ASK Cubby – More Questions, Less Answers

“Insert Question Here

Hi Cubby, I have a tire insert question. What kind should I be running inside my tires????? I drive an E-Revo with Trenchers, would I even notice a difference by going to harder foams?

Gary S.”

Cubby- Hello there Gary, as always, thanks for writing in. Snail mail for a sticker pack bro.

OK, so I will try and boil down the tire insert game for you as quickly/easily as I can.

There are two different materials used. The first is normal old “open cell” foam, with the second being closed cell foam. I highly recommend closed cell foam for bashing. Why? Because it tends to retain less water, and typically tends to be a bit firmer, especially over time. Although, open cell is perhaps the best option if you are looking for maximum grip on soft surfaces (but aren’t around a lot of water).

There are also multiple levels of “hardness”. Some foams are stated to be soft, while others are medium, firm, xtra-firm, etc. The harder the foam, the less raw grip you will get on soft surfaces. The softer the foam, the more grip you will tend to get, but they may contribute to traction rolling on higher grip terrain.

Then there are single stage, dual stage, and even triple stage foam tire inserts. While multi-stage inserts do have their purposes, I don’t see multiple stage foam inserts as a necessity for general bashing. However, you might just love how they drive, so try a set out from time to time.

However, if I had to give out a general recommendation on tire foam for bashing, it would be this. If your rig traction rolls a lot, go with firmer inserts. If it rarely traction rolls, and you want to try for more grip, go with a softer insert. Otherwise, take some time, and a few bucks, and experiment. Find out what YOU like best. You might always prefer to run soft foams (a lot of people do). Others nearly always prefer hard (like me) because it suits my driving style.

“24th

What the hell is up with all the 1/24th scaled trucks? Never really heard of them until yesterday. Why would anyone want something that small?

Nice work dude,

Ramone B.”

Cubby- Ummmmm, hello there Ramone. I guess thanks for writing? Snail mail for a sticker pack big guy.

First off, why would someone want a 1/24th scaler? Because they are small enough to be driven nearly Anywhere. Particularly indoors, when you can’t drive outside because there is a foot of snow on the ground. That’s why most people cut a check for a small scaler.

Ya, we’ve posted a bunch of new 1/24th scaled vehicles this week. There was two new Mini-Zs from Kyosho, then a 6×6 from Tamiya, then a tiny new 4×4 from Tamiya, then today Axial drops a pair of new SCX24s. Man, I hear ya, where are all these coming from?

Well, the Toy Fair is going on this week in Germany. That’s why you’ve seen so many in just the last couple of days in particular. But, you do ask a good question, why does our industry seem to be producing so many small scalers as a whole?

Part of it is, they don’t cost a lot to make and get distributed. It is simply easier to get a less expensive product green-lit from a cost aspect, than a larger one that takes a much larger financial commitment.

Also, manufacturers are trying to find products that work for a “modern consumer”. Who is a modern consumer? One that rarely leaves his house. If he never leaves his house, you gotta find a product that works well inside. If our industry ever comes up with an indoor equivalent to the T-Maxx, our industry could really make a big surge.

So, our industry always puts out more small scalers during the “indoor months”, but I think we’ll start seeing more during the “outdoor months” as well. We’ll see…

Have a weird question? Need the worst possible answer? Have an epic rant that you just have to get off your chest? Email me- thecubreportrc at gmail dot com.