# foam tires?



## FOSTBITTEN (Aug 1, 2013)

Are they specifically for routed tracks or can you use w/o traction compound on plastic tracks? I bought a Magnum 440 on ebay & it had foams on it, that needed replaced the car would not move because the foams were that far gone. So I put silicones on it. But my buddy sells the mounted foams for the 440's did I make a mistake & should have gotten these instead of the silicones? The car runs great with the new shoes it, I just wonder if it will run better w/the foams on it.


----------



## slotking (May 27, 2008)

even the soft foam is not as good as silicone tires.

what became a hit, was people started to coat foam tires with silicone so you had the best of both worlds

but those tires run about $10+

so I use super tires on my cars


----------



## ruralradio (Mar 11, 2011)

I'd only put the foamies on a shelf queen for originality. Back in the day, we worked "stick-em" (or as some said, glue...) into the tires, of course it got worked around the track. Would turn into a mess with your other cars with silicone tires. Note the vintage type "gravity unlimited" racers run silicone, most sili-foams, just have adapted to circumvent that problem. Actually, I think the modern tires on my cars like that offer about the same traction, but they seem to be much easier on the low-ohm pancake motors, they run much cooler than I remember. Anyway, I'd run the sillies no matter the type of car. My 440's love them.


----------



## FOSTBITTEN (Aug 1, 2013)

Okay cool I do not know which silicone's I bought he has Super tires there but these were not marked as Super's these are sili's but they are molded because they have a rounded shoulder. Instead of the flat shoulder like the Super's that I have. The molded tires come 2 in a bag w/a red card in it that says "Silicone 440 tires". 

I also remember the tires that came in the package w/the 440x2's that had 440x2 in white letters on them. Are those silicone? I can't remember if they are. I know they are a smaller diameter, than tires that come on those cars. We would use the larger tires on the right side & the x2's on the left side. When we played oval racing.


----------



## [email protected] (Jan 31, 2010)

Only reason I like the foam tires is they slide in the corners better. I use foam tires and a brass weight on the HP7 chassis for sliding. 

Silicone do give better traction and hold up much longer.


----------



## mrstumpy (Oct 5, 2013)

I used to run foam tires ("Spongies") in the Sixties and Seventies on commercial tracks in 1/24 scale and they were far better than the rubber or silicone tires of the day. But when I ran 1/32 scale in the early 2000's silicone tires were the way to go, no question.

Five years ago, I switched to T-jet racing and the Super Stock/Fray class cars ALL run "Sponge Silicone" tires, while other classes were restricted to "slip-on" silicones or rubber tires on double flanged wheels. "Sponge Silicones" are foam rubber with a silicone "recap" on them and work well on custom tracks like TKO, Maxtrac, and others.

However, they will not last on WizzTracks, sectional tracks, or any track made for magnet car racing. The sharp pick up rails cut them up and you'll "throw a recap" like a semi truck. Without the silicone "recap", the tires are useless.

Currently Super Tires are not legal in the local T-jet clubs, but I hear that they are grippier than "Sponge Silicones," and last far longer, even on sectional or sharp railed tracks.

Stumpy in Ahia


----------



## rholmesr (Oct 8, 2010)

The newest slip-on silicone supertires are very good and can be close in performance to sponge silli's, but in my experience, the sponge silli's are still the best. 

Slip-on silicone tires are definitely a lot more economical. Wheels plus tires just a few bucks and they last forever. As opposed to sponge silli's that are good for a couple hours of racing before they start chunking out on the sides and growing too much diametrically and need to be replaced at $10/pair.

I have a couple of "slip-on" fray cars that I just run the supertires on and they can give you a pretty darn good run for your money.


----------



## FOSTBITTEN (Aug 1, 2013)

Well right now I could use some sponge tires. My daughter decided to write on the track with chalk. She wanted it to be dusty & pretty...:freak:. I just replaced the pieces & vacuumed them but the cars have already moved the chalk dust all around. So she got it dusty, and the cars too. I used a damp sponge too clean up most of it. But I know there is more. She chalked up four 15" pieces and some of a banked turn before I showed up. I said things in my head. That I am glad I did not say aloud.


----------



## jobobvideo (Jan 8, 2010)

Would the sponge or sponge silli's absorb some of bounce effects on an uneven surface compared to the more dense slip on silicones? If so would you achieve a better contact patch and grip with sponge silli's? Just thinking of advantages of one for the other...maybe time for some high speed slow-mo video testing...just a thought.

Would grooves in slot tires give any advantages?


----------



## slotking (May 27, 2008)

> Would the sponge or sponge silli's absorb some of bounce effects on an uneven surface compared to the more dense slip on silicones?


yes


> If so would you achieve a better contact patch and grip with sponge silli's?


the sili\sponge will give more than slicone tires thus providing the extra traction



> Just thinking of advantages of one for the other...maybe time for some high speed slow-mo video testing...just a thought.


that would be cool
if the track is real clean, the advantage/disadvantage becomes almost gone.



> Would grooves in slot tires give any advantages?


sometimes, the depth depends on the track and car


----------



## FOSTBITTEN (Aug 1, 2013)

For me one of the biggest things you can do is make sure everything is balanced. Also if you run on plastic track, and the flat straight edge tires. I try to chamfer or round the edges of the shoulders. I think this helps keep the tire from tripping over the rails. 

Cutting grooves around the radius of the tires would possibly make the tire softer & more prone to flex in the corner.

i would also like to be able to try putting holes through the sidewalls all the way around. It would have make the tire softer. Or mold a silicone tire this way. Of course if you use foam/sili's this is pretty much done for you.


----------



## FOSTBITTEN (Aug 1, 2013)

Also I wonder why nobody like AF/X or AW packages silicone tires with or on their cars?


----------



## tabcomary (Jun 2, 2010)

*holes & grooves?*



FOSTBITTEN said:


> For me one of the biggest things you can do is make sure everything is balanced. Also if you run on plastic track, and the flat straight edge tires. I try to chamfer or round the edges of the shoulders. I think this helps keep the tire from tripping over the rails.
> 
> Cutting grooves around the radius of the tires would possibly make the tire softer & more prone to flex in the corner.
> 
> i would also like to be able to try putting holes through the sidewalls all the way around. It would have make the tire softer. Or mold a silicone tire this way. Of course if you use foam/sili's this is pretty much done for you.


Can you post a sketch of your ideas? Perhaps they can be made.


----------



## FOSTBITTEN (Aug 1, 2013)

tabcomary said:


> Can you post a sketch of your ideas? Perhaps they can be made.


Umm I will have to see what I can do.


----------



## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

FWIW- Tabcomary has in the past, made me some *custom silicone tires, that worked out awesome, and also happen to be some of the purdiest and most perfectly trued tire I've ever slipped on !
*To my specs


----------



## Tom Hiester (Mar 27, 2012)

We have our silicone tires available. Tom Hiester


----------

