Max Runs and curve on run times

Feb 23, 2014
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Graphite car, with proper wheel prep how many runs do you usually get and when does it peek and how does it trail?

Does anyone have a graph?

Please and Thanks!!!
 
No graph, just a comment- If all are following a "graphite only" rule, then the best prep will keep your runs faster and longer. When guys experiment, they always discover an answer, even when it's not the best, but it is the best for them, so be sure and take some time in the off season to make a few cars with different process attempts and keep a log book. With just a tuning table wide enough to "race" two cars you can find the lower friction process. Graphite times were improved with both magic bore steps of polish and wax. And improved again with added steps like Pledge on the axle. Some have come up with using a certain graphite to burnish into the wax, and a second graphite to use puffed over the top. Now here is a thought, does the silicone left by the Pledge do all the work, or is it the particular wax left behind. Can you find a way to burnish graphite ( or graphite-moly) over the surface of the axle after the Pledge?. I had a kid run the oil process without oil. Totally dry and his times were faster than all the graphite cars and times did not drop after 30 runs, or even sitting for 6 months.
 
Tx, I can tell you that we burnished my son's wheels last week after letting the Red Rocket cure (really does look wet) and even though the Q-tip we burnished with was a nice, tight fit, it hardly left any graphite behind....at least in comparison to when we've burnished in the past, when it turned the bores gray.

I could hardly get the graphite to stay around the axle head, also.

Times were pretty consistent, though. 6 lane track, first and last runs were the two quickest.
 
As slingblade stated, generally 3rd-7th runs are the fastest. You'll know you're graphite is wearing off when you see your speeds get slower. My sons car for his Pack race had the track record at 217.3mph, but that was within the first 4 runs. His average for the Pack finals was 215.4mph. It was my fault really, I forgot to burnish the bores and did a really crappy prep job, but hey we still won.
 
TX, that is an interesting concept of a prep process with no graphite and still having consistency in the runs. What if only Pledge was added to the process and skipped the graphite all together? Time for some R&D I guess.
 
I always wondered if graphite was helping or hindering. When you think about it, it does have some grit to it, so in theory, even though it's a "lubricant" for PWD does the grittiness of putting it into the wheel bore (not talking burnishing) speed you up or slow you down?
 
To be clear, with no oil, but an oil prep, we are beating the slow graphite and poorly built cars that are typical at a pack race. I would put that process at better than derby dust, but below DD4H zone. say a 3.01 if QT built the car, and with NO bore polish or wax, but a polished axle, car runs a 3.1,

tracktimesvsgraphite.jpg