By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

As of January 1, 2016, it will be illegal to sell, distribute or install a wheel weight in Minnesota that contains lead or mercury. The law also requires proper recycling of lead- or mercury-based weights removed from vehicles. California, Illinois, New York, Maine, Vermont and Washington have already enacted laws banning the manufacture, sale and use of lead weights.

The automakers no longer use lead weights as original equipment, and the three major manufacturers of wheel weights in the United States stopped distributing lead weights in 2009. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a voluntary nationwide initiative in 2008 and may eventually issue a mandatory federal ban. The weights have been banned in the European Union since 2005. Automakers, tire makers and the aftermarket are turning to three main substitute materials—steel, zinc or composites.

The bans are being pursued over concerns that they may contaminate metal recycling efforts or pose environmental hazards. If lead weights fall off tires, they may be ground into fine dust particles and turn into lead oxides, hydroxides or bicarbonates. The lead particles and chemical combinations may risk contaminating surface and ground water supplies. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

As of January 1, 2016, it will be illegal to sell, distribute or install a wheel weight in Minnesota that contains lead or mercury. The law also requires proper recycling of lead- or mercury-based weights removed from vehicles. California, Illinois, New York, Maine, Vermont and Washington have already enacted laws banning the manufacture, sale and use of lead weights.

The automakers no longer use lead weights as original equipment, and the three major manufacturers of wheel weights in the United States stopped distributing lead weights in 2009. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a voluntary nationwide initiative in 2008 and may eventually issue a mandatory federal ban. The weights have been banned in the European Union since 2005. Automakers, tire makers and the aftermarket are turning to three main substitute materials—steel, zinc or composites.

The bans are being pursued over concerns that they may contaminate metal recycling efforts or pose environmental hazards. If lead weights fall off tires, they may be ground into fine dust particles and turn into lead oxides, hydroxides or bicarbonates. The lead particles and chemical combinations may risk contaminating surface and ground water supplies. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

As of January 1, 2016, it will be illegal to sell, distribute or install a wheel weight in Minnesota that contains lead or mercury. The law also requires proper recycling of lead- or mercury-based weights removed from vehicles. California, Illinois, New York, Maine, Vermont and Washington have already enacted laws banning the manufacture, sale and use of lead weights.

The automakers no longer use lead weights as original equipment, and the three major manufacturers of wheel weights in the United States stopped distributing lead weights in 2009. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a voluntary nationwide initiative in 2008 and may eventually issue a mandatory federal ban. The weights have been banned in the European Union since 2005. Automakers, tire makers and the aftermarket are turning to three main substitute materials—steel, zinc or composites.

The bans are being pursued over concerns that they may contaminate metal recycling efforts or pose environmental hazards. If lead weights fall off tires, they may be ground into fine dust particles and turn into lead oxides, hydroxides or bicarbonates. The lead particles and chemical combinations may risk contaminating surface and ground water supplies. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Johnson Valley area contains a unique mix of open desert, dry lake beds and formidable rock-crawling formations and hosts the famous King of the Hammers race, which will continue unhampered.

The U.S. House of Representatives included a provision within the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 to include the word “National” within the title “Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area.”

Johnson Valley is the nation’s first federal OHV area and the word addition will acknowledge the land’s national significance. The SEMA-supported legislation follows last December’s success when Congress passed a law ending a six-year clash between the military and OHV users over access to thousands of acres of Southern California desert.

More than 96,000 acres will continue to be maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as an OHV recreation area, with other lands being transferred to the adjoining Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base for military training needs. The area contains a unique mix of open desert, dry lake beds and formidable rock-crawling formations and hosts the famous King of the Hammers race, which will continue unhampered.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Johnson Valley area contains a unique mix of open desert, dry lake beds and formidable rock-crawling formations and hosts the famous King of the Hammers race, which will continue unhampered.

The U.S. House of Representatives included a provision within the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 to include the word “National” within the title “Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area.”

Johnson Valley is the nation’s first federal OHV area and the word addition will acknowledge the land’s national significance. The SEMA-supported legislation follows last December’s success when Congress passed a law ending a six-year clash between the military and OHV users over access to thousands of acres of Southern California desert.

More than 96,000 acres will continue to be maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as an OHV recreation area, with other lands being transferred to the adjoining Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base for military training needs. The area contains a unique mix of open desert, dry lake beds and formidable rock-crawling formations and hosts the famous King of the Hammers race, which will continue unhampered.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The Johnson Valley area contains a unique mix of open desert, dry lake beds and formidable rock-crawling formations and hosts the famous King of the Hammers race, which will continue unhampered.

The U.S. House of Representatives included a provision within the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 to include the word “National” within the title “Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area.”

Johnson Valley is the nation’s first federal OHV area and the word addition will acknowledge the land’s national significance. The SEMA-supported legislation follows last December’s success when Congress passed a law ending a six-year clash between the military and OHV users over access to thousands of acres of Southern California desert.

More than 96,000 acres will continue to be maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as an OHV recreation area, with other lands being transferred to the adjoining Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base for military training needs. The area contains a unique mix of open desert, dry lake beds and formidable rock-crawling formations and hosts the famous King of the Hammers race, which will continue unhampered.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

Tim Martin	Rick Trudo
Steve Wolcott	Greg Adler	Larry Pacey

Voting for the 2014 SEMA Board of Directors is now taking place online through Tuesday, June 10, and is open to current SEMA-member companies. SEMA has partnered with Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) to administer the Board of Directors 2014 election.

Election-specific broadcast emails were sent to eligible voting categories on May 14, from the email address, noreply@directvote.net. Votes must be cast by each company’s primary contact. Details with ballots and links will be sent to the member company’s designated primary contact in May.

Winners will be announced in June and formally inducted into the SEMA Board of Directors at the SEMA Installation Gala in July.

The following slate of candidates are vying for a seat on the SEMA Board of Directors:

Manufacturers Category (one open seat available)

• Tim Martin – COO, K&N Engineering Inc.
• Rick Trudo – President/CEO, SCT Performance LLC
• Steve Wolcott – President/CEO, ProMedia LLC

Distributor Retailer Category (one open seat available)

• Greg Adler – CEO, Transamerican Auto Parts
• Larry Pacey – President/CEO, National Performance Warehouse

For more information about the 2014–2017 SEMA Board of Directors election, contact Judi Ritchie at 909-978-6671 or judir@sema.org.

Tim Martin	Rick Trudo
Steve Wolcott	Greg Adler	Larry Pacey

Voting for the 2014 SEMA Board of Directors is now taking place online through Tuesday, June 10, and is open to current SEMA-member companies. SEMA has partnered with Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) to administer the Board of Directors 2014 election.

Election-specific broadcast emails were sent to eligible voting categories on May 14, from the email address, noreply@directvote.net. Votes must be cast by each company’s primary contact. Details with ballots and links will be sent to the member company’s designated primary contact in May.

Winners will be announced in June and formally inducted into the SEMA Board of Directors at the SEMA Installation Gala in July.

The following slate of candidates are vying for a seat on the SEMA Board of Directors:

Manufacturers Category (one open seat available)

• Tim Martin – COO, K&N Engineering Inc.
• Rick Trudo – President/CEO, SCT Performance LLC
• Steve Wolcott – President/CEO, ProMedia LLC

Distributor Retailer Category (one open seat available)

• Greg Adler – CEO, Transamerican Auto Parts
• Larry Pacey – President/CEO, National Performance Warehouse

For more information about the 2014–2017 SEMA Board of Directors election, contact Judi Ritchie at 909-978-6671 or judir@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

CAD information for both the ’15 Ford Mustang and F-150 will be available starting June 1, through the SEMA Tech Transfer program. The specs and CAD materials will be made available to manufacturers participating in Tech Transfer, which is available for an annual subscription fee of $360.

The program was established more than 10 years ago to help manufacturers minimize or eliminate reverse engineering for prototyping and production. In addition to the thousands of files and drawings already available to manufacturers, program participants can also request specific information from OEMs by contacting Tech Transfer personnel. In addition to Ford, other OEMs that are part of the program include Chrysler, General Motors and Scion.

Manufacturing members interested in obtaining access to the Mustang and F-150 specs, seeking more information on the Tech Transfer program, or who would like to request additional files, are encouraged to contact Gary Pis at garyp@sema.org or Long Nguyen at longn@sema.org.

’15 Ford Mustang	’15 Ford F-150

By SEMA Editors

CAD information for both the ’15 Ford Mustang and F-150 will be available starting June 1, through the SEMA Tech Transfer program. The specs and CAD materials will be made available to manufacturers participating in Tech Transfer, which is available for an annual subscription fee of $360.

The program was established more than 10 years ago to help manufacturers minimize or eliminate reverse engineering for prototyping and production. In addition to the thousands of files and drawings already available to manufacturers, program participants can also request specific information from OEMs by contacting Tech Transfer personnel. In addition to Ford, other OEMs that are part of the program include Chrysler, General Motors and Scion.

Manufacturing members interested in obtaining access to the Mustang and F-150 specs, seeking more information on the Tech Transfer program, or who would like to request additional files, are encouraged to contact Gary Pis at garyp@sema.org or Long Nguyen at longn@sema.org.

’15 Ford Mustang	’15 Ford F-150