[jeffbhhs]

Hello guys, I just purchased a Cobra Trackside truer, for my touring and pan car tires...I also purchased the carbide bit to help with cutting the tires... My question is what is the best way to actually true tires down? This truer has no measuring device on it so I am not sure how to tell how much will be getting cut off each pass...Any help with this matter would greatly be appretiated...Also what is the best way to get rid of square edges, someone told me that using sand paper on the tire edge would work, but I am unsure how to do this without taking too much off... Thanks Jeff

 

[pmsimkins]

When you do the first tire just take a little off at a time and measure with a caliper after each time you take some more off. When you get it to where you want it you can leave the truer set there and run through your other tires. Assuming that you want them the same size. If not then readjust.

All you have to do is fold up a piece of course sandpaper and carefully round the edges. If you do it slowly you won't take too much off. Also you could use a hand file, which is what I do.

 

[jeffbhhs]

by slowly do you mean just apply light pressure?

 

[pmsimkins]

Yes, light pressure is all that is needed. The tires don't really need to be rounded as much as they typically are from the factory. Remeber it's easy to take more material off, but once it's gone there's no putting it back. Honestly it's really easy, you won't screw it up.

Also, keep a firm grip on whatever you use to round them as it will want to shoot out of your hand.

 

[DIRTsportsman]

I took a peice of square wood about 4 inchs by 1 by 1 and wraped some sand paper around the end of it.

 

[Barooose]

Another thing worth mentioning is to make sure you hold the sandpaper/file so the tire pulls it away from your hand. In other words if the tire rotates away from you at the top, this is where you would apply the sandpaper and vise versa. You don't want it pushing toward your hand. good luck.

 

[Brad Sousa]

baroose, yes good idea i remember when i was a kid my first time truing tires and i was using a file to round the edges and was pushing it towards me and sucked my hand in i thought i broke a few fingers but i didn'tbut we all learn from are mistakes. but i do like a small file over the sandpaper just my .02. Brad

 

[DIRTsportsman]

You dont realize how much power and rpm is behind a tire truer untill something goes wrong.lol