Foams on Buggies

[unluckypixie]

Back in the day when I used to race a Cougar, I used foam tyres for indoor carpet racing. I've recently come back into the sport and have found that foam tyres are now banned by the BRCA, can anyone explain why?

[bigred5765]

yeh i use to use foams as well
why are they banned

[Wraggy]

Please tell me why this is in the Electrics section ?????

[bigred5765]

hmmm because we use to race ELECTRIC offroad CARS INDOORS ON FOAMS
i never saw a nitro cougar

[Wraggy]

Originally Posted by bigred5765

hmmm because we use to race ELECTRIC offroad CARS INDOORS ON FOAMS
i never saw a nitro cougar

im not arguing Karl , but the header is about Foams .
the fact he drove a Cougar is irrelevant..

[unluckypixie]

Am I right in thinking that they are not banned on other classes of RC car? It's just the buggies?

[unluckypixie]

Originally Posted by Wraggy

Please tell me why this is in the Electrics section ?????

Hmmm, since buggies are not "flat","micro" or "smelly" I took "Electrics" to mean this section is about Electric Buggy racing ... but now you come to mention it the forum description is "Brushless / Brushed Motors / Radio gear / Wiring" nothing about buggies!!

I've only just discovered there is a whole load more forums about specific cars! Doh. I always thought they were the top level categories.

[Wraggy]

no worries , i was only kinda taking the piss ,
is the ban not due to people using additives ??
i know when i did it in my 1st time round there was even talk then and that was over 14 years ago..

[terry.sc]

The rule is to bring the rules in line with IFMAR rules and are only specific to BRCA championships, which only means the BRCA Indoor Finals. Whether other clubs adopt the BRCA rules is down to them.

The banning of foams came about due to a big race meeting in the 90s (can't remember which one) which was on a hard packed clay track in the US. The surface was so hard and such a thick blue groove had built up the top drivers used specially shaped rounded foams with a centre groove which gripped so much better than any of the rubbers available at the time. Unless you had a set of the special foams you had no chance. By banning foams they made sure situation never happened again.

Personally I still run foams on carpet on my buggies(we don't bother with BRCA rules at my club), but it's impossible to find new foams for 2.2" wheels.

[Chris Doughty]

Terry, I belived that would be the British GP at the NEC - Paul - I remember you turning up with some 'special' grooved foams!

[Wraggy]

Originally Posted by DoughtyUK.net

Terry, I belived that would be the British GP at the NEC - Paul - I remember you turning up with some 'special' grooved foams!

i think your right Chris about the NEC , rings a bell with me , and if i also remember right they banned them for the 4wd day ?..
Special Grooved is the right word !!! lol

[Chris Doughty]

oh yes, they baned them for 4WD and Masami was cutting X's off of Losi X pattern rear tires and sticking them to some 'special' front tires (still rubber)

we are talking origional Losi X pattern, no X-2000's!

seems it worked out well banning foams because they were special, everyone just made 'special' rubber tires instead

[unluckypixie]

Originally Posted by terry.sc

Personally I still run foams on carpet on my buggies(we don't bother with BRCA rules at my club), but it's impossible to find new foams for 2.2" wheels.

So where do you source your foams from?

I've been told to expect one set of minipins to only last for one days carpet racing, which is why I was wondering about the foams - my old foams lasted forever! I've still got them but they are schumacher fittings so won't go on my B4

[Elliott Hopkins]

He's been getting his info from me. So the validity of some of the statements may be questionable.



Elliott.

[Col]

Originally Posted by unluckypixie

I've been told to expect one set of minipins to only last for one days carpet racing

I probably only go through 3 or 4 sets a year for club meetings, however the type of carpet can make a huge difference to tyre wear.

[bish]

i remember those! i'd be interested in a set for my b4 too-last ages compared to pin spikes!

[unluckypixie]

Originally Posted by Col

I probably only go through 3 or 4 sets a year for club meetings, however the type of carpet can make a huge difference to tyre wear.

Probably affected by driving style too - I'm sure if you are wheel-spinning all over the place the spikes just disappear... Never had to worry about such things with foam. Maybe we should start a petition to bring back foam!

[bish]

got to be better for the carpet surely? BRING BACK FOAMS!!!

[terry.sc]

Originally Posted by unluckypixie

So where do you source your foams from?

At my club we've taken the easy option and all classes run foams, it's so much cheaper than rubbers. Haven't got much choice in the premier class we run, which is 1/10th pan cars, so once you get used to how long foams last it's hard to go back to rubbers unless you have to.

Two options. For my 4wds if they fit on I use the old Kyosho Optima 2 inch wheels, then the Precision Tyres 1/8th stock car foams fit perfectly at £4.25 a pair.

For 2.2" wheels you have to buy from the US. RC4less sell foams for 2" and 2.2" wheels, as well as 2wd buggy wheels and tyres ready mounted. The wheels are designed for dirt oval cars, which as they are developed from the RC10 use the same size axles as buggies. Fronts rears are 2" wheels. If you want the really cheap option you want the foam donuts for trucks. These are made for 2.2" diameter truck wheels so they are 2.5" wide, so one pair can be split in half to make one set of buggy tyres. Only problem is the truck donuts are only available in green, which is quite soft.

[unluckypixie]

Originally Posted by bish

got to be better for the carpet surely? BRING BACK FOAMS!!!

I read that some clubs actually ban mini-pins because they wreck the carpets!

It would appear that everyone likes foams, lots of people are using them, yet they are almost impossible to get in this country and are officially banned... What a weird situation.

If anyone can find a UK supplier of 2.2" foams please post it!