wheel prep

[pony express]

I'm doing more table top experiments with waxes and polishes. The fastest preps on the track translate back to table top experiments that show the greatest hydrophobicity. That seem obvious, but there are differnces between individual preps and their degree of hydrophobicity.

I still have not discovered Quick Times secret prep, but I'm still trying.

 

[GravityX]

Here's my deal with wheel prep, I think I have figured out what the prep is, my SP car is fast without track tuning. Possibly with some track tuning I could beat some of the guys running faster than my car. Who knows? What I haven't figured out is the correct setup being used. Now, I realize all cars are NOT the same and therefore all setups are UNIQUE to each and every build. A tuning board may get us close, but there is nothing like sending it down the track for some real world testing. (I know there are track differences, but when testing on your own track you need to get the best times out of your track and then send your cars in each month to see how they compare.) Wheel prep is only part of the solution, which by looking at some of the track times at Nationals, many are on the right path. Correct vehicle alignment and setup is where (I feel) the speed lies after getting relatively close in the wheel bore/axle prep. The best wheel prep in the world will not make you the fastest car if the setup is not there to utilize it. There may be flaws in this way of thinking, but this is what I believe.

 

[AC Designs]

Gravity X, I think you hit the nail on the head. I really think if you can have the best wheel and axle prep in the world. But, if your alignment isn't right then it will be all for nothing. Track time is the best way to get your alignment perfect. But, you are like me no track to test on so it is mirror racing for me. Getting that close is all I can do and send them out to see where I am.

 

[Mr Chips Racing]

Ok boys here is my 2 cents on this topic. Its all a crap shoot. I have prepped my axles and wheels, I have had John do it, had QT oversee me do it, spoken in length with Kinser about it. All my blocks have been drilled by John and yet I still can not break the barriers in which I really should have by now. My SS was running sub 2.96XX on Johns track the week before nationals. There is was a 2.98XX car all day long. Go figure. When QT and I have tuned together the night before race day we are usually within 2-3 thousandths of each other in almost every class. Come race day my cars always get the race day jitters. I really have no clue any more after 4 years of doing this. I can do a sub 3 car in my sleep even to a 2.98XX. But then race day arrives and yuck/images/boards/smilies/bawl.gif.

I think I will stop trying so hard and just slap some stuff together and see where that gets me. I think I either still have way more to learn than I had hopped or, there really isn't a rhyme or reason why others are faster than me. Still having fun but fed up with 4 years of trying and having never won a stupid race. Been close a few times but then a crap run. Maybe I will just do the Street Rod's now since they are truly the coolest looking cars on the track.

Chips

 

[~JBD RACING~]

I think it has a lot of variables ... The cars I spent so much time on and was the fastest at the house was junk at nationals. The cars I didn't reprep finished really good placing 4th in 2 classes. Although I tried a few new things it didn't work. I'm sticking with my original prep. And hoping the parts I purchase will put me closer to the top. I feel there's is nothing wrong with my prep. And what I'm doing I think it's got a lot to do with getting everything working together from .. Prep. To tuning , assembling and testing. If ur prep. Holds up and you doing everything right you'll be fine. All my cars will be redone and back to old prep. And go from there

 

[Quicktimederby]

This is interesting. When I said that my cars that I prep for national were junk I was not lieing. If you deduct the .010 for track differential you can see that all my cars were slower than the last month(.004-.015). With the 1 car I won with was on a old prep. Now you ready for the differences in the prep?? The only thing I did different was use a new can of Jig!!!!! I'm starting to wonder if there is some inconsistency in the Jig, it a cretin lot # is faster than others. I just went and got a couple more cans we'll see what happens.

 

[5KidsRacing]

I think it is tough trying to compare different tracks to each other... I mean I think different types of cars run differently on different tracks. So maybe I send the exact same SS and SP cars to Utah and they run .030 difference in times and I send them to Wisconsin and they run .025 difference. I still think the faster cars will be at the top of the leaderboard, I just think it is difficult to come to a conclusion on what works and doesn't on a track that isn't nailed down and ran on month to month. Like maybe the Wisconsin track was polished less than the Utah track which may favor a car that is a little loose. You should also look at the times of all 3 (or 6) of your runs. With the amount of cars there was at Nationals you could only have a race with 3 prelim runs, otherwise it would have been a 3-4 day event, but one bad run can bump your average a lot. There were so many good cars at Nationals so every run was important and made the event that much more exciting.

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

You have to get lucky and get the right can of Jig.

 

[~JBD RACING~]

I got 12 cans of JIG let the testing begin ...lmao just kidding!!

 

[Quicktimederby]

Yea its funny I have noticed a few people trying to sell off their supply of Jig. I wonder if they have figured out the fast stuff, and unloading the slower stuff?

 

[pony express]

I've noticed that that the last 1/3 of a can of jig a loo, no matter matter what size it start as, the cars were definitely slower. It's as if the silicone concentration was not the same towards the end of the can.
Just an observation.

 

[ZZ Racing]

I've noticed that that the last 1/3 of a can of jig a loo, no matter matter what size it start as, the cars were definitely slower. It's as if the silicone concentration was not the same towards the end of the can.
Just an observation.

Very true!!!!!

 

[Rocket car]

Remember that silicone will sit on top of the other ingredients, so shake well in upside down position.

 

[bracketracer]

I've noticed that that the last 1/3 of a can of jig a loo, no matter matter what size it start as, the cars were definitely slower. It's as if the silicone concentration was not the same towards the end of the can.
Just an observation.

About the Jig, did anyone notice on the MSDS that the amount of silicone (polydimethyl siloxane) is listed as ONE to FIVE percent? If you get one can at 5% and the next is 1%.......good luck with your consistency!

Also, polydimethyl siloxane is a thick goo in a tub as it comes from DOW. There are solvents added for flowability and for propellant. If the solvent level goes down as you spray I could see where it might get "gooier" as the can empties.

 

[Spirit Racing]

Their is some merit to this bottom of the can theory !! All my cars were slower on my track and Wis.track at Nationals. When I looked at the axles after spraying, they did not look normal when I prepped. However my bearing car had normal times. That was confusing at the time. I was on the last 1/5 th of that can of jig. I figured it was because I skipped some steps in my cleaning process because didn't have much time to prepare my cars as normal . So thanks guys , I will play close attention to this theory on the Jig.......SPIRIT........

 

[5KidsRacing]

If someone would have asked me this question about Jig before this thread I would have said the opposite as all of you...

 

[ZZ Racing]

I have had issues with one can being better (faster) than the other and once I get down to 1/4 of a can speeds drop off so I have a bunch of 1/4 full cans for sale if anybody wants them. Lol

 

[5KidsRacing]

I do that with wheel molds.... ran bad with a certain wheels mold number once, now I have a growing pile of them I don't touch. Are they a bad mold number? probably not, but fool me once not twice... lol...

 

[GravityX]

Back a few months ago QT made this quote: "This will not be a forever secret! In time it will be out. "give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach him how to fish and he will eat forever!" This has yet to be proven in a league race we'll see how it does the next race and go from there... I will give you a hint. For most builders on here the answer to the question you already have." I like that Yoda touch at the end.
Low and behold... here is his response...

This is interesting. When I said that my cars that I prep for national were junk I was not lieing. If you deduct the .010 for track differential you can see that all my cars were slower than the last month(.004-.015). With the 1 car I won with was on a old prep. Now you ready for the differences in the prep?? The only thing I did different was use a new can of Jig!!!!! I'm starting to wonder if there is some inconsistency in the Jig, it a cretin lot # is faster than others. I just went and got a couple more cans we'll see what happens.

Now, this topic has lead me to believe there may be some speed to be found with some sort of jig-a-loo concoction.

I just have to reflect back at this and the posted information. It may be nothing, but it still makes me think.

 

[Rocket car]

I've been spraying jig on mirrors and letting it dry. Very interesting inconsistency. Noticed some speed robbing caracteristics.