best way to graphite wheels and axles

[nocompro]

First time forum user. It appears you guys are light years ahead of my grandson and I, so we have a couple questions for anyone who wishes to help.
We used the DD4H black magic polishing kit and axle polish and now we have to graphite the wheels and axles using the DD4H graphite.
Our questions;
1. What is the best way to apply the graphite ?
2. Pack rules state you can only dry lubricates, any options better than graphite?

Thanks nocompro

 

["The Fonze"]

Welcome. You’ll definitely find answers to those questions if you dig around a little here.

 

[Pinewood Outlaw]

Best way is to take a .093 pin gauge. Pack wheel bore with graphite and insert pin gauge then hold onto pin gauge and roll wheel on table, preferably on a paper plate to catch graphite, roll with a bit of pressure. This is burnishing the graphite or breaking it in. Do this for several minutes...loading more graphite as needed.

 

["The Fonze"]

Best way is to take a .093 pin gauge. Pack wheel bore with graphite and insert pin gauge then hold onto pin gauge and roll wheel on table, preferably on a paper plate to catch graphite, roll with a bit of pressure. This is burnishing the graphite or breaking it in. Do this for several minutes...loading more graphite as needed.

...and you didn’t even need to dig. Outlaw answered your question but I would recommend that you still dig around. Many will say that burnishing with a pin gauge is the way to go. It’s a good start but there is more to do. I’m not sure .093 is the best size either. Keep digging.

 

[Pinewood Outlaw]

...and you didn’t even need to dig. Outlaw answered your question but I would recommend that you still dig around. Many will say that burnishing with a pin gauge is the way to go. It’s a good start but there is more to do. I’m not sure .093 is the best size either. Keep digging.

There probably is better methods....I just don't use graphite lol. Did have to re work my daughters car for girl scouts through which states dry lube only....so I re polished wheels with black ice system and using Dry Lube Teflon spray for my lube. Will be testing the car tomorrow so let ya know how it goes

 

[SuperSlow]

I always hated using graphite, its messy, complicated, and I never felt confident when I had to use it.
As the saying goes there is more than one way to skin a cat, and if you read up enough here you will find several different ways to graphite your car. Some guys like to try n turn everything into rocket science and some guys keep things simple. You are gonna have to find what works for you. You are gonna want to burnish your wheel bores somehow with a pipe cleaner, tamiya swab, pin guage or something. I think you would probably be fine just adding grapgite n spinning, adding graphite n spinning, over n over the more the better then tap out. I never really had good results leaving a bunch in the wheels.

You may wanna pledge your axles if you have some lemon pledge laying around the house.

 

[Pinewood Outlaw]

Well the dry lube spray experiment was a major failure! Turned my daughters 3.06 second car into a 4 second car! Finally said the heck with em and cleaned the wheels out...re polished the bores with black ice #2 and #3....re polished axles and put the krytox back on it

 

[nocompro]

Thanks guys for your input. I followed SuperSlow advice by adding the graphite to the wheel bores and spinning the wheels on the axles a few times. We ran fast, won the Bears den and move on to the speed finals for the pack 4 fastest cars. We won the pack speed finals also . The graphite started going away because the car Slowed down in the 7 & 8 races from a 2.5013 in the Bears race 1 to 2.5201 for the 7 race and 2.533 in the 8 race . I guess the next step is getting a pin gauge and burnish the wheels with graphite as Outlaw suggested. Will the pin gauge scratch the wheel bores?
Thanks nocompro

 

[DuckOfAllTrades]

To me the easiest way to graphite wheels is to mix the graphite it into grease, and then apply. That way it's less messy and stays where you want it to.

DO NOT DO THIS! Obviously I'm kidding.

 

[NovaFury]

To me the easiest way to graphite wheels is to mix the graphite it into grease, and then apply. That way it's less messy and stays where you want it to.

DO NOT DO THIS! Obviously I'm kidding.

Oops I miss the bolded part..

 

[SuperSlow]

If a pin guage damages your bores you have a problem. Some guys polish real good just like an axle. Glad to hear you guys did so well, congrats winning is always a bonus.

 

[Mojo Racing]

The boys I help all use a 0.093" pin gage and never have a problem with their burnishing and speed. The 093 leaves enough room to get graphite into the bores.

The pin gage does need prep first though. Round the ends and polish it as you would an axle. After that, you are good to go.

 

[Dscross]

Looks like I'm going to be digging around for a .093 something and my dial calipers.

Does the pin guage work better than a paper q-tip?

 

[Pinewood Outlaw]

Don't recommend qtip stalks...they can chew up a wheel bore

 

[Dscross]

Don't recommend qtip stalks...they can chew up a wheel bore

Thanks.

 

[Dizzy]

Looks like I'm going to be digging around for a .093 something and my dial calipers.

Does the pin guage work better than a paper q-tip?

I used one of the straight pine car axles polished really well. Not saying that this is the best size to use but it is a common item you may have or can obtain easily if you don't have a pin you can use. Also don't think it will damage bore as easy.