Foams, Lifspan?
 

hey guys,

ive never ran Foams on a Nitro car cause ive heard stories that them only lasting about a tank of two ... what exactly is there lifespan??

Mike

Depends on the tire and how you drive. Typically most racers can make a set last a weekend at the club level. At a big race they may not last as long (track conditions apply as well) because of the length of the races being longer.

If you're just practicing, not driving overly hard, a few hours a day they could last a while.

Just don't be like the locals around here running them with chunks taken out of them that look like a rat got into the cheese, and riding on the rim with no actual foam left.

I agree with Dredd,
Foams will last a good weekend of racing. Most racers know what shore weight of (hardness) foams they will need for a particular track at the time. Foams are also a tuning aid when racing. You can change the size and hardness of the tire for more power/traction you will need.
If you get the correct shore(harndess) for your basher, you can run them longer than a weekend. Either way, they will change shape and grind down due to the camber/toe and how abrasive the surface you will be driving on.
Get a set! You will see a difference in how your car will handle.
Oh yea, they do last alot longer than a tank or two!

thanks guys, now whats better rubber slicks or foams? i live next to a old factory with a smooth parking lot temps in the summer reach over 90's , id be useing them to bash around and for practice on a track? ive ordered some slick's for my r40 for my personal use and use the foams that came iwth the car for racing(probly a crappy shore- there stock factory foams)

Your R40 will do better with foams. I have a R40 also and the shore I use for parking lots is 38 front 35 rear. For playing around I have my tires cut at 61mm.
Rubber is good. But the R40 and platforms like it, foams are recomended.

so cutting , is this where that hudy machince comes into play ? and are all foams tires need to be cut ? but doesnt foam get expensive t o run for playing about practiceing???

Foam is for serious racers. definition: Serious = big money. :D

LOL yea i have no prob dropping a "Ben" for a race weekend and for practice, but for bashing i think i'll use rubber, but do you need to cut the tires and is that what the hudy machine is used for?

Are JACO nitroshoes a good brand of foam tires? which foams do you guys run ?

The Jaco Nitro Shoes are an excellent brand of foam tire. These are the tires that ive been using since i started racing. Always a great tire to work with. For both sedan and 1/8th!

You asked about needing to cut a foam tire to bash. You don't need to cut a foam tire, but you talk to the guys in here that race, all of the us cut tires. Some tires from Jayco and other brands come out the box 65mm. I don't run anything larger than 60mm for racing. It all depends on the surface where you are running. I know guys who don't cut their foams and the tires start to cone. That just goes back to set up and the wrong shore tire for the surface.
For bashing, I use old foams that are cut, chunked or just old. The performance will not be the same as a good new set. Besides, Foams are wider than most rubber slicks.

Someone else said it right. Foams=$$$ I buy my tires 10 sets at a time. You will need a tire truer $130-$400. files, tire compound, arbors, power supply, It can get expensive. Foams are better and cost a little less than rubber!
Mind you, the equipment is a one time purchase.

Rubber. Rims = $12.00 pair x 2, Inserts $8.00 pair x2 , tires $14.00 pair x 2 and glue. $3.00 This is for every set of rubber tires you use.

Foams $11.00 to $14.00 pair x 2

well thanks for all you rhelp guys, learned allot in this thread... what tire truer would you recomend???

Mike

Try a Hudy or Integy truer. Then there is the type of truer you want. Manual are cheaper $130.00 Automatics $250 and up! It's all about how much you want to spend and convience.

Hope everything helps! Good luck!

thanks allot, one more thing i see that allot of the foams for the rear are wider than the fronts is this just for 1/12 or pan cars such as teh serpents? or for sedans also?(they probly do require a longer axel correct?)

The tires for most cars are different from front to back. 1/10 scale foam (standard size) tires 26mm are for the front and 30mm are for the rear. Not all foam tires will fit all cars either. Mugen, Kyosho will not fit on Serpent 8th scale cars. Nor will the others mix. Some cars do use the other manufacturers for their tires.
For the most part front tires are narrower than rears, in the case of foams.