How to upgrade your Short course Buggy front tires. SC10b

I have been racing a good amount of indoor lately and I really needed to upgrade my front tires for my SC10B. A lot of racers just simply run their short course truck tires on their buggies, but what they don't realize is that the narrow front tires make the buggy drive much better. I am going to show how to make some custom front tires since most tire companies do not offer many options.

              First, get the correct front rims for a SCB and then get the short course tire you intend to make your front tire. In my case, I am using a Panther Rattler tire in the clay compound. I have been testing this tire at OC/RC and have found that I am pretty hooked up.













Furthermore, I like the wider stance that the 3mm offset JConcepts hazard wheels give my truck and buggy. Once you have the part you want to use, start to cut the tire in half. I cut the tire just outside the first tread from the center of the tire. It can be very scary to cut up a 25 dollar tire, but I assure you, the modification is worth it and come out well if you take your time. Try to cut a straight line and follow closely to the tread. For reference, just look at the image below.

Once you are done, you should end up with two halves of a tire and strip in the middle. Just look at the image one the left. You will notice that there is one tread on each side of the original middle seam of the tire.

Now we need to start gluing  a new seam down the center of the tire. You will want to make sure that when you glue the tire, the tread mimics the alternating pattern the tire had there originally.  

In order to get the seam to be consistent, the tire needs to be glued with a small bead of glue. Also, the beads of glue need to be spaced roughly a half an inch apart. Once all of the beads around the tire are glued, and the glue has dried, flip the tire inside out. We want to now re- create the seam down the middle of the tire.

Look closely at the gaps the beads of glue create. Once the tire is inside out, we want to glue up holes that are left. When applying the glue, put a light coat along one half of the  each seam and then use both hands to push both sides together. I like to push the tire together from bottom to top in the motion similar to zipping up a zipper.

You have to cut down the tire foam so that it fits in the new tire. The Panther foam is the same on both sides, but other foams, such as the Proline foam, are not. If you are using a Proline foam, cut the thick side, since the other side has a small lip on it. There Are grooves in the foam and I like to cut to about the first groove. If you are uncomfortable with cutting to the first groove, leave about a quarter inch extra away from the edge of the groove you have chose. After you have cut the foam, put it in the tire and see if you like it and if it fist nicely on the rim. If it does not fit correctly, cut a little more off the foam until everything fits nicely. You do not want the foam to protrude over the part of the rim you want to glue the tire on. Usually if there is too much foam, it will push over the back part of the rim where the tire is supposed to be glued. 

Both tires finished.

Another Look
















                                                                            A side shot
















The difference  between a full size short course tire.

Good luck at the races! Remember, you can always ask me for help, just look for the KLA cars at the track.

-Matthew Garcia