Real Tips or Not?

[gWebber]

I saw some "Pro Tips" someplace today.

One that suggested "baking blocks" for 2 hours at 250 to dry the wood to "make it lighter".

Second was rubbing graphite on to the wheel tread surface to make it slicker.

Both seem to make some sort of spence but also seem a bit off for some reason.

As a novice, it's hard to know if these really make sense or are more BS.

Curious if The Pros have any opinions on these.

Thanks.

 

[Mojo Racing]

Don't do either of those.

First, baking the block doesn't make enough difference when we run our car bodies less than 10 grams. Also, that moisture will most likely end up back in the block anyhow, and it will put the car over weight or warp the car.

Second, the graphite on the wheels doesn't help. The front wheel is used to steer, and if it has graphite on it, it will slide instead of steer (The first run or two anyhow). Clean wheels are faster. Use a Mr Clean Magic Eraser or a microfiber rag to keep the wheels clean, and you will see faster runs.

Hope this helps.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Only time to do graphite on a wheel tread IMO is if you have to have 4 wheels touching....I still make it a rail runner with a dominant wheel. The other wheel I make it "just barely" touch, then lube the heck out of the tread so that if it does touch, it'll just slip.

Otherwise, all the pros tell us to keep the treads clean.

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

I would actually tell you to slick the front dominant wheel up with graphite on the inner edge and running surface.

 

[Crash Enburn]

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If I'm reading correctly: Inner edge, running surface, but not the outer edge that is rolling on the track.

 

[ngyoung]

Yeah you don't want your rear wheels sliding around at all. You put graphite on them and any little bump that throws your car off line will send them sliding back and forth. That DFW against the rail is a key friction point and is going to be sliding some as it spins and tries to travel through the rail. This is only really if you are already using graphite. Not sure how many guys using oil take the risk of getting any graphite contaminating their axles. I know some have or do but not many from what I can see in pics.