Has anyone got a method of removing the melted rubber that accumulates on the tread of track tires?A hair dryer and chisel seems to work ok but takes forever![Small amounts don't worry me but after 30 hard laps there is enough on there to throw the front wheels seriously out of balance]A good burnout fixes the rears!Any ideas?

 

3M adhesive remover
followed with wax.

 

Mooty,these are lumps of rubber that actually weld themselves on to the tire tread.On a clockwise circuit they end up on the inside edge of the left hand tires and down the middle of the tread on the right hand tires.I'm not worried about the ones on the rims or bodywork,Ian

 

during my cool down lap I try to stay out of the marbles, and I try to scrub the tires buy turning left and right. for what remains when I get home I take screwdriver and pick the big ones off and the others get knocked off on my next event. I have a set of track tires only. That is about it.

 

Ian

Good question. My MPSCs end up coated with these bits after every outing but not to the extent they cause a wheel balance problem. On cool down, I avoid the marbles as much as possible like TOADINLAW noted but they still collect. I just brush off as much as I can by hand (gloved) when I check air pressure after parking. I think these welded strips and chunks scrub off when the tires are heated up at the next session so I just accept them as a feature of sticky tires.

 

You wax your tires?

 

Thanks Guys.I have not had the problem so bad before.I think I probably did more laps than the tires were good for.I drive 70 miles home and usually it all comes off but not this time.

 

It was a joke. Worrying about marbles on your tires is a joke too. Don't sweat it. Just drive.

 

I just do a wire brush scrub once I remove the tires for the transport/wheels

 

Just to clarify[for the marble waxing joker] the tread that melts on your tires during hard cornering gets pushed across the face of the tire to the edge that is not under stress.Some of this comes off and becomes 'marbles' but much stays on and can throw the front wheels out of balance causing the steering wheel to vibrate.While it does not affect performance the vibration/wobble in the steering is annoying SO WHY WOULD YOU LEAVE IT ON THERE if there is an easy way to get it off?
'Marbles' that have come off other cars generally cool down and while they will be picked up by a hot tire they are easy to scrub off or will fall off on the next track session.Thanks for the constructive suggestions from those who obviously have been to the track!

 

You need heat gun(not hair dryer) available @ Bunnings to literally slice(very carfully) thin scaping off tyre. Be carefull not to cut tyre or do more than thin shave.

 

Red9,thanks.I'll get one tomorrow.

 

Don't waste your time trying to remove the stuff. I get it every time I'm on track because I drive there and back again. Depending on where the track is, often the excess is gone by the time I get home (ie: 300 miles home from Watkins Glen and they were all clean). If not, then within a few days...

 

Even after 180 mile drive home I still had a number of chunks left on my tire. I am hoping that by the time I get to the next track day they will be gone (or close to it), as the last day I was getting some nasty vibrations at 130 mph+ by the end of the day.

 

mine stays on there. tried removing them with a brush. some come off some don't. but they're not really "marble" sizes. just flat like bubble gums. it gives it character. haha