I have a set of Radar / MT wide white drag slicks. I want to use "Hot Lap Victory Lane Traction Treatment" to soften up the rubber for my first attempt at drag racing.... The rubber is almost the consistency of regular street tires, therefore; I want the tires a little more tacky.... How do you recommend using this chemical, holly shit is it powerful stuff, it would knock you over, obviuosly to be used in a well ventilated area.... Some time ago a gemtleman, circle track guy, recommended wrapping the tire in plastic wrap after you applied the traction treatment. Any suggestions other than just brushing the treatment on the tire? Thanks guys....
seems like a couple guys i know that ran dirt late models....would brush some of the tire softner on the inside of the tire first...let it sit over night....then applied it to the outside a couple times....i know my dad brought a pair of old mickey t slicks back to like this using vht or something....of course a good burnout usually helps some too....hahah brandon
We us a similar product on a Jr Fuel car that is limited to a 12in tire to help the bite. From my experience wipe it on with a rag a few minutes before you make a pass, if you leave it on too long it will not work as well. I can't show you any real good documentable improvements, but the small tire guys love it. Use a rag that you will never need for anything else because it will be trash after the first application.
These guys have what you need, give them a call and tell him I sent you. The stuff works! http://www.pro-blend.com/circle.htm It works on drag tires to
This was posted earlier today and if you watch the vid it shows them wiping it on just before the run. http://positiveapeindex.blogspot.com/2006/09/ingenuity-in-action.html
VHT type tire treatments don't actually soften the rubber. They act like a glue to glue the tire rubber to the rubber on the strip. That's why you see it applied just before the race. It only lasts about the length of the 1/4, then needs to be re applied. Ever been to the strip and hear the strip guys shoes sticking to the track surface? Thats cause of all the VHT. The Hot Lap type products actually soften the rubber. This is why it's applied on both the inside and outside of the tire, and is usually geard toward the roundy round guys. They need the tire to stay soft for the length of teh race, not just sticky for 1/4 mile. Most products come with instructions for best use, but generally I've heard slather the tires up good and put them in a garbage bag or wrap them in suran wrap. These products need some time to soften the rumbber, it's not an instant treatment like the VHT Trackbite.
Hmmmm. Just wondering. Will this stuff trash out my street tires?Cause them to deteriorate prematurely? Does it "cure" w/ the rubber? What happens to my paint & polished metal when I sling this shit all over creation during my burnout? I find the idea of making my cheaters softer & getting better traction appealing. I wanna maximize my traction in a STREET CAR. With vintage STYLE tires. On the drag strip. Without resorting to MODERN tire technology. And you can save your comments about "dialing in the chassis" cause I'm running Ladder bars & a BUGGY SPRING. Hey AHotRod,you vouch for it? Will it make my ugly car uglier by fucking up what little paint & polish I got?
No personal experience, but it'll probably cause your tires to wear faster if for no other reason than soft rubber wears faster than hard rubber. It's "probably" paint safe, but you'd want to double check with the manufacturer.
Why spend money on tire goop when you're going to do a long,hard burnout? I spread a bunch of that shit on the Pure Hell Fuel Altereds slicks about 10 yrs ago. What a waste of time. Pit gravel sticks to the slicks towing to the lanes & it flys everywhere,even around & in front of the 3 hole Enderle,and your bitchen paint job. Wiping the goo on the tires just before the(Fuel)car stages is a no no,even on Outlaw Dragstrips,,,,,Right? I'd rather see water poured down to help an old tire-smoking machine make a lap. Good luck dude,,,let us know . tc
I have done it in the past on circle track cars. I had 2 tires seperate the rubber from the cords. I have used the tolule base softerners and the non flamable types. I will never use it again.Maybe get some one with a groving iron to just cut some small sipes on the tires..Bobby..
everyone i knew used vht and brushed it on in the pits kinda heavy and warmed it up in the burnout box....seemed to be a good formula.....loved pickin off rubber specks off the quarters when i was a kid
What about standard household chlorine bleach? I've heard of guys using this as a tire softener...any truth to that?
Dealt with this on jr. dragsters. Couldn't do enough of a burnout to clean the VHT off the tires(M/T, M2 compound) and as the VHT built up it would kill the 60' especially on marginal tracks. Any petroleum solvent will soften the rubber, then we'd use a surform(cheese grater) to clean the tires. Bonus was the softer tire would pickup the 60' times (and a bunch of gravel/ dirt getting back to the pits). Shoot even WD40 works well. Ended up settling on a combination of mineral spirits,deisel fuel conditioner, and methanol wiped on between rounds really helped consistency. You may notice a lot of the faster jr. dragsters in the staging lanes with plastic wrapped or vinyl covers on the tires. This will get the 60' times in the 1.5 to 1.6 zone on the faster cars.
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