smcouch77

I'm building a B25 with a 84" span. I need 4.5" treaded wheels for the main and 2.5" for the front. Any leads for finding (or making) these would be much appreciated.
Steve

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

If you want scale I think that Glennis Wheels makes them .
You can try to make them as well , styene plastic , dremil tool , some nights labor and you can get the look

ccostant

My Feedback: (38)

Glennis has a set for the KMP and Top Flite B-25 which are just slightly larger. Lots of $$$$ but they look great.

Evil_Merlin

My Feedback: (13)

Dubro has the Diamond Lite tires but they have plastic, non-scale hubs:




Robart also sells Diamond treds, but again, making scale wheels will be up to you:



Both also offer the standard tred (mains) as well.

charlie1960

Robart...

RCGuy41

Here is a link too Glennis page with the scale wheels for the B-25, http://www.glennis.com/bombergallery.htm about $400.00 plus for wheels and brakes.

smcouch77

Thanks for your input. The Glinnis wheels look good, but they are almost an inch larger than what I need. I can model the hubs, If I can find wheels the right size and tread. I tried to add treads to tires before with terrible results. They shredded on the first landing.
Steve

Oosiksmith

My Feedback: (1)

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXES50&P=7

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXES56&P=7

GlennisAircraft

My Feedback: (1)

We can do them in 4 1/2 - they just aren't a standard item shown on our website. Remember we manufacture hundreds (if not thousands) of items that may not be shown on our site.

Dennis

RCGuy41

Dennis,

Can Glennis produce a line of 1/8th scale warbird wheels, i.e. wheels and hubs with a diameter of 3 1/2" at approximately 1" wide (Diamond & Strait tread,) the website only has 4" and larger?

t_burley

My Feedback: (59)

if you need it Bradley, Dennis can make it

GlennisAircraft

My Feedback: (1)

Well, that is a question that comes up from time to time; so here is the answer.

The short answer is yes, but there are other factors. The main factor is cost. 20 years ago (and since) when we began manufacturing wheels the hobby only wanted larger sizes - the trend was to go bigger. The problem comes in manufacturing cost - we are based in the United States, and most (if not all) of the kits and all of the ARF's are done in China. The result is the idea that "I won't pay "$$" for wheels when the airplane only cost "$$". Smaller ARF's/kits are "cheaper" or less expensive, thus the problem. For example, a $200.00 or $400.00 dollar set of wheels (and or brakes) might only be a small profit margin on our end. The proof in that statement is that no one else has ever attempted or done what we do on the scale that we do it. You have to consider the cost of the CAD/CAM programs, people that use them, equipment, fluids, labor, development cost (see below), utilities, and materials to manufacture a set of wheels/tires. From the outside it may seem like a $300.00+ profit for a set, but it isn't

Development costs range: We may (and have) had to pay the museum's for the rights to document (photograph) their aircraft. Someone has to travel there to do it, and that isn't free. Other costs come in after that: tooling, development, etc.

We strayed away from smaller sizes due to the fact that modelers that build smaller scale models generally don't go to the extent to use "scale" wheels. Don't take that wrong - we are not against the smaller models, it is only based on our history. We have over the years done 3 - 3 1/2" sets.

The second issue is "weight" or what is perceived as a weight issue. We manufacture an aluminum wheel with a rubber tire - not plastic or foam wheels/tires as was shown in the photo's before - honestly, I would never manufacture a set of tires with tread that didn't match in the middle as shown above. In sizes smaller than 4 inch, you are basically limited to a solid rubber tire. The facts are that quality rubber tire with and aluminum wheel is heavier - but higher quality.

The amount of detail that can be included in a 3 1/2" wheel also is diminished, simply because of it's size. Bolts and Nuts on a 6" wheel are lost in a 3" wheel.

We talk one language here, and that is "scale". Not simply an 8 spoke wheel, but correctly shaped holes (or maybe no holes), the right number and the look of the full size wheel. "Scale" has become a catch phrase, a selling gimmick. By simply selling "scale" wheels implies that they are correct for the full size aircraft, which if you know your aircraft, is simply not true.

If you are looking for a 3 1/2" scale wheel, then e-mail me, and I will get a quote and see what can be done.

thanks

Dennis

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

A true scale wheel from Glennis would be the cats meow.

But in lieu of that, you can 'doll up' a standard wheel and make it look a little more interesting.

smcouch77

Thanks Kmot. What kind of wheel did you use, and is it available in 4.5"
Steve

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

Steve, the wheel is a plastic Robart "scale wheel". I just looked at Robart's website and the plastic only goes to 4" diameter.

However, and I was totally unaware of this, Robart make some killer looking aluminum wheels, in various spoke counts, up to 6" in diameter.

http://www.robart.com/