Which tire softener?

I have a set of scrubbed hoosier slicks that came with the new car(was told they are scrubbs,I'd bet more like 20+ runs)and would like to freshen them up a bit before the start of the solo season,poked around the new a bit but I figure you guys would be the best source of "usefull" info. So what do you prefer formula V,Goat P or ............?

Tom. Your best bet is probably to soak them in old motor oil. For a few days at least. They might smoke a bit, but so do two strokes, so no one will notice. I look forward to racing against you in the spring.

I used Formula V on an old set of Victoracers. They were kind of greasy at the first event (it was cold, too), but it got me another year out of them. They're totally dead now.

mw wrote: Tom. Your best bet is probably to soak them in old motor oil. For a few days at least. They might smoke a bit, but so do two strokes, so no one will notice. I look forward to racing against you in the spring.

Thanks Mike,I have some lightly used high end synthetic out of the R1 in the Geo-should be enough for mine and yours if you want to leave them with me at the open house I'll even do them for you.

mw wrote: Tom. Your best bet is probably to soak them in old motor oil. For a few days at least. They might smoke a bit, but so do two strokes, so no one will notice. I look forward to racing against you in the spring.

I thought he was serious until I read that last sentence!

I use a 50/50 mix of Xylene and Toluene. I already have my two kids, so I'm not worried about any genetic mutation.

I used WD40 once, it worked but the bit of oilyness on the tires offset the grip increase for the event I needed them for, you REALLY need to get the oil off the tires, I think it took me a drive to the track, an autocross, and then a solid week of DD'ing to get rid of it all. If I were to do the treatment again I'd spray the tires with a heavy detergent mix and rinse them off before the first drive.

I used Formula V on my Hoosiers, It takes time to do it according to instructions. It seemed to soften the surface somewhat but I can't say if it helped performance. Mostly because the event was usually on a different track.

low odor mineral spirits, stack the tires and apply it with a 4" width foam roller. apply on tu, wed, th, and fri. go fast on sunday.

To be honest I'm quite dissapointed in the lack of replies,surely to god if there's going to be a load cheap bastards trying to get more life out of a set of tires this would be the place.

I had a friend who worked for a large tire manufacturer. He told me that they used high flash naphtha to keep the rubber soft. I have also seen it referred to as rubber solvent. It may be very similar to varsol.

kevlarcorolla wrote: To be honest I'm quite dissapointed in the lack of replies,surely to god if there's going to be a load cheap bastards trying to get more life out of a set of tires this would be the place.

Cheap bastards don't want to spend money on either of those brand name softeners $$$$. I have actually heard of people using gasoline and bleach (not together), but don't know the results first hand. If I had a durometer, I would test with some old slicks I've got laying around.

I have used Formula V with good results (that's what I used on my '06 Challenge car) but yeah you have to marinate the tires in it for about a week for best results.

Way back in the Dark Ages guys running foam tires on RC cars would use oil of wintergreen for traction compound.

In reply to kevlarcorolla:

Here you go, right from the horse's mouth:

http://www.absorbine.com/products/hoof-care/hooflex-therapeutic-conditioner

brush it on, and use a high powered hair dryer or heat gun to help it soak in.

I used this on a few old circle track tires (slicks) for street fun a long time ago. I found it by searching for products with rosin and other stickyness.

Formula V does work well - I've found to also heat the tires after soaking.

product label

http://www.absorbine.com/assets/downloads/dealers/hoof-care/hooflex-therapeutic-conditioner-liquid/hooflex-therapeutic-conditioner-liquid-label.pdf

Zombie thread resurrection.

Any new thoughts on this subject? Hoof conditioner? Interesting.

Acetone and ATF 50/50 mix if your cheap but Formula V is cheaper if you have to buy the chemicals and it works better.... Bob's 4 cycle karts website has all sorts of recipes.

Formula V is my fave. Yeah, the other stuff may work, but FV is a known quantity and their current formulation is pretty inoffensive from an odor perspective. If you want to do it right, coat them, then wrap them in plastic for at least a few days before you use them. On the F500, it's part of my post-event trailer unload. Soak the tires, wrap them and let them stay wrapped until the next event.

But does it count toward challenge budget?

Has anyone ever done this with street compound autocross tires that still have tread but don't stick as well as they used to?

I've had good fortune with Tire Power. It was recommended by an experienced racer.

found this online:

1. ACETONE=harsh softener, dries out the tire, usually used in connection with a lubricant or less aggressive chemical

2. MINERIAL SPIRITS=mild softener, usually used a base or cutting agent for other preps

3. WD40=light oil, provides some bite, mainly used to replenish the oil in the tire

4. DIESEL= heavy softener, usually used before race day and in combination with a grip agent

5. ACRYSOL= mild softener, cleaning, usually used to cut another prep or preprep to allow deeper or quicker penetration

6. ATF=similar to wd-40, mild softer

7. DENATURED ALCOHOL=mild hardener, will dry the tire out over time, not generally used as a tire prep

8. KLEAN STRIP JAPAN DRIER=never used, would assume similar to #7

9. GOATPEE=harsh softener, produces immediate bite

10. HOTLAP=conditions tire, adds some grip, makes tire fire quicker, last longer

11. KEROSINE-=see diesel, has a little more grip

12. TIRE TUFF=between race conditioner keeps tire stable

13. CREO=mild softener, very aggressive grip agent, dries tire out.

Citation Link

Goatpee, is that a brandname or is that to be taken literally? (definitely not to be taken orally)

God o mighty. Don't tell me Autocross chemically prep tires too. I race Oval Karts and you best prep them "Tores". Goat Pee, or Gold will remove oils out of a tire but I use it to get one Cycle out of a set. I dont know what kart chemicals would work but if you all are preping, at least roll a light prep inside the tires so that the tires will be treated forever. I also run a prep at the track to fire off the tires as well. Track Tac is a great brand to use too.

In reply to Cactus:

Yes. And the stuff will give you Cancer as a side benefit.