Firestone Racing switches to 3M's environmentally friendlier lead-free wheel weights
Beginning with last weekend’s Indy Racing League IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights events at The Milwaukee Mile, Firestone Racing has made the switch from traditional lead wheel weights to the 3M Wheel Weight System for all of its operations.
The wheel balancing system is constructed of a non-lead composite material for reduced environmental impact and corrosion-free results.
“The new 3M Wheel Weight System is made of a highly flexible and conformable composite material that can be cut to length to meet exact weight requirements,” says Scott Taylor, automotive technology manager for 3M Automotive. “The material’s flexibility allows one profile to fit all wheel diameters.”
Taylor goes on to note how the material is flexible enough to be cut with scissors, yet tough enough to withstand rigorous durability, weathering, salt spray and salt fog testing to exceed current OEM standards. The weights are secured using the company’s Acrylic Foam Tape.
Motorists appreciate a better aesthetic – the weights are hidden behind the spokes – and the lead-free aspect appeals to those concerned with environmental issues, he points out.
According to Kyle Lasenby, 3M Automotive market development manager, “3M’s Wheel Weight System enables users to eliminate inventories of individual part numbers, freeing up floor space and resulting in a lower overall cost of ownership. The system is available as a roll in a self-dispensing package that includes a dispensing stand and cutting device, making it efficient and easy to use.”
“This change to non-lead wheel weights is just one of many efforts to protect and conserve our environment under Bridgestone’s global ‘One Team, One Planet’ program,” says Al Speyer, executive director of Bridgestone-Firestone Motorsports.
“As a very visible part (of the company), Firestone Racing has been looking at ways we can be more ecologically sensitive,” Speyer points out, “and the 3M Wheel Weight System provides us with the perfect opportunity to put our company’s principles into action. When it comes to protecting the environment, we’re all in this together.”
For more information, contact www.3M.com/wheelweights or www.firestoneracing.com.
