.

I have a friend who sells balance weights and there is another problem with Chinese ones apparently.  They quite often break apart which can be quite dangerous at speed, not least because of the missile it produces!
I wonder if the government intend not to use lead in all the new nuclear power stations that they intend to build ::)
No, they'll line the reactors with Scousers, it'll be thick enough! ;D
Someone is looking for a "kirby kiss" >:( ;)
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Tony H on 13 October 2009, 21:26:09
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I thought zinc was cheaper than lead  :-/
Not if you liberate it from a church roof :)
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Gaffers on 13 October 2009, 21:56:19
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I thought zinc was cheaper than lead  :-/
Not if you liberate it from a church roof :)

Zinc is used a lot in boating as a sacrificial anode as it corrodes easier than most metals.... I see alot of money being made from replacing zinc weights, especially during wetter seasons.   >:(
Title: Re: Wheel balancing weights
Post by: Auto Addict on 15 October 2009, 18:27:28
Zinc = 1,987.50  US tonne

Lead = 2,168.00  US tonne

Zinc is cheaper