# Prepping tires to Mount them???



## TCCustoms (Jan 2, 2012)

OK, ive heard the newest thing is to NOT drill out the rims and always punch 2 holes in the tires on opposite sides of the tire and duct tape the inside to stop ballooning...

Is this true and does it count for ALL tires(indoor and outdoor)?


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## snwchris (Dec 1, 2009)

There's a few different methods, I've seen people punch 2 holes in the tire and I've seen people do 4 holes in the tire.

I guess alot of it would depend on your track to get an idea of what people are doing. 

At our track everyone does something different, I have holes in the rims instead.


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## TCCustoms (Jan 2, 2012)

well thats the thing...this is a track we built in my bro-in-laws yard and there is like 5 of us that run it


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## ta_man (Apr 10, 2005)

I prefer holes in the rims rather then the tires because I frequently wash my tires and don't want water getting into the foam. (Yeah, I know I can stick screws in the holes - just seems like too much work to do every time, vs my other approach, once.) To keep dirt from getting into the tires from the rim side, I glue filters over the holes. Not my original idea - I bought some used tires from someone and learned this trick. I happen to have some .22 rifle cleaning patches and they are perfect for this application. I use medium CA and apply just enough to it doesn't seep into the part of the fabric the cobers the holes. Here's a pic of a 1/10th buggy wheel and a SCT wheel with the filters:


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## TCCustoms (Jan 2, 2012)

hmm, hard to see what you got goin in there but i do see huge holes in the rims


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## ta_man (Apr 10, 2005)

TCCustoms said:


> hmm, hard to see what you got goin in there but i do see *huge holes* in the rims


I think you are mistaking the fabric glued to the rim for holes. The holes in those rims are 1/8" in diameter. I don't consider that "huge."


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## edward 2 (Oct 6, 2010)

do you balance the tires after you glue them?


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## ta_man (Apr 10, 2005)

edward 2 said:


> do you balance the tires after you glue them?


Always (for racing, anyway).


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## TCCustoms (Jan 2, 2012)

Well my buddies n I just went in on a deal so I got 2 full sets of tires now but I'll have to get rims and may try this out...why did u drill that small of a hole then use that much fabric? (not doggin u, just asking since most have reasons for doing what they do)


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## ta_man (Apr 10, 2005)

TCCustoms said:


> Well my buddies n I just went in on a deal so I got 2 full sets of tires now but I'll have to get rims and may try this out...why did u drill that small of a hole then use that much fabric? (not doggin u, just asking since most have reasons for doing what they do)


Because the glue will seep into the fabric about 1/8 to 3/16 from the edge of the fabric. If I used a much smaller piece of fabric, the glue would have completely saturated it and it would be like sealing the rim again - no point in that. The piece of fabric has to be big enough that the glue can't get to the center (and seal it) before it dries/hardens. You have to use medium or thick CA. The thin will wick into the fabric too fast and seal it. You want to end up with a "donut" of fabric glued to the wheel and the center having no glue so it doesn't obstruct the air going in and out of the tire - just the dirt.

Also, a smaller peice would be too hard to hold in place while applying the glue. I glue one edge while holding the opposite edge, apply the glue and mash it down with a knife blade so it is flat as possible on the wheel. Let that edge dry, and do the opposite edge. When dry do both sides. Sound like a lot of work but it is not really that much. I do 4 or 8 wheels at a time. By the time I am done with the last one in sequence, the first is ready for the next application of glue.


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## TCCustoms (Jan 2, 2012)

gotcha...these last few sets ive did i didnt do a hole in the rim and punched 4 holes in the tires so we'll see how they hold but i told my bro in law as he is a gun guy and has those circle cleaner pads and his question was how do you clean them when they get dirty or do you just replace it?


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## ta_man (Apr 10, 2005)

TCCustoms said:


> gotcha...these last few sets ive did i didnt do a hole in the rim and punched 4 holes in the tires so we'll see how they hold but i told my bro in law as he is a gun guy and has those circle cleaner pads and his question was how do you clean them when they get dirty or do you just replace it?


I've never seen a need to clean them. Their purpose is to let air in and out of the tire without letting sand and dirt in. They get a little dirt on them but they still do the job they need to do. Since the fabric is not rubbing against anything it doesn't wear out.

The only way to take them off would be to unmount the tires and unglue them by soaking in acetone. That doesn't happen until the tire is worn out (for me anyway).


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## TCCustoms (Jan 2, 2012)

Oh yea....I forgOt u install them on the inside of he rims so there's not much u can do for maintanance to them. Kinda liking this idea or atleast til I glue 1 on but I think I got a way to make that work to atleast seat the fabric for the initial glueing


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## ta_man (Apr 10, 2005)

The wheels I got second hand where I got this idea were done a little different. The guy used one big piece of fabric that went all the way around the inside of the rim just 1/8" short of overlap, and glued the edges. I think he said the fabric was shoeshine cloth. You don't have to be so precise with the gluing then.


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## HPIFreak (Feb 17, 2003)

i asked ryan lutz one time when he visited my local track why he punched holes in his tires instead of the rims. his answer was pretty simple. was nothing to do with ballooning. he said it was for dirt/water. because of syntrifical force, water and dirt in the foams is forced outward. so if you get water/dirt in your foams from washing your tires, just race it and the water/dirt will find its way out.


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## ta_man (Apr 10, 2005)

I'd rather not let the dirt and water in.


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