This Is How RC Car Tires Are Measured

It is essential to measure the wheel offset of an RC. The two main things you will need for the measurement of the RC car tires are digital calipers and a flat surface.

This is how RC car tires are measured. The initial step is to measure the width of the rim and then measure the depth of the mounting hex slot. The third step is to calculate the RC tire offset using the rim width and mounting hex slot measurements.

Apart from knowing how to measure RC car tires, it is also important to learn how to choose the right tire and rim combination for your RC. In addition, it is important to learn about the different tire and rim sizes available on the market.

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Steps for Measuring RC Car Tires

There are three main steps for measuring RC car tires. Be sure to use a digital caliper for more accurate measurements.

Step 1

Use the digital caliper to measure the width of the rim. Once you have the width measurement, divide it by two to get the radius of the tire.

Step 2

This step involves measuring the depth of the mounting hex slot. Place a piece of flat material, preferably a cardboard box over the inner side of the rim and measure the distance of the inner mounting hex.

The measurement taken in this step includes the box’s width. Therefore, subtract the width of the box from the total.
Step 3

In this step, you calculate the offset by subtracting the radius of the tires from the depth of the mounting hex slot. A negative value means the depth of the mounting hex is smaller than the radius of the tire.
Rim and Tire Sizes

It is essential to use the right rim and tire size for your RC. Ideal rim and tire sizes should be on a scale of between 1:10 and 1:8.

The manufacturer of the RC should provide tips for finding the right tire and rim size for your car. There are many tire and rim size options for your RC.

Tire sizes

Common types of RCs include:

• Buggy
• Truck
• Short course
• Truggy

There are two main types of RC buggies:

• 1:10 buggy
• 1:8 buggy

Many buggies feature 2.2” rims and tires. These rims and tires have narrower and lower profiles than truck tires ad rims. Consider the different widths of the front and back wheels when shopping for rims and tires for your 1:10 buggy.

The 1:8 buggy features standard rim and tire sizes, which allows you to mix wheels from different manufacturers. A 1:8 can use the same set of wheels in the front and rear sections of the car.

A 1:10 truck uses wheels with equal width in the front and rear. Most 1:10 trucks feature grooved and patterned tires on the front and rear wheels, respectively.

1:10 short course buggies have unique sets of wheels. The tires of shot course buggies have different diameters on the outside and inside of the rims.

The outer diameter of the wheels and rim of a truggy vary. When shopping for a new set of wheels for your truggy, be sure to carry the stock ones for comparisons. Most truggies have the same front and rear tire and wheel size.

Rims

There are multiple ways to mount the wheels of a car. Consider how your car wheels are mounted when shopping for new rims for your vehicle.

Standard methods for mounting an RC car wheel include:

• Hex mount
• Pin mount
• Bearing mount

Many RC cars feature 12 mm and 14 mm hex mounting. Check the size of rims you need because some vehicles come with different hex sizes.

Pin mounted wheels are less common than hex mounted wheels. Rims with pin mounting have a groove on the wheels to accommodate the pin.

Many two-wheel-drive RCs have bearing rims with the tire bearings inside the rim. The brand of the RC determines the size of the bearing.

Guide for RC Off-Road Tires

Choosing the right tires for your racetrack determines how effectively your car brakes, corners, accelerates, and handles. There are many types of off-road tires to accommodate the varied tastes of racers.

It is crucial for you to know the treads, compounds, and inserts that work best for the surface you drive on. Consider several factors when determining the best tires for your needs.

Compound

Car tires are available in different compounds including:

• Soft
• Medium
• Hard

Soft tires are suitable for hard-packed surfaces because they provide better traction than other types of tires. Generally, softer tires wear out faster than hard or medium compound tires.

It is essential to consider the wear factor when shopping for soft compound tires. Many people use soft compound tires on their RCs because they improve cornering.

Inserts

Inserts act like air in a car tire. They are designed to fit the inner molding of an RC car tire perfectly.

Hard inserts make it difficult for the car tire to lose shape while cornering or accelerating at high speeds. Also, inserts make the car more stable.

Traction

Car tires with smaller pins are suitable for hard surfaces. On the other hand, tires with horizontal bars provide greater forward traction and reduce the braking distance.

Horizontal bars make the vehicle lose side and steering traction. If you are looking for tires, which can provide side traction, consider choosing ones with vertically aligned pins.

Many two-wheel-drive vehicles feature ribbed front tires to improve side traction during cornering. Unlike vertical pins, horizontal bars are designed for increased forward traction.

Tires with horizontal bars or medium pins work best on loamy or loose sandy soil. Medium-sized pins provide excellent traction of both hard-packed surfaces and loamy surfaces.

Some tires have a combination of different sized pins to provide both forward and side traction. Many race tires feature vertical and horizontal pins to provide side and forward traction.

Sidewall

Tires with higher sidewalls make for difficult cornering. On the other hand, stiff, low profile tires minimize flex, which increases cornering speed significantly.

Camber

Angled wheels help to reduce surface contact, which lowers traction when the RC goes straight. On the other hand, an excellent camber increases surface contact and traction when cornering.

Many RCs have different camber settings for the front and rear wheels, which makes the tires wear differently. Do not mix the front and rear tires when reinstalling used RC tires because they wear differently.

RTR Tires

Most tires in RTR vehicles are designed for use on different types of surfaces. They often feature hard compounds to make them last for longer.

Balancing the Tires

Spinning wheels create stress on the bearings and other parts of the wheel, which could make an RC wobble. Balancing the tires of your RC increases the durability of the bearings, which makes the vehicle much easier to drive.

Tire Profile 

There are two main categories of tire profiles or carcass shapes:

• Square
• Rounded

Square tires feature relatively flat crowns. Such tires can stand on their own on a pit table and still maintain contact between the tire patch and the table surface.

Square profile tires provide excellent forward traction due to their sizable contact patches. Also, tires with a square profile provide excellent through corner traction.

Square tire profiles can also slide unpredictably, especially when they hit a rut or hole on the track. This type of tire profile goes out of shape quickly and can quickly flip when sliding sideways.
Rounded tire profiles work well even in rough or rutted conditions. Also, they provide more predictable movements when driving the RC through corners.