Are you getting tired of trying to glue your tires, only to have your tires pull apart due to a crappy glue job? and not to mention how many times you glued yourself to yourself or to your tires! When it comes to gluing RC Tires, Proper prep is essential to tire gluing success. So, You want to know How To Glue RC Tires?

The Cheapest Way To Glue RC Tires

RC Rims and Tires are molded parts and coated with a slick mold-release agent left over after the manufacturing process. In order for the glue to bond securely, this mold-release agent needs to be cleaned off. To get them ready for gluing, all you need is some isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. You can find it at any pharmacy or department store, and the best part, it’s cheap. Use a paper towel and wipe the tires’ beads down until the towel stops picking up residue. Thoroughly clean the rims’ mounting channels, too. If you run on an extremely high-traction surface, you might even lightly sand the mounting surfaces on the rim and tire before cleaning them with alcohol. They will then bond very tightly.

After the rims and tires are cleaned and ready, you may want to trim the foam inserts and test fit. Most people trim the outer and inner edges, but the current hot setup is to use full untrimmed inserts. Most stock foam inserts are so soft that trimming them does nothing. It’s much more important to make sure that the insert is centered in the tire and that the tire is fully seated. It isn’t crucial to mounting an off-road tire on a balancer, but you should make sure that it doesn’t wobble when you spin it or have any bulges. If the tire does not seat properly, look for flashing on the rim and the tire, and trim it away with a hobby knife. When you’re satisfied with your test-fit, run a rubber band around the edges of the tire to squeeze it tightly to the rim.

Now you are ready to glue the tire. Pull the tire sidewall just far enough away from the rim to allow the glue to reach the bottom of the tire-mounting channel; then put a drop of glue into the channel. Let the tire settle back in and seat the bead, and then repeat. Look at the rim as if it were the face of a clock, and glue it at 12 and 6. Let that dry for a second and glue at 3 and 9.

When it comes to tire glue, less is more. Thick spots of tire glue are brittle, and your tires will be much more likely to break free if you use too much glue. After you’ve finished one side, wait a few minutes, and then flip the tire over and do the other side. Gently tug on the tire’s sidewall to check for loose spots, and reglue as needed using only a dab. To seal the bead, place a full drop of glue between the tire and the rim. Tilt and roll the tire a little to spread the glue around the entire bead. This will help to prevent the tire from pulling away from the rim and will prevent dirt from being packed between the tire and the rim. Make sure the glue has completely dried before you start on the other side.

The Easy Way To Glue RC Tires

If you are looking for an easier way to glue your tires, it doesn’t get any easier than the Exposer. If you’re tired of messing around with overly complicated tire glue jigs or just refused to get one because they are so expensive, there is a solution to that. A simple and effective tool to help you glue your tires in seconds. Clean and effective with no risk of gluing yourself.

The Exposer On-Road Wheel/Tire Gluing Tool from FireBrand RC makes the process of gluing wheels and tires together easier than ever. Now you can eliminate the time and mistakes of training! Become a pro “glue-slinger” in a matter of days’ time, not years. Consistently glue wheels and tires together with less or no mistakes while ensuring an even distribution of glue to the wheel and tire for a perfect bond and secure hold.

The Firebrand RC The Exposer Tire Gluing Tool Works with 52mm and 45mm wheels. (1:10 scale) Includes a detailed instruction sheet.

Features:

• Reveals the optimum gluing area and keeps it exposed
• Provides a “less-mess” tire-gluing experience
• 1:10 scale, on-road wheels, and tires (52mm and 45mm)

After your tires are all glued and dried, you will want to make sure they are balanced properly. Check out my wheel balancing guide for help.