RC Car Tires Buyer’s Guide

RC Car Tires Buyer’s Guide

As a hobbyist or a racer, the right RC car tires are crucial for maximizing efficiency in your car.

Like a regular car, a radio-controlled car owner must also factor in various things before choosing their tires. Things like surface texture, size and terrain can massively affect how your car is going to perform.

Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned enthusiast, here are a few things every RC car owner needs to consider before choosing tires for their RC car.

1. Tire and Track Surface

While every RC car will come with its own set of pre-installed tires, it isn’t necessary that those are right for your car. That’s because no seller or manufacturer knows on what kind of terrain you plan to use your car.

The tires of your car largely determine your speed and grip on a particular terrain, so it’s important to factor in the surface of both, the tires as well as the places you plan to take your car.

• Slick tires generally work best on flatter, smoother surfaces like pavements, tarmac and more
• Full spiked tires work better on muddy, grassy surfaces and provide excellent grip
• Mini pins work well on carpets and deeper piles
• Miniature spiked tires offer good grip on most surfaces and offer faster speeds than full spikes

In a nutshell, you can assume that smoother, patterned tires are better on flat surfaces and can give you better speeds. However, spiked tires offer a better grip and are more suitable for rough terrains.

2. RC Car Tires & Their Sizes

Another extremely important consideration while buying RC tires is the size of the car or truck. The size of the tire has to be proportional to that of the vehicle.

Here are a few standards you can refer to:

• 1/10 RC Buggy

The rear wheels of the buggy are of a different width than the ones to the front of the buggy. Since most buggies follow a uniform size of 2.2 inches, they require 2.2″ rims. These are generally narrower than a truck’s tires.

• 1/10 RC Truck

RC trucks generally have uniformed sizes for both front and rear tires. Usually, they also have a 2.2″ rim requirement, but be sure to check the specifications before buying.

• 1/10 RC Short Course

Short courses have completely different wheels. These require rims of different diameters on both ends.

• 1/8 RC Buggy

These have the same wheels at the front and at the rear. This gives you some leeway in experimenting with different tires.

• 1:8 RC Truggy

The Truggy also shares uniform wheels at the front and rear. However, they are different from other cars. Generally, the outer diameter of the rims and the wheels can have variations.

If you have to communicate with an RC tire company be sure to tell them about your wheel specs before making a purchase.

3. Compounds

A tire compound refers to the kind of materials that go into creating it. This could be in the form of rubber, carbon,

Compounds can be extremely hard, extremely soft and every other variation that falls in the middle. Generally, RC tire manufacturers use colors to illustrate the level of firmness for a compound.

Harder compounds usually provide lesser grip, but higher durability. Softer compounds allow you a better grip and allow you better speeds.

To choose the right compound, you once again have to consider the kind of terrain you will be on and the nature of your usage.

4. Tire Inserts

Next, you need to check the kind of inserts and wheels you have on your RC car. The wheel is generally made from plastic in proportion to the dimensions of your car.

If you plan on racing, it is advisable to stick to the same wheels you have pre-installed in your car.

Inserts usually take the place of air in RC cars and are placed between your tire and wheel. This foam varies between stiffness and softness. The softer the foam, the more flexible your ride will be. But, if your foam is on the stiffer side, the ride will be firm.

It’s all about the pressure you have in your tires.

If you’re new to the world of RC cars, the foam shouldn’t be a large consideration. This is generally something you learn to adjust with time and experience.

5. Finding the Right Rims

The mounting of a wheel can be done in various ways. That’s why before you buy new rims you need to check how it’s done with the car you have.

Generally, a hex mount is the most common practice, but you might still find variations depending on the car or truck you have. Pin mounting and bearing mounts are usually less common.

Check the compatibility of the rims with your car by reading up on your manual.

6. Communicate with the RC Community

Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate learner or a seasoned expert, there’s a lot you can learn from the RC community. Check out various forums and get advice, recommendations, and tips on what to expect.

It’s all about trial and error, so experiment on your own, talk to other hobbyists or racers and get the kind of input that you want.

If you have any queries regarding RC car tires or your car’s specifications, feel free to get in touch with us through this contact form. You can also give us a call at 1-201-644-6229 and we’ll be happy to talk to you about all your RC needs.