Silly question about protecting track rims
 

I have heard mixed opinions (via google search) about plasti-dipping track rims. Some say they have no problems with it bubbling or heat cycling or becoming permanently applied to the rim...then others say "no don't do it there is too much heat from the brakes".

My question is to those who have anecdotal or direct personal experience with the matter. Can you plasti-dip the face of the rim without it degrading?

I've lit brake components on fire before. An example is coming off track during a session and the caliper piston "dust boot" is burning or I got OPR wedged in the caliper and it caught fire. Both of which were easily extinguished by fanning the parts with hands but... Plasti-dip is flammable so take that into consideration.

Secondly, 90% of the cosmetic damage to any of the 10 sets of wheels I've used over the years on the race car have come from mounting/dismounting tires. The other 10% came from contact with another car. I would say almost 0% came from just driving around the track. The majority of damage comes from having off track excursions or banging curbs and bending/denting/cracking wheels. Nothing of which plasti-dip is going to save you from.

Recommendation: enjoy your expensive wheels on the street, buy inexpensive "track" wheels for the track. Or adjust your perspective and consider any wheel a "wear item" like ball-joints and brake pads before making your wheel purchasing decisions.

I tracked my car with plastidipped stockers. Couple of rocks chipped the plastidip, nothing negative otherwise.

I've seen plastidip get "baked" onto wheels on track after many sessions - it becomes nearly impossible to get it out of corners and tight places.

Using non ferrous pads can help, like Carbotech (ceramic), since the dust is non-corrosive. Regular waxing will help protect both wheels and body paint, and make removing rubber deposits much easier. Never leave any wheel coating on lug or mating surfaces, or you may lose a wheel.

I wasn't out to protect the wheels from track damage, but did take my plastidipped stock wheels to the track. My OEM brakes gave out long before I could enough heat into them to do anything negative to the plastidip. I have since removed the dip with no issues at all, fwiw. I can't say that YMMV, but worked well for me. Will be a few months before I make it back to the track with better pads, so I'll have to let you know then if the added heat hurts anything.

plastidp?? that's not a good idea.

track wheels are meant to be used and abused imho

Why is it not a good idea?

If you're worried about plastidip catching fire or being impossible to remove... go on youtube. There's a guy that test it with a screw driver... He plastidips the metal and takes a torch to it for like 3 minutes straight, never ignited and he scraped the plastidip off afterwards. I can't get the direct link because youtube is blocked at my current location....

edit: also with that video the plastidip showed no signs of bubbling/degrading

/thread?

Interesting... Seems to burn pretty well according this video:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTOLvCFmqCA"]Burning PlastiDip - YouTube[/ame]

Here too:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GZQM0MWT8I"]How Real Men Use Plasti Dip (part 2) - YouTube[/ame]

I have thought about this as it seems it would be a good way to keep wheels looking newer after the track. But then I remembered all of the damage and abuse my track wheels have taken over the years, and thought better of it. I have seen pieces of brake pad come off and attach to wheels along with just the dust. Hot messy stuff that can damage the wheel finish. I think the mess would be worse with plasti-dip and I really don't want to take the chance of having permanent plasti-dip. So I decided that I would just let my track wheels take the abuse as-is. I think this is the much safer option. I am not that particular about the looks of track wheels anyway.

Speaking of protecting wheels...

Don't break this wheel.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIO27gOc-uk"]Detachable Steering Wheel - YouTube[/ame]

When applied and DRY.


http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=sE384...%3DsE3841-1E8s