Lemon Pledge vs Sailkote

[Cooperman]

Hi All

I need some feed back on Lemon Pledge vs Sailkote for axles using graphite. I have found some information saying Sailkote is more effective when using graphite on axles. Has anyone used this product, and how will dit it work.

I love the sight, great information and coverage of the pinewood derby sport both adult and scout.

Gary

 

[LightninBoy]

I used sailkote with graphite before I switched to oil. It worked really well for us and would actually beat many oil based cars, though the best oil cars would still beat us. Plus the oil cars would stay consistent while our cars would slow down with each run.

I've never tried Lemon Pledge with graphite so I can't tell you what's better. All I can say is that the sailkote worked great for us.

 

[Vitamin K]

I used sailkote with graphite before I switched to oil. It worked really well for us and would actually beat many oil based cars, though the best oil cars would still beat us. Plus the oil cars would stay consistent while our cars would slow down with each run.

I've never tried Lemon Pledge with graphite so I can't tell you what's better. All I can say is that the sailkote worked great for us.

LB, would you be willing to share your application process for Sailkote? We've got districts coming up, and I'd like to help some of the other teams in our Pack squeeze some more speed out of their cars. Everybody else has used graphite, though, so perhaps a coating of Sailkote would be the way to go for them.

 

[LightninBoy]

Sure - sailkote is not a big secret.

I would spray some into a glass jar and drop the axles in for about a minute. Pull them out and dry for about 10 minutes (warning: wet sailkote eats wheels). I would lightly polish them a bit with a soft cloth to remove any white streaks or bumps.

And that's about it!

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

Sure - sailkote is not a big secret.

I would spray some into a glass jar and drop the axles in for about a minute. Pull them out and dry for about 10 minutes (warning: wet sailkote eats wheels). I would lightly polish them a bit with a soft cloth to remove any white streaks or bumps.

And that's about it!

So something like a Selvyet Cloth for the light polish?

 

[LightninBoy]

Actually something more like a microfiber cloth.

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

Actually something more like a microfiber cloth.

Ok, Thanks for that clarification. My son and I will put it to use!

 

[Vitamin K]

Sure - sailkote is not a big secret.

I would spray some into a glass jar and drop the axles in for about a minute. Pull them out and dry for about 10 minutes (warning: wet sailkote eats wheels). I would lightly polish them a bit with a soft cloth to remove any white streaks or bumps.

And that's about it!

Thanks LB! One thing I'd been wondering was how long to wait before inserting the axles into the wheels, so thanks for that!

Out of curiosity, why spray the axles in a jar, as opposed to just holding the axle and spraying it? Personal preference, or does it actually coat better when they're sprayed in a jar?

 

[Cooperman]

I used sailkote with graphite before I switched to oil. It worked really well for us and would actually beat many oil based cars, though the best oil cars would still beat us. Plus the oil cars would stay consistent while our cars would slow down with each run.

I've never tried Lemon Pledge with graphite so I can't tell you what's better. All I can say is that the sailkote worked great for us.

Thank you LightinBoy for your great information. We have our last District meet coming up and would like to finish with a clean sweep for the last 4 years
Gary (Cooperman Racing)

 

[LightninBoy]

Thanks LB! One thing I'd been wondering was how long to wait before inserting the axles into the wheels, so thanks for that!

Out of curiosity, why spray the axles in a jar, as opposed to just holding the axle and spraying it? Personal preference, or does it actually coat better when they're sprayed in a jar?

That was just the way it was explained to me, so that's how I did it. Spraying on directly would probably work just as well.

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

I used sailkote with graphite before I switched to oil. It worked really well for us and would actually beat many oil based cars, though the best oil cars would still beat us. Plus the oil cars would stay consistent while our cars would slow down with each run.

I've never tried Lemon Pledge with graphite so I can't tell you what's better. All I can say is that the sailkote worked great for us.

LightinBoy,

Just curious ...do you know or remember how many runs you could get on a good graphite lube before the car started to slow down? My son normally has to run 8 heats and then 8 more in the finals. We have not used the pledge/Sailkote trick yet, but only got about 10 -12 runs before times would start dropping off??? Is that normal or is there something else we can be doing to make his graphite last longer? This is his last district, so we want to make the best of it.

P.S. Our rules specifically state "No Oil", so we have to use "Graphite or Dry Lubricant".

 

[Vitamin K]

Ah, the "dry lubricant" rule...so much room for ambiguity. If "dry at the time of the race" is permissible, then you should be fine using Sailkote, since it lists itself as a dry lubricant right on the can.

 

[Keith A.]

Im interested in trying this technique. Remind me what it does again?

 

[ratrodsrule1]

Have heard a lot about the Lemon Pledge routine when using graphite. I read somewhere there's a generic version of it at half the price called "FAVOR". Both are made by SC Johnson. Some have claimed to use the same wheel/axle prep and compared the 2 products with better speed gains using FAVOR. What's the consensus ?

 

[ratrodsrule1]

Sure - sailkote is not a big secret.

I would spray some into a glass jar and drop the axles in for about a minute. Pull them out and dry for about 10 minutes (warning: wet sailkote eats wheels). I would lightly polish them a bit with a soft cloth to remove any white streaks or bumps.

And that's about it!

I used sailkote with graphite before I switched to oil. It worked really well for us and would actually beat many oil based cars, though the best oil cars would still beat us. Plus the oil cars would stay consistent while our cars would slow down with each run.

I've never tried Lemon Pledge with graphite so I can't tell you what's better. All I can say is that the sailkote worked great for us.

LB is this what you used ?

 

[Thinkin'Bout Racin]

LB is this what you used ?

I am not LB, but yes that is the ticket!

 

[Brian Stanley]

Be careful with things that spray, often the propellant doesn't play nice with the wheels. You'll never guess how I know this!

 

[ratrodsrule1]

I am not LB, but yes that is the ticket!

LB is this what you used ?

Thanks for the conformation TBR.......too many choices leads to confusion, confusion is the first step to hesitation and he who hesitates is lost.......Happy Trails and good luck my friend.......RRR

 

[ratrodsrule1]

Be careful with things that spray, often the propellant doesn't play nice with the wheels. You'll never guess how I know this!

Thanks Brian......Failure is simply success under construction......You didn't destroy a set of wheels you just discovered another way not to use Sail Kote......and BTW don't eat the yellow snow......Jus Sayin'......RRR

 

[FastFox]

Be careful with things that spray, often the propellant doesn't play nice with the wheels. You'll never guess how I know this!

So Brian, since you obviously have done some Scout and pro racing- which have you had better results with? Pledge or Sailkote?