Track Tac

Tire sanding info

K

krtrcn

Member
I'm building a tire sanding machine. I would like to know what's a good rpm to turn it.
I would also like to know what's a good lubricant to use. I've heard straight water, Windex, wd40.
Thank you
Alan
 
Water and methanol, water, window cleaner as long as it has no ammonia and you'll be fine. Definitely no Wd-40.

Just make sure you keep them wet, make a pass then spray them. If they ever get dry, spray them even if it's a little bit in one spot. Make sure it doesn't get dry. The harder you press or the softer the tire, the more heat. So make sure you keep them wet, don't let them get hot.
 
Dougherty#39 said:
Spin it around 450 rpm. Water and methanol 50/50 in a gallon jug add around 10oz of simple green to the mixture should have pretty good results for you. Don't use wd40 to surface tires.
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Good suggestions. There are other products and ratios to use depending on what you're trying to achieve.

If may add, if you're going to sand them by hand, move your sandpaper back and forth quickly at a 45 degree angle with moderate pressure and not straight up and down. You will see a slimy black "goo" form on top of the wet tire once you start sanding but that will quickly turn to flying rubber once it starts to dry. Watch the color of the tire as it dries and move away from the part that is drying. This is where it is critical to move quickly and take some pressure off of the sandpaper or else the tire will burn and gum up. Especially with 240 and higher grit.

Personal preference but I like to temporarily put a little higher air pressure in the tire to sand. We have soft tires from harsh chemicals in the Midwest and higher pressure tends to help with the gumming.
 
I use Windex non-ammoniated. I don't like using methanol or degreasers as they pull the oil to the surface of the tire (which can make it gum up even quicker, and pulling oil/prep out of the tire is usually not what we're trying to accomplish when refinishing.)

The real key is to keep your sander moving with light pressure, no matter what coolant or speed you are turning the tire. Match the sander (or grinder) to the speed you are working and you'll be fine.

Freezing does help (especially if you accidentally get a tire gummy.) Otherwise I wouldn't recommend freezing tires.


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I know this is a no real answer question, but how long should I typically be sanding a tire. Turning the tire about 350 rpm. Using a belt sander (3") and 120 grit. Just looking for a starting point
 
Because you're simply trying to remove dead rubber without getting it hot, the faster you get it done the better. So as few passes and move as fast as you're comfortable, but keep moving at a consistent speed. Consistent is more important than fast, because you can put less pressure.

Start with a low enough grit to remove most or all of the feathering in 1-2 passes. Depending on how soft the tires are, you shouldn't have to go lower than 120. Then move up to 220-240, then 320+ for higher bite up to 600. Moving up progressively in grit to achieve the surface finish helps keep the heat down.
 
Wynn Racing said:
I've never understood using simple green to resurface, when it's supposed to pull the oils to the surface.
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It has to evaporate into the tire in order to pull any oil to the surface, youre not doing this ( letting it evaporate into the tire ) when re finishing a tire and that is why its used a lot to re finish, along with methanol as well. You are just using it as a coolant.
 
Things don't evaporate into a tire, Earl. They evaporate into the air. The chemical left behind (that DOES NOT evaporate) is what goes into the tire.
I'll agree that Simple Green probably isn't getting deep enough into the tire when you're refinishing to be overly worried about it, especially if just using it as a coolant, but is that Simple Green being rinsed off afterwards - that's the next question, and if not, won't that chemical still be evident in the rubber, sure.
I've used a lot of different mixes of coolant over the years. Some with success, some not so much. Just plain water will help in keeping the tire cool during the refinishing process. Bottom line is to use what you are comfortable with and be consistent so that you can expect the same results each time.
 
CarlsonMotorsports said:
Things don't evaporate into a tire, Earl. They evaporate into the air. The chemical left behind (that DOES NOT evaporate) is what goes into the tire.
I'll agree that Simple Green probably isn't getting deep enough into the tire when you're refinishing to be overly worried about it, especially if just using it as a coolant, but is that Simple Green being rinsed off afterwards - that's the next question, and if not, won't that chemical still be evident in the rubber, sure.
I've used a lot of different mixes of coolant over the years. Some with success, some not so much. Just plain water will help in keeping the tire cool during the refinishing process. Bottom line is to use what you are comfortable with and be consistent so that you can expect the same results each time.
Click to expand...
You know what i meant Brian.
 
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