I need some help. I know that there is a manufacturer or two that make resin tires or wheels for the DML series of kits. Does anyone know who. I would like to replace the rubber tires on my BRDM since on my last one they split. I want to do a BTR 80 but will not go thru all that work and have the tires split on me. Any help would be great.

Rubber wheels

Dream Catcher makes a set. They have a banner here on Armorama. Click it and enjoy...

Mario M.

Panzershop from Czech Republic is doing a set for the BRDM http://www.panzershop.iol.cz/panzshaj.htm which is distributed by CMD in the U.S. http://www.chesapeakemodels.com/ AEF Designs is doing also the BRDM and BTR tires http://www.aefdesigns.com/ . But in my opinion, try the Panzershop ones.

Regards,

Violetrock

Many companies make replacement wheels, all I have seen are just resin copies fo the plastic/rubber wheels. These companies all make wheels

Panzershop
AEF Designs
SP Designs (and for shameless self promotion)
http://saammodels.tripod.com

hope this helps

Thanks for all of the help gentlemen.

I built the Dragon BTR-80, and had no problems at all with the rubber tires splitting....I also have the Dragon, BRDM-1, 2, and 3, and all the tires with them are ok as well.....mind you a resin set would most likely have more detail....but can't justify spending 2 to 3 times the prices for a set of tires and wheels as I paid for the whole kit on Ebay!!!

Just my 2 cents!!

I built the Dragon BTR-80, and had no problems at all with the rubber tires splitting....I also have the Dragon, BRDM-1, 2, and 3, and all the tires with them are ok as well.....

viper29_ca Felt the same way about the cost. When I built my first BRDM 2, after a year on display the tires split they now have a 1/4 inch gap. Don't know if it was heat or the paint. I have heard this is a common problem with rubber tires. I want this BRDM 2 to last so A few bucks will have to be spent.

Has anyone else had this problem?

WOW.....hpow long have you had the kit built.....my BTR-80 has only been built for a couple of months....so maybe it hasn't set in yet.

You painted your tires? Can't say as I did mine....just chucked them in the drill and ran some sandpaper over them to make them look worn...and then weathered them to look dusty like the rest of the vehicle....just some water pastel paste mixture.....no paint involved.!!

Still have the kit ... they split after a year on the shelf more or less. The kit is now 6 years old. I had weathered the tire with an acylic mud and dulcoted it. They split slightly at first and it grew. All four tires not just one have split by the way.

Thats a scary thing to fid out, the only thing i've got with rubber tires is the Dragon Wagon...has anybody had this happe to their kit or is this real rubber vs vnyl rubber and why don't tank treads do this

The DML tires are Vinyl while the Tamiya Dragon Wagon wheels are real rubber...there should not be any problems with the Tamiya stuff over time.

I stretched out my DML tires on my BTR-70 by "kneading" them in my fingers. I have had the kit built for about 8 years now and have not lost a tire yet. However, I am building several BTR-80 variants and like usingthe resin tires much better than the vinyl ones because you can flatten the bottom of the tire, giving a more realistic "weighted" look to the vehicle.

DML tires like to split. I bought the BRDM-3 and the tires are still in the little cellophane bag, I can already see where the tires will split, the vinyl has an irregular seam where the two ends meet but did not meld together. Anyone got an idea to putty this over prior to construction? Like a tube of black RTV or something?

Sabot the resin tires are really the way to go with this kit. RTV might not hold it's shape(I would worry they would "melt" later on over time). The cost of the tires is 13 USD and you get to use the kits hubs. They are well detailed.