How we make tires I. - Overview

Tire production takes place in three stages: First, we measure the original rim for the front and rear wheels of the desired car model. We measure to the nearest tenth of a millimeter and are interested in 4 dimensions for each rim:

• A – width of the central lamella
• B – total width
• C – the smaller diameter of the rim – the part that is visible from the side view
• D – the larger diameter of the rim / lamellae – the part that is hidden under the tire

In addition to the rim, we also need to know the dimensions of the tire “fitted” on the rim – its diameter, or the width of the tire, if it is to extend over the rim, is necessary. It is also possible to define the shape of the tire tread, or the radius of rounding between the tread and the sidewall.

Modeling and casting

We then model and print the mold on a 3D printer. We check the accuracy of the print and align the individual parts of the mold. We create the form a little smaller than the desired final size, then you have to stretch the tire on the rim and thanks to that it holds nicely. The last step of production is the actual casting of the set of tires from high-strength silicone. We use a vacuum pump for deaeration. After the silicone has matured, we take each tire out of the mold, check and remove the remains of the holes for draining excess silicone. We still grind, deburr and smooth the tires of the Exclusiv and Tuning series. We color the silicone for casting with a pigment in silicone pastes – most often black, but it is possible to order tires in blue, red, yellow, in combinations and in shades of gray.

Driving characteristics of silicone tires

Tires made in this way have excellent driving characteristics:

• the inner profile of the tire exactly matches the rim for which it is intended
• the tread of the tire does not bulge or sag, it holds the entire width of the track
• the diameter of the tire determines the ground clearance of the car above the track. For the Premium and Exclusiv series, we try to get as close as possible to the original. For the Tuning series, on the other hand, the ground clearance of the car is reduced, the magnets have a greater compressive force and the car holds better. Even the tuning tires are tested on the track before they are put on the market and we check that they do not rub against the chassis of the cars on a normal track. However, if you have parts of the track with excessively protruding traction rails, the toy car can mount on them and slide.
• high-quality high-strength silicone does not harden, does not lose its high adhesion, cleaning can be done with water, alcohol, technical gasoline, etc.
• thanks to the silicone used, you can improve the time per lap by up to 30%

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