1beatjeep and I were the two testers that Rich is referring to.
1st impression:
Tire too soft, too short. Disappointed by looking and feeling them. I'm use to a stiffer tire (Masher)
The Setup:
The way Rich had the tires setup on the test set with the Axials and the firm Losi race foams was the PERFECT setup for a guy (Rich) that's just getting into the 2.2 crawling scene. The tires were setup very well.
On my rig I run Mashers that are siped and the center lugs are cut with no foams, inner wheel bead narrowed and 12 oz (total) lead shot in front 6 oz. (total) in the rear.
Losi setup was Axial bead locks, smaller (standard 1/10 size) Firm race foams, 8oz (total) front rear.
So off the bat by front end is a little lighter than I run, but through the testing the less weight up front was minute, rarely affecting the performance of my rig.
Testing:
The main thing I was concerned with was the 1/8"-1/4" loss of clearance. I run a belly dragger tuber that has a 2 1/8" center height so a loss in GC is a big deal.
I hit the same comp lines I did previously with my Mashers and I'll tell you what you forget all about the decrease in clearance. It's honestly not that big of a difference when you get down to it. The performance of the tires is what counts and the traction is there and it's better than the Mashers. Side note: I hate Moabs, no traction IMO. Both 1beatjeep and I agree as well as all of us in Norcal. Since this tire performed better than the Masher it KILLS the Moab.
Descending side hilling (where any rig loves to push instead of take the line your pointing for) was where it really shined better than the Masher. With the softer compound and the race foams supporting the sidewall of the tire it gripped like no other tire. The tire pushed very little and the sidewall went into action performing great. The foams Rich put itn the tires never let the sidewall fold under the wheel.
The reason why this tire performs the way it does in due to the tread design more so the compound IMO. Mashers have big thick lugs with wide spacing between them. So when you searching for traction the lugs hit then miss, hit...and miss. Because it's like a tractor tire. Moabs also have thick lugs but they just spin and don't offer the traction nearly as good as the Masher. The other big factor is the tire is round like a 1:1 tire not squared off corners like the Masher. I think that's the only real area the Moab is better than the Masher. Folding a squared corner forms a V in the sidewall and also makes a very squirmish unpredictable tire when the tire is folded like that. On the Losi, rounder tread to sidewall transition made the tire hold better when it was rolled under.
Height:
Height concern. ALL of use have our rigs setup for Masher/ Moabs. Wanting a tire that's a half inch taller is something no ones rig is ready for let alone the driver IMO. There is a fine line between wheelbase and tire height. 12.5" is the perfect wheelbase for a 5" tire. If you go .5" bigger the wheelbase will need to be extended to keep the rig as stable as it was with the 12.5"/5" ratio of the current STANDARD/LEGAL 2.2 setup. Taller tire more ground clearance but a increase in the center of gravity of the rig as well. Side hilling will be decreased dramatically.
The best thing about keeping the Losi tire around a 5" height is it doesn't limit it to just full competition rigs. It can also be used on 2.2 Scalers and is a perfect 38" scale tire for a bruiser body etc... 1beatjeep ran the Losi's on his 2.2 Bruiser and I'll tell you want what a great scale tire. With the rounded sidewall and the lugs/sidewall lugs the truck looked fantastic.
Longevity:
The Losi Blue compound was a perfect choice on Rich's part (told me he could go even softer :shock: ). Since the tire was made to compete against the current limited selection of tires, it had to be made better. Just as in 1:1 competition. BFG's and Pro Comp's are super soft, wear out quick but provide that traction that people want. I see this tire wearing faster than any current 2.2 tire but not so fast that you'll be buying a set every two comps. This will be 4-5 comp life tire. Even though the tread design has a slight directional tread pattern, you will be able to run these backwards without a dramatic performance difference.
In The End:
Don't let a visual impression sway your decision on passing up these tires. You will doubt the performance of these tires all the way to bolting them up. Once you run them you will be surprised and happy that there is a new tire available for Rock Crawling. Even more happy that it has an edge on any other tire on the market currently.
From full comp rigs to scalers this IS the new tire to run.
Closing:
Great job from Rich on pretty much guessing and brewing up a new tire that really is great. After Rich seeing the West Coast Axial event he can see that there is no sign that this genre of RC is ever going to slow down. It's here to stay and support from a 20+ year company just goes to show we've carved out a notch on the RC belt for sure. Thanks to Rich for twisting the company's arm and letting him go through with a tire they didn't want him to make. Keep it up!