Whether you’re a fan of the on-road races, the parking lot cruising or the off-road aggressive races, you should really pay attention to your tires. They maintain your car smooth and steady whatever the obstacle. That’s why picking the right tires for each track surface is the key to winning on the track.
Each setting you make on your car will be reflected in the way your tires handle it. They directly influence how your RC car accelerates, brakes and drive on the track.
The off-road racing circuit is definitely one of the most competitive types of racing, but it holds the well-deserved title of the most fun type of RC racing. It’s actually the most fun when you win and this is how a good pair of off-road tires can help you. In general, tires are offered in soft, medium or hard compounds. Soft tires are used more often for more traction, but they wear faster than a harder compound tire. However, you can use soft tires in the front of your RC car in order to improve cornering. Harder compound tires will last longer and you’ll be able to spend those long hours on the track without worrying about the wear in your tires.
The inserts of your tires are another significant component which can affect your off-road racing. Harder inserts are perfect for off-road conditions, as they prevent the tire to get all out of shape due to the rough conditions on the track. They also help in keeping the car stable. If you want to prevent the inserts from ballooning up, you could use some duct tape around them. That way, the inserts will fit perfectly in the inside of the tire.
Another important factor in choosing the perfect off-road tires for your RC car racing adventures is the tire pattern. And there are plenty of choices for you out there! Generally, you should know that the harder the surface you want to tackle is, the smaller the tire pins should be. Moreover, the style in which the pins are placed is significant. So, if the pin tread is aligned horizontally on the tire, that specific type of tire will be better for forward traction. Also, it will ease the braking, but the vehicle can lose some of its side traction. However, the tires with a vertical alignment of the pins offer more side traction than the tire with horizontal alignment, but the RC car will lose some of its forward traction.
Tires with horizontal bars and medium pins are popular among RC car enthusiasts and they work best for dessert tracks or in loamy track conditions. These types of tires offer great traction on the hard section of the course while having large enough pins to dig into the loamy soil of the track.
When it’s time to choose some tires for your off-road RC car, you have to choose the profile of the sidewall. You should have in mind the fact that a higher sidewall is able to flex more, but makes cornering difficult. On the other hand, low profile tires are stiff, they don’t really flex, but they do improve cornering speed.
If you just bought a ready-to-race vehicle, you may have a car equipped with hard compound tires, which will last longer, but sometimes they won’t help you much on the off-road racing circuit. Check your tires after you bought an RC car, but if you’re serious about tackling the racing circuit, you should buy a new set of tires. Don’t forget that a well-balanced tire will greatly improve your tires’ performance and lifespan.
