# Castrol ATF to clean rust from slot rails ?



## A/GS (Jul 10, 2014)

I read somewhere that a cheap and easy way to clean rust from slot car rails was to get a quart of Castrol ATF. Use a clean rag and apply a small amount to the steel power rails; let it work overnight. Then wipe up the remaining residue the next day. Dexron ATF has strong detergents for cleaning; and anti-oxidants for retarding new rust formation. Best applied after a night of racing. Has anyone tried this method for removing rust; and if so how well does it work ? Inquiring minds gotta to know !


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## old blue (May 4, 2007)

After a heavy night of racing it is not rust on your rails it is carbon from the sparking of the shoes to the rails. All of the heavy duty cleaning mentioned above is overkill if this is all you are trying to remove. I just wanted to make that point. I am still undecided about cleaning the rails. I know alcohol and 409 cleaner work and I know WD40 helps keep corrosion away but I am not recommending any specific cleaner.


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

ATF is a rather powerful solvent and it may damage the plastic part of the track. I would not expect that it would remove rust either. Before you try it on your entire track you should do a test with a spare track section that you are not overly fond of. There are products like Rail-Zip that are made just to condition rails.


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## leonus (Dec 17, 2013)

All of my track was old and rusty when I got it. I wet sanded the rails with cheap 1000 grit sandpaper, running with the direction of the rail, until they were shiny, then cleaned the track with dollar store bathroom cleaner and water, and dried with a rag.

Works great. Removes a minimum of material. No toxic stuff to mess with. Inexpensive.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## leonus (Dec 17, 2013)

Hmmmm....carbon....

This brings up something that I've been wondering about lately.

It seems that lately the pickup shoes on my cars have been getting a sort of black stripe burned into them, rather than the shiny wear spot they used to get.

Is this carbon build up on the rails?


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

leonus,
sounds like you have the shoes properly adjusted if you have a black line.
now you need to insure that they stay on the rail.
if you don't restrict the shoe movement, consider doing so.
this will allow MORE spring tension to hold the shoe down to the rail.
the black stripe is likely caused by sparking when the shoe lifts, even fractionally.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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## leonus (Dec 17, 2013)

Sorry, not trying to derail the thread..

But I have no idea on restricting shoe movement, and it sounds interesting. I'm assuming you mean somehow keep it from moving up into the chassis beyond making rail contact?

But do this somehow where it doesn't cause too much tension and lift the front wheels? ( hate it when that happens..)


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## LDThomas (Nov 30, 1999)

leonus, restricting shoe travel means to limit downward travel, not upward travel. This is done to improve handling. The downward travel is limited to just enough to make solid contact with the rails. Any extra travel simply wants to lift the front of the car up in the air and deslot.


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## leonus (Dec 17, 2013)

Oooooh...


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## Hotrodzz3 (Apr 5, 2011)

Ok, so how do you restrict shoe travel?


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

Hotrodzz3 said:


> Ok, so how do you restrict shoe travel?


 FYI- you simply bend or fold over, the very top part of the window of the pick-up shoe, where it hangs from the peg on the chassis. BUT- be warned, this is very delicate work, and you can Fubar up the shoe and/or make the window Too small ! ...it's best to experiment with old worn out shoes first. And you may be happy with just a 90º bend, instead of a complete fold over.
Good Luck


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