RC4WD American Racing AR23: officially licensed 1.7-inch beadlock wheels

Photo: RC4WD (source)

RC4WD is expanding its scale catalogue with a set of 1.7-inch beadlock wheels reproducing the American Racing AR23 design, under official licence from the American wheel brand. Part number Z-W0001 is sold in sets of four, at $119.

1.7-inch beadlock wheels machined from solid

Unlike the injection-moulded wheels usually found in the crawler market, these AR23 are CNC machined from billet aluminium, then silver anodised. The result is a weight far above that of a plastic wheel: 68.3 g per wheel, or 2.41 oz. On a crawler, that unsprung weight, placed as low and as far out as possible, is rarely a drawback — it acts as peripheral ballast and helps keep all four wheels on the ground on off-camber sections.

RC4WD American Racing AR23 specifications

• Part number: Z-W0001, set of 4 wheels
• Diameter: 1.7 inch
• Width: 37.8 mm (1.48 in)
• Negative offset: 10.2 mm (0.40 in)
• Drive: standard 12 mm hex
• Weight: 68.3 g per wheel
• Finish: CNC machined billet aluminium, silver anodised

The 1.7-inch format, a deliberate choice

1.7 inch remains a niche format against the dominant 1.9, but it suits the proportions of slightly squat 1/10 scale pickups and 4x4s better, and above all those models whose wheel arches will not take a 1.9 tyre without modification. With a 10.2 mm negative offset, these RC4WD AR23 clearly widen the track, which offsets the loss of stability that comes with the smaller diameter.