Wheel Re-Prep

[5KidsRacing]

Ok I have a question.... What different methods have you guys found successful for wheel re-prep? I am hit or miss, sometimes the same speed, sometimes slower, usually not faster. Maybe I am just a great tuner the first go around... I don't know. I typically use John's method with alcohol, but are there any other processes I can try that work for you?

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

I am still just doing the same thing.

 

[Quicktimederby]

This is funny. This was going to be my next question. Having been in the automotive field pretty much my whole life one thing that I have always been told when cleaning is never use anything other than automotive car wash detergent when cleaning a car. If you use anything other than that it will strip off the wax, polish or whatever product you have on it. I haven't really messed with this but here's my take on it. If you are reapplying polish,wax after every cleaning than it should'nt matter what you use. If you are looking to build up a barrier on the hub bore than I would try a car wash soap that is less aggressive.

 

[5KidsRacing]

I guess that is exactly why I am asking Quicktime. I know with the alcohol I must be taking off the old wax and if I do that I want to take it all off and not leave little bits of it all over. I appreciate DD's response and I know his method works, but what if I use soap? I know some racers use soapy water with success. This also makes sense to me that I would want to use soap which would leave the first coat of wax and then I would run that way or apply another layer. But using soap and not getting it all out of the bore sounds terrible and I feel more comfortable with alcohol. To be honest I hate to re-prep BSA wheels... I like new builds. There are alot of racers here that use the same cars from month to month and I am curious how they do it... I am sure alot of newer guys are curious as well.

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

When done right, the prep should last for months just with cleaning the tire treads. NEVER, I repeat NEVER just add oil without doing a full reprep. It might speed up immediately but it will die in about a day. The soap sounds like a good idea. Another big problem is trying different waxes. I have seen wheels killed doing this and never come back to speed.

 

[Quicktimederby]

If using the soap, I would just run a fluffy, hub polisher, or whatever you use through the hub bore by hand to remove any film. I will give it a try not that me trying will help you but I will let you know my results.

 

[Guest]

If using the soap, I would just run a fluffy, hub polisher, or whatever you use through the hub bore by hand to remove any film. I will give it a try not that me trying will help you but I will let you know my results.

Has anyone tried molasses on the re-prep? I found out it works great for some things.

Just kidding! (on the wheels!)

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

Was it really molasses??? I should have smelled my finger!

 

[Guest]

Was it really molasses??? I should have smelled my finger!

That is what I tried..............don't know what you experienced? Good you didn't taste your finger! Who knows!!!

 

[ZZ Racing]

I use dawn dish soap to clean the bores then alcohol. Then reapply legends. The dawn works great to get the jig and oil out.

 

[SG3 Racing]

When I re-prep is use dawn detergent only. Then I apply my accelerated polish to the bore. Clean axles with brake cleaner and prep with jig and DD4H oil. I haven't had to re-prep my SS or SP since June. Then again I don't have much to brag about.

SG3 Racing

 

[5KidsRacing]

Great information everybody (except the molasses), I reprepped one set and prepped a new set of wheels for my Street Rods last night. I tried the water & Dawn method and I will see how it works.

 

[Eastside Racing]

dont know alot but have learn from the best even some of the best racer do things different I have learned to not try so many different things but to change how to use them and if i did not on the wheels that i was running!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bmark

 

[5js]

I haven't tried dawn - but I do use an ultrasonic jewelery cleaner when reprepping wheels and axles. Out of the ultrasonic - into iso-alcohol.

 

[5KidsRacing]

Thanks everybody, for me the water and Dawn method seemed to work fine and just as good as the alcohol method. I didn't see any significant gain with either method, but it certainly is another option.