element-82

Most of the info I have found so far deals with carbon wheels and recent tubular tires and glue. My glue is quite old and really stuck on there. I managed to clean up the front wheel ok, with a lot of elbow-grease, varsol and scraping with the blunt end of a toothbrush (so as not to scratch the rim). I thought I would ask the experts if there is a better way to de-gunkify old tubular rims. BTW this is my first set of sewups. I am kind of reassured that the glue sticks like crazy for riding.

thanks
Pb

rootboy 

If it's old and quite dry, I use a dull metal scraping tool, specially shaped to the concave contour of the rim. No need to worry and scratching up that part. Just be careful on the tops of the sides. If the stuff is really thick and crusty, paint remover works well, but is nasty.
Sometimes I mount a small 3M Scotchbrite wheel in a drill motor and scuff it off.

ScottRyder 

I use paint remover, rinse and go!

Scott

23skidoo

It's a nasty job no matter how you do it; I know folks who just left the old glue on and counted on a fresh application to seal the deal.

element-82

Thanks for the info. Looks like I am on the right track. I was tempted to just glue over it, but thought the old glue might "snap" being so dry. I will apply more elbow grease and varsol. I looked up the scraping tool and I think we have a fancy "cheeze spreading" knife that is the right shape... as long as the wife doesn't see me using it

Pb

DiabloScott

Wire wheel on a drill.

iab

I'm with Scott. Dry glue comes off with a wire brush on a drill, grinder, etc. Gooey glue I have found mineral spirits work best.

JohnDThompson 

I use a wire wheel on a bench grinder. Takes only a few seconds on each wheel to get them clean.

SteveSGP

One more vote for the wire wheel, I just clamp my hand drill in a bench vise and have at it.

element-82

Wow, that is clean. I don't have a bench grinder, but I will look for a drill attachment. That is a brass wheel? There is probably a dremel attachment that will do, for more control.

Thanks,
Pb

miamijim

Wire wheel and a drill....

JohnDThompson 

It's actually brass-plated steel wire. I bought it because I thought it was brass, and thus would be less likely to erode the aluminum rim base, but a magnet sticks to the wires...

I turns out that hard-anodized rims are harder than the wire anyway, so for most of my tubular wheels it doesn't matter.

Bianchigirll 

I have never removed old glue. I mean I've cleaned big globs and stuff on the braking surface but I was taught that new glue sort of reactivates the old glue.

kroozer 

Butter knife.

Drillium Dude 

Goof-Off on an old sock

Worked a treat on my recently-acquired Mavic SSC wheelset.

DD

ultraman6970

Goo off... fuel... mineral spirits... pretty much anything that can be used to dissolve paint will work as well.

As for the glue that is in the rim, once you put a new layer of glue over the old one, the old one will soft and the tubular will stick to it w/o any problem. Had a friend (not advisable ok?) that used to just put mineral spirits over the old glue to re activate it, it does work but i wouldn't do it He was just a cheap wastard!

Since you are new to tubulars probably you think that is the glue the one that keeps the tubular in the rim, so what you are asking doesnt surprise me at all.

Is the tubular itself the one that constricts the rim with the air pressure, the glue pretty much is there just in case and to hold the tubular in place because its tendency is to rotate over the rim. I don't advice you to do it but if one day just because of curiosity you want to ride a tubular w/o glue just put 100 pounds of air in there and you will notice that even with your hands (using your thumbs) is hard to take it off the rim, you really need to crank it pretty hard to get it off the rim. But you will notice after a few minutes of riding that the valve is in an angle and you have a bump in the same area because the tubular started moving.

Never put the max air imprinted in the sidewall of the tubular tire or you will blow it up at the 1st pebble you hit. 80 to 110 range is ok, more is not advisable. So that the tubular says that its max inflation is like 320 psi doesnt mean you have to put that in there ok? Seen too many newbies that can't figure it out something that simple and then they complain about using tubies and punctures...

Good luck and hope my advice works for you in someway.

element-82

Thanks all. 1+ on the wire wheel. It cleaned up the old gunk well. Looking forward to the sewups!
Pb

rootboy 

Sounds like a Tom Waits tune.