What axle polish do you use?

Jav74 Wednesday, 9/5/2018

 I see that Chevy uses turtle wax brand. How about the rest of you? I’ve only used the red block that comes with some dremel kits. I imagine it’s not the best. 


Discussion

I have used a few different brands but haven't seen any difference in them. 


  • That's Red Pill speak for...Yes, I do have a favorite...and I'm not telling you. — LeagueofSpeed
  • LMAOO... You gotta pay for this information HAHA. Cough up the cash LOL — D_Built_Garage

Well...if I told ya....and I'd hate to have to do that :)


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Jav74 9/6/18

Thanks. I guess if I can’t afford fte’s, I won’t be able to compete in most races anyway. 


  • Check out Red Pill Racing you tube channel. He builds a ton of mods and a lot of them are built without FTE wheels. I’m in the same boat. The FTE ‘s I do find are few and far between. I can’t seem to find anything in my neck of the woods. ( north of the border). — 41-14
  • The color changer cars also have nickel-plated axles — 72_Chevy_C10
  • Won plenty of races and not one was with FTE wheels or any nickle plated axles period. I do spend considerable time with 21 steps of various grits, papers, clothes and polishes. Some times it depends on the oem condition of the mainline axles I'm starting with. After initial filing and smoothing, its a lot of patience and work. But a mirror shine is achievable, ie polished. My final step is a coat of Turtle Wax Finish 2001(because it was in the garage) buffed off with my dremel — MDG_Racing

Many use Turtle Wax products and McGuire s as well 

It's more axel prep with non FTE wheels/axels, but one of my fastest mods has mainline axels...a Country Club Muscle that has won two titles this year...and MDG Racing doesn't use FTE packages either and builds fast cars.


  • Mainline axles are not the easy route for sure. It takes a lot of work to get the axle head nice and smooth. And a shiny finish to a steel wire that looks like dull old galvanized when you start. — MDG_Racing
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Jav74 9/6/18

Yeah, I was just gonna buy a known brand and go with it anyway. I just wasn’t sure how sub par the dremel block was by comparison. And it’s almost gone. I believe what you’re saying about fte vs. a well done car. It’s just annoying that the bay prices aren’t so great on fte’s. And knowing which ones are the ideal axle width is difficult for a noob sometimes.  I always bought cars to customize for show. I’d never heard of or even thought about modding to race until I stumbled upon this place while looking at customs. 


  • I too have a fastest modded car that is not fte. It was my nephews and disregarded by him probably 7 or so years ago. I just did all the stuff I read from you guys. Didn’t change the axles either. He never bent them like the rest of what I found of his. It’s that turbolance or whatever. — Jav74
  • And, my Javelin got smoked by a non fte at Bare Muscle 4!lol — Jav74
  • That's the thing about FTE's also. They were just a mainline OH5 wheel made of the softest black plastic. Subject to warping and actually hubs breaking completely out. Look at Hot Wheels Racer Mike video on it. The axles are plated but still made mass produced, off set crooked to the ends. Bad ends that once filed lose their plating and other issues. Color Changers are the modern nickle plated and still have the same issues. — MDG_Racing
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redlinederby 9/7/18
Site manager

I used some Brasso metal polish on non-FTE axles and I do notice a difference. I usually rub on with a rag and then buff with the Dremel. 


  • I use Brasso as an earlier step a lot of times. Pumice first and some rough grits then the Brasso. I've tried it at the end of the process too. — MDG_Racing
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Jav74 9/7/18

I do notice a difference as well. I used my dremel and the red polishing block. I could take a new mainline car that had 30 stock cars in front of it and get it in the top 10 doing what I learned from all of you. And man, the graphite does wonders as well. 

I have a rookie question. Do you polish FTE axles? Or do they not require ploishing since they are nickel plated?

Thanks in advance!


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LeagueofSpeed 12/11/19

Do not polish nickel plated axels with standard stuff...Mother's etc., most polishes will actually remove the nickel plating...if you're going to polish nickel platted axels...get Flitz in the tube...can be found on Ebay.


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