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Hello all.

I have a few nicely used (the way I like them personally!) Matchbox 'King-Size' models and I have a question...

The ones I have have the solid plastic tyres on plastic hubs and a few are really rather quite loose. The question I have is that is this down to the hub becoming worn or the tyre becoming worn?! I only ask as if the hub is worn in some way I guess replacement tyres would be a waste of money?!

If this is the case do you good folk have any suggestions?

Many thanks in advance.

This is a well-known problem with the 1-75 series.
I believe that it is caused by plasticiser evaporating from the hubs, thereby causing them to shrink. The tyres, having a different composition (maybe even a different plastic) shrink at a slower rate. This therefore results in the tyres becoming loose on the hubs.

A quick solution is to cut narrow strips of sticky tape or a sticky paper label and run this around the rim first then replace the tyre. Try with different thicknesses of paper label.

Ghosthunter.

Thanks ever so much for the suggestions, I shall give them a shot...

Many of the reproduction replacement tires/tyres are made with a slightly smaller interior diameter so they fit tight on the shrunken hubs.

Great thread..

GHOSTHUNTER wrote:A quick solution is to cut narrow strips of sticky tape or a sticky paper label and run this around the rim first then replace the tyre. Try with different thicknesses of paper label.

Ghosthunter.

I've used this method and it works well. I use Scotch brand magic tape and it always seems to be removable (and is colorless for the most part).

I have restored some badly abused models where the hubs were so bad (so shrunken) that I had to glue the tires on. In those cases, I used Elmers School Glue. it dries clear and it can be removed with warm water (if so desired sometime in the future). I have one Ford tractor that I also glued the tires on for this same reason (severe shrinkage).

If the tyres aren't lose enough to wobble, but I can't achieve a fit tight enough for them to stay on, I use Tamiya semi gloss clear to glue them on.
It's completely invisible when dry, yet it can be easily broken should you wish to remove the tyre.

I employed this method on this model:



As you can see, you can't see anything.

Thanks for the tip Christian, that's a couple of ideas we have now.

Ghosthunter.