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Tips about how to dry soaked tires

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J

Johny

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Hello everyone, I recently realized that my kraton's tires were filled with water.
For several days I have tried to squeeze them, then put then on a heater (just so they could be warm all day long but not hot) an repeat the process.
Still after some couple days there is still some water remaining so I was wondering if you had some tips about how to completely dry them.
 
You can put a little hole or two in the center of the tire between the treads, allowing centrifugal force to push the water out. Used to, the wheels were vented for this, but water is pressed against the tire when running.

Oh, and welcome to RCT! 😉
 
DO NOT GIVE IT THROTTLE WHEN INSIDE!!!

After making a couple holes in the tires, take it outside somewhere dry/flat where you can run it. Then slowly take it up to about 1/2 throttle a few times, this will fling the water out. Once most of the water is out, you can go full speed to really wring them out.

I use a 1/8" drill bit in my dremel with very very light pressure and a relatively high speed. This burns/cuts a pretty clean hole. I usually only make 2 holes in the tires, 12 and 6 like a clock. If possible, I put the hole in the center of a larger lug, but with stock kraton/outcast tires, just put it between a couple lugs on the center line.

Here's an example on one of my backflip MT's:
2022-0408-backflipMT-ventHole.jpg
 
Thanks for all your advices, I was not very enthusiastic about drilling my tires but it seems to be the best thing to do, I think I'm going to use a soldering iron to do so
 
Johny said:
Thanks for all your advices, I was not very enthusiastic about drilling my tires but it seems to be the best thing to do, I think I'm going to use a soldering iron to do so
Click to expand...
If you do that, you might harden the rubber, and they could crack/tear there. Just used a tiny drill bit, spin it fast, and go slow. Or a little carbide burr in a dremel would work too.
 
WickedFog said:
If you do that, you might harden the rubber, and they could crack/tear there. Just used a tiny drill bit, spin it fast, and go slow. Or a little carbide burr in a dremel would work too.
Click to expand...
I did not think about the hardening, thanks for the tip!
 
olds97_lss said:
DO NOT GIVE IT THROTTLE WHEN INSIDE!!!

After making a couple holes in the tires, take it outside somewhere dry/flat where you can run it. Then slowly take it up to about 1/2 throttle a few times, this will fling the water out. Once most of the water is out, you can go full speed to really wring them out.

I use a 1/8" drill bit in my dremel with very very light pressure and a relatively high speed. This burns/cuts a pretty clean hole. I usually only make 2 holes in the tires, 12 and 6 like a clock. If possible, I put the hole in the center of a larger lug, but with stock kraton/outcast tires, just put it between a couple lugs on the center line.

Here's an example on one of my backflip MT's:
2022-0408-backflipMT-ventHole.jpg
Click to expand...
Come on man, live a little. My wife jumps up like she seen a mouse.:p
 
My 2 cents, I used to work in the plastics industry. you're worried about melting the plastic wheel or rubber tire right? Don't worry too much, Those wheels are molded at over 400*F (usually 450-500, but plastics vary as do conditions). we also did rubber things like Grommets and spacers (not tires or anything, the rubbers we used were never Vulcanized (layered with a belt or super soft molded). But they were molded at at least 450*F as well. So short of a blowtorch or a heat gun, you won't hurt them too much.
You want fast results, you can do like many here have said, poke holes in the tires (If they aren't poked yet, mine were) put them in the over for at like 300* heat them up and once heated (probably 25-30 minutes) set them outside to air out. Be sure to set them with a hole at the top (stand them up) to let the water (now steam) vent out. Beware though, I never messed with sponges much so not sure if they'd have issues with heat.
Here's ahow I'd do it though, safer on the foams. I live in the South (Georgia) and right now if it isn't raining it's about 3" from Hades (No joke 95-98 with 110 heat indexes). Find a real truck with a black bed liner and just stand the tires up on it for a day or two. the black plastic will be between 160 and 180* F and while slower it'll move that water out as steam. you'll not have to deal with the wife about the smell. Rubber has a smell if you heat it up, no matter is melting or not
 

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