Gym weights - ballast

[Pranav]

Anyone know where I can find this stuff? Borrowing some from Mike for now, need to return to him at the end of NOLA, and I'll need more when I take my passenger seat back out...

[BryanL]

Academy-generally any sporting goods store. Maybe a second hand sports store has some as well.

[Dulaney]

Yep, got mine at Academy, a little less than a buck per pound. I bought the smooth ones, and found they're nearly impossible to drill through, so I used a large bolt through the center hole (had planned on 4 smaller bolts).

Lowes carries grade 8, 3/4" diameter bolts. Highly recommended, along with giant fender washers. I later mail-ordered a nylock nut for them, but can't seem to find where I put them, so I'm using lockwashers and loc-tite.

[Suck fumes]

Lead bricks are easier to work with. You'll spend a couple hrs and break several drill bits in a drill press trying to go through dumb bell weights. Don't ask me how I know haha.

[kbrewmr2]

Go secondhand on these - should be on the order of $0.50 to $0.60 per pound. No need for new, costs twice as much and it's not like they can wear out or anything. Drilling wasn't bad on the ones I picked up.... Play It Again Sports iirc.

If you make lead bricks be careful and stay away from the fumes - bad juju

[AllZWay]

Probably not healthy......but we made our own from lead weights from a tire store melted down into a valve cover.

[Suck fumes]

Clever!

[Pranav]

Good idea James, I by chance happen to have a spare valve cover sitting around. I'm gonna stick with gym weights for now as one 50lb stack with a 3/4" bolt thru the middle should accomplish what I need. Four coats of plasti dip, the fire system, and the coolsuit box along with other stuff I need to finish throwing on the car (wipers, defoggers, oil cooler, etc) should take care of the rest, hopefully by Hallett...

[HoustonNW]

Here is what the CCR says about ballast:

Unless superseded by class rules, all ballast shall be solid metal such as steel, lead, or uranium, and consist of
a minimum of five (5) pounds per piece. Each piece should be bolted in place with through-bolts, fender
washers, and a locking-nut / system (e.g. jam-nuts, Nylock, etc.). All bolts should be grade five (5). There
should be at least one 3/8” diameter, or larger bolt for every ten (10) pounds of weight (e.g. 20 pound block
uses two bolts). Nylock nuts or metal crimping lock nuts should not be reused.

I'm not sure if one 3/4" bolt equals five 3/8" bolts. Just an FYI in case they are strict for your annual.

[kbrewmr2]

Do the CMC rules address ballast? If not, then yeah you're stuck with the CCRs super strict waayyy over the top rule. Break out your drill bits!