If you run slicks and are like me running more than one class, you know keeping up with your slicks can be time consuming. Recommended procedure is to make some passes then swap them from time to time to have a "Cleaning run". Well in the heat of the day this is really the last thing I want to do. This procedure is very important on strips that spray the whole quarter mile, as the spray really builds up on the slicks pretty bad .
So what I do is taken right out of our dirt car tire prep book just not as extreme. It involves dressing, or sanding your slicks to keep them fresh. Best thing is after you get the slicks off the car it only takes about 5 to 10 minutes to do. Not to mention it's also a great time to check the car and the slicks over better than if you left them on.
As I do not have a tire rotisserie that fits this pattern of wheel, I just placed one tire face down on the ground and the other inside the back of the wheel.
Notice the discoloration of the rubber even after washing with dish soap and a scrub brush. It is very important to remove and wash your slicks the very day you get back from the track. VHT will make the rubber glaze or "Go hard" and you will lose forward bite.
I use a few drops of Dawn or Simple Green. Washing them keeps the rubber soft. You may use what ever your tire manufacture recommends, I stay away from bleaches, and make sure there is no silica or silicone in the detergent.
For this procedure I use a "Mud Hog", basically a big dual action sander with 80 grit sand paper on it. This removes the LEAST possible amount of material.
Use very LIGHT pressure and go with the circumference of the tire until all the balled rubber and any VHT left over is removed.
The bottom is the finished product, notice the nice "new" rubber with lack of trash left over. Best thing about this is when you return to the track after this process, you will feel like you installed new slicks and WILL notice a difference.
It still does not perform the "Cleaning" that most all slick manufactures recommend. Believe me this works great and you WILL notice a difference. The biggest thing is with this procedure your slicks are not sitting all week with VHT on them. That stuff will harden the rubber if left on there for prolonged periods of time
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