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Foams for my Super Swampers

vinceherman

Pebble Pounder
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
175
Location
Ohio
My wife and I each have a Gen8 Axe with the IROK Super Swamper tires.
I did follow the Redcat advice and boiled the foams to soften them up.
I just did the fronts on my truck for now so that we could compare the difference on the rocks.
I have to admit that I cannot see or feel any difference running my Axe and then hers across the same rocks. Maybe this only helps with temperature sensitivity and we are plenty warm outside.

I have seen many recommendations for Dual Stage foams.
Crawler Innovations Lil Nova is a frequent suggestion.

My question is in what the various foam parameters will do for us.
The inner is described as Standard and Comp Cut.
What is the difference?

The outer is described as Firm, Medium and Soft
I assume that the range give the ability to tune the tire.
Soft allows the tire to conform to the rock better for additional grip?
What happens if I am too soft?

Diameters are 4.75, 4.5 and 4.25 (maybe more)
My Super Swampers are 4.75. The Proline dual stage foams I have seen look much bigger than my tire. Is that intended to overfill the tire for compression? Or for bigger tires?
Let me throw out some guesses with the CI Lil Nova:

  • 4.75 might fill the tire resulting in less conforming to the rock
  • 4.5 might have less compressed foam so more conforming
  • 4.25 might have a small gap and act like extra soft foam
Is any of this right on, complete miss or somewhere in between?

I don't mind getting more than one type/size and comparing them on the rocks. But I would like some help picking the right range of parameters (and understanding what they might do for me)
 
The stock swampers on the gen8 are closer to 4.5". Pro-line foams are way too big. I ran crawler innovations lil' novas in mine. 4.5" comp cut, soft in front, medium in rear. The gen8, especially the Axe, is on the heavier side & those worked perfect for me.
 
Awesome. Good to know that this works well for you. Thanks for the info.
Yes, the Axe is portly, and I added magnets for the body mount so I am carrying a bit more weight.
I *did* find a CI foam guide.
https://crawlerinnovations.com/foam-guide/
And a CI introduction to Lil Novas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN18x-Sqb8Q
They both helped out with my information gathering effort.
Standard inners have a smooth outside surface.
Com Cut inners have a grooved outside surface.
The grooves help keep the outers in place and give the outer a place to go during compression, leading to better conforming.
(so says the video)
 
Awesome. Good to know that this works well for you. Thanks for the info.
Yes, the Axe is portly, and I added magnets for the body mount so I am carrying a bit more weight.
I *did* find a CI foam guide.
https://crawlerinnovations.com/foam-guide/
And a CI introduction to Lil Novas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN18x-Sqb8Q
They both helped out with my information gathering effort.
Standard inners have a smooth outside surface.
Com Cut inners have a grooved outside surface.
The grooves help keep the outers in place and give the outer a place to go during compression, leading to better conforming.
(so says the video)

Eddie at CI is always available thru EMail or DM. His guide is quite good, The one area he doesnt get into is ambient temperature. Where I live and crawl, 100 to 110 degrees on the rocks is not unusual, full sun , shaded 90 to 96.

Ive found I tend to go a bit firmer due to this, CI tuning options change overall width and diameter so the foam fills the tire as you want it.
 
I use a 103mm inner tube/tire inside my gen8 swampers they work great in my opinion anyway and as a bonus they never ware out breakdown or get wet they dont hold water and dont get flat spots and the extra weight helps with the cog the down side is there heaver than foams but that could be good or bad depending on your rig there not as easyly customized or tuned they add rotational mass thats harder on parts and basicly uncool
 
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