Has anyone got ideas how to shave the tread off of tires?

A VERY sharp electric power planer set to a very small cut, leave the tyre inflated on the rim and work around the tyre evenly.

I watched the drag racing boys here, sanding their motor bike tyres with an electric belt sander. The wheel was mounted into a jig that held it at about 30 degrees across the tread. The sander rotated on a main shaft, that could be adjusted in height, to the radius of the tread and depth of the sanding cut.
The mounted wheels were fitted into this jig, sanded then rebalanced.


au.news.yahoo.com/postie-bike-sets-land-speed-record-21902292.html

Hi Chook, Great article, Des Plecas is a very clever guy, years ago when he lived in Kambalda he repaired a piston for one of my bikes by making a welding rod out of another old piston and the repaired one looked like new, also made the back axles for my fomula500. I remember his 1/4 mile machines, they where made to perfection. When he moved to Esperance he built some excellent hill trollies for his boy (they where pretty big down there at that time).
Could be down your way in May on my way to Hopetoun from Kal.

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US772 said..

Has anyone got ideas how to shave the tread off of tires?

im making the assumption that you are getting the knobs off some 26" bike tyres to put on your class 5?
the electric plane works with car tyres but will be way too coarse for bike tyres.
firstly , have the tyre mounted on a wheel then I use a large ,Very sharp kitchen knife to slice the initial knobs off, with a sweeping motion, it just slices them off also spray some silicon on the blade to make it easy. I then mount the wheel on an axle and finish the tyre with a coarse flap disc on my 125mm grinder(40 or80 grit). I rotate the wheel against the rotation that the grinder pushes the . tyre.
the kiwis recommend a modelers balsa plane ,which is much cleaner,quieter etc...........
An d you could do that on the lake/beach.
your first effort will feel clumsy, but by the second tyre you will be ripping them out.
try to find a rib or pattern on the tyre that you can use as a guide for evenness.

They are brand new 125/15 radials. I found them to be slow with new tread. I was thinking electric door planner and belt sander? Thanks

This looks doable -

I have used landyachts method a few times I find knob removal easy with a hacksaw blade in its frame and ground to a sharp edge
One stroke per knob
I used soapy water but landyachts silicon spray sounds good Finish off with a flap disc or just use them as is knobless
They smooth themselves eventually depends how fussy you are

aaagghhh I was waiting for his sleeve or glove + hand to get dragged into that saw!!!!!
you do need to slow the wheel down ,so maybe a large drag brake made from a stick or piece of pipe.
since kits a skinny car radial your working on I would go the SHARP(yes I agree with gizmo) electric plane cutting at an angle. the wheel needs to turn slowly and you can control the speed an shape by altering the angle of the plane.
I would have a go with an old tyre first and you will find its rather easy

You'll be surprised how quick you can do a tyre with a small hand plane.

Cheers Col