ROAR to ban 1/8th style 1/10th buggy tyres
U.S. RC car governing body ROAR have announced the ban of the latest breed of 1/10th buggy wheels and tyres such as AKA’s Evo and Pro-Line’s VTR range for ROAR sanctioned events in 2014. It is understood that said wheels and tyres, that adapt the tyre bead design of 1/8th buggy wheels, do not meet with the wheel and tyre dimensions allowed by the ROAR as the AKA Evo and Pro-Line VTR are in fact 2.4 inch offerings while the ROAR and virtually every other governing body only allows 2.2 inch wheels and tyres. Even the use of so called adapter kits are disallowed as they are seen as (illegal) modification to the wheel. The current ban so far only affects 2014 events and there is a chance that the new style wheels and tyres will be allowed to use from 2015 on.
A recent innovation in the 1/10 off-road buggy tire market, currently under consideration by ROAR for the 2015 racing season, is the evolution of the tire mounting bead to one resembling that of typical 1/8 tires, and new wheels to accommodate the mounting of these tires.To implement this mounting bead design while keeping the sidewall height and overall tire diameter the same, however, it was apparently necessary to increase the wheel diameter in a dimension that is specifically regulated by IFMAR, ROAR and others. Given the global implications of such a change to the rules, it requires more careful consideration prior to approval, and an equal concern for when such a transition can take place. It’s for these reasons that this new design is under consideration for the 2015 racing season and not the current season.
Questions about the possibility of adapting the new tires to the old style wheels in the interim, have been raised by some in the racing community, for use at this year’s 2014 Electric Off-Road Nationals. It’s come to the attention of ROAR that adapting the new style tires to the currently legal wheels requires a modification to the wheel, which is not permitted under the current rules. The nuance of using “adapter kits” that have been available in the market recently, has also been proposed. It’s the opinion of ROAR however, that the use of such adapter kits constitutes a modification to the wheels. To allow such an interim step would require the purchase and installation of adapter kits, which ROAR feels is an undue burden to the racers. There are significant number of racers that have already invested in tires and wheels that are legal under the current rules, and we must disallow the use of the new style tires at this year’s National while the full specification is under consideration for next season.
ROAR understands that innovation is necessary and this is a subject that’s under close consideration. But we thank you for your patience and understanding during this time, to consider the impact of allowing any “half measures” on all racers. ROAR expects to have this issue fully resolved for the running of the 2015 Nationals, but respectfully requests that racers understand that only the currently approved tires and wheels will be permitted at the upcoming 2014 Nationals.
Source: ROAR [roarracing.com]
