Belted Tires - Yes, No, Maybe?

[Leet TC3]

The newer belted tires from Yokomo, Sorex etc. have been our for sometime now. NOBODY at my local tracks have tried them yet, but I have seen them being used in winning NORRCA cups, etc.

Has anyone used them? You like them better than non-belted. What is the major difference between them and the non-belted tires (besides $10 :) ).

[scubasteve]

You have more traction with non-betled/treaded tires. The only reason they won/use them was because they got them for free, sincethey sponser sorex, yokomo etc.
They probally put them on a sand belt to wear them down to slick. :eek:

[Throtl Hapie]

Belted tires are good for nitro (usually) because of higher speeds, so they keep the tire from expanding. Of course quick electric cars could benefit, too.

[Grizzbob]

Personally, I just run whatever gives me the traction I want. Sometimes that means a non-belted tire, there are situations where you need a tire that expands as you accelerate, but also there are points when tire expansion will upset the car's handling, make it feel unstable. That's where belted tires come into their own, they will behave the same at all speeds(as long as you're using the right compound), & it seems to me that with today's newer chassis, running them in mod almost makes belteds neccessary(they just feel really unstable with unbelted tires for some reason). But the most important reason for one tire over another regardless of having a belt is the compound itself, that's what i go by first & foremost... :)

[ronb]

Good points Grizzbob, thanks. I think for stock sedan I'll stick with the cheap Yok's, they work well.

[Leet TC3]

While we are on the subject of compounds ;) :

Prior to now, I have run exclusively foam. Thus, I have limited knowledge of rubber tires. My first set of Yoks have been medium compound with medium inserts.

Under what conditions do you switch to other compounds and inserts? I know you have to experiment, but I am hoping that given a track configuration and temperature, you can make a pretty good guess right up front.

[ronb]

Someone will probably pitch in here that has a better knowhow than me, but my experience is med/med a great starting combo. Generally I believe you'll want to go softer in cooler temps. But I found my med/med setup to be the best setup this last Winter at fifty something temperature in our parking lot track.
Losi long wearing Yellows have been great on our track as well. :D

[Grizzbob]

Well, for the most part, I only worry about inserts if my tires are wearing improperly(like if they're wearing more in a narrow band or if a depression develops near the inside edge of the tire, nicknamed "the groove of death"). As for compounds, always try to use the hardest you can get away with, using one that's too soft will just wear it out faster & may make your car handle strangely(very unstable if they're in front, or your car won't turn well if they're in the rear). Also, if the temperature is too hot for a given compound, your car's handling may change suddenly during a race(due to the tires overheating), it'll just start losing traction & slide around when in the beginning it was hooking up well. ... :)

[tcorzett]

I race a TC3 on a high-traction, banked curved, indoor track. I started using the non-belted tires and would quickly get "the groove of death" on the inside edge, while the rest of the tire was virtually unused. This killed the longevity of the tire and, in the long run, cost me more money. I switched to the belted tires and noticed a HUGE increase in durrability. The wear, which was normally on only the inside of the tire, was spread over most of the tire surface. This better wear pattern increased handeling (more rubber on the road) and longevity, decreasing price. Belted tires, while more expensive, allowed me to get better wear and traction. Anyone who has used foam tires would agree that the setup of the car effects tire wear (too much camber wears down the inside faster than the outside). Keeping the tire "trued" with setup, or the belts, allows for much more predictable driving. I have switched to belted tires, and do not plan to switch back. Then again this is my experience, and every driver has their own setup!

-Todd...