Hands-on with Pro-Line's BFGoodrich KM3 1.9" G8 Rock Terrain Tires
It’s been said by many hobbyists that you’re never truly finished modifying your R/C vehicle. After foolishly thinking that my Axial SCX10 overhaul was complete, I quickly noticed another item that needed some attention. Traction.
While my previous updates didn’t involve the motor or power supply, I began to notice instances where the stock tires weren’t pulling their weight. Not for lack of actual rig-weight, mind you. Although I haven’t put my SCX10 on the scale, it’s one of the heaviest machines in my collection is able to plant itself firmly into the terrain. As I began looking at my options, I quickly zeroed-in on Pro-Line’s 1.9” tire lineup. Having recently installed a set of Pro-Line Hyrax tires on another of my machines, I was excited to see what traction and performance benefit could be gleaned from a new set of “shoes”. After looking at the many 1.9” tire options in Pro-Line’s lineup, I decided to give their BFGoodrich KM3 G8 Rock Terrain tires a whirl.
Upgrade Benefits
Enhancing traction is one reason to upgrade the tires on your R/C trail machine, but it’s not the only reason. While the aforementioned Hyrax tires have incredible qualities, I opted to install a tire that was a bit more “scale” in appearance. Not sacrificing function for form, I decided that the BFGoodrich KM3 had everything I was looking for.
What you’ll need to complete the installation:
- 2 sets of Pro-Line BFGoodrich KM3 1.9” G8 Rock Terrain Tires
- 2 sets of bead-lock wheels (plastic, steel or aluminum)
- 1 hex-head driver/Allen wrench (head size will vary depending on your wheel hardware)
- 1 wheel nut wrench
Installing Pro-Line BFGoodrich KM3 1.9” G8 Rock Terrain Tires
Much like installing new shocks or a new driveshaft, tire installation, especially on a bead-lock-style wheel, is a straightforward process. While the exact steps may vary depending on the type of wheel you have, my installation onto a set of aluminum beadlock wheels went very smooth and I was quickly testing out the traction that these new tires offered.
If I can offer any advice when mounting tires, it’s to not over-torque your lugs or wheel nuts. Not only can this cause the lug to break or become stripped, but it can also make the wheel very tough to remove in the future. Also, check to make sure you have a solid seal on between your outer ring/wheel and the tire. This will ensure you don’t have a tire come loose from the wheel when out on the trail.
Taking the Tires Out for a Spin
I haven’t logged many miles on these tires (yet), but from the bit of testing that I’ve done, I’m very impressed by how they perform. Wider and taller than the 1.9” Maxxis Trepadors that I had previously been running, the Pro-Line BFGoodrich KM3 tires have better overall grip and handle very well on wood, rocks, and even snow.
If your stock, ready-to-run (RTR) trail rig or kit project could use a boost in the traction department, these tires are worth looking at. To learn more about any of Pro-Line’s R/C crawler tire options, visit prolineracing.com.
