Great video and tutorial of the Hotbox you can spend a lot for or a DIY Hotbox that's more in my price range. I wish my Dad was still living bcuz he was a multi talented guy that could fabricate anything! This is definitely the time I need him! But I think I may have something up my sleeve that'll work just like yours! Thanks again Ben for another lesson learned from this video. Cheers from Laurel, Delaware USA.
I understand the purpose of a hotbox, but how is it supposed to be used. I'm mean how do you know what temp to set it at and how long do you leave the tires in it. Alan
Depends of what you wanna do. If it’s just to roll internal prep no heat is usually needed but if it’s cold out setting it at 80-90 degrees is going to help the prep pull into the tread. Same goes for external prepping, the more heat you use the better penetration you’re going to get (and possibly softer tread). I’d say if you’re really wanting to soften a set I’d use aggressive prep at 90-100 degrees. If your growing or shrinking tire get the box up to 125+
I don’t know that a specific temp is necessary for curing prep. I’d say for “regular” type of absorption 75-90 degrees. If I’m stretching/shrinking a tire 125 or better.
Great videos, I know you did a stagger video, but I’d like to see a video of you actually growing and then shrinking a tire. Like how hot, for how much time, how far did you grow it? I’ve really been struggling getting my tires to grow.
Great idea. I’ll put it in my notes. Thank you. Just quickly though, I inflate my tires 1/4 to 1/2 past where I want it to be then heat. Right from heat to submerging in A bucket of water with ice will “shock” the tread to stay closer to what u want. Shrinking is a crap shoot in my opinion and a little more complex but again the shock will help.
I roll prep on mine with a 6” paint roller. I bought a similar roller to your homemade one for $170 and bought a $90 4 ft toolbox and mounted it in the bottom of it. And drilled a hole in each end and mounted heat guns in each hole. Hot box on the cheap.
Unfortunately I so very little experience in that it would be hard for me to try and explain. I have my theories but that’s it. I have like two sets someone else has done for me and I use them occasionally.
Hey Ben so ive built my hotbox but I have a question about stretching tires for speed when I was on bmi karts max speed calculator thingy and when I put my drive wheel diameter in at 12 when I calculated it was at 37 in circumference which made me think that maybe I needed to grow them out for more speed? How true or false is this
Tire diameter is relative to gearing. You need more teeth to spin the tire faster in order to hit target RPM. On slicks I usually shoot for 34” Right side tires and then 32.5 LF 32.75LR (give to take). Over all of your staggers are the same even if each tire is 1-2” bigger in circumference it shouldn’t matter as long as target RPM is being hit. But I’ve never tried it.
Hey great channel Ben. I have been wanting to get back into kart racing but it’s been a 20 year gap & a lot has changed lol. Where about are you at & what tracks do you like here in WNY
Kinda slim pickings now a days in western NY. Paradise in Geneva is my home track but Allegheny Memorial Speedway in Wellsville are two tracks I really like.
Great video and tutorial of the Hotbox you can spend a lot for or a DIY Hotbox that's more in my price range. I wish my Dad was still living bcuz he was a multi talented guy that could fabricate anything! This is definitely the time I need him! But I think I may have something up my sleeve that'll work just like yours! Thanks again Ben for another lesson learned from this video. Cheers from Laurel, Delaware USA.
Awesome. Glad I can help.
I understand the purpose of a hotbox, but how is it supposed to be used.
I'm mean how do you know what temp to set it at and how long do you leave the tires in it.
Alan
Depends of what you wanna do. If it’s just to roll internal prep no heat is usually needed but if it’s cold out setting it at 80-90 degrees is going to help the prep pull into the tread. Same goes for external prepping, the more heat you use the better penetration you’re going to get (and possibly softer tread). I’d say if you’re really wanting to soften a set I’d use aggressive prep at 90-100 degrees. If your growing or shrinking tire get the box up to 125+
What is the temp I would be going for in side the box? Or without a box on the tire?
I don’t know that a specific temp is necessary for curing prep. I’d say for “regular” type of absorption 75-90 degrees. If I’m stretching/shrinking a tire 125 or better.
Ben, you are doing a great job with these videos.
Thank you very much.
How did you mount the bearings on the tire roller?
Sorry just saw this. I’m pretty sure I used self tapping screws and bearings from my local home repair store. (They have a square mounting exterior)
@@kart6t3_benokay thank you enjoy watching your videos
@@markmcgee8544 thank you very much. Appreciate you watching.
I don’t own a kart but this is interesting af 😁👍🏼
Great videos, I know you did a stagger video, but I’d like to see a video of you actually growing and then shrinking a tire. Like how hot, for how much time, how far did you grow it? I’ve really been struggling getting my tires to grow.
Great idea. I’ll put it in my notes. Thank you. Just quickly though, I inflate my tires 1/4 to 1/2 past where I want it to be then heat. Right from heat to submerging in A bucket of water with ice will “shock” the tread to stay closer to what u want. Shrinking is a crap shoot in my opinion and a little more complex but again the shock will help.
I roll prep on mine with a 6” paint roller. I bought a similar roller to your homemade one for $170 and bought a $90 4 ft toolbox and mounted it in the bottom of it. And drilled a hole in each end and mounted heat guns in each hole. Hot box on the cheap.
Awesome! Ingenuity is what I love. Yes you can buy stuff but it’s a great feeling making your own.
Great video Bender.
What can you share about cutting tires? What kind of shape and how often. Thanks
Unfortunately I so very little experience in that it would be hard for me to try and explain. I have my theories but that’s it. I have like two sets someone else has done for me and I use them occasionally.
Hey Ben so ive built my hotbox but I have a question about stretching tires for speed when I was on bmi karts max speed calculator thingy and when I put my drive wheel diameter in at 12 when I calculated it was at 37 in circumference which made me think that maybe I needed to grow them out for more speed? How true or false is this
Tire diameter is relative to gearing. You need more teeth to spin the tire faster in order to hit target RPM. On slicks I usually shoot for 34” Right side tires and then 32.5 LF 32.75LR (give to take). Over all of your staggers are the same even if each tire is 1-2” bigger in circumference it shouldn’t matter as long as target RPM is being hit. But I’ve never tried it.
Ok thank you
Hey great channel Ben. I have been wanting to get back into kart racing but it’s been a 20 year gap & a lot has changed lol. Where about are you at & what tracks do you like here in WNY
Kinda slim pickings now a days in western NY. Paradise in Geneva is my home track but Allegheny Memorial Speedway in Wellsville are two tracks I really like.
@@kart6t3_ben thank you I’ll look into them