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This article mainly applies to rubber onroad and offroad tire mounting
applications. The best way to mount tires of this type to plastic rims is to use a high
quality CA The first step after you have removed the tires from their packaging is to trim excess rubber flashing and any lumps from the tires’ side walls where they will fit into the rim’s bead. There is usually something left on the beads of most tires after their molding process, this is normal. A pair of curved Lexan scissors work very well for removing these slight imperfections. Also, make sure that the rims are free of burs and flashing. If you have chromed or painted rims, it is also necessary to remove the paint or chrome from the surface where the glue will go. A small file or some sandpaper will work well for that job. Next, for a 1/10th scale onroad or offroad tire, insert the included foam insert into the tire. Proceed by pulling the entire assembly, tire and foam, onto the rim. Work the tire onto the rim until both side walls have seated completely into the rim beads. Make sure the tire is round and true. You can do this by installing it on your car's axle and spinning it. For a 1/8th offroad tire, mount the foam using the supplied double sided tape. Don’t trim the foam, use it all. If you have 1/8th scale buggy tire foam, which is in the shape of a donut, simply pull the foam into place on the rim. Next, turn the tire inside out, place it against the rim and foam assembly and turn the tire back right side out over the rim. You should now have the tire somewhat mounted. Proceed to insert the sides of the tires into the slots on the sides of the rims. If there is a tight fit and part of the tire won’t go into the rim, you might have to trim the tire side wall slightly with your scissors as described above. Make sure the tire is round and true. The final step is to apply the glue. I like to use thin CA
glue as already mentioned because it is the fastest drying but the medium CA glue also
works well. For both the 1/8th scale buggy and the 1/10th
scale tires, simply peel back the tire where the side wall meets the rim and put in a few
drops of glue. Allow a second or two for the glue to spread around in a Glue the other side of each tire to be glued after the first side has sufficiently dried, and you’re done! One more note to be made is regarding the safety issue. CA glue can be very dangerous to use. It will glue fingers together and eye lids shut. Keep this in mind while using it to help avoid accidents. Also, MAKE VERY SURE that the glue is dry before you install it onto your car. If the glue is still wet and you apply power to the wheels, the glue will fly everywhere and there is a good chance that is will contact surrounding people. If you are in doubt, after you have left the tires to dry for a while give them a shot of accelerator to ensure they are ready. This will not make the glue brittle if the glue is already dry but it will ensure your safety. Let's take off a few tenths per lap, "PRO" Contact us | Pro Racer Secrets | Racers Corner Copyright 1998 - 2000. Sirace Services, all rights reserved. |
(cyanoacrylate)
glue. You might not be familiar with this type of glue, however, you might have
heard of a brand of glue called "Crazy Glue". CA type glue is essentially
the same type of glue. I recommend that you buy your glue from you local hobby shop
as they will have hobby quality brands available in a few different size bottles for a
good price. CA usually comes in three different viscosity's, thin, medium and thick.
Most racers prefer to use the thin glue as it is the fastest drying. To help
speed up curing, you may also choose to use an accelerator spray. This will make the
glue dry instantly, however the bond will be more brittle and won’t be as strong.
Use the accelerator if you’re in a rush, if not, be patient and wait for the
glue to dry on its own. I know how little time there is sometimes when you have to
glue up a new set of tires during the heat before yours!
small
arc. Release the tire so that it falls back into place and make sure it is still
seated correctly. Proceed around the rest of the circumference until you can see a little
bit of excess glue in the crack where the tire side wall and the plastic rim meet.
Quickly make sure that the tire is still round and true. Put this tire aside
and start on another one, as you need to give the one side of the tire time to dry before
attempting to glue the other side. Some racers like to use rubber bands to secure
the side wall of the tire while waiting for the glue to dry. I like this idea.
To do this, wrap a rubber band around the circumference of the tire so that it
presses the bead of the tire tightly to the rim. Try to use rubber bands of an
appropriate size and elastic strength. Also be sure to not accidentally glue the
rubber band to the tire! The above process may be easier with a tire gluing jig such
as the one available from RPM. This jig holds the tire in place while the glue is
being applied.