help with tire question..

[June the wolf]

Hello all. I was wondering, does anyone here know what other rc tires will fit the original tyco hopper? (the one with the smaller rear rim) I could have sworn i seen somewhere that tamiya hornet/grasshopper ones would work, but i want to be sure.

Also i could use spare parts if anyone has some sitting they dont need and would like to sell/trade. Like control arms, body covers, etc.

 Thanks in advance!

[R/C Toy Memories]

Hi June the wolf,

The original Tyco Turbo Hopper rear tyres are like perfect miniature versions of the Tamiya "Buggy Spike Tyre" set, found on the rear of cars like the Hornet, Frog, Super Champ and so on. I have all of these cars, and love the faithful mini replica effort that Taiyo went to with those original tyres.

However, the rims are far smaller than those on any Tamiya. So I do not know of any tyres that will fit, other than the original tyres.
Surely there will be some other cars out there somewhere with the same sized rims, but if would be a case of trial and error until you find some.

cheers,
H.

[R/C Toy Memories]

I should also mention that you should keep an eye on eBay for original Turbo Hopper tyres, as they do come up occasionally (over the years).

I actually have some new-in-packet spare tyres in my collection, which were old stock found in Hobby Stores. However, I'm really not willing to sell them, sorry 

I also want to mention that the tyre rubber of Tyco tyres can degrade over time.
I have sadly seen two sets of brand new in packet Turbo Hopper tyres deteriorate in their bags in such a way as to 'melt' and become completely useless. I'm making an effort now to store my remaining ones very carefully so that this doesn't happen to the precious few sets I have left.
But I guess it's a warning for anyone else who has them.

cheers,
H.

[June the wolf]

Youre awesome hibernaculum! Love your blog, too! Need more stuff on other tycos! Lol. I thank you for explaining it so well that if anyone else looks for the answer, your response is all that is needed. Big thumbs up for that! I understand about the ones you have left.

Wow. That info about the rubber on the tyco tires....that sucks. Very informative, for sure, but pretty shocking tbh. I had no idea rubber like that can degrade like that. Almost rubber band like. Lol

Well im forced to put hobby buggy wheels on now. Prolly for the best.

Btw, if anyone is wondering, i found a easy way to separate the back wheels of these toys. If you place the rc on its side, hanging by the whel in the middle gap between two sturdy tables (maybe another person helping), get a strong, but skinny nail and center it on the axlerod. Being careful not to touch the nut, gently tap it down, also being careful not to damage the wheel. Ive been successful doing this so far. Hope it helps.

[R/C Toy Memories]

Ah, thanks June! Appreciate the feedback
I have a lot more items to write about on the blog, but it's going to take me years to do it all. Still, the fun should be prolonged that way...and there will be some more Tycos in amongst them. But also many other vehicles from other brands, and the vast majority released between about 1979 and 1992. If I had to name one particular area of specialty, it would be Radio Shack/Tandy

Yeah, it's sad to know that rubber does not last forever. The way the Tyco tyres 'melted' was like, if you imagine them becoming like the consistency of block cheddar cheese. You could literally, with your thumb, easily wipe the tyre spikes off the tyres.

Tamiya tyres are obviously made of a different compound. They too have a problem, but it's usually to do with drying out - over time they can develop cracks in the sidewalls, and eventually split apart.

I suspect that the Tyco tyres need to:
- Be stored where they can "breathe" (not fully sealed in airtight plastic)
- Be stored somewhere with a relatively consistent temperature and humidity. Not extremes of hot/cold/humid/dry.
- Be stored out of sunlight (UV rays can have some weird effects on rubber over time)

Basically, storing them in your house will be better than in the garage, say. From now on, I'm keeping all my spares somewhere safe where I can keep an eye on them, and make sure there isn't anything weird going on

Thanks for the tips about disassembly...will keep that in mind, as those axles are a pain to remove.

cheers,
H.