Can you say BALLOON?

[eddiepoindexter]

Wow. Installed a set of Maximizers with Zombie-Max tires this weekend. Thought I had installed them wrong, and they pulled the bead out, as the first time the truck went by at speed the front tires were ballooned into a point in the center!

The tires seemed great a lower speeds, really sticky. But W.O.T. runs really fell off as the tire distorts so much, it causes them to shake violently. I know others here use this tire and wheel combo and rave about them, it's one of the reasons I choose them. Did I install them incorrectly, or is there some kind of simple fix that's going to make me feel really stupid?

 

[AllanQ]

Use duct tape, gorilla tape, or any other strong type of tape and wrap the tape around the inside of the tire. This should take care of the ballooning problem.

 

[Dreadnaught]

are your tires vented? that may have an affect on them as well.

 

[MTBikerTim]

If it is only your front tires I'd say you don't have proper rear wheel drive. With no centre diff in the savage the front and rear normally balloon around the same amount. My fronts only balloon badly when I break drive shafts like I did at the races on the weekend. Check drive pins, dog bones and your rear diff.

Are you using the rim shims with your zombies?

 

[eddiepoindexter]

Don't have any broken dogbones, or drive pins, and the rear diff. is working as it should. It ballooned the stock tires also, seemingly more in the front than the rear as the front is "Light" at speed.
The tape trick sounds intersting, thanks Allan. Dreadnaught, didn't drill the wheels, as everything I read said don't drill the Max. wheels, and I couldn't bring myself to put holes in the tires, guess I'll have to. Anybody have pics of the vent holes they've put in Zombies so I can get an idea of what works (And what doesn't)?

 

[AllanQ]

I do not have zombies, but I used a 1/8" drill bit and drilled two holes on opposite sides of the tire after I taped them.

 

[zud00]

I have zombies. A while back I had two wobbly tires. It was because there was water in the foams. I drilled two holes in all the tires just as allan described and the water came out and all was good. They still balloon. If i had beadlocks, I would take the tires off and put tape on the inside as the others described.

 

[puckamahow racing]

i found that red TUCK tape works the best as it sticks to anything...its used to seal drafts and insulation

 

[Shanty]

I would check to make sure those black tube things in the Maximizers are centered and are touching each other in the tire. My one wheel was ballooning like crazy and it was due to those black pieces moving to the outside. Once I put them back where they should be it went away and was the way it should.

 

[THE JUDGE]

I agree about the ballooning...I have the same wheels and tires, and they frisbee like crazy. Not only that, but the Losi foams move all over the place.
I'm looking into Ofna molded foams and some tape inside the tires for sure!

 

[eddiepoindexter]

Hey Judge, how about these:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXPYL5&P=SM

 

[THE JUDGE]

^^^ That's the other option I was looking at. The Ofnas are just a bit cheaper is all. :$broke: