Launch 2.6" Monster Truck Tires for 3377 Wheel, Gold Compound (2) (JCO315805)

When spirited competition in the monster truck game was at its pinnacle, cutting tires, modifying tread and carcass carving was an artform. It was not unusual for a team to put in an extreme amount of effort to cut up, dig and arrange a tread pattern, all in the interest of going faster on the racetrack. For the JConcepts team, it was only natural to produce some custom cut variation replicas for the RC monster truck crowd to perform differently or build a dream truck with period correct tires.

The Launch, given the name for its very forward bite influenced design, is one of the most detailed JConcepts tires ever created. JConcepts believes tire options in the class should replicate those used in major series events in the 1:1 world, and the Launch certainly does. The arrangement, pattern, and instances were a result of carving from an existing 1:1 tire, and the results were fantastic. The closely spaced tread elements were excavated away, leaving an alternating upper lip. The lip has micro cuts and channels left over from the original pattern, giving plenty of clean-out with the tread itself and in between in the valley areas.

The valley area has heavy sculpting where removed material backs into the upper lip, allowing an area to grip or drag track surface material during rotation. The Launch excels in dirt or asphalt conditions where spaced edging of the pins helps forward drive. Staggered ribs near the top of the sidewall add some "œburnout" territory for doing donuts and hard sliding while the notched or staggered pattern helps provide some support for hard turns.

Replicated cuts helped turn the carcass into a low-profile tire, giving it a racing stance like other successful JConcepts tires such as the Renegade. The tire includes "œReact" open cell inserts which support the upper carcass and sidewall under loaded conditions. The tire carcass profile is light-weight and extremely low-profile, giving the design of the tire just the right amount of contact patch for racing. Eyed by the experts as an excellent carpet tire, the Launch may be used front or rear or paired with the Knobs for ultimate tune-ability. The tire measures in at 5.80 x 4.0 x 2.6" and is available in two different compounds.

The soft "blue" compound, which is recommended for dirt, grass, and asphalt, feels noticeably mushy and sticky and has expanding characteristics like off-road racing's outdoor compounds. The "gold" compound feels harder to the touch and excels on carpet, AstroTurf, and polished concrete surfaces, expanding less during high speeds. The JConcepts tire has retro logo, tire name, sizing, and tire part number identification bossed into the tire, making it even more authentic.

Two tires are included (unmounted) per package, and as always, the product is backed by JConcepts customer service, supported and developed by professionals with style and authenticity. JConcepts, since 2003 "“ World Proven Innovation and Design.