As you slide your drift car over the pavement, the rough surface rapidly sands down the hard plastic material at a surprising rate. My first set of drift tires lasted about 12 hours of runtime tops. Although I had the bright idea of raising the body to compensate, the flat spots on the tire surface affected the handling characteristics of my car too much.
So, at that point, I resigned myself to the fact that I would be buying drift tires every two weeks if I kept practicing that often. To save my pocketbook from ruin, I knew I needed to find some great deals on RC drift tires.
My search revealed the four following options as a great starting point.
Raikou
Raikou is a small-scale RC parts supplier with a wide range of drift tires available on their site. RC enthusiasts confirm the supplier’s claims that their most popular tire, the D70, withstands constant abuse without wearing down too quickly.
Many of the other options are precisely cut to allow intense camber adjustments that totally change the stance of your drift vehicle. You can even pick up narrow 24mm tires to emulate the ever-popular stretched look.
Before you make your selections, read the listings carefully. Some of the sets come with two tires, while others arrive in sets of four. With shipping, you will likely pay just under $20 for four drift tires.
Tower Hobbies
Tower Hobbies carries a large selection of drift tires from HPI Racing and Team Associated. If you want to save money on your order, go with the smooth drift tires lacking the simulated tread pattern.
All of the listings vary in quantity and contents. Some of the tires come in sets of four with rims, sets of two without, and vice versa. Before adding your selections to the cart, check the right side of the button for the ‘In Stock’ designation. Otherwise, you could be waiting weeks to months for your parts to arrive.
Remember to apply the 011P1 coupon code if your order totals more than $55 to save $8. Orders over $99 ship free, unless you happen to make your purchase during the limit drop to $49.
Amazon
Unlike the other options on this list, many of the drift tire sets on Amazon come with rims. Considering the low price of this combo offer, however, it’s not likely the rims are the highest quality. Therefore, if you regularly crash your car into curbs, walls and other obstructions, you might just want to mount the drift tires on stronger rims from the get go.
On the other hand, you are not losing much if you give the provided rims a try.
Although I have not tried out these tires and rims myself, the 5 spoke white set, 5 spoke green set and Hobbypower black set all feature good reviews. All three sets are priced under $15 shipped for a set of four, if you have Prime.
Local Hobby Shops
Check your local hobby shops for drift tire options and deals whenever you can. If the demand is there, hobby shop owners will start to keep these tires in stock for their loyal customers.
Many of the hobby shops will also order the requested tires for customers who request that service. Although you may end up paying a few dollars more for a full set than when buying online, the ability to have the tires that day is usually well worth the extra cost.
Plan Your Tire Replacements
Refer back to these listings anytime to pick up drift tires before yours start to wear too thin. I tend to replace my drift tires when the body starts to lightly drag on the ground. Other factors may play into your replacement timing, however, depending on your chassis type and personal preferences.
**Disclaimer: I’ve provided affiliate links in this post. If you’re not comfortable following those links, go through the supplier’s main page to source and purchase the item in question. Thanks.
