Average Clean Aluminum Auto Wheels (Alloy 356) Price

180-day market: price lists from 10 yards. As of 3/19/2026.
$0.89/ lb -$0.45 (10.8%)
GT = Gross Ton (2240 lbs)
Avg: $0.89
Lowest price $0.77
Highest price$1.00Who pays the most? ⟶
How to read a yard's offer
  • Low (up to $0.77): Floor price, typically for small loads.
  • Mid ($0.89): A fair deal for standard quantities.
  • High ($1.00+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
52-week price range
Over the past year, prices ranged from $0.71 to $1.04.
Mar '25Jun '25Sep '25Dec '25Today
Market response to LME pricing
Spread vs. exchange (180-day avg): ~11.2% (-$0.11/lb). Typical spread for this grade: 5%–30%
✓ Scrap yards are offering fair market rates
Market snapshot
High volatility. Prices have been swinging over the past 3 months.
Pricing verified from 10 live board rates today.

Best Scrap Yards Buying Clean Auto Wheels Texas

Check out the yards below currently paying top rates for Clean Aluminum Auto Wheels (Alloy 356) in Texas. Always call ahead to confirm their daily pricing, verify their exact prep requirements, and compare local offers against the national averages before you load your trailer.

💼 Scrap yard owners: Post your buy prices and get more customers
By price
By date
Updated 2 days ago

CMC Recycling

Listed as: Clean Aluminum Wheels
4500 Old Decatur Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76106 Get Directions
$1.00 / lb
Updated 17 days ago

CMC Recycling

Listed as: Clean Aluminum Wheels
1729 N Westmoreland Rd, Dallas, TX 75212 Get Directions
$1.00 / lb
Updated 32 days ago

Astro City Scrap Metal

Listed as: Aluminum Wheels
4530 N Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77018 Get Directions
$1.00 / lb
Updated 32 days ago

Allstar Recycling

Listed as: Alum Wheels
32331 TX-249 Get Directions
$0.80 / lb
Updated 32 days ago

Port Arthur Recycling - Get Best Scrap Prices in Texas

Listed as: Cast Aluminum Wheels
2901 W Farm to Market Rd 365 Get Directions
$0.77 / lb
Updated 32 days ago

Orange Recycling - Scrap Yard in Texas

Listed as: Cast AL Wheels
4481 TX-62 Get Directions
$0.77 / lb

Your competitors are already here. Is your yard missing from the list?

Hundreds of people search here every day for the best scrap metal prices. Start capturing ready-to-sell leads today.

🚀 List your scrap yard ⟶

How Clean Auto Wheels Compare to Other Alloy Grades

The #1 rule at scrap yards: if you mix grades, they’ll weigh everything at the lowest rate. See the price gap below — if you have higher-value metal, always sort and weigh each grade separately to avoid leaving money on the table.

Dirty & Irony Aluminum Wheels Estimated U.S. prices
Avg price:$0.81 / lb
Trend (6m): 0.4%
Price analytics
Clean Truck & Semi Wheels (Alloy 6061) Estimated U.S. prices
Avg price:$0.71 / lb
Trend (6m): -7.9%
Price analytics
Chrome Plated Aluminum Wheels Based on 2 scrap yards
Avg price:$0.68 / lb
Trend (30d): 0.0%
Price analytics

Historical Price Trends for Clean Auto Rims

This chart shows where the market is headed. If the line is climbing, prices are rising — you might get a better deal in a few days. If it’s dropping, don’t wait: sell today before yards lower their buy prices further.

Clean Aluminum Auto Wheels (Alloy 356): Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (LME)

Avg scrap yard price

$0.89
Scrap metal dealers
Spread: -$0.11/lb
vs. exchange

World market price (LME)

$1.0024
✓ For 99.9% pure refined metal
💡 Why is the scrap yard price lower than the exchange? The LME price is the global benchmark for 99.99% pure refined metal traded in large institutional contracts. The gap between LME and what you pocket is the yard’s margin — it covers sorting, cleaning, transport to the mill, and protects them against sudden price drops.

Clean Aluminum Auto Wheels (Alloy 356): Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History

Analyst take: This month’s average spread between scrap yard prices and the world market for Clean Aluminum Auto Wheels (Alloy 356) is 11.2%. That’s in line with the typical range for this grade (8%–14%). Local yards are offering fair market rates. Check offers in your area ↑
PeriodWorld price (per lb)Scrap yard price (per lb)Spread vs. exchange
March 2026 (current)$1.097176$1.00-$0.10 (8.9%)
February 2026$1.2032$1.02-$0.18 (15.1%)
January 2026$1.051423$0.95-$0.10 (9.7%)
December 2025$0.982942$0.96-$0.02 (2.4%)
November 2025$0.930043$0.94+$0.01 (0.7%)
October 2025$0.887584$0.87-$0.02 (2.3%)
September 2025$0.86119$0.86+$0.00 (0.2%)
August 2025$0.866703$0.87-$0.00 (0.1%)
July 2025$0.837774$0.77-$0.07 (7.8%)
June 2025$0.802343$0.77-$0.03 (3.6%)
May 2025$0.807171$0.75-$0.06 (7.2%)
April 2025$0.744003$0.76+$0.02 (2.7%)
March 2025$0.878574$0.88+$0.00 (0.3%)
February 2025$0.893382$0.81-$0.08 (9.3%)
January 2025$0.812942$0.80-$0.01 (1.5%)
December 2024$0.805026$0.76-$0.05 (5.8%)
November 2024$0.80919$0.76-$0.05 (6.4%)
October 2024$0.84811$0.77-$0.08 (9.2%)
September 2024$0.84145$0.78-$0.06 (7.3%)
August 2024$0.838665$0.78-$0.06 (7%)
July 2024$0.905877$0.82-$0.08 (9.1%)
June 2024$0.957757$0.84-$0.11 (11.9%)
May 2024$0.995197$0.88-$0.12 (11.6%)
April 2024$0.9588$0.80-$0.16 (16.4%)
March 2024$0.916803$0.81-$0.11 (11.9%)
February 2024$0.908876$0.79-$0.12 (13%)
January 2024$0.981155$0.87-$0.11 (11.2%)
December 2023$0.992781$0.88-$0.11 (11.1%)
November 2023$0.936113$0.83-$0.11 (11.9%)
October 2023$0.91751$0.81-$0.11 (11.9%)
September 2023$0.946997$0.82-$0.13 (13.3%)
August 2023$0.930013$0.82-$0.11 (11.3%)
July 2023$0.934068$0.83-$0.10 (11.2%)
June 2023$0.944237$0.84-$0.10 (11%)
May 2023$0.9455$0.87-$0.08 (8.5%)
April 2023$0.971563$0.86-$0.11 (11.3%)
March 2023$1.031729$0.95-$0.08 (8%)
February 2023$1.081664$0.96-$0.12 (11.2%)
January 2023$1.063787$0.96-$0.10 (9.8%)
December 2022$1.03949$0.92-$0.12 (11.2%)
November 2022$1.026153$0.90-$0.12 (12.1%)
October 2022$0.962755$0.84-$0.12 (12.3%)
September 2022$0.9553$0.85-$0.10 (10.8%)
August 2022$1.002665$0.87-$0.13 (13.4%)
July 2022$0.932735$0.83-$0.10 (10.9%)
June 2022$1.03653$0.92-$0.12 (11.2%)
May 2022$1.104181$0.95-$0.15 (13.6%)
April 2022$1.12712$1.00-$0.13 (11.2%)
March 2022$1.070248$0.95-$0.12 (11.2%)
February 2022$1.12205$1.00-$0.12 (11.1%)
January 2022$1.156365$1.01-$0.15 (13%)
December 2021$1.092839$0.90-$0.19 (17.5%)
November 2021$1.072407$0.92-$0.15 (14.3%)
October 2021$1.051368$0.89-$0.16 (15%)
September 2021$1.110613$0.88-$0.23 (21%)
August 2021$1.181813$1.02-$0.16 (13.9%)
July 2021$1.106519$0.93-$0.18 (16.1%)
June 2021$1.065053$0.89-$0.18 (16.7%)
May 2021$1.079274$0.89-$0.19 (17.5%)
April 2021$1.063943$0.88-$0.18 (17.3%)
March 2021$1.038232$0.88-$0.16 (15.7%)
February 2021$0.997864$0.80-$0.20 (20%)
January 2021$0.978155$0.69-$0.29 (29.4%)
December 2020$0.912668$0.81-$0.10 (11.1%)
November 2020$0.788713$0.70-$0.09 (11.1%)
October 2020$0.748797$0.66-$0.09 (11.4%)
September 2020$0.74391$0.66-$0.08 (11.3%)
August 2020$0.681152$0.60-$0.08 (11.2%)
July 2020$0.682474$0.61-$0.08 (11.2%)
June 2020$0.707093$0.63-$0.08 (11.2%)
May 2020$0.667345$0.59-$0.07 (11.2%)
April 2020$0.655233$0.58-$0.07 (11.2%)
March 2020$0.63179$0.56-$0.07 (11.2%)
February 2020$0.865779$0.77-$0.10 (11.2%)
January 2020$0.878045$0.78-$0.10 (11.1%)
December 2019$0.919229$0.82-$0.10 (11.1%)
November 2019$0.903547$0.80-$0.10 (11.3%)
October 2019$0.820784$0.73-$0.09 (11.1%)
September 2019$0.807807$0.72-$0.09 (11.2%)
August 2019$0.738452$0.66-$0.08 (11.2%)
July 2019$0.808777$0.72-$0.09 (11.1%)
June 2019$0.780903$0.70-$0.09 (11%)
May 2019$0.820665$0.73-$0.09 (11.2%)
April 2019$0.942947$0.84-$0.11 (11.3%)
March 2019$0.911219$0.81-$0.10 (11.4%)
February 2019$0.934725$0.83-$0.11 (11.3%)
January 2019$0.875529$0.78-$0.10 (11.2%)
December 2018$0.842287$0.75-$0.09 (11.2%)
November 2018$0.97931$0.87-$0.11 (11.2%)
October 2018$1.089796$0.94-$0.15 (13.3%)

Clean Aluminum Auto Wheels (Alloy 356) Scrap Price History — Daily Data

A day-by-day market snapshot in exact numbers. Every day we aggregate buy prices from local scrap yards, recording the average, low, and high. Use this table to track real price movement over recent days.

DateAvg price (per lb)ChangeRange (Low/High)
3/19/2026$1.00 / lb-$0.04$1.00 - $1.00
3/18/2026$1.04 / lb+$0.02$1.04 - $1.04
3/5/2026$1.02 / lb+$0.02$1.02 - $1.02
3/4/2026$1.00 / lb+$0.02$1.00 - $1.00
2/17/2026$0.98 / lb+$0.03$0.97 - $1.00
1/22/2026$0.95 / lb+$0.02$0.95 - $0.95
1/17/2026$0.93 / lb-$0.02$0.93 - $0.93
1/16/2026$0.95 / lb-$0.02$0.95 - $0.95
1/15/2026$0.97 / lb— no change$0.97 - $0.97
1/14/2026$0.97 / lb-$0.02$0.97 - $0.97
12/31/2025$0.99 / lb+$0.02$0.99 - $0.99
12/23/2025$0.97 / lb-$0.03$0.97 - $0.97
12/10/2025$1.00 / lb— no change$1.00 - $1.00
12/6/2025$1.00 / lb+$0.11$1.00 - $1.00
12/3/2025$0.89 / lb-$0.09$0.89 - $0.89
11/26/2025$0.98 / lb-$0.04$0.98 - $0.98
11/10/2025$1.02 / lb+$0.04$1.02 - $1.02
11/5/2025$0.98 / lb+$0.01$0.98 - $0.98
10/10/2025$0.97 / lb-$0.03$0.97 - $0.97
10/5/2025$1.00 / lb+$0.03$1.00 - $1.00
9/13/2025$0.97 / lb+$0.01$0.97 - $0.97
9/5/2025$0.96 / lb+$0.16$0.96 - $0.96
9/2/2025$0.80 / lb-$0.14$0.80 - $0.80
8/28/2025$0.94 / lb+$0.04$0.92 - $0.96
8/15/2025$0.90 / lb-$0.06$0.90 - $0.90
8/3/2025$0.96 / lb+$0.24$0.96 - $0.96
7/19/2025$0.72 / lb-$0.22$0.72 - $0.72
6/23/2025$0.94 / lb+$0.03$0.94 - $0.94
5/20/2025$0.91 / lb+$0.31$0.90 - $0.91
5/18/2025$0.60 / lb-$0.25$0.60 - $0.60
5/15/2025$0.85 / lb— no change$0.85 - $0.85
4/20/2025$0.85 / lb-$0.16$0.85 - $0.85
4/19/2025$1.01 / lb— no change$1.01 - $1.01
3/28/2025$1.01 / lb+$0.06$0.98 - $1.03
3/25/2025$0.95 / lb-$0.02$0.95 - $0.95
3/5/2025$0.97 / lb+$0.10$0.97 - $0.97
2/14/2025$0.87 / lb+$0.12$0.85 - $0.89
2/11/2025$0.75 / lb-$0.16$0.75 - $0.75
1/26/2025$0.91 / lb+$0.01$0.91 - $0.91
1/24/2025$0.90 / lb+$0.05$0.90 - $0.90
1/18/2025$0.85 / lb-$0.04$0.85 - $0.85
12/9/2024$0.89 / lb+$0.01$0.89 - $0.89
11/14/2024$0.88 / lb+$0.18$0.88 - $0.88
11/2/2024$0.70 / lb-$0.06$0.70 - $0.70
10/8/2024$0.76 / lb-$0.13$0.70 - $0.82
10/7/2024$0.89 / lb+$0.05$0.89 - $0.89
9/20/2024$0.84 / lb-$0.02$0.84 - $0.84
9/8/2024$0.86 / lb+$0.12$0.86 - $0.86
9/7/2024$0.74 / lb-$0.07$0.67 - $0.80
8/9/2024$0.81 / lb-$0.06$0.78 - $0.83
8/7/2024$0.87 / lb-$0.01$0.87 - $0.87
7/17/2024$0.88 / lb+$0.13$0.84 - $0.93
6/23/2024$0.75 / lb-$0.20$0.75 - $0.75
6/15/2024$0.95 / lb+$0.05$0.95 - $0.95
6/14/2024$0.90 / lb— no change$0.90 - $0.90
6/1/2024$0.90 / lb+$0.03$0.86 - $0.94
5/27/2024$0.87 / lb+$0.01$0.87 - $0.87
4/24/2024$0.86 / lb+$0.21$0.82 - $0.90
4/19/2024$0.65 / lb— no change$0.65 - $0.65
3/1/2024$0.65 / lb-$0.09$0.65 - $0.65
2/29/2024$0.74 / lb-$0.07$0.74 - $0.75
11/30/2023$0.81 / lb+$0.02$0.81 - $0.81
10/31/2023$0.79 / lb— no change$0.79 - $0.79
10/4/2023$0.79 / lb-$0.04$0.77 - $0.80
10/1/2023$0.83 / lb+$0.07$0.83 - $0.83
9/30/2023$0.76 / lb-$0.09$0.76 - $0.76
6/3/2023$0.85 / lb-$0.07$0.85 - $0.85
5/28/2023$0.92 / lb-$0.08$0.88 - $0.97
3/25/2023$1.00 / lb+$0.03$0.99 - $1.01
1/28/2023$0.97 / lb-$0.03$0.92 - $1.02
1/23/2023$1.00 / lb+$0.12$1.00 - $1.00
11/27/2022$0.88 / lb+$0.13$0.84 - $0.93
10/4/2022$0.75 / lb-$0.08$0.75 - $0.75
9/29/2022$0.83 / lb-$0.01$0.80 - $0.86
8/19/2022$0.84 / lb-$0.02$0.84 - $0.84
8/12/2022$0.86 / lb+$0.04$0.84 - $0.89
7/6/2022$0.82 / lb-$0.08$0.82 - $0.82
5/28/2022$0.90 / lb-$0.06$0.90 - $0.90
5/20/2022$0.96 / lb+$0.05$0.87 - $1.00
1/29/2022$0.91 / lb+$0.09$0.84 - $0.96
12/29/2021$0.82 / lb-$0.01$0.82 - $0.82
12/26/2021$0.83 / lb+$0.07$0.83 - $0.83
12/2/2021$0.76 / lb-$0.04$0.75 - $0.79
10/28/2021$0.80 / lb+$0.04$0.79 - $0.82
9/25/2021$0.76 / lb-$0.02$0.72 - $0.83
9/17/2021$0.78 / lb+$0.07$0.78 - $0.78
8/3/2021$0.71 / lb-$0.03$0.70 - $0.71
6/14/2021$0.74 / lb+$0.03$0.72 - $0.76
5/10/2021$0.71 / lb-$0.02$0.62 - $0.80
4/22/2021$0.73 / lb— no change$0.73 - $0.73
4/21/2021$0.73 / lb+$0.05$0.73 - $0.73
3/6/2021$0.68 / lb+$0.03$0.68 - $0.68
2/26/2021$0.65 / lb+$0.04$0.64 - $0.67
1/28/2021$0.61 / lb+$0.01$0.60 - $0.61
1/20/2021$0.60 / lb+$0.01$0.60 - $0.60
1/16/2021$0.59 / lb+$0.09$0.59 - $0.59

Cash In on Cast Alloy: The Baseline for Clean Auto Wheels

If you are hauling a load of scrap rims in Texas, maximizing your payout means understanding exactly what the yard wants. Clean Aluminum Auto Wheels (Alloy 356) are the bread and butter of the scrap wheel market. Because they are cast from a highly uniform, pure aluminum alloy, foundries love them. However, "clean" means absolutely bare metal. Our data shows that when properly prepped, yards are currently paying between $0.85 and $1.00 nationally, with averages sitting solidly around $0.94.

The Downgrade Danger: Don't Mix Your Rims

Scrap yards are always looking for an excuse to downgrade a load, and sloppy sorting gives them the perfect opportunity. If you mix your pristine bare aluminum wheels with Clad Aluminum Wheels (Plastic Face) or Chrome Plated Aluminum Wheels, the buyer will pay you the lowest grade rate for the entire gaylord box. Leaving just one plastic-faced wheel in your clean pile can trigger a massive downgrade, costing you around $0.41 per pound on the entire load. Always keep your clean 356 alloys strictly separated from any coated, painted, or clad rims.

Stripping Rims for Top Tier Payouts

To secure that premium $1.00 payout, your wheels must be completely free of non-aluminum attachments. Even a single missed valve stem can knock your ticket down to the dirty aluminum price.

  • Dismount the Tires: This is non-negotiable. Yards will outright reject wheels with rubber still attached, or pay you shred price for the whole unit.
  • Yank the Valve Stems: Cut or pull all rubber valve stems, and make sure to remove any internal TPMS sensors bolted inside the barrel.
  • Pop the Center Caps: Center caps are usually made of cheap plastic. Knock them out from the back with a hammer handle.
Yard Pro Tip: Run a strong neodymium magnet along the inside barrel of every rim before you head to the scale. Modern auto shops often use flat, stick-on steel wheel weights that are painted silver to blend in with the aluminum. They are incredibly easy to miss by eye. If the scale master spots even one of these hidden magnetic weights on a wheel, they will instantly drop your perfect clean rim down to the dirty aluminum price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do buyers prefer Alloy 356?

Alloy 356 is a specific cast aluminum blend used in automotive manufacturing because it offers a great balance of strength and meltability. It is highly recyclable and tracks well with major industrial benchmarks, typically trading just 11.2% below the LME spot price. Foundries can melt it down with minimal chemical adjustment.

Can I throw commercial truck rims in the same bin?

No, keep them completely separate. Semi-truck wheels are almost always forged from 6061 aluminum, which is a totally different metallurgical process than cast 356 auto wheels. If you have commercial rims, sort them as Clean Truck & Semi Wheels (Alloy 6061). These command a different rate, typically paying anywhere from $0.65 to $0.80/lb, and mixing the two will frustrate your buyer and cost you money.