zjjeepster

Hi all,
My first post.

I put my Associated RC500 away about 8 years ago due to new little family members arriving. Now with all the diper changing out of the way and kids are in grade school I took out the old RC500 from the closet and getting the itch again.

It was never raced, just up and down the street for kicks. It has the 4WD installed and I never really paid any attention to the fact that the front wheels are smaller than the rears diameter wise. Parts are getting scarce and I have only one set of "new" rear tires left to put on. I've been staring at this for a while now and I'm kinda leary of putting on the new rears 'cause I don't have a set of new fronts and the old fronts are worn pretty well.

I did a search on "smaller front wheel" and sifted thru about 180 posts and can't quite get an answer. Will I hurt the FOW bearings if the fronts are signicantly smaller than the rears? I don't care about handling as I'm only a basher. I just don't want to damage anything like the belts too.

The front to rear pully ratios are 26/56, 18/32 thus giving a 10% difference for the front tire diameter. They're smaller now. If I drive it this way is it binding the FOW or is it freewheeling thus not hurting anything. I would like to keep it 4WD even if the fronts are just going for a ride.

Thanks gang.

R40Victim

I don't know anything about that particular car, but I'm under the impression that typical 8th scale cars all come with one-way front differentials. If that's the case, then it won't hurt to run smaller front tires. I just bought a set of tires for my new 8th scale car, right out of the box, the fronts are alot smaller than the rears...

nitrohead5300

It won't hurt the oneway. You are overdriving the front. Lets you go faster thru sweeping turns.

zjjeepster

Hey, thanks guys.

I double checked by puting marks on the rim and axle and slowly pushing the car forward. The rim does show a faster rotation than the axle so the rim and tire just freewheel and not skidding/binding. When I push it backwards then it binds the FOW and the tire skids a little.

So in theory, on the straights it's really in 2WD? Only when the rears loose traction then the fronts grab?

Thanks guys.

BTW, I think most 8th scale foam tires fit my rims diameter wise. I just hate unmounting and mounting tires and I have no way to true them. Am I right on the fitment?

nitrohead5300

It has been soooooooooo long since I have seen an associate rc500 I am not sure if foam donuts will fit their rims.

R40Victim

You could try posting the same question here:

http://www.rctech.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=3

See if somebody who frequents other forums would know...