Drill My Wheels? Where?

[GiantsCheated]

Hi. I got some new steel beadlock wheels and when installed with my tires (and foam inserts) they're air tight and the tires sag/go flat. I did some searching on this forum and saw guys talking about different methods for fixing this like cutting the tires or drilling holes in the wheels to let air escape. I was thinking drilling the wheels may make the most sense(?) Here is one of my wheels, any suggestions on where to drill a hole? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks. -KYLE

[Johnnysplits]

If you're insistent on having vented tires, make a small hole in between the treads in the tires, never drill holes in the wheels. Look into better foams.

[GiantsCheated]

Originally Posted by Johnnysplits

If you're insistent on having vented tires, make a small hole in between the treads in the tires, never drill holes in the wheels. Look into better foams.

Not sure what you mean by "insistent"; the wheels are not properly functioning otherwise. Is there a third choice I'm missing here? Better foams the answer?

[GiantsCheated]

This is what the wheels do. Completely airtight and flat.

[Johnnysplits]

Then pop a small hole in the tire in between the treads. I've had many beadlock wheels and haven't had one that wouldn't spring back and I don't have vented wheels or tires. Those stock foams should go though. I'm not sure why that tire is doing that...it's a new one to me.

[nitro5514]

I vent my tires with a leather punch. 2 small 2mm holes is all I do with crawler innovations deuces wild foams.

[Kaler]

I also have the rc4wd steel wheels. I drilled 4 holes in the wheel and 4 in the ring. 1/8" holes. It will take care of that problem.

[Johnnysplits]

Drilling the wheels will create a hell of a problem if you plan on driving through water though.

[sickcivic95]

How tight are you squeezing the tire when you install it? If the rims are air tight the tire wouldn't let air out to deform! When tightening them together just be sure that you are not squeezing the tire, you should also look into some CI foams as they will help hol the form much better.

If you still want to vent them, just use a small drill and put a hole in between some treads and you will be good.

-Dan

[GiantsCheated]

Originally Posted by sickcivic95

How tight are you squeezing the tire when you install it? If the rims are air tight the tire wouldn't let air out to deform! When tightening them together just be sure that you are not squeezing the tire, you should also look into some CI foams as they will help hol the form much better.

If you still want to vent them, just use a small drill and put a hole in between some treads and you will be good.

-Dan

Do you think that the problem was with my install? That I must have been squeezing the tire when tightening the rim? Honestly, I don't think that's the case as they were fine initially after install. This happened after sitting in one spot for a few days, they started to go flat on the bottom and when rotated or moved they wouldn't go back into shape, they stuck there.

[GiantsCheated]

Originally Posted by Johnnysplits

Drilling the wheels will create a hell of a problem if you plan on driving through water though.

Couldn't the same be said for putting holes in your tires?

[sickcivic95]

Flat spotting from sitting is completely diff from them just loosing air. They will do that from the weight of the truck sitting on the soft playable tires. If you get better foams like the CI they hold the form and fill the tore much better so you may see less. When it's stored leave the rig on a platform so the tires aren't holding the weight and then you can avoid it all together

[OSRC]

Not sure of this is from sitting, or from being out in the cold, but this is very common up here in the colder climates.

If it happened on a run, when the wheel/tire is sealed and your out running in the cold the air cools inside the tire and condenses. It sucks in the tire creating flat spots. We had a Wraith out last weekend and we had some snow on the ground for the first time...his sealed tires sucked in so bad by the end of the run he had 3 distinct flat spots per tire - they looked like triangles! Of course, in warmer temps, the tires get bouncy as the opposite occurs.

Even if they are not fully sealed and just a bit of air is leaking in or out somewhere, sitting on the bench will flat spot the tires as others have said. After taking the weight off it will take time for it to get back to full round. (Put them in a sunbeam on the window or some other place warm and they'll bounce back quicker.) For sure, support your truck on its axles or center skid when not in use. A nice stand is not too expensive....scrap 2x4's are free and work fine too.

In any case, I always, always vent the tires somehow, either with a small hole in the inside of the rim, or a small one in the tread of the tire depending on what makes sense (for steelies, easier for a small hole in the tire tread). Allows the foams to do their job and it is no longer affected by ambient temps/variable air pressure.

There's a lot of threads on "to vent or not to vent" and I'm in the vent camp myself since I'm not in water or mud too often. Worth a read.

[Dostradamas]

Originally Posted by GiantsCheated

Couldn't the same be said for putting holes in your tires?

Holes in the tires make it easier to get most of the water out (you can position the hole as the low point and squeeze or spin the water out.)

If you put the holes in the wheels the water will still get in to the foams but be nearly impossible to get out without taking the wheels back apart.

[STANG KILLA SS]

vent the inside sidewall of the tires. not the wheels. i prefer two 1/8" holes 180* apart
you have internal beadlocks so you would actually have to drill the outer hoop and one wheel half. dont do it.
plus holes in the buldge of the sidewall make draining water out a breeze.
for best performance you should always vent.

[cabron]

yes as dostradamus said

when the tires have the holes then the water will drain or even be spun off as you drive the car.
if you drill the wheels it is a lot harder for the water to leave, you have to wait for evaporation.
if you don't go through water then it is a tossup. lots of wheels are already vented.

looks like you need oversize foams for those tires, I have had some rovers look like that until I used
oversize foams, same with the sedonas and panthers.

[Duuuuuuuude]

Originally Posted by OSRC

If it happened on a run, when the wheel/tire is sealed and your out running in the cold the air cools inside the tire and condenses. It sucks in the tire creating flat spots. We had a Wraith out last weekend and we had some snow on the ground for the first time...his sealed tires sucked in so bad by the end of the run he had 3 distinct flat spots per tire - they looked like triangles! Of course, in warmer temps, the tires get bouncy as the opposite occurs.

X2

I've got a few non-vented tires I mounted this summer and fall. Right now they're sucked down pretty good because of the temperature change.

[doublej]

I have always drilled the rims not the tires - Sorry but being a 1:1 guy, holes in tires aren't good.
But which ever you pick - they need to be vented to work properly.

[Johnnysplits]

Originally Posted by doublej

they need to be vented to work properly.

In almost six years of running crawlers, I've never had to vent a tire to make them work properly.

[doublej]

Originally Posted by Johnnysplits

In almost six years of running crawlers, I've never had to vent a tire to make them work properly.

Vent a tire or vent a rim?
And I'd you've never done it, how do you know what "working properly" is?

I'm not trying to be an ass, but it's pretty common know how, crawler and 1:1, you want a tire to flex.
1:1s let the air down to very very low psi, crawlers we use proper foam setups, and vent.

Without doing this, it will not work as well as possible.