How To Make RC Tires Air Filled

If you just purchased an RC car for the first time you might have realized that the tires are actually not air filled but instead have foam in them and a lot of give to them. This can be surprising to new RC car owners but this is actually true of virtually all RC cars as there are very few that have air filled tires. 

If you decided that you want your RC tires to be air filled instead of foam then this article is for you. 

To make your RC tires air filled all you really have to do is cover the holes in the rim and tires (if you have them) and then glue the tires like normal. This will lock the air inside of them not allowing it to escape. 

Your tires will still have a similar feel as they did when they were foam filled as you don’t want your RC car’s tires to be fully inflated as that will likely cause them to come off anytime you land a jump or go off road. 

Sealing the holes in the tires or rims is relatively easy to do and can be done a few different ways depending on how permanent of a solution you want. 

The easiest way to seal your holes in the rims is to simply use electrical tape and wrap it around the rim a couple of times. This will seal up the holes in your rim and you then just have to glue the tire and hit the road. 

You can also use super glue, hot glue, etc to seal the holes but if you change your mind in the future this is more of a hassle to undo. With tape you simply cut it and take it off. 

If you want to know more about having your RC tires be air filled you will want to watch the video below. 

When using air filled tires instead of the traditional foam there are a few things that you should keep in mind with the different terrains you will be driving on. We will discuss those next. 

Off-roading

When you’re racing through rough surfaces, mud, or deep sand, a lot of off-roaders want to decrease the pressure of the tire to enable the footprints of the tires to grip the ground. Another reason they want to decrease their pressure is because their tires will now be less responsive to steering and stopping. 

This is a major issue with air filled RC tires as once they have a certain amount of air in them it is quite difficult to change it. If you plan on going off roading at all then you will want to make sure to not fill your RC tires completely with air. 

Rock crawling

For the very extreme off-roaders who love to race over steep rocks, highly rugged surfaces, and tall ledges, lowering the pressure of the tires makes the tires soft and pliable enough to conform rocks’ shapes hence, improving traction and enabling a smooth ride.

Again this is something you have to do when you are into ally filling the tires with air before you glue them so if you are going to use your RC car for rock crawler don’t put too much air in them. 

How do you fix flat spots on RC tires? 

If you stored your RC car for too long or got new RC tires with flat spots on them you of course will want to know how to fix the issue. No one wants to use their RC car when the tires are off balance and messing up their driving so knowing how to fix it is important. 

To fix flat spots on your tires all you have to do is simply drive your RC vehicle for 30-45 minutes. As you drive the vehicle the tires will heat up and the flat spots will disappear. 

I know that might sound impossible as obviously there is something wrong with the tires that needs to be fixed but this is actually the only way to fix them and it is super easy as well! 

How long do RC tires last? 

If you have an RC car you may wonder how long the tires on it will last. Afterall car tires can last thousands of miles but can RC tires last that long? 

In general RC tires last 6-12 months but that can vary depending on how often you drive your RC car as well as how hard you drive it. 

The more you drive your RC car and the harder you accelerate or brake the quicker your tires will need to be replaced. The opposite is true as well as if you rarely use your RC car your tires could last you multiple years before needing replaced. 

How are RC tires made? 

Some people are fine with just knowing whether something works or not while other people might be curious about how something is made. If you are one of those people who likes to know how things are made then keep reading. 

RC car tires are made using a molding process. Pieces of rubber are put into a mold and then the two sides of the mold are put together. The rubber is then liquified and then cooled to create the tire. 

Once the rubber is cooled down the mold is then opened revealing the complete RC tire. The tire is then removed from the mold and the mold is then used again to make more RC tires. 

Normally this process is done with multiple tires in a mold at once with some larger molds holding tens of RC tires at a time. 

What are RC foam tires made of? 

RC foam tires are normally made of rubber on the outside with a foam interior. This foam interior is designed to keep the tires shape while still allowing enough give when going over obstacles. 

Air filled RC tires will not have as much give as their foam counterparts but the foam tires have downsides of their own in that if they get wet the foam can quickly degrade if not dried quickly. 

Most RC cars will have foam tires as this is the most popular type that is used on almost all of them. 

Conclusion

RC tires can basically either be foam filled or air filled with the most common type being foam filled. Even tires that are air filled are normally not full of air like traditional vehicles as the tires would easily pop off the rim if there was too much air in them. 

For most RC enthusiasts having foam filled tires will work just fine and won’t cause any issues but if you are tired of your foam wearing out or needing replaced or you are simply looking to try something new then air filled tires might work for you.