Q: I want to run my off-road car on asphalt instead of dirt, but that will wear out the stock tires fast. Where can I get road tires?
A: Many of the aftermarket manufacturers make tires just for this purpose. However, this does not mean you can just bolt on the tires and go.
Q: What do you mean?
A: The most important thing after mounting the tires is to adjust the suspension. In off-road use, we allow the suspension to be a bit “mushy” so the tires can bite into the dirt and absorb shocks. On the road, the suspension should be set for a little more firmness so that the chassis won’t sway to the side too much and flip over on a turn.
Q: That doesn’t sound too rough, right?
A: It takes some time to get it right, just as it does for real pro Stocker teams that go through rigorous tuning to get their cars to match the track. Remember that an off-road car has a higher center of gravity, so it can’t match the performance of a regular street racer, but it certainly “widens” the road for use of your car.
Q: Are there tires specifically for use in sand?
A: A choice of many “old timers” is the paddle tire. If you’ve ever seen sand dragsters, that’s exactly the kind of tire they use.
Q: What about “regular dirt”?
A: The tire that came with the car might just be okay but I’ve heard that the V-spike tire is a hot seller. Obviously, the V paddles grab loose dirt while the spikes grab the harder stuff.
Q: Arc sponge tires good for off* road cars?
A: Generally speaking, no. The torque required to move off-road cars usually is enough to rip chunks off of spongies.
Q: Why are sponge tires so good for road cars, then?
A: First, the road is smoother, second, there is less sidewall flex so the forces are fed back to the suspension to be handled; third, road cars are designed with a lower center of gravity and less ground clearance so the sponge tire has to be firmer to support the car. And finally, sponge grips asphalt best!
Q: Are there instances where sponge doesn’t work for road cars?
A: If you race on very slick surfaces such as linoleum, or polished wood floors as in a gymnasium, semipneumatic rubber tires do work better. In some cases, “tire goop” is necessary to provide maximum grab.
Q: What’s “tire goop”?
A: That’s a compound you can put on the tire to increase a tire’s adhesion. In the early days of slot car racing, wintergreen oil was used. We’ll never forget the aroma of those tracks!
Q: Why are there different compounds of sponge tires for gas cars?
A: This is where our hobby closely parallels real life. We’ve seen tires made for light chassis, heavy chassis, oily tracks, dry tracks, bumpy tracks and super-slick tracks. All these varieties assure that our cars get the best handling in any condition.
Q: How should I choose a front end tire?
A: That’s a great place to start to improve a car’s handling. Does your car have a lol of front end slide? A knobby or spiked tire will give you extra grab.
Q: What if the front end grabs too much in a turn?
A: Then a straight ribbed tire will give you a bit of slip yet give you great control on the straights.
Q: Are hubs an important part of the tire setup?
A: Yes and no. A good hub holds the tire; a bad one doesn’t. But looks are important only to the beholder, a chromed hub doesn’t make your car any faster.
Q: Are metal rims better for cars?
A: If you’re racing, we feel that this is one area where metal rims excel.
Q: Why are metal rims important only in racing?
A: In racing, if you don’t finish, you can’t win. While plastic rims do not actually break, they can chip on the sides and lead to the shredding of the rubber. Metal rims resist this chipping.
Q: Are there other advantages to metal rims?
A: Metal is heavier than plastic, so it acts as a flywheel to keep the car on an even keel. It also acts to absorb the power from a motor smoothly. Yes, they also look great!
Q: How can I make my tires last longer?
A: Wow. The question of the year…. There’s actually no set answer to this one, except, don’t abuse your tires! Don’t run off-road tires on asphalt and road tires on dirt. Don’t allow tires to keep water inside the rim; dry them off quickly. Sunlight also breaks down tire compounds, so don’t leave them out in the outside.
Q: What’s better, wide or thin tires?
A: Once again, there’s no simple answer. For example, when off-road cars were in their infancy, a funny thing happened. The Tamiya cars such as the Super Champ and Sand Scorcher had good rubber, but then the Holiday Buggy was introduced with its narrow spiked rear tires. The racing crowd grabbed some Holiday Buggy tires and called them the greatest. Currently, tires are wider but our motors have improved and now have better low-end torque (true for both gas and electric engines) so they can move a greater area of rubber more quickly.
Photo: Jon Amira
