Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

Why Reinvent the Wheels? New Kit Wheel Whining...


Recommended Posts

Oh man, you've hit my sore spot. Kit manufacturers are really dissing the market here. They are just not hearing us! Kit wheels and tires, plain and simply, suck!! If we, as modellers and consumer, can be a voice, I'd like to see us get through on this one. We need to see a new, modern, and accurately done, mold made so the tires match the types being offered by the likes of TAMIYA and AOSHIMA and lets not forget about FUJIMI. These are some of the best ones around. Stop the madness and man up, gives us wheels and tire that fit and are up to date. Hear us!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Stacey David car and 62 Vette (the most recent kits I can think if with the new style tires) are a more rubber like material.

Personally, I like em the more I work with them. I especially like that it gets the sprue attachment off the wheel lip. No more tearing chunks out of the lip or sanding flat spots in them.

Put the tires in the sun or warm them in a dehydrator or with a hair dryer and the go on a lot easier.

It also seems like revell and amt have finally agreed on a common size for 15" wheels after what? 50 some years?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest G Holding

I still remember a long time back.....Heck it was 2008 and all the wheel issues were about the wheels you LIKE now?...Time changes, I buy a lot of AFTERMARKET wheel sets, and can depend on fitting them up...every build! Yep, thats why I build models, not glue them together.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why aren't the tires made from a more rubber like material? Some old Revell kits had rubber like tires. Alan Rabb of Ma's Resin uses a rubber like material. :huh:

Some Japanese kits do too, and they dry out and split in a few years. Revell's 1/16 Funny Car and Top Fuel tires were made in Japan for many years, and they eventually dry rotted and cracked, too, so maybe the softer compounds aren't the answer. I have a few softer rubber-like tires from the Monogram '55 Ford pickup which are still holding up well, but I can't recall any vinyl tires cracking and dry rotting, so maybe the material makes a big difference in terms of longevity.

I wouldn't mind of kit manufacturers went back to including styrene tires again, either. We prep and finish every other part of a kit, so why not the tires? It seems other than sanding the mold seam or the entire tread area tires are an afterthought to most.

As someone mentioned earlier, when tires have whitewalls or sidewall lettering added before the tires are installed, the flexibility of the tire is a major concern. Maybe that's why Revell was going to include tampo printed whitewalls in the '50 Olds kit (and future kits?) and why Round2 has invested heavily in tampo printed slicks and whitewalls, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The new wheels with tabs make it alot harder for young kids (and old guys with arthritis) to assemble.

The more they make these kits harder, the less new modelers will be willing to buy/build more. It seems the manufacturers are hurting themselves trying to save a few pennies.

I think every kit should come with a set a custom wheels.

I'll buy a 2-n-1 kit before I'll buy one that can be build only one way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A free cholesterol screening would probably be the better choice!

That will come with a free side of fries :lol: :lol: :lol:

I guess I should post something close to the topic at hand, I love opening up a Japanses kits, because you get the smell of fresh rubber, kind of like the smell that when you walk into a tire store/shop ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The new wheels with tabs make it alot harder for young kids (and old guys with arthritis) to assemble.

The more they make these kits harder, the less new modelers will be willing to buy/build more. It seems the manufacturers are hurting themselves trying to save a few pennies.

I think every kit should come with a set a custom wheels.

I'll buy a 2-n-1 kit before I'll buy one that can be build only one way.

this, but considering what revell has brought to the table in recent years they can kick rocks in that department, what annoys me is the crappy tires they come with like "hey lets make all our tires look like those crappy discount tires you get at wallmart" only makes the finished product look like something you rent at Avis combine that with crappy custom wheels and it looks like a old man that thought the 2200$ custom wheel option was a good idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...