To clean or not to clean ?

[mattb]

Spray the Endust on a pad and let it dry, then use that to wipe the track? I'll give that a tray. I have a feeling a tack cloth might be a good answer. I always have throw away tacks, so I see how they work.

[mattb]

Wood track, silicone tires, no magnets.

We raced yesterday and I wiped the track with my alcohol/water mix. There was still some dust left/settled and we cleaned tires every few minutes for 10-15 minutes, then we ran clean the rest of the afternoon.

Fast forward, I wanted to try a tack cloth and was in HD this morning, so I bought some. I went down to the track and I cleaned tires and ran a few laps and car got pretty loose after 8-10 laps. I got out a tack cloth and did one wipe around the track. Cars with clean tires ran like they were on a rail. They stayed that way lap after lap. This looks like a great way to clean a track that runs silicones exclusively.

Whoever posted this above, I thank you. Seems like a great solution.

[RichD]

Some brands of tack cloth will leave a residue on the track rails or braid that is not conductive. After I used a tack cloth on my track the cars would not run and I had to remove the residue with lighter fluid. If you want to try a tack cloth only do a short section of track, then try your cars before you do the rest. Usually we wipe our tracks down with a Swiffer, then run the cars with frequent tire cleaning during practice. By the time the actual racing starts the track will usually be clean.

[chappyman66]

I use a tack cloth pretty routinely, but I keep off the tape for the most part. Quick and easy, and a couple drops of rail cleaner on the braid of a couple cars cleans everything up afterward.
But Rich is correct...some can have a waxy residue so just be aware.

[War Eagle River]

We use a tack cloth exclusively on our no mag MDF track. There are different grades of tack cloth. Some very sticky to not soo sticky. After getting a couple from the local auto body supply, and some from Home Depot, they seemed to be very tacky. Went to Wally World and found some that are just right(Goldie Locks Tack Cloths!), and they were only $1.97! So bought 2 boxes of them. They have never left any residue on the braid. Our track has been raced on constantly every week for the last year. Only cleaned the braids once in a year with Naphtha. We wipe the track down lightly with the tack cloth before test & tune Wednesday evenings, and then again Saturday mornings before racing. No dust, and has never pulled up the rubber!

[mattb]

I got tack cloths from HD and they have worked fine. I do a light wipe of the whole track then throw them in a ziplock bag. The next week I use them again. There are about 4 in the baggie and they are all used. This has been a very good solution to dust and silicone tires. I haven't had any issues with the track braid, it seems to be fine.