Protecting the shelf queen

[breck]

I'd like to hear everyone's input on how each of you are protecting various parts/pieces on your beloved shelf queens.. In particular the tires, shocks, tranys etc.. Care to share your tips?

Rubber tires: I thought about putting a thin coat of vaseline, or using silicone type cleaners??

Shocks: Does everyone put shock oil in there shelf queen

Trany's: "To grease or not to grease"

Anyone have any new ideas or time tested solutions?

Thanks folks!!

[jimbo858]

oh and what is everyone using for a "car stand" so that the tires don't get the usual "flat spot" on them? Just to be cost effective I was thinking about getting some PVC drainage tubing maybe 3-4" in diameter so that I can cut them to varying heights to keep the tires from developing the flat spots.

Here's something silly... How about using automotive products? Like tire protectant for the tires and maybe actually waxing the paint on the older plastic bodied tamiya models (i.e. the original Blackfoot?).

[gozone]

Lots of people already wax and polish their hard-shelled cars, (me included). I have tried different things for preserving rubber, and often, the tyres can be even more damaged from ones attempts to preserve them. I have used normal silicone spray for rubber on a set of tyres nearly 2 years ago, and they still look stunning. Also, spray-oil for leather seems to work fine, as it will enter the rubber, making it smooth and soft, (from my experience)..

Most of my cars are stored in dark closets, also with the wheels elevated to protect them from flat-spotting, and not being able to havethem on display anywhere, this is how the yare stored. Furthermore, dark closets allows no sunlight to hit the cars, keeping the colours great looking.

All of the cars have lubed gearboxes and bearings but not all have shock oil, especially not the SRB´s as they have a tendancy to "spill" the oil...

Also, on some of the places where my cars are on shelves, (in closets also), i have used the lids from the empty Pactra spraycans to use as "storing-blocks" to lift the wheels of the shelf..

Cheers..

Michael

[DeeMiller]

-Rubber parts: 100% silicone.

-Put the model on a stand because of the tires which will get dent in time.

-Release spring pressure on any part.

-Metalparts: siliconspray.

-Gears: synthetic oil

-Whole car: plastic aquariumtanks (keeps the dust away)

Put some sillicagel in it, it will absorb moisture.

That's about it.

Grtz Dee.

[snollan]

Here is some info for you:

From DJTheo:

"Some people from the autmotive world say that Armor All makes things worse, others recommend glycerine or BMW "Gummipflege", you will find some topics if you use the search function."

Shodog talks about the BMW products as well.

Here is a post on the subject for protecting the tires:

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/xforum/topic.asp...earchTerms=tire

[DeeMiller]

Don't use glycerine on metal parts for it attracts moisture!id="size4">

100% Silicon is an organic substance (like rubber) so this shouldn't damage anything.

It prevents the solvents in rubber to vapourize in time.

Note: it don't protect against uV-light though!

It's the additive in siliconspray (like Armor All) that destroys parts.

[snollan]

I was just talking about the tires in my reply sorry about he confusion.

[DJTheo]

Talked with few rubber experts at my work and they said glycerine is the best for rubbers.

Agree with above methods, would built the car dry though, without any greases or oils as they may dry, colour or even stick on parts after some years.

Cheers

[DeeMiller]

For synthetic oil: it it will stay stable for years, only wears out when used.

[jimbo858]

okay so then this brings up the questions;

-what do they recommend for grease in the old tranny cases?

-what do they recommend for the shocks?

[DeeMiller]

quote:Originally posted by jimbo858

okay so then this brings up the questions;

-what do they recommend for grease in the old tranny cases?

-what do they recommend for the shocks?

---

id="quote">id="quote">

If it'll stay a shelf queen, I suggest: no grease at all.

[DJTheo]

Actually even synthetic oil and its additives oxidate, crack and absorb humidity in time, just very slowly, so the best is as said to use no grease or oil at all at a shelf queen.

Cheers

[breck]

Great Info!!

So.. no grease or oil anywhere, put %100 Silicone on the rubber parts, use a car stand, and try to keep out of the sunlight if at all possible..

This is very valuable info - Cheers!

[DeeMiller]

You're welcome![]

Grtz Dee