Reprepping Wheels to Black Ice...

[CivilWarTalk]

So I need to reprep some of last years wheels for MA this year, and I've got some choices to make.

These wheels were prepped with the Zero Friction system last year, and I ran Oil with them.

I cleaned them last night, but the bores look like they have light scratches inside. I'm thinking of doing a full reprep with the Black Ice System but I'm wondering if I should redo a step 1 on them?

I don't want to wreck the wheels, but I've got 8 to work with and I only need 4 to run on. The other 4 are going to be NDFWs, so if I mess up the bores, it's no big deal.

Any suggestions?

 

[B_Regal Racing]

I think that's going to be an individual preference. Personally, I am getting more and more selective as to which wheels I run, depending on the event. Where is the scratch, which direction is it running, and how deep is it are all considerations. While not a popular decision with most racers, I would try to re-polish it after removing the wax if I just thought the wheel was under-preforming because of a scratch and a simple re-prep does not work, especially if I had other wheels in reserve should I make the bore to big. For an event like MA, I would toss the wheel and not even try to re-polish at all.

 

[CivilWarTalk]

To my eye, the scratches I'm seeing look like minor molding scratches just like a new wheel. They appear to run from one end of the bore to the other, not in circles.

Maybe I can get a picture tonight...

I think these wheels have all of 4 runs in them, I don't have the funds to buy more new ones, so I'm salvaging what I can. A scout is thrifty after all...

I'm thinking I'm going to do a test prep on the worst 4 wheels, I remember I was overly cautious with these wheels when I got them, I was using the no-scratch applicators to polish with the Zero Friction Step 1 polish, and I just don't think I did a good job. I'm guessing the Red Rocket polish did a good job hiding these little imperfections.

I've got a very good idea of how large the bore is using the Tamiya swaps in the Black Ice kit, so I'll see how they take to the Black Ice #1 polish, see if it's a looser fit than brand new wheels. If it doesn't feel right, they will just be the DFWs for this year.

I've got two brand spanking new sets of MA wheels too, so I've got to get them polished as well.

 

[B_Regal Racing]

I would absolutely polish that mark out.

 

[HurriCrane Racing]

Keep in mind that MA is not allowing reversed wheels this year. If you have older MA wheels they may be too light to run forward.

 

[CivilWarTalk]

Keep in mind that MA is not allowing reversed wheels this year. If you have older MA wheels they may be too light to run forward.

Good to know, but I ran these normal last year, they were advertised by DD4H as OK to run either way.

 

[Cramjet]

My personal rule is, if it's a nick where the axle makes contact or a left to right scratch, polish it out. If it's a scratch which goes in the same direction as the wheel rides on the axle, it's not a problem. Also, if it's a nick or molding dip in the middle of the bore, where the axle grooves are, leave it.

 

[Mojo Racing]

Keep in mind that MA is not allowing reversed wheels this year. If you have older MA wheels they may be too light to run forward.

Hmmmmm... I didn't even notice that !

As it turns out, the wheels must be directly across from each other also... None of that stacked wheel configuration on the non-dominant side.