I've now completed a number of articles that have improved the handling, power and efficiency of the WL Toys 144001 and 124018 and 124019 which can be found here: All my WL Toys 144001 /124018 / 124019 upgrade articles. The next item I am addressing is the tyres. The stock wheels and tyres (like the rest of the car) are modelled closely on the LR Racing EMB-1h micro pins which are designed for carpet and hard packed dirt racing. Outside of these grip isn't great, and when you take into account the the rubber is firmer on the 144001 tyres then you are left with a tyre that is not really suited well for bashing off-road. In this article I'll explore some better bashing alternatives that shouldn't compromise the rest of the car Stock wheels and tyres Stock tyres have an outside diameter of 72mm which is the same front and rear (it needs to be on a 4wd). Widths are staggered meaning they are slightly wider at the rear - 30mm compared to the front - 26mm. Again typical for a buggy because on acceleration weight transfers to the rear and the extra width provides more grip. Drive on the wheels is provided by a 12mm hex drive which is something of an industry standard on cars around this size The problem is that a combination of the design and compound of the tyre mean that they don't grip well on the majority of surfaces we run (off road bashing and tarmac). Since the 12mm hex drive is common there are a lot of wheels that physically fit but not a lot that work well because of the uncommon diameter. On to the theory: Why is diameter important? (Skip if you don't want boring theory) Each turn of the wheel equates to a set number of turns of the motor which is defined by the gear ratio. This is fixed on the 144001 based on the stock 27t pinion gear. Each turn of a 72mm (stock) diameter wheel will move the car 3.141 x 72mm = 226mm forward. If you went to say a 100mm diameter it would move the car 314mm forward. This is the equivalent of using a 37t pinion gear which would very quickly cook your ESC and motor especially if you were planning to run in rougher terrain as larger wheels might suggest. So, unless we can change the gear ratio (NOT easy) we need to stick with the same or similar tyre diameter. What are the options? ![]() This wheel and tyre set from the excellent SG1602 I reviewed here are an ideal physical size. They have a slightly larger 76mm diameter (equivalent of 1 extra pinion gear tooth) but are much wider at 40mm for both front and rear. Tyres are glued from the factory. As noted in my review the tyre compound is hard and so they do not contain foam inserts which helps keep rolling mass down. The harder compound means grip is not great but the bigger width somewhat makes up for it. The advantage of the harder compound means you'll get a lot of life out of them, even on tarmac. The last thing you'll notice that I haven't talked about is that these have a fairly low offset meaning they stick out a long way (wider track) as you'll see below. From an appearance standpoint I like the look of the tyres but not a fan of the orange ring on the rim. Whatever though, this is a basher! I'm pleased to say that after months of bashing these wheels and tyres on my son's SG1602 there is no damage other than a small section where the tyre has come unglued. Easy fix with the old 99c 6 pack of super glue. Update, I can't seem to find the same wheels as I used, check out the HBX 16889 wheels which are practically identical but have a better, more aggressive tread pattern. Performance Unfortunately even on my car with the stock brushless setup grip is not great - the tyre compound is just too hard, at least on the uneven gravel surface I tried it on. They do run better on short grass than stock though because they extra width gives you the ability to ride on top of rather than through the grass. I've just gotten back from trying them an smooth tarmac and they seem to work well on this surface too (unless it is wet and then they're awful!) Remo 6973 Wheels and tyres (alternative link here) ![]() The Remo 6973 wheels and tyres are also a good size compared to stock as you can see in the images below. Diameter is identical to the SG1602 tyres although they are not quite as wide at 35mm (although still much wider than the stock wheels). Unlike the Sg 1602 tyres these ones are much softer and so have foam inserts as well to help them keep their shape. Tyres are well glued to the rim. Speaking of the rim it looks like a 2 piece unit with screws on the inside of the rim that look like they will allow you to separate the halves. Offset isn't quiet as aggressive as the SG 1602 wheels as you can see below but the track is still wider that the stock wheels. On interesting thing to note is that these will not fit with the metal front knuckles (see my metal upgrade article) however they do fit just fine with the stock knuckles. I really like the look of these wheels and tyres, I think it looks agressive and not quite so balloon-ish as the SG 1602 wheels and tyres. Performance Good news, the Remo 6973 wheels and tyre combo is the setup I've been searching for, even on my much more powerful brushless setup (2838 brushless upgrade as per this article). The aggressive tread pattern, the softer compound, bigger width and the foam inserts mean these grip really well on a lot of surfaces. I find myself now doing wheelies which I had never been able to do with the 144001 before. Surfaces I've found better grip on:
A note on durability These have proven to be very durable rims 6 months after installing (I still use the original ones). Sure tyres have worn a bot but they still give great grip and rims are still running true. So yeah personal experience suggests they look fine so far. Just looking back through my notes I think it may have been the cheaper $6 Remo 6971 rims people have been having issues with rims collapsing on, not the 6973 rims as reviewed here Recommendations At this point in time I wholeheartedly recommend the Remo 6973 rims and tyres as reviewed here for off roading. They are inexpensive, they look great, they grip great and they don't upset the stock gearing of the car. Traction is much better on every surface I've tried and so far durability of the rims seems good. This is most clearly demonstrated by the the fact that I'm now pulling wheelies on many surfaces whereas I never could before. This may put extra stress on your diff which could be a problem but if you look after it properly then you should probably be ok. Alternatively the SG1602 / 16889 wheels and tyres are better than stock in some instances but the hard compound means it would be a minimal upgrade - stick with the Remo 6973 Thanks for checking out my article and please let me know on my facebook page or in the 144001 group if it worked out for you. I've created a reference page below for all of the 144001 articles I've published here: 144001 UPGRADES - EVERY ONE OF MY GUIDES Thanks for reading, if you found this article useful please feel free to like or share, the facebook links below directly link/like this article. Links are affiliated and help me buy the bits I need to produce this type of content. If you are looking for RC cars, quads or parts check out my coupons and discounts page which I keep updated with only the RC cars, parts and quads I like at a proper discount
44 Comments
youl
9/8/2020 11:16:24 am
Great review. What do you think of these motors and escs? Was thinking of trying the 3650 5200kv and the 120a esc? Bigger is better right lol?
Reply
Quadify RC
9/8/2020 02:46:26 pm
Hi Youl
Reply
Petar
14/8/2020 07:50:10 am
Great posts for new owners of bellowed 144001 :)
Reply
Quadify RC
14/8/2020 09:32:01 pm
Hey Petar
Reply
Andrew
17/8/2020 10:00:50 pm
Thanks for the review, I have read your other upgrade posts and have done a brushless upgrade to my 14001 using:
Reply
Quadify RC
17/8/2020 10:59:05 pm
Hey Andrew
Reply
David
26/8/2020 04:59:44 pm
Great write up! I was excited to try the Remos but unfortunately, I am running the metal hubs. Have you been able to find any wheels that are similar to the Remos or better and fit w/ the metal hubs?
Reply
Quadify RC
26/8/2020 05:18:20 pm
Cheers David!
Reply
David
28/8/2020 02:35:59 am
Thanks for your reply Quadify -- side question, one of my front dogbones keep popping out. I've changed my front diff recently and noticed that the dogbone on one side sits farther out in the diff cup grooves than the other side. Any suggestions on how to correct/address this? My shock are mounted in the position and the dogbone does not look bent...I am stumped...help please!
jerome
26/11/2020 04:35:12 am
Bonjour ,
Quadify RC
28/8/2020 10:18:20 am
Sorry the commenting system doesn't allow more than 3 deep so need to reply to your original comment and hope you get notified. The front uses CVDs so they have much less chance of popping out meaning something weird is going on...
Reply
David
28/8/2020 10:36:43 am
Thanks Quadify - I was able to fix the issue, at least for now! :)
Farran
14/9/2020 01:42:43 pm
I'm pretty new to RC cars and I run my 144001 on both tarmac and grass, although we seem to be doing tarmac only recently. Will the Remo tyres handle better on tarmac than stock and will they last long on tarmac as they seem quite soft? I've waited ages for them to arrive and don't want to rip them up on tarmac unnecessarily.
Reply
QuadifyRC
14/9/2020 02:12:06 pm
Hi Farran, welcome to the hobby. The Remo tyres are definitely better on tarmac, especially in the wet. I run mine on all surfaces. They are soft but tread patterns are a lot deeper so should last pretty well. Everything will wear out after time though of course
Reply
Farran
14/9/2020 02:34:06 pm
Thanks for the reply. Your site is excellent for 144001 info. You'll probably hear from me again!
Trihet
18/9/2020 09:18:05 pm
Hey
Reply
QuadifyRC
19/9/2020 10:28:00 pm
Glad to hear you are liking them too :) Sorry I'm not really sure on drift wheels but can say if you get them from a typical 1/10 scale drifter that the size is perfect.
Reply
Charlie
27/9/2020 11:54:10 am
Have you tried out the Remo 6973 on your SG 1602? Would you recommend them as an upgrade for that truck? I've been looking for some tires with better grip for my SG 1601. Thanks!
Reply
QuadifyRC
29/9/2020 09:28:34 pm
As as I'd like to answer, all my radio controlled car stiff has been stolen. I will be getting more but it will be a long time till I receive. I can say the P6973 wheels sit in closer to the hubs so may foul but I cannot confirm. If they do fit they definitely offer better grip.
Reply
Farran
29/9/2020 10:17:34 pm
Oh man! I'm sorry to hear that. All that effort and money you've put into them just to have some git take them all. Dirty rotten scoundrels :(
Charlie
30/9/2020 08:24:43 am
Oh no - so sorry to hear about your RC stuff being stolen! Thanks for the info and all the helpful reviews and tips here on your site - it’s a great resource.
David Wong
30/9/2020 08:36:10 am
I have been using the Remo's for the past week or so and LOVE them for off-road/bashing/jumps.
Reply
QuadifyRC
30/9/2020 10:15:26 am
Awesome thanks for the feedback David. Spread the good word!
Reply
Thiago Vasconcelos
2/10/2020 02:41:01 am
Hi! I really would like to put some larger wheels in mine.
Reply
QuadifyRC
2/10/2020 11:55:19 am
100mm is too big and would cook your motor and ESC fairly fast. Unfortunately there are no other gearing options with the stock motor. There are a couple if you go brushless but this of course requires a full conversion.
Reply
Thiago Vasconcelos
2/10/2020 12:05:25 pm
Thanks for the reply!
QuadifyRC
2/10/2020 12:09:01 pm
I don't recommend any larger ones sorry because even if you can get better gearing it places too much stress on the rest of the gear. The P6973s are really good and I think a perfect size for this car.
Reply
Donovan
11/11/2020 03:31:11 pm
Thank you for the article. I'm very new to RC and have ordered the WLTOYS 124018 buggie. I'm wanting to upgrade the wheels/tires to ones that are suited for medium length grass. Can you please recommend a tire like you did with the 144001. I'm not sure if they have the same wheel/tire specs, I do know the 124018 is bigger/longer. Again I only know very basic things about RC and upgrades. Please keep simple and best value budget friendly if possible :)
Reply
Moshe
7/1/2021 03:30:37 am
Thanks for the info.
Reply
Moshe
7/1/2021 04:21:13 am
by passableness I mean off road capabilities.
Reply
QuadifyRC
7/1/2021 01:35:07 pm
No real change in speed (since the diameter is similar) but more capable offroad. The SG1602 wheels are ok but the P6973 are much better as I mentioned in the article.
BenLandel
14/1/2021 11:53:29 pm
I was about to order 2 sets as spares...but availability is now "stop selling" . Probably discontinued on Banggood and can't find them elsewhere... The search for the best affordable wheel is on again!
Reply
QuadifyRC
15/1/2021 09:30:35 pm
Oh crap you're right, I've messaged my guy at Banggood to find out WTH is going on!!
Reply
Jason
24/1/2021 05:49:11 pm
Hah I was about to do the same myself... They've been in my cart for weeks, but was just about to pull the trigger... Too late it seems!
Jason
15/2/2021 08:07:38 pm
They're back up on Banggood now.
Reply
Ka
23/1/2021 10:10:38 am
Hi David,
Reply
David
23/1/2021 10:14:00 am
Hi Ka,
Reply
Ka
23/1/2021 10:24:08 am
Thanks for the advice David.
QuadifyRC
28/1/2021 11:40:13 pm
Couldn't have said it better myself, thanks David
patrick
30/1/2021 03:00:54 am
Hello again.
Reply
QuadifyRC
15/2/2021 09:01:13 am
Hi Patrick
Reply
Daniel
15/2/2021 04:39:40 am
Hi!
Reply
QuadifyRC
15/2/2021 09:02:39 am
Thanks Daniel, glad to hear you've found it useful. Yes the Remo wheels fit great on the 124019 and 124018 as well. In fact the longer wheelbase means they suit these cars even better. Enjoy!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
February 2021
Categories
All
|