home made wheel weights

[DavidBarkey]

Picture this , I have a 446 with a blown motor . But have 18 hp. Onan genny engine with low hours and gasket set for it for the refit. I have a 44" 2 stage Berco blower unit for it , just need to build adapter. I have a nice set of chains . Ok other than the time to get it all together what is my only problem ? Weight to plant the rear wheels and it must be user friendly as out 13 year old grand son may have to use it as well . The two of us right now would be hard pressed to make 200 lbs right now . This recent foul weather has let me know I may not be able to function well enough in bad weather this year/ only time will tell . Being out in the sticks I need to make sure we are covered .
Now money is tight , supplies are limited and hard to get right now . What do I have on hand ??? I have a bag of Portland Cement , about 150 lbs of old wheel weight from the local tire shop , card board , duct tape , 1/2 " bolts and nuts and washers , scrap steel bits , welder, plywood , the rims for moulds .
Stay tuned . I will do my best to take pics and upload them .

Dave

[thebuildist]

Go for it David! Show us what you got!

[Timj]

I like what you're thinking, Dave.
It's hard to think about snow/winter with the nice weather we're having, but it's coming, we've had frost the last couple of mornings.
Sure wish I was close enough to give you a hand while you get fully back on your feet. Don't push too hard.
Tim

[Eugen]

Following with interest. Dave, let me know when you need some help bud. Coming by soon to get more eggs

[DavidBarkey]

cutting down larger weights and sorting into equal piles .

Threaded rod and scrap to make the cage , A flat plate over the lug nuts.

10" pieces of 12" sono tube leftovers . hope to finish the moulds and pore tomorrow .

Dave

[DavidBarkey]

change plans , decided to try and keep them as low profile as possible .

Duck tape a bit of cardboard for clearance and some vapour barrier plastic using the rim for the mould .
Will cut off excess threaded rod leaving just enough on two to attach installation bracket ( yet to be made ) .

A couple of day to set up and will see what they weight in at .

Dave

[Eugen]

Looking good Dave! Did you throw in the lead too?

[DavidBarkey]

Looking good Dave! Did you throw in the lead too?

all two 90 lb buckets worth ,plus sand / cement and water . I am guessing between 125-150 lbs each tire, rim ,, and weight assembly . Poor old little mixer got a work out . It was a pain in the ass as I am not suppose to lift more than 10 lbs , so everything was a little bit at a time .

Dave

[thebuildist]

Wow. Looks really good. If you can't "steal" a set of Deere wheel weights like SOME people around here, that concrete method is perfect!

Bob

[Eugen]

I was planning to do something like this as well. Didn't have friends at any tire shop so getting wheel balancing weights was out of the question. I called a couple of metal recycling places to see if they'd sell me some lead. Both said they don't deal with small purchasing, but one said ok come by it's 90 cents a pound. I never found the time to to that. Another source of steel I figured would be automobile break rotors. Had four from my truck, found four at the curb thrown out, and two were given to me by a neighbour. Tried to drill the four holes in one of them, oh hell on ice it was so hard! I gave up after one hole. They're not bad as added weight on the rear box though. I suppose I could've welded them all together then weld bolts on them, and cast them in cement like Dave. Just didn't get this idea at the time.