Aluminum From Automobiles

Cars and trucks today have several parts manufactured from aluminum.

One of the most obvious applications – you see it every time a vehicle drives by – is the wheel.  Unless your ride is extremely old, it has aluminum wheels.  Remove the tire, valve stem and wheel weights and you have one of the higher priced grades of scrap aluminum.  Wheels with a chrome finish pay less, as do wheels clad with plastic.

Transmissions and transaxles are usually built with an aluminum case which is full of mostly steel parts.  Obviously if you strip them down all the way, you will get better money for the “cleaned” aluminum case, which is made from cast aluminum, one of the cheaper grades.

Sometimes engines, or just the heads, are cast aluminum as well, needing to have the steel parts removed to maximize the price.

Alternators have an aluminum housing, but also copper windings inside, so they are bought in the same grade as electric motors.

Radiators and transmission fluid coolers are usually aluminum.  Removing any plastic and steel that is attached will raise the value of those items.

In rare cases you may find a car has an aluminum hood or fenders.  Any time there is a doubt, use a magnet to test the piece of metal – it will stick to steel, but not to aluminum.