NutDriver

iTrader: (30)

That looks like the one they tested. Great grip, but high wear in our experience.

Bri

The Vaterra wheels/tires look good but are soft and wear fast on asphalt. The stock 4Tec 2.0 tires are on the hard side and don't have much grip on an asphalt track. The 4Tec 2.0 VXL comes with soft compund tires that might be a good option.

The Gravity USGT wheels/tires offer great traction and last a long time. The problem is, as mentioned already, they are only 24mm wide and small in diameter. So they wouldn't look very good on a VTA car.

If the Protoform VTA tires turn out to be a deal breaker for outdoor, then the racers would be better off running USGT which is a cheaper class to run since the Trackstar V2 21.5 motor is ROAR approved and is a real bargain at under $50. All the ROAR approved 25.5 VTA motors that I have found are $95+. The Gravity USGT mounted wheels/tires are about $25 and will most likely last about 3 months of hard racing. In comparison, it's about $45 for a set of four mounted VTA wheels/tires.

Best regards,
Brian

mleemor60

iTrader: (28)

I don't think that USVTA(proper) is considering anything. So far this has been mostly a case of "hit dog hollers" trying to stir up support for something different from the tire that we should be happy that we have considering where we might be. Does the PF tire(especially rear) kind of suck? Well, sort of. Will we figure it out? Sure! Will there be some suffering in the meantime, especially by the more challenged beginners with marginal to no set up skills(beyond the sauce bottle)? You bet!. Will the true stars of the show have challenges brought on by the extra pressure of helping the challenged? Again, a big for sure. In the end it will work out. It has to. If it doesn't what will we do with all this stuff?

ASM

iTrader: (30)

That is not the case at all. There are some groups and tracks that have decided to kick other ideas around for asphalt tires. USVTA has not weighed in at all and therefore what some are doing is just that, doing what may work best at a local level while keeping all the others rules for the class in place.

The PF tires have shown to work for some and for others not so well. Some guys have had success minimal prep to the PF tires while others have gone through a lot of chemical trial and error to get the traction they need. The tire is about flawless as far as performance on carpet and in my opinion may has saved this class by replacing the nearly impossible to buy HPI tire but also has made for a much better tire on the high traction black carpet. The extremely stiff sidewall and firmer compound lends itself to this type of racing. Again, it really did save the class as a whole since most racers are running on carpet.

However, everything that makes it perfect for carpet racing tends to make it.....well, not the optimal tire for asphalt, especially if you're running on lower grip asphalt that's porous. I've seen videos of smooth, sealed, and traction treated asphalt that seemed to be more ideal. Black carpet is pretty consistent and thus the results are just that, consistent. Asphalt is not, and so the results are anything but consistent. Many of us have asked for this to be looked at and the possibly an asphalt created for those of us who love racing the class but do the majority of our racing outside. Though we're very well aware the thread is indeed monitored by those individuals, we have yet to hear any thoughts or ideas. So, as has been mentioned numerous times in this thread as well as the USGT thread, things like this can be taken up at the local track level. In essence, that's what you're seeing here.....the sharing of ideas.

Many do not agree with upsetting the apple cart and I get that but it should also be realized that change doesn't have to be feared or considered a "bad thing". As a "group", would we really hurt anything at all by bringing in compound that's somewhat softer for asphalt? I just cannot see the negative side of it. In recent years he class has been opened up motors, speed controls, allowed new bodies, allowed larger capacity batteries, has decreased the weight limit (to the dismay of many) and has specified a new tire which is essentially a new compound. However, the reasons for these changes were ALL justified and sound decisions in my mind. But, the leadership has declined to discuss the issue we're having so we have no choice but to discuss it ourselves. I once read (and heard) that a very vocal minority were behind the complaints of the Prototype bodies which were on the legal at the time in USGT and were ultimately taken off that legal list, again much to the dismay of many racers, and to one supporting manufacturer. In the end, I understand the reasoning that used in that decision despite not agreeing with it. So, lesson learned, we have tried to be that vocal minority concerning the tires.

I go back to quote in a post on the old thread from 1/10/08, post #44 "One of the best things about this class is that anybody, new or old racer, can have fun and be competitive. The new guys are not overwhelmed, the old guys have a blast without all the headaches." I couldn't agree with this statement anymore in any way, shape or form. This hits the nail squarely on the head. And this is exactly the point I have been trying to make for the last couple of months. Problem is, this tire on a lot of asphalt surfaces creates headaches and causes the loss of fun for many. And it's a valid problem. Since there has been no engagement, the silence speaks volumes and we'll just work it out on our level instead of having some help from those that can, and also in-turn helping the rest of the USVTA family that would appreciate the option for the same solution.

Ever try to run Jaco blues on asphalt? I did for a year as the spec tire on the Florida State Series. That year was probably the least amount of fun anyone can remember on the series. It's a FABULOUS carpet tire but on asphalt, not so much. Same situation.

Bri

Scott,

Do you know what caused the VTA tire to balloon so much as pictured in this thread? I would think being a firmer compound that it would hold it's shape better.

Best regards,
Brian

Lone Drifter

The Official USVTA group is not changing their tires choice but indivdual racing groups taking into thier own hands to (really need to) change the tire where they run on asphalt . Simply because One racer can have season run black carpet tires ( that feel like it on rails) and another racer who buys his tires the day of the race and He has a literal drift car.
I raced one race outside so far and this weekend I will see if it is better , Instead of car setup , motor , battery ,chassis , driving being the factors of who does well in the race,
it was how well broken in your tires were . That is not a good thing for VTA on asphalt

The sad thing about this whole fiasco is that I know nearly as many Asphalt VTA drivers as I do Carpet VTA drivers most of them rarely race with each other (perhaps its a different mindset) This time the Asphalt guys,Got the Fuzzy End of the Lollypop

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

Lone Drifter

Hey Billy I'll bring my all season run carpet PF tires and we can compare them to your VTA pf tires and see if you feel a difference on yor car.

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

Lone Drifter

It is what happens to every set of PF ties that I have seen run an Carpet, so when you run these on carpet too you have to constantly change your ride height , droop and gearing until you cant get low enough ride height anymore , then you break in a new set

ASM

iTrader: (30)

Brian, no I don't why this happens. My experience is different. I've only owned one set and they didn't really swell up. I used a tire sander to get the sheen off the tire and just used SXT. I used that same set on asphalt after numerous carpet runs with xylene and mighty gripper red and got some swell but not what has been pictured. Someone smarter than me may know the answer though.

chiefj48

mikel33

iTrader: (2)

Well that was constructive. if you are so unhappy why aren't you running a different class?

Josh-n-ya

iTrader: (95)

Josh-n-ya

iTrader: (95)