LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Lead-free balance weights - UPDATE FROM JULY 2005

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Who is TRAX?

• 2nd largest balance weight producer in Europe

• Export over 70% of production

• capacity over 100M wts per year

• suppliers of lead-free weights to Original Equipment Ford/Volvo/Land Rover/Jaguar/Renault

• Over 33% of sales to Original Equipment

• Presenter – John Hallé Managing Director

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Legislation applies to:-

Category M1: “Vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and comprising no more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat.”

Category N1: “ Vehicles used for the carriage of goods and having a maximum weight not exceeding 3.5 metric tonnes.”

DOES NOT APPLY TO TRUCKS OR M’CYCLES

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Industry issues:-

• more expensive weights

• importance of balance weight design

• using poor quality balance weights

• using uncoated zinc clip-on weights

• adhesive weights

• illegal use of lead adhesive weights

• illegal levels of lead & cadmium in weights

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Zinc LME price LME £/tonne Jan 05 - May 06

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

zin

c L

ME

£/t

on

ne

`

Zinc cost increase

Zinc has doubled in cost since Nov 05 & trebled since Jan 05(£1796/tonne 24 August 06)

Zinc clip-on & adhesive prices increased summer 06

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Importance of balance weight design CLIP-ON WEIGHTS

• zinc will not readily bend like lead – difficulty of having a universal solution

• Japanese steel clip-on weights not universal with retention problems

• wide variety of steel & alloy wheel rim shapes (ETRTO wide tolerances)

• steel wheel thickness down to 1.5mm – weights will slide

• Trax “cam back” weight design gives the optimum universal solution

• Damage when using clip-on weights for alloy wheels – Trax/Renault

• Experience with OE companies

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

SAFETY - the top cam prevents the weight from coming away from the wheel.

RETENTION - the bottom cam pushes out the weight body opening the clip and significantly increasing the clip retention. This prevents the weight from sliding on braking

SLIMLINE SHAPE - for trim clearance

CAM-BACKED WEIGHTSTrax series 200 universal weight for steel wheels

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

TOYOTA weight for alloy wheels

Made from steel

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Importance of balance weight design ADHESIVE WEIGHTS

• Steel is 20% more dense than zinc

• Copper is 35% more dense than zinc

• Cosmetic issues for OE (DaimlerChrysler want copper)

• Recycling issues (Ford Motor Co prefer steel)

• zinc adhesive weights spring back concerns

• quality of the adhesive tape?

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

COPPER

TIN

STEEL

ZINC

Examples of adhesive weight materials (lead density 11.2)

8.9

7.2

7.86.5

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Corrosion protection of zinc weights

Not essential

• lower cost than coated• OE - car life 8 years• Aftermarket - tyre life 2/3 years• Available with/without protection• Patina lowers zinc corrosion• See leaflet for details• Recommended

•Steel wheels uncoated•Alloy wheel coated Uncoated zinc weight after 10,000 miles

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Balance weight quality

Clip not positioned correctly in the weight.

No top cam allowing the weight to pull off

Wide gap – the weight will slide on the rim.

A poor quality weight is dangerous as it can fly off or move on the rim causing significant imbalance.

It will also lead to dissatisfied customers who will find their wheels going our of balance on braking as the weight moves around the rim.

Trax designs have been tested and are to OE quality standards

Cross-section of two 10g imported weights

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Examples of poor quality balance weights

A crack casting defect which can cause the weight to fall apart leading to it fly away. This imported weight for alloy wheels was found at a UK equity tyre outlet.

An incorrectly fitted clip leading to poor retention and the weight either coming off the rim or moving causing imbalance.

Health & safety – bad quality weights are dangerous and can lead to weights flying off and high levels of imbalance.

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Legal issues – heavy metals in weights

1. Wholesalers and distributors are importing lead strip adhesive weights. These are labelled for motorcycles but are allegedly used for cars. Fitting lead adhesive weights onto cars is illegal. Distributors of lead adhesive weights where fitted onto cars are also at risk from prosecution.

2. Imported weights have illegal levels of lead and cadmium. The legal level allowed for balance weights (UK Law - ELV Vehicle Regulations 2003) is:-

Lead/mercury/hexavalent chromium 0.1% by weight

cadmium 0.01% by weight

Imported weights have well exceeded these levels. It is recommended that importers, distributors and retail operations verify the levels of heavy metals in balance weights.

3. The VCA (Vehicle Certification Agency) is responsible for enforcing the ELV legislation. Contact Alan Bowker tel: 01179 524190 Alan.Bowker@vca.gov.uk

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Trends

• Re-using old weights by tyre shops

• Using uncoated weights for steel wheels (over 90% of weights sold by Trax for steel wheels in the UK are uncoated).

• Adhesive weights in aftermarket (OE trend not high due to costs)

• OE moving to steel adhesive weights in 2007 – recycling issues (new Ford Galaxy & Mondeo to use steel adhesive weights also Renault )

LEAD-FREE BALANCE WEIGHTS

Questions?