Carrera Tires for Older Models and Low Production

[TRU]

So... my first enlightening experience with slot car tires was about 10 years ago. With my start up set I found the need for some new tires, as the tires on my cars dried up and crumbled. Apparently a bad factory production batch at that time.

From that I learned that I needed to find tires specific to each car model. And that OEM tires were practically non-existent or hard to find.

Welcome to the aftermarket world of slot car parts!!!

Currently I find myself picking up cars here and there that are older (10 years or older) and finding it more difficult to find tires for some older models or models that were in lower production.

My go to favorite has been the PG urethane tires. Usually I can find a great fit by model or size measurements.

One example of a hard to find tire would be for the Disney Pixar Dinoco.

Wondering what you are are doing to compensate for the impossible to find tires for low production or older wheel size and design?

Are you modifying tires that almost fit?
Are you replacing axles with available tires size axels?
Do you have cars sitting on shelves because tires don't exist?
Are you a tire hoarder that is planning for the future of tires no longer being available?
Are we at the mercy of the manufacturer of new wheel and tire design?
Are you selling off these cars so it is someone else's headache?

Just thinking about the day when I have hundreds of dollars in cars that I can't run because I have no tires.

Your thoughts?

TRU

[dw5555]

Tru that's a tough call. Carrera is notorious for having tires either turn to goo or become concrete. The only thing I can answer is your first two questions. The easiest to do is find tires that are close and make them fit. Most of the time you have to have access to a tire truer to trim them down. As far as the axles go if you have a lot of cars it's easy to compare axles with another car and as long as the width is the same you can make the tire fit. I have the original blue Chevelle and it has replacement axles on it because I didn't have any replacement tires for it. Wheels were smaller than the originals but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. You do manage to collect tires over the years.
Dave

I have no intentions of ever getting back into 1/32 cars so if you want I will give you my motley collection of 1/32 tires. (Some of those my be bad too) Just pay for shipping.

[dw5555]

It just dawned on me Tru, I'm assuming you were talking 1/32 cars...

[TRU]

It just dawned on me Tru, I'm assuming you were talking 1/32 cars...

Yes Sir! I will PM you.