# Looking for a quick fix - X-Traction front tire issue?



## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

Howdy all. Having a problem and need a fix.

My group suddenly decided that they really_ like _running magnatraction/xtractions...and it works because I have a great stable of fast runners for us to use while everyone is finding their own cars. However, mine are older versions (late JL) and by the time 4 of us were done racing this past meetup, we had to go over the track inch by inch to pick up all the little black donuts that came off the front wheels during the heat. 

Is this something that a little swipe of rubber cement on the front rim will fix? (New tires are in the cards....mine look old and dried out...but it may be a few weeks before I actually see them.)

Also...I see that AW has started releasing the XTraction with wide fronts too. Any change in the performance between the wide and skinny front tires?

Trev


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## dlw (Aug 17, 1999)

Many folks are using o-rings for front tires. Or you can still get NOS Afx front tires from many online shops or local hobby shop that stocks them.

What I do is remove the tires when not running cars so they don't stretch. That way the tires keep a decently snug fit on the rims.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

As DLW says, just replace all the front tires with O-Rings. This can be done two ways - the "expensive" way or the really cheap way.

The expensive way is to go to Lowe's and buy a package of #78 O-Rings; even this is less than buying tires.

The real cheap way is to buy online from a company called MSC. You get a bag of 100 and I forget what I paid, but it was very inexpensive.

Here is the thread you need to read - http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=204454

Thanks...Joe


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## bobwoodly (Aug 25, 2008)

I buy mine from a store apply called orings and more - http://www.oringsandmore.com

Last time I bought them they were a bit more than $5 for 200 tires
2 Bulk Rubber Orings # 010-70D Price for 100 pcs @ $1.40 = $2.80
Shipping: $2.50 

I buy some slightly thicker ones for TycoPro


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## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

Hey thanks for the tips guys. I did a search myself for a thread like that and came up empty. 

So cool beans....I'll go down and grab a bag of #78's for Tues nite, and put in an order for a couple large baggies. 

Thanks for that, I was about to just order slot car tires.

That leads me to a second question though. I remember these fronts popping off left right and center when the cars were brand new. Did they just use crappy rubber, poorly sized....or is it the rims?


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Shadowracer said:


> Hey thanks for the tips guys. I did a search myself for a thread like that and came up empty.
> 
> So cool beans....I'll go down and grab a bag of #78's for Tues nite, and put in an order for a couple large baggies.
> 
> ...


They may just be poorly sized. But I have not had any trouble with the O-Rings falling off. Just be aware they have a slightly larger OD than stock tires, which I kinda like, but I am not a racer, just a runner.

Joe


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## vaBcHRog (Feb 19, 2003)

Bob Beers had a good deal on bulk wide AFX Front tires awile back?


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## Piz (Apr 22, 2002)

vaBcHRog said:


> Bob Beers had a good deal on bulk wide AFX Front tires awile back?


Still does . Just bought 50 pcs skinny afx fronts and 50 pcs afx rear silcone tires from him off of ebay for.$30 shipped . they look great . Fronts look much better than o rings imho


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## Shadowracer (Sep 11, 2004)

What's his fleabay handle?


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

bobwoodly said:


> I buy mine from a store apply called orings and more - http://www.oringsandmore.com
> 
> Last time I bought them they were a bit more than $5 for 200 tires
> 2 Bulk Rubber Orings # 010-70D Price for 100 pcs @ $1.40 = $2.80
> ...


ok, i have been searching for O-rings in the right size for AFX fronts for a while now. i haven't really found what i'm looking for, though. i went to Fastenal, which has all kinds of hardware odds & ends, and bought 50-count bags of the two different sizes which were closest to what i needed. they were nice and cheap, but it turned out that the one size is too small, it brings the front of the car way down to where you have to readjust shoes and make sure your track joints are all completely glass-smooth, and the other size is too big, where once again you need to readjust shoes and you lose some handling and even rub the body in some applications. and those were the best two sizes this place had.

i'm hoping that you all have found the silver bullet. but i gotta ask... are these EXACTLY the same diameter as AFX fronts? or if these aren't, do O-rings exist in exactly that diameter? that's what i really want.

thanks in advance

--rick


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## bobwoodly (Aug 25, 2008)

Rick - these are not exactly she same size, the smaller ones are slightly smaller and the larger size is a bit larger. I'm guessing you might be able to find the exact size if you have a good way to measure them. PM me your address and I'll send you some in the mail along with the sizes but I'm guessing they are the same that you have tried.

Tom


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

In Orings, there are standard and metric sizes. That should give you four options right around the AFX tire size.


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## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

I found some at O-Ring City
http://www.oringcity.com/
$11.25 shipped for 50 of each (200 total)

They carry o-rings for specific applications and machinery as well as individual sizes.

All the ones I got are Buna-Nitrile. They are very durable and very resistant to heat and stretching when grinding but they are TOUGH to grind down. Here’s the sizes I got. So far I am very pleased with these.

These work good for X-Traction and A-FX replacement front tires with no modifications. They even work good on some Mega-G and Tyco 440 X-2 in place of the wide tires, if you glue them to the outside of the rim:
010B70 ID = 1/4, OD = 3/8, Cross Section = 3/32 (.103)


I have used these for ECHOR Indy front tires on some of our spare ‘runners’. These grind down to make a nice profile.
108B70 ID = 1/4, OD = 7/16, Cross Section = 3/32 (.103)


These work great for Fray front tires (including the RT-HO weighted front) and Box Stock T-Jets with no modifications. Fit good on JW brass or aluminum front hubs.
008B70 ID = 3/16, OD = 5/16, Cross Section = 1/16 (.070)

These are ok for fronts on stock T-Jet front hubs, can be ground down to make nice flat looking front tires if needed.
106B70 ID = 3/16, OD 3/8, Cross Section = 1/16 (.070)


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

beast1624 said:


> These work good for X-Traction and A-FX replacement front tires with no modifications. They even work good on some Mega-G and Tyco 440 X-2 in place of the wide tires, if you glue them to the outside of the rim:
> 008B70 ID = 3/16, OD = 5/16, Cross Section = 1/16 (.070)


A 3/16" inside diameter? Interesting, they are not too tight? The O-Rings I have are 1/4" ID for use with stock AFX and XT (along with stock T-Jet large wheels) and they are more than snug enough. Mine have a 3/8" OD, but that's a matter of personal preferance (and can be sanded down). The width is identical to the above.

Thanks...Joe


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## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Thanks for catching. I had them bas-ackwards. I corrected it.

Yeah, the 7/16 ones are TALL suckers. I just got them to try because they were cheap. I have ground them down for every application I tried them on.


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

I bought AFX style o rings from this dude.http://www.ebay.com/itm/HO-H-O-SLOT...170808506896?pt=Slot_Cars&hash=item27c4fafa10 They look right and are the same height.

Although I am not 100 percent this austion is exactly what your looking for, look at his other auctions.

Most are .99 with 1.99 shipping so for 3 bucks a shot, it's worth you 3 dollars.

I also got some others from him for tyco pro replacement and they worked fine too.

Hope this helps you. They usually come on a flat sticky piece of paper to hold em in place.


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## Piz (Apr 22, 2002)

Shadowracer said:


> What's his fleabay handle?


This is the auction link , he doesn't curently have any auctions running but his phone number is on the page and you could probably give him a call 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/180824144294?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649


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## BRS Hobbies (Feb 16, 2006)

I have had good success gluing the tires back on the rims with Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Hardener. You can find the product at Walmart with other nail polish products. Just put a coating of it on the rim and then fit the tire. 

Best regards,
Brian


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