Aluminium wheels
With tyres or without, with weights or without – which makes the difference for aluminium wheels.
A cast rim is not made of pure aluminium, but of a cast alloy with seven to eleven percent silicon, mostly AlSi7Mg or AlSi11Mg. Silicon makes the material leakable and solid, but takes away any suitability for the profile press. Rim scrap therefore migrates back to the secondary casting industry and not into the electricity from which window and façade profiles are created. Forged rims are the exception: they are made of wrought alloy, but can't be distinguished from outside.
You can calculate the customs size. Depending on the design, a 16-inch cast rim weighs around 8 to 11 kilograms, and a 19-inch rim weighs about half more. Four rims of a compact car thus make up 35 to 45 kilograms — more than a single package can carry.
The tyre has nothing to do with all this: used tyres run through their own disposal routes and not via the metal trade. And the chrome look of modern rims is a thin layer that does not matter when remelting. Thick powder coating layers, on the other hand.
What do you get for four alloy wheels at the scrap dealer?
That depends on the weight and condition. A set of four rims weighs about 30 to 60 kilograms depending on the inch size. Multiplying with the daily price for clean alloy rims results in the proceeds – the table above anticipates it for each size. If tyres, balance weights or valves are still attached, the product falls into the lower grade.
Do you accept aluminium wheels with tires?
Yes, but at a much lower price. The tire has to go down, and we'll do this job. In addition, a tire that is pulled up weighs eight to twelve kilograms, which are on the scales but are not aluminium. If you have the tire removed before, you will get the price for clean goods.
How do I know if my rims are made of aluminium or steel?
With a magnet: it adheres to steel rims, not to aluminium rims. We also buy steel rims, but they run as scrap iron and bring a fraction. Do not throw both together – a mixture is evaluated according to the weaker portion.
Is it worth taking off the balance weights beforehand?
Almost always. It takes about two minutes per rim, and the distance between clean and unclean goods is considerable. Balancing weights are usually made of lead or zinc, the valve often carries a steel core – both make a clean rim an unclean one.
What do I get for steel rims?
Steel wheels are iron scrap and are billed at the scrap price – significantly less than aluminium wheels. A magnet distinguishes both in seconds: it adheres to steel, not to aluminium. Do not throw the grades together; a mixture is evaluated according to the weaker portion.
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