Wheels roll or not roll?

[Biggu]

Hi, guys, sorry if this question has been asked, I have been at this modelling thing for a lot of years..... and have always tried to make the wheels roll on my car and truck kits..... just curious as to how many of you lock the wheels so they don't roll.... I am back into building trucks and am also finally in a position where I can buy aftermarket wheels and tires and find that in order to make the truck in this case look as I want, I have to lock the wheels from rolling.... just wondering how many of you do that as a regular part of your builds.... oh, and I don't play with them either all shelf queens....  I'm very curious...

Jeff

[NOBLNG]

In my mind, it’s not a toy, so they do not need to turn. Also, a flat spot can be sanded on the bottoms so it looks like they are weight loaded. I’m not real worried about them rolling off the shelf though. JMO.

[Biggu]

5 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

In my mind, it’s not a toy, so they do not need to turn. Also, a flat spot can be sanded on the bottoms so it looks like they are weight loaded. I’m not real worried about them rolling off the shelf though. JMO.

Thanks Greg, that's kind of where I'm going, and yeah, they aren't toys.... last thing a guy needs is for them to roll off the shelf after a ton of work...

[Ace-Garageguy]

I like to go "vroom vroom".   

[StevenGuthmiller]

I agree with Greg, and as he stated, if the type of tire permits, I will flat spot, or "weight" the tires to add another touch of realism.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

 

[vincen47]

For my truck builds, I often use aftermarket wheels and tires so having them roll is really not an option.

Even an out of the box build is often better when I ensure it doesn’t roll because of common fit issues.

I also like the added “shelf-security” and “anti-child-theft” features of non-rolling wheels. ?

A while back, I remember being bummed that wheels wouldn’t roll. And then I realized the benefits. 

It’s funny how we like the wheels to roll, but don’t complain that the wheels don’t steer, doors don’t open, etc. 

It’s similar to how I wonder why people will throw a fit about the tires not being rubber, yet all of the other materials of the model are plastic instead of real metal, glass, leather, etc.

Resin and 3d printed tires can be finished just as realistic or even more so. They’re strong and they don’t rot. It’s not like we put air in them. Who cares what type of material it is as long as it provides for the most realistic finish and practicality for models?

Edited March 4, 2023 by vincen47

[Miatatom]

I like to think that I'm building replicas in scale, not model cars. Yes, they're not toys, so mine are all locked down.

Edited March 4, 2023 by Miatatom
punctuation

[dragstk]

I am in the non rolling camp. As said by Jeff, I dont need it rolling off the desk after so much work

[boss 302 mustang]

Wire axle builds roll and the others do not.....glue the wheels to the axle pins.

[bh1701]

24 minutes ago, boss 302 mustang said:

Wire axle builds roll and the others do not.....glue the wheels to the axle pins.

I agree - if it's got wire axles, it will roll. Anything with axle pins is usually glued for my kits. They all sit on a shelf, so none of them really need to be able to roll.

Bart

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I agree with Greg, and as he stated, if the type of tire permits, I will flat spot the tires to add another touch of realism.

 

Man...are those gonna thump!

[Bainford]

I glue ‘em. The original reason was to ensure the wheels are straight and wobble free. Years later I began to employ the ‘flat spotted tire’ technique  which, of course, necessitates glueing the wheels from rolling. 
 

I was in my late teens when I hit upon the idea of glueing the wheels solid, but it felt like cheating at the time. To satisfy myself that it wasn’t, I would build to make the wheels roll, then hit them with glue afterwards. No silly pretence nowadays, I just glue ‘em. 

[Bainford]

4 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Man...are those gonna thump!

Reminds me of when I was living in the Northwest Territories, going to work in morning with temps below -40. The tires on the truck wouldn’t lose their flat spots until I was almost there. It was particularly annoying when the flat spots all synced up. 

[Repstock]

Everything I've ever built with wheels roll. Even my airliners. I've always done it, and at this age i see no reason to stop.

[Biggu]

27 minutes ago, Bainford said:

Reminds me of when I was living in the Northwest Territories, going to work in morning with temps below -40. The tires on the truck wouldn’t lose their flat spots until I was almost there. It was particularly annoying when the flat spots all synced up. 

I hear you there Trevor... we get some cold temps here in B.C. and back in the day when the plow truck I drove had the old school bias ply tires, that was an adventure....?

[Biggu]

Thanks for the input , guys.... most interesting, to see how others deal with this silly question, like Tom, I have also tried to keep things rolling, but as Victor says, I too use a lot of aftermarket wheels and rims...and at that point it becomes very difficult to make things roll, although I recently finished the new issue AMT Pete Wrecker and put a set of floats on it and with a little bit of fettling, they went on and roll like they were made for it. I like the final result of the floats on that truck...

[Tabbysdaddy]

I like the wheels to roll, even though I don't play with them as much as I used to. 

 

 

 

[Fat Brian]

I used to worry about the wheels rolling but as others said, once I started using a lot of aftermarket wheels it's just not worth the effort. These days I don't actively stop the wheels from rolling their going to but I also don't put any work into making them roll and will solid mount them without a second thought. The only reason I even slightly care if the wheels turn is that some hollow tires flat spot and the sidewall deforms if you can't redistribute the weight every once in a while. 

[tbill]

I used to think I didn’t do a good job if they didn’t roll, then after almost sending one off the bench due to rolling wheels, I adapted another line of thought….

[Joe Nunes]

I am in the no roll camp. ?

Joe

[Straightliner59]

I don't know if I ever built a model that rolled. If I did, it was about 50 years ago, or so. I got into modifying and scratchbuilding suspensions pretty early on. One of the first guys who ever taught me anything about modeling told me "Toys roll. Models don't!" ?

[Biggu]

This is good to know, some real good points, and now I don't feel like I have screwed up a kit if the wheels don't roll ....

[mr moto]

I've seen models roll off of display tables at contests. Settled that question for me.

[Jim B]

I am firmly in the No Roll Camp.  I try to make sure that at least one wheel doesn't roll.

[Repstock]

16 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

I don't know if I ever built a model that rolled. If I did, it was about 50 years ago, or so. I got into modifying and scratchbuilding suspensions pretty early on. One of the first guys who ever taught me anything about modeling told me "Toys roll. Models don't!" ?

Diecasts usually roll, and the prices of some indicate that they are not toys...well, for kids at least:)