# Tire Traction Compounds



## DARKSIDE DAVE

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT CHEMICALS ARE IN PRODUCTS LIKE PARAGON AND THE OTHER SMELLY BRANDS THAT IS MAKING PEOPLE SICK. THE ONLY THING THEY GOT LISTED ON THEIR CAN IS OIL OF WINTER GREEN BUT I DONT THINK THATS WHAT IS MAKING PEOPLE SICK. IS THERE ANOTHER TRACTION COMPOUND OUT THERE THAT WORKS AS GOOD AS PARAGON BUT WITH OUT THE HEADACHES.


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## OvalTrucker

THe short answer is no. Paragon is probably the most popular because it seems to work the best in most situations.

The Oil of Wintergreen is probably what is causing the headaches though. I've heard of that alot in the past. A friend of mine has gotten sick from it before. My wife hates it when I open my "race box" in the house because of the [in my opinion] minty fresh smell!


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## briano_72

ive used tq and niftech and they are not bad, low smell and stick pretty good. i just used paragon for the first time at the first brl race and my garage stinks now !!


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## OvalmanPA

Give Paragon FX2 a try. I've found it to work very well and the smell isn't so obnoxious. The new "low or no oder" traction compounds seem to make my eyes water all the time. The lacquer thinner compounds if you ask me are worse than the original Paragon.


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## CDW35

This has been one of the most common questions since I have been racing. I have use a couple of other traction componds and nothing elese works like paragon and it smells great!. Niftech is its own thing, sure the smell doesn't linger in the air, but has anyone smelled it out of the bottle? it doesn't give anyone a headache? like ovalman said, "Lacquer Thinner componds". Just my thought on the subject.


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## clarkwhoracing

I hear of talk of getting away from using compounds all together soon for all the larger races out there.

Last year at the Gate in Cleveland was the worste ever that I have been at that you got a rush once you left the place and went outside to fresh air. The smell was so bad that you pretty much did not smell it or anything else. I think since they have gone to Jack the Ripper compound.

This stuff is truly nasty and not really regulate by any offical agency like OSHA I believe. There are some stuff in it that I would bet causes health issues and cancers that everyone does not know about. 

I have the Niftech and also Paragon FX and they are not too bad but have not run them enough to see a difference in traction or performance.


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## NCFRC

Any of the Racer's Choice TQ compounds work fine and don't leave the building or your clothes smelling like Ben Gay all week.

Most racers over use compound anyway , loose is fast , hang on !


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## gezer2u

Most traction compounds contain VOC's (Volatile organic compounds) Most are indeed governed by State and Fed agencies. Some of the chemicals in lacquer thinner are benzene, toluene and xylene. which all are very harmful.

I'm sure that the companies that manufacturer traction compounds are suppose to list the ingredients. But, if it smells like a chemical, it probable is a chemical and will harm you. Unfortunately, unless water will improve traction, there will all ways be a health risk. 

Of all the compounds, I dislike Paragon the most.


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## DARKSCOPE001

I used to use niftech when that was all my track would let us use. but seing as it was a crappy traction compound at a very high price I looked for alternatives. and I was told that it was goo gone. or whatever (the one that comes in the round metal can) i dont realy remember but if your interested Ill go find the can for you. but It worked just as well as niftech and I used it for the remainder of the racing season (touring car) and now I am offroad and I have used it on my offroad tires and it works great. softens them and works similar to buggy grip by trinity. great stuff for a all around traction compound.

HOPE THIS HELPS
Sean Scott


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## TBRC1

For carpet it's either Jack the gripper ..or The TQ line. I used to use paragon but with the wife being diagnosed with athsmha I'm glad I stopped using it.


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## trailranger

Have you tired ogranic solvents? I have a few that I will try once my can of ground effects run out.

Since I have to live with cancer, I am cautious of what I use and how much I use.


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## NCFRC

gezer2u said:


> Most traction compounds contain VOC's (Volatile organic compounds) Most are indeed governed by State and Fed agencies. Some of the chemicals in lacquer thinner are benzene, toluene and xylene. which all are very harmful.
> 
> I'm sure that the companies that manufacturer traction compounds are suppose to list the ingredients. But, if it smells like a chemical, it probable is a chemical and will harm you. Unfortunately, unless water will improve traction, there will all ways be a health risk.
> 
> Of all the compounds, I dislike Paragon the most.



Comming from the chemical business , NONE OF THESE YOU WANT TO
BREATH ! 
You may say , Oh it doesn't affect me , wait 10 years and you won't be
saying the same thing, ever heard of burnt out.


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## clarkwhoracing

NCFRC said:


> Comming from the chemical business , NONE OF THESE YOU WANT TO
> BREATH !
> You may say , Oh it doesn't affect me , wait 10 years and you won't be
> saying the same thing, ever heard of burnt out.


Ever heard or lung / brain cancer, emphazima? among all the other nasty diseases that there are not full proof treatments and recoveries.

Give them a year since this has been to the front lines of everyones attention recently and someone will do some studies and show it causes problems and publish it and everyone will freak.

:freak:


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## BullFrog

It cant take the smell of oil of wintergreen. It makes me sick. If your running foam tires you can use: hand goop - it cleans the tires . You can use coppertone 45. You can use WD40.You can make you own thing out of Coppetone 45-some WD40-and add some STP oil treatment.It will need to be shaken up before you apply it. Let it set 20 minutes and wipe off.You can add your own special food coloring to throw every off to what it is.This works. 
Some of the strangest things works great on foam tires.Take your old tires and experiment. I've been using something for rubber tires that only three people have been using. And I can't tell you what it is because my buddy makes it and he is not telling.


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## trailranger

I once tried a batter's rag soaked in pinetar to sauce up my rubber tires before racing on a really slick concrete track.


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## CDW35

clarkwhoracing said:


> I hear of talk of getting away from using compounds all together soon for all the larger races out there.


I dont see how that would work. I heard the gayte was using Jack the Slipper, Are they going to allow Paragon this weekend for the Classic?


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## clarkwhoracing

From what I know they do not allow it. 

If you were up there last classic you would know why. I had a sore throat for about 3 days after the weekend and a bad headache.

As for getting away from using them - you can - just have to run different compounds and sacrifice tire life to save your own. Just talk I hear on eliminating them.

Time will tell.


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