Rubber Tire Prep
 

Just curious to find out what people are doing for rubber tire prep. I've heard things of WD40, just tire softener etc. What are some helpful tricks? I'm new to rubber tire racing.

I use Trinity buggy grip to clean the tire. Then check the sidewall and glue/reglue as necessary. 15-20min before the start of the race, I apply Trinity Tire Tweak and bake in with tire warmers. Wipe off excess before the race.

thanks for the info. Anyone else?

i first check for weak areas on the sidewall for ca .. then clean tires with motor spray or buggy grip .. then i bake in 2 coats of doc. witts tire tweak. then after each run . start steps over again but only one coat of tweak baked in .. tires will last long time

are you doing this for carpet or just asphalt

seafoam works well also, its an automotive engine cleaner, works well on rubber tires, get a 16oz can for $6 I believe

I usually clean my tyres after the race with Brake cleaner then wipe it off. Then i apply FXII and bake them in for about 15mins (2-3races) till my race. And i wipe off any excess FXII before my race. This is for asphalt racing.

Asphalt. I have yet to travel to a track with carpet. Cali is quite limited in that aspect.

Will any de greaser work to clean the surface prior to treating the tires with softener? Would WD40 work to clean the surface?

Clean em with carburetor, brake cleaner, motor cleaner, etc... These are nice degreasers...

Juan, I agree. I'm on the hunt for something that works as well and is cheaper. So far I've tried WD40, lacquer thinner, and paint thinner. WD40 and lacquer thinner both leave residue on the tire, so I'll keep looking. Paint thinner seems promising as it doesn't leave residue, but I haven't been at a race where I've need to remove buildup and had paint thinner handy yet.

u use thinner on rubber? the thinner wont melt the rubber ??

Goo Gone, rub it in. Wipe it off. Let it dry. Apply your favorite traction sauce.

If you are racing at a regular track just do what everyone else is doing.

I would like to know this too. Im new to electric racing and seen guys use tire warmers outside but not sure if they do it indoors on carpet too?

kschu, well, give it a try, I don't think it does. I'd like a second opinion on that, as I was a little worried about damage to the rubber when I tried it.

If you are new to racing find the guys who are your track's veteran racers and ask them for their opinion for your vehicle.

I answered this above.

How many people at your carpet track use your method?

Traction compounds are for girls :ha::p
Tyre warmers on the other hand are perfectly fine :nod:

In fact, I'd go as far to say that warmers are invaluable for rubber tyre racing on carpet where the track doesnt get much of a chance to warm up. Outdoors on asphalt its not so much of an issue as the track tends to warm up and the tyres get heat from that, but I still use them.

As for tyre prep..

I spray a light coating of WD40 on a cloth and using the moisture wipe off any excess dust, rubber particles or carpet fibres etc. This is usually done at the same time I am prepping my car for the upcoming race day. Some people use it to get extra traction by spraying directly onto the tyre whilst at the track, I do not do this.

Another good item is glycerol. It helps to replace some of the natural oils in rubber. This is very good for reconditioning old dry tyres that havent been stored properly. Just smear it on and leave it for a couple hours. Make sure all excess is wiped off. Again, this is a tyre conditioning treatment, not for traction.

Wintergreen oil (fairly common in traction compounds) is what some would use to prep their tyres. It conditions the rubber and also makes the rubber sticky, hence why it gives extra traction.

-Mark

Ps. There's also nothing wrong with good old detergent and warm water for cleaning tyres!!

I do not race on carpet. However, at the track I do race at, its rare that two people use the same method. Using Tuff towels to clean the tires is the most popular however, it does have the side effect of making the tires VERY sticky, however its a sticky that picks up dust and debris, more so than the Trinity Tire Tweak method I use.

i use simple green to clean the tires then wipe them off. they sure make the tires sticky, then apply your favorite tire sauce. :)

Tuff towels whats that?