using chrome polish

[xxbowhunterx]

I read alot about using chrome polish and brasso for axle polishing. What brand of chrome polish is the best? And what type of cloth do you use to polish the axles so it does not scratch the axle surface? I cotton cloth ok?

[5KidsRacing]

Feb 1, 2012 8:32:45 GMT -6 xxbowhunterx said:

I read alot about using chrome polish and brasso for axle polishing. What brand of chrome polish is the best? And what type of cloth do you use to polish the axles so it does not scratch the axle surface? I cotton cloth ok?

I use Brasso and a cotton cloth. There are Selvyt cloths which are made for this exact purpose, but I think it is a waste of $$. Just make sure that there is nothing on your axles and in your wheel bore prior to assembly and adding lube. Use a jewelers loup at around 20X magnification.... they are cheap.

[tkp]

I believe your question may/should include two parts- which polish and method.

There are many axle polishing kits out there on the market which are good and outside of that, some racers that I know have had success using Mothers aluminum and chrome polish, brasso, pumice, .05 diamond polish, etc.

We personally have not tested all of these and I wonder how much actual difference there is- this would be a good poll or a good bit of Test Scenarios. I suppose you would need to evaluate down to the micron/submicron level- which has smallest particles. Also use loop or magnifying glass for the eye test.

We have used mothers and also axle polish from market vendor- have not noticed any difference, but have not tested with controls.

For method- some folks simply just use eyeglasses cloth/cotton cloth and generally apply polish to axles manually. Others may use axle in drill at around 600 rpm. You ask a very grounded question- what is best axle polish- but I would add if you use the best (whatever that is) and you apply manually and simply clean off axle....you may not have as Primed of an axle that is polished by drill methods. You are probably already doing this, just wanted to make the point.

For polishing we use soft cotton cloths from Home Depot.

Lastly, imagine the grandparents coming into the garage and seeing all of us with jewelers loop and/or maginifying glass looking at our son's Pinewood derby car- ;D we are soooo over the top- Don't you just love getting bit by the Pinewood Bug??!!
(Little do they know we also have a flux capacitor as our secret back up weapon)