How To Maintain Old Rc Truck Tires

[todd21 0]

does anyone have any tricks to bring old tires back to life? i have an old blackfoot with the original tires, i got the truck running today for the first time in 15 years and the tires dont grip like they used to. they look new, lots of tread left. i've heard coating the tires with wd-40 overnight will soften the rubber and help. anybody try this?

[mymonsterbeetleisbroken 16]

I'd advise you to get some after market tyres, such a proline mashers.

My Bruisers tyres are like yours, they look good but are rock hard and have no grip!

If anyones got a fix I'd be happy to hear it too

[Formiga 0]

I wonder if tire dressing from a tire shop would soften old rubber up. I've got some old Brat tires that I can experiment with, I'll bring some home from my shop tomorrow and try it.

[backtomyroots 432]

The original Blackfoot/Beetle/Mudblaster/Bush Devil/Mountaineer/Bruiser tires have always been hard as rocks. I would suggest that you just keep runing it - maybe that'll soften them up . Otherwise I would suggest any 2.2 tire from today as the compounds have evolved substantially.

[mongoose1983 3335]

Hey you,

The last months I have seen on eBay.com someone in Asia selling cheap softer Bruiser repro tires. They have the same tread, though. I have not used them, and don't know anybody who did, so I am not sure they are any better regarding the grip.

Anybody in the know?

Y'all have a good Sunday!

EB

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[n3m1s1s 0]

coat your tires in 3in1 oil mate i got a truck off ebay the other day tired were getting hard coated them in 3in1 and rubbed it in with my fingers and 2hours laters all the oil had seaped into the tires real nice makes them look clean and new too

hope that helps

[ImmoNL 0]

coat your tires in 3in1 oil mate i got a truck off ebay the other day tired were getting hard coated them in 3in1 and rubbed it in with my fingers and 2hours laters all the oil had seaped into the tires real nice makes them look clean and new too

hope that helps

Sorry for asking, what is 3 in 1 oil?

[taliesin 260]

its a very light multi-purpose oil. people use it for all kinds of stuff. available at any hardware store. sometimes also called sewing machine oil or who knows what else.

[berman 5315]

I usually soak or drench mine in Amour All.

Makes them a little softer (but probably not as much as you'd like) makes them look and feel newer and I think would help them hold off from possibly cracking for a while longer.

[n3m1s1s 0]

Sorry for asking, what is 3 in 1 oil?

E.R Howard Ltd

hull

UK

taken from the can

highly penetrative

100s of uses

3-in-one will remove road tar and heavy grime from cars, bicycles,prams etc.

LUBRICATES-CLEANS-POLISHES-PREVENTS RUST AND TARNISH

dunno if it really is the miracle oil but they sure do big it up on the can and i tell you what i compared the tires i mentioned in my last post to a set i havnt done yet and the difference is definate

dunno what the tires were like when 1st rolled out but these are quite nice now

[Tamiya1/10 382]

Do not us WD-40 on the tires. And the same for Armour Al. It may look good in the beginning but they will hurt the rubber in the end. The only thing I recommend is silcone, which is like Oil Olay to the skin. (Air soft gun user and knowlegible RC helicopter flyer use silcone spray to maintain all their machine.)

Clean the truck up after a day of running or put away. Do not store your truck in the garage. rubber don't like freezing.

[berman 5315]

You might want to email Amour All and tell them their product harms rubber, i dont think they are aware of this.

Silicon sits atop tyres, doesn't penetrate or condition the tyres, looks tacky like they've been laquered over, and washes off. Hence why I use Amour All.

Helicopters and airsofts dont have tyres to dress (which the OP is refering to) but if you are implying using silicon on o-rings, then I will agree, but even then they are using the silicon as a lubricant, not a rubber conditioner

Although silicon on your tyres would make your slivercan feel like a 12T brushless for a short while

[terry.sc 16]

You might want to email Amour All and tell them their product harms rubber, i dont think they are aware of this.

Silicon sits atop tyres, doesn't penetrate or condition the tyres, looks tacky like they've been laquered over, and washes off. Hence why I use Amour All.

Years ago we would have recommended Armour All, but many TC members experience is that Armour All is the worst thing to use on r/c tyres as it dries them out and causes them to perish. The problem is the petroleum products in armour all breaks down the rubber tyres. You have to keep applying it to prevent the drying out. Glycerine, or silicone oil have proved to be the best chemicals to treat tyres to help preserve the rubber and protects the them quite well. A search of the forums will bring up dozens of discussions on the subject, the most appropriate ones are:

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=27045

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=26961

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11950

[berman 5315]

I read the first link but it seemed a one sided arguement from the OP, like he was already biased.

I guess both silicone and glycerine are good choices as they are used in brake fluid which of course shouldn't attack the rubber hoses.

In the automotive/heavy machinery industry I see more brake hoses perish than fuel hoses, it's a moot point anyway.

I'm only speaking from personal experience. Ok I take back what I said about that silicon doesn't condition the tyres, I have no basis for that, just when it is (e.g) applied to 1:1 car tyres etc it simply hoses off, whereas armour all penetrates and (again e.g) when I've driven an RC/1:1 car in wet conditions the tyres are still a nice glossy black colour.

Also I have never had a tyre crack/perish on me using Amour all all these years, and I frequently use all my RC's.

I'm not trying to debunk the use of silicon, I bet it works well for the purpose you all use it for. I just dont like the greasy residue leftover on my shelves after I've cleaned the tyres. ;edit; plus I like the look amour all gives, personal preference I guess.

Sorry, i dont mean to come across as a 'slang for donkey'

Regards

Neil

[taliesin 260]

Fresh rabbit pooh. Drive your truck through a warren regularly and you'll see your tires soften right up. If you can, slip the bunnies a can or two of Hormel Chili the day before you go bashing, and you will be amazed at how soft and plush your tires feel afterwards.