What is this “tire weight” looking thing?

Recently got new tires.
While on the interstate something smacked the right rear quarter panel or fender well HARD.
While inspecting the the tires/wheels I seen thing thing.
Any idea what it is there for?
It has some type of alphanumeric code on it?

It’s the one on the RIGHT.

 

Government tracking device.

Aliens took one out of my ass last week

 

it's a .25oz weight or 10g
The other one is 30g or 1.25 oz and the FN is the style for the rim lip.

You may have just kicked something up off the street or threw a weight off one of the other wheels.

 

Thanks man.
Probably so, the tires are new and the center lugs have a good amount of space to pick things up.
Everything seems fine, so I’m not worried about it.
Just never seen one like that.

 

Yeah technically that one is probably an MC or one that would go for a different lip style the FN 10g weights are tiny.

 

Most good tire shops don’t even use weights like that anymore. They look terrible and collect dust in the edges which in turn will eat the finish. Some shops I guess you have to request no “hammer on” weights.

 

Yeah, my wheels are pretty rough any ways.
The powder coat started peeling years ago.
I didn’t know there was a TSB on it, until it was too late.
I’m not really concerned about, even less of a reason to worry about trail rash?

 

Other than the trail knocking your weights off

 

The farther the spread between the wheel weights the better so a good tire shop will do outside wheel weights if the wheel allows it. When the spread of the wheel weight gets shorter more weight is required to balance it out. The outer lip of the wheel is also the furthest out away from the center line of the rotating mass using stick on weights on the inside of the barrel although aesthetically pleasing are not as far out from the center. Lastly it takes a hell of a lot of effort to clean off all the residue and crap left behind from stick on weights compared to tack weights which when you take them off the lip comes clean rather easily.

Balancers because of most new wheel designs using stick on weights on the inside for the second plane of balancing have had to add new and different ways of balancing and programs because of what I mentioned it being harder to get a more precise balance the farther the spread of the weights and the farther from the center line.

 

That’s a possibility.
Not had that issue yet.
If I do, I deal with it then.

 

I have weights on the inside and outside lips. Of ALL the wheels.

 

That's good they are the farthest split and farthest from centerline and least amount of weight required. Sometimes no weight is required on the inside and/or outside.

 

My Porsche has no shimmy at 170 with stick on weights

 

How big of a tire does the Porsche have on it?
How much total weight is being used to balance?
I’m going to guess not near as much a tire on a Tacoma?
I’m even going to guess the Porsche has a better balanced wheel.
I don’t think we’ll ever see a Tacoma go 170, at least not in stock configuration on stock wheels?

 

Ok and it probably has a wheel that does not allow for tack on weights on the outside. Nor did I say you couldn't get them to balance out I said it takes more weight and isn't as good of a way to balance. I was explaining the science behind it because you espoused some information that wasn't actually true saying the tire shop wasn't good because of that. You are also probably running some (or I should hope) good tires on it which that helps a ton and truck tires typically don't balance as well as car tires so that's comparing apples to oranges in that arena too. Oh and good for you for admitting to going 170 I hope that is on a closed course and not being a jackhole doing it on the street.

 

Exactly it's an apples to oranges comparison on all fronts.

 

You’re right but as far as using a lot of extra weights go, I’ve watched good tire guys who are smarter than the balancing machine. If it calls for a lot of weight in one spot they will put it temporarily to see what it calls for next and adjust from their experience. Results are usually perfect balanced tire with half the weights

 

These are the weights on my Tacoma with 33 12.5. Trail Grapplers

 

I have heard that Toyota wheels are some of the most difficult to balance though

 

How often you see this happen because that's not always the case there are tons of tricks to drop the weight when there are issues. Split weight, spoke balancing, moving to single plane or static balancing. I've done that too put the weight it calls for on one of the planes then spin again and see what the second plane calls for sometimes it's less but it doesn't necessarily correlate to 1/2 the weight that is needed ea. scenario is different. You can also spin the tire to drop the road force or just 180 to bring the weight down. All kinds of tricks of the trade. That still doesn't negate my point of the furthers from centerline and the farthest spread for the weights is the best way to balance a tire assembly.

Probably static balanced single plane. Oh and Nittos are typically one of the better balancing tires on the market as far as truck tires go.