Tire Ball alternate

[Stryker1513]

Just thought id share some information with everyone. I used to have a KTM so i was browsing their forum and stumbled upon this alternative for tire balls. I am not bashing tire balls for i do own them, love them and consider them a must have for atv racing. Their price is pretty steap for some so im just shareing another option. Im considering it myself as my racing budget is pretty tight.

Here is the link.
http://www.ktmatvhq.com/forum/invision/index.php?showtopic=4342&hl=

[desratt]

can't get nothing to open.

[Stryker1513]

Sorry bout that, guess you need to be a member to view the pics, anyway here it is.

Quote from a user; "If you don't get a logo ball like cars or dora and just get the rainbow they are cheaper. I think for copyright reasons. I have finished whole 2 hour races and not realized I had flat tires. we got them for 140 a box. enough to do 2 quads. Lube them with extra virgin olive oil. Make a jig to measure them at 5 inches. let them sit on your bench overnight to stretch out with air in them. readjust their size to 5 inches and lube and insert. 2 rows of 8 in the back, 1 row of 9 in the front. any questions please ask. hope this helps. Call hedstrom direct. get their number from their website hedstrom.com 1.800-765-9665. tell them what you are doing and they will hook you up."

[Ichoptop]

very interesting....and a hell of an idea because Tire Balls are damn expensive.

[airmobile101]

Ok, The Hedstrom balls are good for the front, but I wouldn't recommend them for the rear. I personally have never ran them, but many pro's that I associate with claim they suck in the rear. Also, during the summer, air them up and let them sit in the sun half of the day, then re-adjust the air in them. This is for XC racing, so I don't know if you MX boys and girls run them.

[Stryker1513]

Im def thinking about trying these. Seems feesable.

[hendershot106]

so what is a cheap no pop alternative for the rear????? ...and what if one or two pop.....cant you still finish the race with them?? I find it hard to believe that they will all pop....

[Stryker1513]

I wouldn't think they would pop all that often if you dont over fill them. Then just run 2-3psi in the tire to fine tune to your likeing.

[hendershot106]

i may try these....seems to be a cheap idea....probably last better than pool noodles that some others are running.

[hendershot106]

what do you use to inflate and deflate these with?????

[Scro]

Besides the pool noodles, there's not much alternative to the actual tireballs. You have to keep in mind, that no alternative is going to match the performance of real tireballs. Not only do the tireballs make you hook up more, they offer a better ride quality as well. Playground balls and pool noodles won't do that.

To pump up the playground balls, the best way to do it would be with the tireball pump, as it has a pressure gauge. But I'm sure you could get the air pressure close just by feel using a basketball pump.

[jboz5786]

I race OXC in MO I run small little balls you can get at walmart in the front and the water noddles work great as well if you can get them in your tire size. Ive also heard of a company that makes a inflatable baloon type ball made of thicker puncher resistant plastic as well kinda like tire balls im looking into it to se how good they will work for the rear tires.

[hendershot106]

Originally posted by Scro
Besides the pool noodles, there's not much alternative to the actual tireballs. You have to keep in mind, that no alternative is going to match the performance of real tireballs. Not only do the tireballs make you hook up more, they offer a better ride quality as well. Playground balls and pool noodles won't do that.

To pump up the playground balls, the best way to do it would be with the tireball pump, as it has a pressure gauge. But I'm sure you could get the air pressure close just by feel using a basketball pump.

IF going by the explanation above.... (in trying to stay cheap lol) a basketball pump should suffice if the only important factor in the toy balls is the size they are inflated to after initial inflation and expansion of the rubber stretching.

So if someone was to by a cheap basketball pump...make a exact 5" jig to measure ball diameter after inflation...and some luuuube.
they would be set....(for a lot of manual labor)!!!

The jig could be a block of wood with a 5 inch recess in it for that matter....:macho

[Scro]

Originally posted by hendershot106
IF going by the explanation above.... (in trying to stay cheap lol) a basketball pump should suffice if the only important factor in the toy balls is the size they are inflated to after initial inflation and expansion of the rubber stretching.

So if someone was to by a cheap basketball pump...make a exact 5" jig to measure ball diameter after inflation...and some luuuube.
they would be set....(for a lot of manual labor)!!!

The jig could be a block of wood with a 5 inch recess in it for that matter....:macho

Measuring the diameter would get the psi very close to each other. You just have to figure out what diameter is the right pressure.

[desratt]

what about tyre johnnys has anyone tried them????

[troybilt]

Has anybody just bought bulk round foam material from McMaster-Carr? http://www.mcmaster.com/#foam/=5ks89g

You can get thicker compounds and heavier durometer that pool noodles. I'll be trying some different types in my XC 250r.

Its ~11 bucks for a 6' piece. Just another thought, worth mentioning:

[fastredrider44]

I know of a company that is selling walmart balls kits. It is not easy to go to walmart and buy the balls, as most of them time, they may not have them or have enough of them. It is also my understanding that certain pool noodles hold up better than others. I personally do not run them, and have not had a flat since I got Hipers. Thats probably 20 XC races with not a flat.

Tireballs are the ticket if you can shell out the dough.

[2000ex]

Headstrom balls are awesome in the front. Rear are not as good as tireballs if you are looking for all out performance at a pro level. I ran them through a full season of nasty harescrambles at an A level and only lost one to puncture the whole season. For $140 or so for a case of them...hard to argue cost vs performance. A case will allow you to do two full bikes all 4 tires.

Hmm lets see. $140 for 8 tires or $199 for each tire...:confused:

[iforce]

bumping for more feedback on these alternatives or any new alternatives.

[mpblaster287]

I was at wal Mart looking for balls when I came across these things in the pool section. They were a sort of foam surf board for in the swimming pool. It took 5 to do both rear wheels and I can stand on the tire with no air in it. I'll try and find a link for them. I'm also going to try them in the fronts.

[iforce]

Originally posted by mpblaster287
I was at wal Mart looking for balls when I came across these things in the pool section. They were a sort of foam surf board for in the swimming pool. It took 5 to do both rear wheels and I can stand on the tire with no air in it. I'll try and find a link for them. I'm also going to try them in the fronts.

interesting. are you talking about the pool noodles? i've read that when you get a flat, the noodles turn to dust pretty quick.

[mpblaster287]

no they arent noodles. its like a stiff foam board that resembles a snowboard but its for in the swimming pool. i got them on sale at the end of summer for like $7 each and i used 5 to fill both rear tires. you have to cut and trim them and its kinda hard to mount the tire but i can stand on the tire with no air in it and it doesnt move so...
http://www.swimways.com/subskate-p-1.aspx