Like adamge, we're running the Jaco Blues on high traction carpet here, and we don't seem them fall off at all. Nobody is going faster with a newer set. We usually just run them until they tear, or start to feel inconsistent on the track. I don't know about 50 runs, but it's a lot. I'm not saying we're all world-class racers around here, but it's pretty damn competitive, and you can bet we'd be throwing on new rubbers if there was any perceived difference. If anything, it's a disadvantage, 'cause they take forever to scrub in.
I'm pretty sure at IIC last year most guys ran one set of blues the entire week, practice and all. Maybe it's just this particular tire, but they really do seem to last forever. In fact, I can't think of any form of R/C racing that's getting better tire life than we are.
Yeah, we can run them until they split open on the inner seam. If you really want to be thrifty on tires, you set the other three aside until your next set has one split, and combine the sets.
I'm generally racing on low traction carpet. You might be right about new tires being 2 tenths faster - I wish local racing was competitive enough for 2 tenths to affect race results.
__________________
When someone is intent on excelling in an otherwise laudable manner, does he not desire to inflict pain on others by means of his exalted status and enjoy the envy he arouses? Is there not an anticipated delight in an artist's ability to defeat his artistic rivals, which heightens his euphoria in creation?
-Nietzsche
The prices are what they are for the same reason you pay $30 for a few pieces of steel, low batch runs. If you take material costs out of the equation focus on conversion costs then the biggest variables are cavitation of molds, press size, and batch size. Less change over = more efficiency. Higher cavitation of mold = more parts in same amount of time. RC is a niche industry and everything is specialized. The surprising thing is why prices haven't gone up? If you look at what RC equipment costs in the 80's versus now you will see that prices actually gone down if you factor in inflation.
Absolutely correct. I've been racing for over 20 years now, & more than 13 of those have been onroad(particularly touring cars), & I've actually noticed the price of a full set of tires wheels & inserts for racing has gone DOWN for some(while others have stayed the same). back in the day, we had to spend a good $45-$55 for a full set of tires with inserts & wheels. And while you can spend that much today(for example, for Tamiya Championship Series races, you have to use their wheels & tires & buy inserts for them so you still pay about that much per set), we now have a good selection of premounted tires that work VERY well, & can cost a LOT less(I've gotten Jaco blues & greens from some places for about $28 per set, ready to roll), & at least with Jaco Blues, I've been able to get a good month & a half of use from them before I felt the need for a fresh set, MUCH better than the 1 race day tires we used to have to use....Oh & about ProLine, they actually DID offer some touring car tires(most useable compound was their S3's), but you could only get a MAXIMUM of 4 or 5 runs out of a set before you'd have to buy a new set(they'd get harder with every run, from the heat cycling of them in race conditions) & if your car's setup wasn't right, you could shred a set in a SINGLE RUN(I know because I did it once, completely chewed through a set in one run, completely took me by surprise). I won't go so far as to say tires are cheap now, but I do know they HAVE improved over the last decade or so.....
Could be...the track opened the first week of March so it is barely 3 months old, and we have been through 3 layouts to save wear and tear on the carpet. We have six races a month, with 6-10 cars per class average in touring, WGT, and 1/12. The tires you hear squealing are the guys running Sorex's, they are way louder than anything else. I was running RP-30's (orange car), silver car was running blues, and the green/white/orange car (the one tangled in the marshal's shoelaces ) was on CS-27's I think.
Looks like a fun place to race!
Have you guys considered going to a spec rubber tire? It seems like you're missing out on half the joy of rubber tires without a spec. Those Jaco Blues are pretty great on carpet, they last quite a while.
Like adamge, we're running the Jaco Blues on high traction carpet here, and we don't seem them fall off at all. Nobody is going faster with a newer set. We usually just run them until they tear, or start to feel inconsistent on the track. I don't know about 50 runs, but it's a lot. I'm not saying we're all world-class racers around here, but it's pretty damn competitive, and you can bet we'd be throwing on new rubbers if there was any perceived difference. If anything, it's a disadvantage, 'cause they take forever to scrub in.
I'm pretty sure at IIC last year most guys ran one set of blues the entire week, practice and all. Maybe it's just this particular tire, but they really do seem to last forever. In fact, I can't think of any form of R/C racing that's getting better tire life than we are.
hi just talking about how many runs you would get to a set of wheel we have a racer at our track that has had about 100 runs out of a set of sorex 28s so you cant really put a time fame on runs and i must say he is very smooth and was still on the pace he is a mod driver that has felt the crunch of this hobby and step down to stock.
At our asphalt track we are lucky to get 3-4 runs on jaco greens and 5-6 out of blues.running 13.5.17.5 is a little easier on them but not much.New tires are almost mandatory for the mains.
hoping the new SJR are better.
I gotta call shenanigans on this...true the tire may physically last 50 runs, but there is no way it will remain competitive that long. After about a dozen heat cycles the rubber loses it's stickiness and your laptimes show it. At my local carpet track, new tires are 2-3 tenths quicker per lap than tires that are only three race meets old. I don't ENJOY paying through the nose for fresh rubber, but I like being fast so I suppose I will continue to do it. Like CarbonJoe said, go price some 1/8 offroad tires if you really want to be sick...between tire cost, fuel cost, and replacing a motor (that you have to wear out I mean break in before it even hits the track) every 6-8 gallons, I say no thanks...I sold my nitro offroad stuff last year and went lipo/brushless in my TC with the cash
-rocky b
Thinking about this heat cycle business, what temps are you guys seeing on your tires after a run? I usually see like 88, and at most in 13.5 I think I've seen 95.
__________________
When someone is intent on excelling in an otherwise laudable manner, does he not desire to inflict pain on others by means of his exalted status and enjoy the envy he arouses? Is there not an anticipated delight in an artist's ability to defeat his artistic rivals, which heightens his euphoria in creation?
-Nietzsche
Thinking about this heat cycle business, what temps are you guys seeing on your tires after a run? I usually see like 88, and at most in 13.5 I think I've seen 95.
I checked yesterday, and mine all came off around 96, except for my left front, which was 106! This is in 13.5 with a spool... I was driving it hard.
You coming to IIC this year? I'll have to come over and say "hi!"
At our asphalt track we are lucky to get 3-4 runs on jaco greens and 5-6 out of blues.running 13.5.17.5 is a little easier on them but not much.New tires are almost mandatory for the mains.
hoping the new SJR are better.
SJ-Rs are the bizness. I have a set for asphalt with 15+ runs that still hook up great. Sorex have always been the real deal for wear and now with this insert/wheel combo the push is gone and they have great traction. We are going to a spec SJ-R for club racing on asphalt at a couple local tracks.
Yep, I'm pretty much all booked. Trying to figure out what my third class will be, as it turns out (who knew?) that you can't enter both World GT and Expert World GT.
__________________
When someone is intent on excelling in an otherwise laudable manner, does he not desire to inflict pain on others by means of his exalted status and enjoy the envy he arouses? Is there not an anticipated delight in an artist's ability to defeat his artistic rivals, which heightens his euphoria in creation?
-Nietzsche
Have you guys considered going to a spec rubber tire? It seems like you're missing out on half the joy of rubber tires without a spec. Those Jaco Blues are pretty great on carpet, they last quite a while.
We have a ball...just about everyone is a carpet noob coming from wide-open parking lot racing, so we are all still working on the "etiquette" thing We are just starting up a six-race points series this month, and I don't know how far away any of you guys are but we would love company! Deep South Wall-to-Wall Carpet Series Flowood MS!!
We have discussed going to a spec tire, but we are so new to the game that we want to pick a tire that most everyone will be comfortable running, plus everyone still has tires left over from running outdoor so we weren't ready to make everyone go out and buy new tires just to try running on the rug. I definitely see the benefits of going spec though, and we will probably look into it more as we get more experience. The funny thing about the Blues is that when the track was completely green, just laid down, they hooked up awesome. But as more rubber and foam was put down, they have started to gunk up as soon as they get to temp, whereas the CS's, RP's, and Sorex's don't have this issue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by adamge
Thinking about this heat cycle business, what temps are you guys seeing on your tires after a run? I usually see like 88, and at most in 13.5 I think I've seen 95.
90-100 range is pretty typical for a 13.5, with 100+ on the left front tire as our current layout has a right-hand sweeper onto the front straight into another right hand sweeper. We are running Jack as the spec sauce, maybe that has something to do with the increased wear we are seeing? This is on CRC Fasttrak HD carpet.
We are running Jack as the spec sauce, maybe that has something to do with the increased wear we are seeing? This is on CRC Fasttrak HD carpet.
-rocky b
dont know about the temps, but I used to wear tires a bit faster than the others, until recently. I went softer on the shock oil and the tires just seem to have stopped wearing, that's pretty incredible. jack the gripper also.
Also, rule of thumb, stay away from anything more than 2 degrees of camber.
One reason why I love a high bite carpet track, and use 40 shore foams.
Additive on for the first round, and that is all I put on all night.
(IMHO) adjusting your droop and gearing as tyres wear is a very small price to pay for using foams.
Being 40 shore they are not prone to chunking too, and if you are chunking you need to work on your setup more to stop you finding under/oversteer and crashing, or stop tapping the boards full stop.
I know its not a definitive answer, but a high bite track helps me, and usually level out the playing field. It can be easier to dial out grip with harder tyres,/springs than to try and find grip on a track that has little or none...
And cheaper in the long term with harder tyres, and using less additive.
__________________
team tekin / fusion hobbies / TRF415MSXX / TA05 / rc-area.co.uk / www.horshamrc.org
I've spent half my life r/c racing... and the other half wishing I had started it earlier :D
If you're not having fun whilst racing, you're not racing!
) was on CS-27's I think.
jack the gripper also.
Similar Threads