ALLOWABLE TIRE SIZES

[Jim Waltz]

Ok you guys.........

I'm pretty new to this vintage karting thing - having shown up with a 100% original Sears Orange Krate at Davis (2007?), and my "new" '64 SAE at Adams (2009), though I couldn't get my 820 to run right (even Vintage Terry was stumped). I'm having a great year with my KT-100 Emmick in S/S Heavy with the Blue Max club, but I'm moving slow on the vintage thing.

Here's the deal...., I'm wanting to upgrade my SAE to dual 820's and Margay wheels, and it seems like I ought to have a bit more rubber on the road than at present. In addition, I have an old square tube Nike (some say it's a Nike anyway) destined for one (or more) V-5 700's and another old chassis I'm thinking about running one (or more) 91a's on when I get it "built" (it will be a Restored Modified).

Part of my deliberations on finishing/modifying/building these various vintage karts have to do with the question of tires.

I see nothing on the REAR site or in my VKA Member Guide or on the VKA site about tire sizes for the various classes. Given the range of rim halves available for Margay wheels and the various spacers available for the older split wheels, it seems to me that a fairly wide variety of tire widths can be run on these vintage wheels.

Sooooo, I'm wondering if someone out there in vintage karting land would be willing to do a little write up on what's considered "kosher" in this regard. And, yes, I do understand that out here on the West Coast we sometimes do things a little non-kosher, but I'd still like to know what's kosher. Can we do this?

My thanks in advance, and I'll be glad to word process and publish a PDF of whatever is developed, and I'll even do some nice wine for the author(s).

[Rob Voska]

Is your Nike kart the one made in Toledo, Ohio? It's square tube?

Tires are simple......skinny & hard. If you put sticky tires on an old kart it two wheels, overflexes the frame to the point of failure and leads to brake failure. Think each thru and the reason behind it before you decide what you want to do.

[Rob Voska]

Please use your real first and last name when registering. If your posts have been deleted you now know why. Please edit your profile. Thank You

FYI - you can change your user name after joining. Go to upper right corner, and click on USER CONTROL PANEL, pick PROFILE from menu on the left, then pick sub menu EDIT ACCOUNT SETTINGS. Then replace your user name with your real name.

[John Miller]

Please use your real first and last name when registering. If your posts have been deleted you now know why. Please edit your profile. Thank You

What has made this so important? Not everyone is comfortable using their first & last name on the net.

[Rob Voska]

If you want to use this site you will follow the rules. This is a free sight and we don't ask much from it's members. We believe one of the reasons it is so good is that it is a small comunity of karters that know each other, deal with each other, help each other on and off the forum. If you don't want to use your real first and last name just do not use this site.

It also makes it easier to moderate the site. After all this is a glorious high paying job.

[Jeff Campbell]

Here are some ideas if you want to stick with tires considered to be fairly similar to the old style tires...

Cheng Shin tires sold by Azusa - front tires
340/300 x 5 N (Narrow tread) - these can be fairly soft tires, about 62 durometer
340/300 x 5 R (regular width tread)

cheng shin tire sold by Azusa - back tire for single engine kart
410/350 x 5 R
11-450 x 5 R

Carlisle Super Slick sold by Azusa - back tire for dual engine kart
11-600 x 5 C
this is a really hard tire, usually 68-72 durometer, but they do last forever and look very classic

Vintage Speed Duro tire sold by Arrowracing.com
11-600x5 - back tire for duals - 65 durometer vintage styled tires
(and there are at least 2 other tires there that must be good on the rear axle for single engine classes, beware some of the tires in that photo are not all Vintage Speed reproduction tires, nor are they appropriate for TBO. IMO, the Vintage Speed reproduction tires are really good tires for vintage karting, call Gus, he can answer all your tire questions and hook you up with the right tires that work)

Gus Gustafson
541-471-7212
gus@arrowracing.com


Keep in mind, there are no classes at TBO, just a need to show up with tires that are hard and skinny like they used to run, if it says Bridgestone or Dunlop on it, don't bring it to the TBO. As for the VKA, look at section 5h in the guideline document: http://www.vintagepowersport.com/vka/do ... elines.pdf , there are some sutble differences in early period vs sidewinder kart tires, and a minimum durometer is listed.

Jeff

[JIM VARY]

Well I hope my tires are ok, they are carlisle 11x4-5nhs, and 11x6-5nhs. Let me know now so I may find others.

[Rob Voska]

If they are the reproduction hard tires they are OK.

What's a 1958 Dazzle kart??????? How about a picture?

[Jeff Campbell]

I think all Carlisle slicks are usually fine. Most fun-kart type tires are hard and have a squared-off vintage look.

If your tires have one of these names on them, then they probably are modern kart tires and aren't the type of kart tires to bring to TBO:
> Bridgestone
> Dunlop
> MG
> Raptor
> Maxxis
> VEGA

Jeff

[Jim Waltz]

Guys,

Haven't looked at this for a while. I thought the site was supposed to alert me to replies to my post, but I guess not.

Jeff, thanks for the info on tires. Good stuff. It is curious that they won't allow old YBN and YDS Bridgestones at TBO, as these tires have the same durometer as the Duro's - and I have a ton of them.

Rob, thanks for the note on how to edit my profile. When I joined, the site allowed me to use my usual username (jpwaltz) and I didn't even realize it was a "rule" to use your real name. At VKA you can't edit your own username, so I didn't even think of doing it. We're good to go now!

Good group of guys. I appreciate everyone's help.

One of these days I'm going to get one of my 820's running, and I'll be at an event again. Missed Bakersfield and Medford. Maybe I'll aim for Adams in January. Last year I spent the whole weekend finishing up putting my SAE together, and only ran in one heat - and then found out my 820 was messed up (crank seals I think).

See you all soon.