# tires and track



## snakelee (Sep 20, 2014)

Is armor all ok for ho tires and for cleaning track,i have been using wd-40 for track and masking tape for tires,I thought that armor all would soften the tires up and make them last longer,just thought I would put it out there and see what you all think


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I wouldn't. It may preserve the tires, but will make them so slick, you'll have no traction. Same with the track. Imagine using Armorall on your dashboard, and then try placing something on there and have it stay there while driving.


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## snakelee (Sep 20, 2014)

*tires*

yeah slot car man, I see what u mean,I'll stick to wd-40 and tape


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

It might work out for track, but I would test a few 9" curves (like we don't all have a billion of those) and commit one set of tires to testing. Sometimes benefits come from the strangest places. I can recall Phil from RRR telling me he uses red oil to clean his silicone tires. Lo and behold, it didn't produce the slippery mess I expected, and the tires gripped better after cleaning. Armorall and silicone spray may or may not produce good results. I was speaking from gut instinct in my first reply. It is just a hunch.


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

I have been using Armor All for more than 40 years, it is great for preserving rubber and making vinyl look like new. It also made vinyl seats very slippery. I would not put it on tires, but I suppose that it would not cost much to try it. Testing Armor All on a short stretch of track would be safer than coating the whole track. If it makes the track slippery I am not sure how you could remove it without damaging the track.
Possibly Armor All on the rails would cause contact problems. Once I used a tack cloth to clean my track and the cars hardly wanted to run until I stripped the track down with lighter fluid. The best way that I have found to clean a track and condition the rails at the same time is with WD-40.


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## leonus (Dec 17, 2013)

I'm no scientist, but since plastic is an oil based polymer, wouldn't putting more oil on it tend to break it down, or dissolve the surface over time?

I have found that the most important aspect of track cleaning, from the standpoint of increasing traction, is to make sure the surface is free of dust..
Having any sort of oil residue on the track is going to attract dust..


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## TK Solver (Mar 18, 2004)

I use a vacuum and then rubbing alcohol to clean the track. It cleans and any excess quickly evaporates without damaging the track. Then I follow up occasionally with WD-40 on the rails to keep them from corroding and to maybe help just a little bit with friction. I run a heavy downforce chassis such as a Marchon right after a WD-40 application to scrub any excess so that TJets and X-tractions get good rail contact. A little spit and/or palm sweat works great on the tires as long as I haven't been eating anything greasy.


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## kriket (Feb 15, 2013)

leonus said:


> I'm no scientist, but since plastic is an oil based polymer, wouldn't putting more oil on it tend to break it down, or dissolve the surface over time?
> 
> I have found that the most important aspect of track cleaning, from the standpoint of increasing traction, is to make sure the surface is free of dust..
> Having any sort of oil residue on the track is going to attract dust..


I agree, I dont race on tracks that use wd40 on it cause it gets on my tires. And it makes the track slippery, even after wiping it down with clean rag to get it off track you never really get it all off and track still feels slick. it seems the wd40 gets absorbed into the plastic especially if used frequently, I use windex or 409 sprayed on lint free cloth to clean my track and followed up with another cloth to dry and clean it up good. I do a couple of feet at a time. as far as the rails, i never used anything on them and they never got rust on them, but i guess if track is in a garage or some place with high humidity it would rust if track is not used much.


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## RjAFX (Oct 26, 2014)

kiss
vacuum
paint brush
water on cloth
alcohol on cloth


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## rodstrguy (Feb 14, 2002)

Swiffer dusting unit... takes off the dust and dirt. constant running of cars cleans the rails.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

For restoring old rubber tires, I think castor oil and oil of wintergreen are the traditional remedies from back in the day. I haven't tried either; I just bought Weird Jack's bag o'blems (assorted silicones), and replace the crusty tires. Unfortunately, Jack doesn't seem to have anything on eBay right now.  His member ID is WEIRD_JACK.

-- D


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## leonus (Dec 17, 2013)

RjAFX said:


> kiss
> vacuum
> paint brush
> water on cloth
> alcohol on cloth


Ok, umm...
I get all but the

Kiss

Part..

Are you kissing the track? listening to the band while cleaning the track?kissing the vacuum??


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

K.I.S.S. = Keep It Simple Stupid !


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## leonus (Dec 17, 2013)

D O H

You got me&#55357;&#56833;


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

although wralfs version is common, .....
some folks like to be a little less harsh and say ----
Keep
It
Simple
Silly
!
in person, body language, facial expressions and voice inflection help to indicate that the word "stupid" is not meant as an insult.
such is not the same on internet and other medium chats and bulletin boards.
usually something that might be interpreted as an insult but is NOT meant to be is preceded or followed by an "LOL" or a smiley face as an indicator of intent.

I don't mind stupid people because they cannot change, be different or get smarter. it is not their fault.

how ever ....
people of higher intellect, or at least those who think they are, doing stupid things bothers me a tad.

.


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

I think when he said stupid, he was refering to me! he knew that was what my wif and kids call me!

:jest::jest:


yes, keeping the track surface free of dust or film is key.
I have boiled a chassis in AA to see if it would provide less friction.
I think it did, but no scientific proof. Just a little faster on the MY VRP DYNO.

I have seen various problems on how people clean tracks and the cleaner leaving a film. I think rich has 1 of the better methods.

depending on your environment I have found wiping the track down between quarterly and monthly with wd-40 and letting it sit overnight before finishing the cleaning process will help recondition(more grip) the tomy type track.


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## leonus (Dec 17, 2013)

It's ok, I wasn't offended&#55357;&#56841;


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

I think that most tracks are made of ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) and that can be attacked by many solvents. The Cole-Parmer site is a great reference for the compatibility of various plastics and solvents.
If you clean your track with a water based product you would remove dust and dirt, but the water can cause corrosion down in the joints. If you must use a water based product do not spray it directly on the track. What does the trick with WD-40 is the mineral oil part of the formulation. At first glance it makes little sense to put oil on your track. If you put WD-40 on a rag and wipe the track down with that followed by a second wipe with a clean dust free rag you will get up all of the dust. No other method that I know of removes all of the dust. I believe that WD-40 is used to clean the Fray tracks.


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