What Shores? (for Beetle tyres)

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MySolderIsOlder
Posts: 190
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2018 1:22 pm
Location: Kent

What Shores? (for Beetle tyres)

Post by MySolderIsOlder »

I've started work on our first Beetleweight (a bog-standard 4WD pusher) in the hope of having at least one bot ready for the Uni of Greenwich bash in March. All going well so far but just a bit stuck on the wheels. I'm printing my own hubs (using Polymax PC) and would appreciate some advice on Shore grades for the tyres. In an ideal world I'd test a range of different grades myself but alas I don't have the time or the money to run a proper experiment. Planning to make the tyres fairly thick and cast direct onto the hubs, which are keyed to prevent the them slipping.

For antweights I've been using DWPlastics' RTV Silicon (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281606787855) in the A 15 Shore (Soft) and that's worked perfectly. Obviously for the rough and tumble of a Beetleweight arena I need a harder grade - but how much harder? Would the A 28 Shore (Medium) be up to the job or do I need something tougher? Any other beetle battlers willing to share their experiences?

(FWIW, I'm sure I saw a Shore-grades related thread on here somewhere a while back but the search no longer seems to work and now I can't find it :-( )
Stuart (Tony's dad)
MySolderIsOlder
Posts: 190
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2018 1:22 pm
Location: Kent

Re: What Shores? (for Beetle tyres)

Post by MySolderIsOlder »

So, I went for the A28 and that seems to be just right. Casting direct onto the hubs but with a couple of design features to ensure the tyres can't slip or roll off. We'll have to see how they hold up in a real fight - hopefully in Chatham in March - but they look pretty tough..
Stuart (Tony's dad)
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