By Joe Rich
Table of Contents
How to Glue RC Car Tires
It is a common question asked by RC car enthusiasts. Is it better to glue my tires or not? The answer is not straightforward and there are many factors that go into this decision. In this blog post, we will explore the pros and cons of both methods in order to help you make an informed decision on how to best maintain your tires for your RC car racing needs.
Have you ever wondered why you glue your RC car tires, what the best way is to glue your RC car tires? What if you need to unglue them? No worries! In this article, we will explore all of these questions and more. Read on for a definitive guide on how to glue your RC car tires and how to unglue them when necessary.
Why glue my RC car tires
Gluing your RC car tires is a great way to protect them from slipping on the wheel rim or coming off completely.
It’s also important in many competition scenarios where the tight and narrow turns would otherwise cause slippage of the tire over the wheel.
Gluing also stops dirt and water getting inside the tire. this will the wheel to become out of balance and will damage any foam inserts you have fitted.
If you would like to know more about foam inserts click here.
It is a good idea to glue your wheels if you have a powerful motor or a upgraded motor that has a lot of torque this is where tire slippage is most likely to occur.
The speeds some RC cars can reach are quite amazing How Fast Do RC Cars Go to find out more.
What type of glue do you use on RC car tires?
There are many types of glue that you can use on RC car tires.
- Gluemasters
- Proline 603 100
- Bob Smith BSI 130
- Traxxas 6468 Ultra Premium Tire Glue
- Team Associated 1597 Factory Team Tire Adhesive, Medium
- Loctite Ultra Gel Control Super Glue
Can you use Gorilla glue to glue RC car tires?
Yes you can it is perfectly suitable for the job and is available on Amazon Gorilla XL Super Glue Gel Clear
Using the right kind for of glue your tires is important in ensuring durability over time!
How do you glue RC car tires?
The process is not complicated, but it does require some patience.
This is a job on your RC car that preparation is key to a successful job.
First fit the tire to the wheelrim and check for fitment, does the tire need trimming or does the wheel rim need some manufacturing sprues trimming or filing down. You can give them a light sanding to remove any small imperfections and give a good bonding key.
Check that there is no large gaps that may need filling.
Cleanliness for both the tire and wheel rim are crucial for a good bond, wipe the tire with a alcohol based cleaner to remove dirt and grease. The wheel rim can wiped as well.
Gluing
With the tires and wheel rim cleaned and had all the excess trimmed off its time to start gluing.
Refit the tire and insert if using make sure the tire is sitting properly in the wheel bead and has no bulges.
The goal when gluing is to apply a thin and even coat of glue along the entire wheel. This ensures a quick and effective curing time.
Only do one side at a time and allow that side to dry completely before you start on the other side.
It does not matter which side you start on inner or outer.
The clock method
The clock method is gluing the tire at four points top, bottom, middle left and middle right or 12, 3, 6,and 9 as if a the numbers on a clock face.
You then run a bead of glue between these points to create a seal. This method is very popular and works very well.
After gluing press gently on tire to make sure there are no gaps if there are just re glue.
You can of course run a bead of glue round the whole tire at once by pushing the tire in gently and making sure the glue gets on the gluing channel.
Just a thin bead of glue is needed to much glue can become brittle and will break under to much stress.
Any excess can be wiped off with a paper towel or rag.
Another thin bead of glue can be run around the edge to completely seal the wheel and tire.
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