Tires & Wheels
- Thread starter mike_hinson
- Start date
Mike,
There are a lot of opinions on this subject, here are mine 8~). The most widely used wheel in the
big foot spoke from any of the race venders. They are strong and the spokes are biger to stop poke through
that is common with the smaller spokes. They are about 50 bones. 4" for the front and 5 for the rear. Tire's are where
opinions differ. Most like the 33x10.50x15 Yokohama Super digger 5, these feature a round tread
and soft compound, I would bet that 70% of the 9 and 1600 guys run these tires. They are excellent
tire with the down side being cost and they are hard to get. I beleive that they can be sourced
trough Kartech and some one helpful at Discount/Americas tire can help you find them. I am a BFG man
myself and we use the 31x10.50x15 AT's and MT's. Good luck so far with tractor tubes and only
15lbs of air in San Felipe! The BFG's can be had for cheap trough BFG racing, email me on the side for info. Front
tire's are even worse. a 700/15 bios trailer tire's seems to be the most common, these are availible for many
manufacturers. hyw tread is good on a 9 car. I run the BFG traction tires on my car and the only down is that they trough sand into the car.
I will be changing to the intermetiete tread as soon as they are availible from BFG.
Kenneth
Kenneth N2wishN
See you in Baja!
There are a lot of opinions on this subject, here are mine 8~). The most widely used wheel in the
big foot spoke from any of the race venders. They are strong and the spokes are biger to stop poke through
that is common with the smaller spokes. They are about 50 bones. 4" for the front and 5 for the rear. Tire's are where
opinions differ. Most like the 33x10.50x15 Yokohama Super digger 5, these feature a round tread
and soft compound, I would bet that 70% of the 9 and 1600 guys run these tires. They are excellent
tire with the down side being cost and they are hard to get. I beleive that they can be sourced
trough Kartech and some one helpful at Discount/Americas tire can help you find them. I am a BFG man
myself and we use the 31x10.50x15 AT's and MT's. Good luck so far with tractor tubes and only
15lbs of air in San Felipe! The BFG's can be had for cheap trough BFG racing, email me on the side for info. Front
tire's are even worse. a 700/15 bios trailer tire's seems to be the most common, these are availible for many
manufacturers. hyw tread is good on a 9 car. I run the BFG traction tires on my car and the only down is that they trough sand into the car.
I will be changing to the intermetiete tread as soon as they are availible from BFG.
Kenneth
Kenneth N2wishN
See you in Baja!
On a 9 car, please give the pros and cons of Yokos vs. BFG. Not trying to start a tire war. I know both are excellent tires. I run both types on my chase vehicles. Looking for what works best for a 2 seat 9.
1. I would like to know about sidewall strength, flats, tread wear, etc.
2. Performance in rocks vs. silt/sand?
3. Do mud & snow treads produce excessive bump steer as I have been told?
4. If so should they be shaved?
5. Would like suggestions for front and rear sizes, brands, where to get them, as well as tread types you prefer.
1. I would like to know about sidewall strength, flats, tread wear, etc.
2. Performance in rocks vs. silt/sand?
3. Do mud & snow treads produce excessive bump steer as I have been told?
4. If so should they be shaved?
5. Would like suggestions for front and rear sizes, brands, where to get them, as well as tread types you prefer.
MIke
On my car we have always run Yokahamas on the rear with around 18 lb.s of air and have only had 2 flats in the last 9 races. As for the front we have two set ups to go with,a 700-15lt Mud&Snow tread for the smoother faster tracks with lots of sand and less rocks,We also run a Hwy. tread set with a load range D for the rougher rockier tracks but these will not work well in the sand as they plow or float and push out bad on sharp turns. Also the Traction treads will give you much more feed back through the steering wheel and your hands and arms will feel it for sure on about lap 2! That is why Joel Mohr runs stock rims on his car and 4 lug at that!
We recently changed to a reverse offset front wheel becouse we were bending spindles {Steeing Arms} badly, becouse of the bump steer and leverage the regular wheels were transmitting through the steering wheel. I get all my wheels from Custom Commercial in Fontana Calif. they make a full line of 9 car wheels and will costom make any wheel to your specs. Good luck. Rob S. #975
On my car we have always run Yokahamas on the rear with around 18 lb.s of air and have only had 2 flats in the last 9 races. As for the front we have two set ups to go with,a 700-15lt Mud&Snow tread for the smoother faster tracks with lots of sand and less rocks,We also run a Hwy. tread set with a load range D for the rougher rockier tracks but these will not work well in the sand as they plow or float and push out bad on sharp turns. Also the Traction treads will give you much more feed back through the steering wheel and your hands and arms will feel it for sure on about lap 2! That is why Joel Mohr runs stock rims on his car and 4 lug at that!
We recently changed to a reverse offset front wheel becouse we were bending spindles {Steeing Arms} badly, becouse of the bump steer and leverage the regular wheels were transmitting through the steering wheel. I get all my wheels from Custom Commercial in Fontana Calif. they make a full line of 9 car wheels and will costom make any wheel to your specs. Good luck. Rob S. #975
Mike
Just read your last shock notes!
If you are going to be running the SAW Race runners on the rear, give John Burns a call at Transaxle Engineering, He has been running them on his 9 car for about a year now everysince they first became available from SAW. He has been trying to dial them in since and should be able to give you some real valuable advice on a setup! On the fronts we also run Fox's and have found that a set up without resevoirs works best for us but this is becouse we have a single searter with a very light front-end load and less seems to be better. we do bump up the Comp. valving from stock in order to slow them down, but have never had a problem with over heating. Blew one out when the stop broke and it over compressed the shock but other than that we have had great luck with them. TTYS Rob S #975
Just read your last shock notes!
If you are going to be running the SAW Race runners on the rear, give John Burns a call at Transaxle Engineering, He has been running them on his 9 car for about a year now everysince they first became available from SAW. He has been trying to dial them in since and should be able to give you some real valuable advice on a setup! On the fronts we also run Fox's and have found that a set up without resevoirs works best for us but this is becouse we have a single searter with a very light front-end load and less seems to be better. we do bump up the Comp. valving from stock in order to slow them down, but have never had a problem with over heating. Blew one out when the stop broke and it over compressed the shock but other than that we have had great luck with them. TTYS Rob S #975
Mike
Last year we found out that Parkhouse Tires (Mainly a Truck tire place) was now selling a full line of Yokohama tires to racers, If you have a store in your area give them a call as their prices seem to be unbeatable around $90 for rears and $75 for fronts.
The 9 car wheels from Custom & Commercial cost around $48 for rears and $55 for fronts [Right Fronts cast a bit more] they sell both 4-5 in. wide spoke, white or chrome wheels. As I mentioned they made me a set with a "stock" reverse off set wheels in order to reduce the leverage and feedback you get with a offset wheel. In our first race with these new wheels I could easily feel at least 75% less feedback.
We also shave the inner and outer tread adges on the Mud & Snow tires becouse they will grab a rock and rip your thumbs off without doing it. On the Hwy. treads we cut two grooves along the tread in order to reduce the float or drift you get in the sand but can't really tell if it helped very much.
TTYS Rob S. #975
Last year we found out that Parkhouse Tires (Mainly a Truck tire place) was now selling a full line of Yokohama tires to racers, If you have a store in your area give them a call as their prices seem to be unbeatable around $90 for rears and $75 for fronts.
The 9 car wheels from Custom & Commercial cost around $48 for rears and $55 for fronts [Right Fronts cast a bit more] they sell both 4-5 in. wide spoke, white or chrome wheels. As I mentioned they made me a set with a "stock" reverse off set wheels in order to reduce the leverage and feedback you get with a offset wheel. In our first race with these new wheels I could easily feel at least 75% less feedback.
We also shave the inner and outer tread adges on the Mud & Snow tires becouse they will grab a rock and rip your thumbs off without doing it. On the Hwy. treads we cut two grooves along the tread in order to reduce the float or drift you get in the sand but can't really tell if it helped very much.
TTYS Rob S. #975
Folks,
OK, I'm going to ask my clueless newbie question:
When we bought our car, a couple of the front tires had the outside edges shaved - and indeed, they work significantly better. Now the question: How the heck to I shave the other tires? Is there a reasonable way to do them in my home shop?
Thanks!
Jim & Vanessa
OK, I'm going to ask my clueless newbie question:
When we bought our car, a couple of the front tires had the outside edges shaved - and indeed, they work significantly better. Now the question: How the heck to I shave the other tires? Is there a reasonable way to do them in my home shop?
Thanks!
Jim & Vanessa
Jim,
I took my tires to a local tire recaper and had them shave the edges. I don't recall how much they charged as this was about 4 years ago. Still using those same tires. Fronts seam to last forever.
The only down side was the tires had to be dismounted. They could not be done off the rim.
<font color=red>Cameron</font color=red>
<font color=yellow>BRAT Racing # 936</font color=yellow>
I took my tires to a local tire recaper and had them shave the edges. I don't recall how much they charged as this was about 4 years ago. Still using those same tires. Fronts seam to last forever.
The only down side was the tires had to be dismounted. They could not be done off the rim.
<font color=red>Cameron</font color=red>
<font color=yellow>BRAT Racing # 936</font color=yellow>
Jim
Yep! They have to be done on a wheel balancer type machine that just peels the edge off with a special knife, Not alot of tire shops have them any more so you may have to search. I did cut a set of new tires once with a VERY VERY sharp knife and it worked great but it also took about an hour or so!
I have also used a tire grooving iron from days gone by, but have not seen one in several years.
I can tell you what not to try" Disc grinder( Chain Saw, lathe tools, or your wifes best curling iron!
Rob S. #975
Yep! They have to be done on a wheel balancer type machine that just peels the edge off with a special knife, Not alot of tire shops have them any more so you may have to search. I did cut a set of new tires once with a VERY VERY sharp knife and it worked great but it also took about an hour or so!
I have also used a tire grooving iron from days gone by, but have not seen one in several years.
I can tell you what not to try" Disc grinder( Chain Saw, lathe tools, or your wifes best curling iron!
Rob S. #975
Jim, if you're in Calif, check with Parkhouse tire.
I had a re-cap shop here in PHX do mine. The first place I went to couldn't do it...they had "modern" equipment. They recommended a shop with "old" equipment.
YOU MUST HAVE THE TIRE OF THE RIM!!! I couldn't believe it, but these re-cappers don't have the stuff to dismount your tires. Anyway, once on their machine, they could adjust the angle and depth to my liking. They said it didn't cost anything! Just tip the "tech" $5 a tire. Such a deal!
I had a re-cap shop here in PHX do mine. The first place I went to couldn't do it...they had "modern" equipment. They recommended a shop with "old" equipment.
YOU MUST HAVE THE TIRE OF THE RIM!!! I couldn't believe it, but these re-cappers don't have the stuff to dismount your tires. Anyway, once on their machine, they could adjust the angle and depth to my liking. They said it didn't cost anything! Just tip the "tech" $5 a tire. Such a deal!