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Tire Taping Taping your tires may sound like a simple process, but I've seen enough bad tape jobs which lead to complaints like "My car doesn't go straight!" and "I can't drift!" A smooth tape job is important to get the right effect. You can use any type of tape for different textures and such, but I use scotch tape. Electrical tape seems to work better at first, then starts to get grippier, and it contracts and leaves sticky stuff behind where it overlapped. Step one: Cut a length of tape. Take a piece of tape that is more than long enough to wrap around the tire (remember "pi * diameter = circumference?") About 4 times the diameter (end to end of the tire) is more than enough. Put one end of the tape on the edge of a table. Hold the other end of the tape from a corner, and pull it taut. Cut straight down the middle of the tape, until you reach the table (or the end of the tape). It is important to cut as perfectly straight as possible so you don't end up with ragged, uneven edges. Do not worry about excess tape, as it can be trimmed later. Step two: Center the tape on a tire. (Note: I suggest keeping the tires on the car for this step. If not, then at least make sure to have them on rims, or else when you stretch the tire to put it on, the tape will crack.) Place the end of a piece of tape onto your tire, so that the tape "points" towards the back of the car, when looking from the top. This prevents the edge of the tape from grabbing onto the floor, and any dust or dirt on it. Step three: Apply the tape. To apply the rest of the tape onto the tire, hold the tape in one hand, and the tire in another, and rotate the tire while pulling the tape away from (tangent to) the tire. The goal is to stretch the tape somewhat tightly around the tire while you rotate it. If the tape is not perfectly centered, you can lift the tape and re-apply it. Step four: Finishing the edges. When you get all the way around the tire, you want to overlap about a centimeter or so. Press everything down hard so that the tape stays secured onto the tire, and doesn't lift up. If the edges of the tape stick out past the tire, try to smooth them down against the tire. I don't suggest trying to cut them short, because you'll probably end up with jagged lines, and chunks of missing tire. Step five: Repeat. Simply repeat the process for the rest of the tires. You can use the other half of the tape you cut if you're happy with it. Here's how your finished taping should look: