1.9 Badlands

There were not many good crawler tires available when I got my MRC so I decided to take a set if Proline Badlands and make them fit. This same process will work on just about any tire you just need to be mindful of your sidewall height and how the lugs match up.

PARTS & SUPPLIES NEEDED
(2) Proline Badlands M2
(2) Proline Badlands M3

TOOLS
Straight & curved scissors
Team Orion Lockdown CA tire glue - Thick



1. The first step (and the hardest) is to cut up a nice new tire. When you cut, make sure you are cutting straight out from the center of the tire at all times. Otherwise you'll get interesting seams. I made my first cut then wrapped the tire around a wheel to get an idea of where to make my second cut. Err on the side of having too much, you can always remove material. As you can see, for the badlands, your tread will not line up perfectly but it's hard to tell once it's all finished.

2. The next part is the "fun" part ... gluing it back together. It's not rocket science but there is a method I use. I start on one side where the bead is, use a small drop of glue and hold the two sides together. Once that dries I move to the other side and glue that bead.


3. Once both beads are solid I start moving in to the center of the tire a little at a time until it is done.


4. Here is a comparison of the full width 1.9 and it's original 2.2 size.


5. Now, the really, really fun part... Sectioning the 1.9s (making them narrower). With the badlands, there is no easy straight line cut. I picked a point on the tread that went through the least amount of lugs and did my best to cut around in a straight line. In some places I cut lugs off or snipped through them in advance to help me keep the line straight. Again, remember it's easier to remove excess than add stuff back on.



6. With the center removed, it's time to glue your two halves back together. I like to go in a criss cross/star pattern (like nuts on a 1:1 wheel) and I start gluing tire lugs for a point of refrence. I feel that pattern helps minimize bunching and prevents the tire from getting crooked.


7. Here are a few more comparison shots.


8. The last thing to deal with are tire foams. Custom tires means custom foams. I used a set of proline 2 stage foams and removed the other stage. Then I narrowed the foams to fit the tires. While I can't say the foams are the best for the weight of the truck, they work better than trying to reuse the stock losi foams.


9. The tires came out right at 4" which is OK for the 1.9 class (max 4.25").


Bonus tech:. A 2.2 foam is a perfect fit for your beer. It won't keep it as cold as a koozie. It won't prevent rings on your workbench ... but it makes it dam near impossible to accidentally knock over.


WRAPUP PARAGRAPH