Tires

Let's discuss tires. At 1RC-Racing, we believe in keeping racing simple. Based on our extensive experience in both full-scale and R/C racing, we've observed that complicated tire preparation can drive up costs and overwhelm racers.

Many racers request unmounted tires so they can tune them, but that’s not the direction we wish to pursue. Therefore, we will continue to only sell fully mounted tires. This decision helps prevent modifications, such as changing inserts, which can be similar to adjusting air pressure in full-scale racing or adding chemicals to the tires to soften them.

Furthermore, we strongly advise against using tire traction additives, whether on the track or at home. We've seen experienced racers use tire additives that have increased the tires' diameter, thereby raising the gear ratio and enhancing the car's top speed. To maintain fairness, we will soon introduce a CAD-designed go/no-go tire gauge that can be 3D printed for tire inspections at local tracks. This gauge will help ensure that racers have not altered their tires in a way that would enlarge the diameter.

We also receive frequent requests for foam tires, but we do not plan to introduce them for any of our cars. Once again, our goal is to keep racing simple and enjoyable. Foam tires can increase vehicle speed and cornering ability, along with the costs of racing. Additionally, foam tires often chunk during crashes, and the equipment required to maintain them, such as tire truers, can be quite expensive. We aim to make R/C oval racing accessible to everyone without imposing high barriers that might discourage potential racers.

One simple tip we recommend is to clean your tires after each run with a water-dampened, lint-free towel. This method effectively removes debris from your previous run, is safe for the tire rubber, and is economical to implement.