Mystery tool

[Bugle]

Found this in the bottom of a box of old rc tyres, was in a little packet with some RCPS stickers so I assume it's something RC related, can't figure out wtf it is anyone have and ideas? Just has a hole down the centre with the black nozzle thing screwed into it, and a hole fly cut out of the side to open it up to the middle hole..

[Spiderman]

tire hole punch

[Halgar]

A chassis hole punch to lighten up that heavy tub!

I suspect spidey is close if not correct.

[Bugle]

Thanks that would probably be correct! They left the edge around the tip very sharp. Wonder why anyone would punch a hole in the tyre rather than the rim though?

[Halgar]

Actually, it just occurred to me that it might be a body post punch, for making hole to mount the body. Still just a guess, but ...

[badhoopty]

its just a punch.

not specific to any certain rc duty but applicable to some i'm sure.

[terry.sc]

Thanks that would probably be correct! They left the edge around the tip very sharp. Wonder why anyone would punch a hole in the tyre rather than the rim though?

The idea is that any water or dirt in the tyre gets flung out as the tyre rotates. Kinda helps id you don't have the hole there in the first place to let the stuff in. It took a while after punching tyres that drilling holes in wheels became common.

[Bongo Fury]

Thanks that would probably be correct! They left the edge around the tip very sharp. Wonder why anyone would punch a hole in the tyre rather than the rim though?

The idea is that any water or dirt in the tyre gets flung out as the tyre rotates. Kinda helps id you don't have the hole there in the first place to let the stuff in. It took a while after punching tyres that drilling holes in wheels became common.

Exactly. Some of my buds did this for a while. Coincidently in the early ‘90s just as foam inserts were starting to take over. Bugle you are correct, it made it pretty hard to clean tires without filling them with water. And they soon learned that lots of water and firm foams don’t get along very well, the foam quickly gets all mushy. Then the rim manufactures caught on and started molding holes in the rims. Without holes somewhere you get a lot of bouncing, worse on trucks. Was an issue with the 3 piece JR-XT rims, a drilled hole in the rims (including the ring) makes a huge improvement in track performance.

Some wondered why it was a problem, after all our 1:1 car tires have trapped air right? Well there is a difference in equal pressure inside/out, compared to having a 30-40psi differential.

[Bugle]

Also if they let the air out it takes forever to fill back up so you've got a flat tyre
Probably was ok to punch holes in the tyres back before they had foams inside them and didn't need to be glued, could just take them off for cleaning.

[Mr. ED]

Also if they let the air out it takes forever to fill back up so you've got a flat tyre
Probably was ok to punch holes in the tyres back before they had foams inside them and didn't need to be glued, could just take them off for cleaning.

Punching the tires was before tire inserts: the tires were a lot harder then and the hole allowed the air in after they got compressed, so that actually helped in restoring their shape quicker.
Water for in the tire from cleaning was no problem either: you just turned the tire with the punch down and squeezed, the water would just pour out immediately.
The punch was used to make sure you got the same size hole on both sides of your car.

[Keyz]

Actually, Proline I think still recommends a hole is punched in some tyres.

Idea being you then get the inserts to do their job rather than having air issues (think how shock piston works with oil, but now think wheel hole with air) cause the tyre to cause more pack on landing from jumps and other bumps.

I just drill the holes in my whells larger