MartynD

Ok this isn't really about which is better...

But which is cheaper...

I see guys at the track who run 1/12th and a few who run mod TC having to mess around with truers, and chunked foam tires.

I am curious to try 1/12th but I wonder if messing around with foams is worth the hassle?

vtl1180ny

YES!!!!

fatdoggy

If you chunk a tire on it's sidwall, imo it's junk. As long as you check your tires after each run and glue any part of the tire that is lifting, you won't have much trouble. Invest in a can of TRC tire glue, if you slice a tire it's works great. Just make sure that your body has rounded edges and has enough clearance from the tires.

In my opinion 12th scale is alot more fun then TC.

Yes you will need to use a truer, but it is definately worth it. Most people will cut some tires for you if you buy them a soda or give them a few bucks.

robk

iTrader: (22)

oh no

seaball

iTrader: (9)

yes! that's awesome. didn't dave arnold address this debate in years past?

oh yeah, bring it all on.

really though, there are existing threads that have all the opinions needed to make a decision here. infact, any thread that continues past a few days will, at some point, gravitate toward this subject/rivalry. i've studied this.

losixxxs

i prefer foam

tony2

iTrader: (1)

what about foam on ashphalt for TCs? i much rather use rubber tires but on most tracks here in aust. the foam tyres are alot faster.

fatbear

iTrader: (10)

Foam is definately faster on ashfelt and over many years of experience it is also definately CHEAPER.

adamkerrnz

i run foamson ashphalt on my prostock SD here in new zealand. theyre great and do cost less than rubber, even though rubber might last just a bit longer. the rubber tyres i use on my stock TA04 costs way more. also foams on nitro is much better too, rubbers would just get eaten :P

RCGaryK

iTrader: (3)

I run rubber 99% of the time, but just ran Foam Brushless at the Novak race. I went thru 3 sets of foam when I would have gone thru 1-2 sets of rubber tires. Part was my own fault, truing the tires down to 2.20 to start with and by the time they got to 2.13 I couldn't make 4mm ride height anymore. But I also had an issue with the sidewalls chunking, and like Fatdoggy said once they chunk they're junk. Foams are nice because you have an abundance of traction that hides poor setup better and you will generally have the same grip regardless of how many runs are on them, where rubber tires will lose grip and bite as they age. however you don't need to sweat chunking a tire on one run like a foam tire will. Additionally rubber tire driving requires a smoother and more fluid driver. Foams are easy to drive, faster, and more consistent, but more expensive, messier, and overal less fun.

CypressMidWest

iTrader: (1)

Easier to drive, faster, more consistent, sure sounds alot less fun to me LOL!! The cost debate will always continue to rage on. I know that I personally spend way less money running foams than I did running rubber. (disclaimer: Individual results may vary)

Dear GOD Gary, 3 sets?!! I did Cleveland on 2 sets of foams for my TC. A small bead of CA around the mounting bead will prevent the tires from peeling off the rims, you don't have to run it up the sidewall, just right around the edge of the bead.

Some manufacturers' tires are not bonded very well to the rims, but I'm not gonna name names. The Parma tires I've been running have shown NO tendency to peel at all.

Foam tires will hide poor set-up far better than rubbers, as Gary stated, but foams will still show you that your set-up sucks. They show you your set-up is crappy through ACCELERATED TIRE WEAR.

RCGaryK

iTrader: (3)

Yup, 3 sets dude. And all for practically the same reason, sidewall chunking. And I didn't run the car much at all. I had 2 practice runs before qualifying, DNF-ed a few races, 2 practice runs Saturday morning. So all in all I had 11 total runs. The 3rd set is still in good condition, but the 2nd set chunked the sidewall bad in 1 run. I did glue the sidewalls where the foam meets the rim, but the problem was higher on the sidewall. Oh well, I still prefer rubber tire racing mostly because it IS cheaper.

JKA

iTrader: (4)

Only if you run spec tires. Even then its very similarly priced.
$30 for a set of CS27s. $28 for a set of foams.
Chunking can be lessed by cleaning the tires between runs. The traction compound (like paragon) when used run after run will take it toll on a foam.

If you run open rubbers you will spend hundreds finding the correct combination of rim/insert/rubber. Then if its outdoors you'll have to have completely different sets for cold, warm, and hot weather.

They both are a blast though!

Skip109

11 runs! I'll bet I had 30 runs on one set of Plaid/ dbl pinks for the hole week. I had no problems with chunking. You also said "hides poor setup"I think you have this backwards. At least when I get 10 runs on my foams my lap times wont drop by 1/2 sec. Leave the foam comments to the people that know how to run them.

RCGaryK

iTrader: (3)

The whole "magic insert serach" thing is such a falicy it isn't even funny. Back when people were still learing how to get things going, yeah that could have cost a lot, but those days are well over. I have 3-4 inserts that I use on both carpet or asphalt and works really well.

Skip, if your lap times are dropping 1/2 second after only 10 runs, your setup is way off. .2 I'll give you, but not 1/2.