Cleaning marbles/rubber off used slicks

[willdew]

I bagged myself a set of used slicks a few months ago, and going to get them put onto rims this weekend for track use. There's plenty of life left in them (c. 2-3mm). My questions is, what's the best way of cleaning all the rubber that's stuck to them off before I have them fitted to rims and balanced? A heat gun and a metal wallpaper scraper?

[anonymous-user]

Its easier with them mounted on the rims. Hot air gun and scraper, but dont cook the tyre in the process, put the heat into the scraper blade, not the tyre surface.

[Muzzer]

HTH

[willdew]

Muzzer said:

HTH

Do you think the local National tyre shop that swaps my tyres around for beer money will mind me doing that in their car park on a Sat afternoon? Probably not thinking about it...

[andygo]

Surform

[anonymous-user]

Thats not going to work on a slick with soft rubber stuck to it.

One thing worth mentioning, lots of people cut their hands when cleaning tyres up, as the tyre will absorb sharp shards of glass and stones from the track, gravel traps and pitlane. It's a good idea to wear gloves and remove any sharp objects and stones in the tyre before you start, an old hacksaw blade rubbed sideways accross the tyre is a great tool for finding and flicking out debris that will cut you.

[AndrewM]

The best tool to use is a surform - you'll see plenty of Hillclimbers using them between runs. Quite hard work though - and I'd definately use gloves too!

oops - should have read all the contributions before posting....

Edited by AndrewM on Friday 11th April 23:01

[anonymous-user]

There mustn't be much pickup on them to be able to use that tool, hillclimbing i can see that working, but not racing.

[eccles]

johnfelstead said:

There mustn't be much pickup on them to be able to use that tool, hillclimbing i can see that working, but not racing.

Hillclimbing tyres are a lot softer than circuit ones.

[anonymous-user]

I know, but the amount of pickup they will have will be tiny compared to a hot race slick that's just finished running round a circuit for 30 minutes, rather than a 30 second run up a hill.

[AndrewM]

I use a surform on my circuit racing slicks as well as my hillclimb rubber - you just have to work a bit harder on the circuit tyres!

[AtomicRex]

Best thing is a heat gun and a scraper.... Although its bloody boring! Especially between Qually and the Race!!