Shoe Goo Alternatives [Different Options Explored]

From superglue to shoe glue, and all the others in between, choosing the accurate adhesive is very important for your RC projects.

Moreover, not every adhesive appropriately bonds on all surfaces. That’s why one fine morning if you find your whole shoe goo bottle dried up, choose an alternative wisely.

So, what are the best shoe goo alternatives?

Firstly, you can fix your hardened shoe glue by using hot water. If not fixed then go for other alternatives. Such as plasti dip, gorilla glue, epoxy resin, contact cement, or E6000. But before getting an alternative consider the facts like surface amount, temperature, how much glue you need, etc.

This was just the leading edge. There are still plenty of things to explore. So let’s get through the whole write-up.

Can You Fix Your Dry Shoe Goo?

Yes, your dried-out shoe goo can be fixed! Isn’t it a piece of good news? 

You see, most of the time shoe goo comes in relatively big packages. Also, they can dry out pretty soon.

Hence, we can understand, wasting a big portion of glue can be very frustrating!

Moreover, it gets hard to find shoe goo in local shops.

So, first of all, you can keep your shoe goo in a Ziploc bag to save it from clogging quickly. Because it hardens rapidly if exposed to moisture. 

Apart from that, sometimes if you can store them in the freezer they’ll not dry out too soon.

But, what can I do if my shoe goo has hardened?

• See if there’s a tough seal of glue. Because sometimes the covering of the glue gets stiffened and makes a tough seal. So, if you notice something like this, crack the seal using a screwdriver. 

That’s how you can get the trapped, available glue dripping again.

• Second, grab a pot of hot water. Let the water cool for a minute before setting the goo bottle in it. 

Don’t fully immerse the bottle. Just place the part that needs to be melted for 10 minutes.

This is how you can revive your stiffened goo again instead of throwing it out.  

However, if the mentioned technique doesn’t work we can move to the alternatives. 

But before that let’s learn about the things you should consider before getting an alternative.

What Things You Should Consider Before Looking for an Alternative? 

You should not directly jump to buy some random adhesive for your important RC project. There are some things you need to tick out first. 

Let’s find out about them-

Container Size

The size of glue you require hangs on what you’re attempting to do and how frequently you intend to use it. 

So, If you just need to secure or repair a small area, then a minimal-sized bottle should do the job. However, RC projects aren’t very predictable. 

In this case, you can get multiple small-sized bottles to deal with the bigger projects.

That’s how you can actually stop wasting your glues by drying them up shortly.

Surface Type

Before selecting a glue some important surface conditions should be checked. Such as toughness, evenness, absorbency, color, uncoated, length of the part, etc.

So, let’s find out about some particular adhesives you can use in your RC project. 

These are some types that you should keep in mind before selecting an alternative to your current glue.

Temperature 

Various environmental factors influence how adhesives heal and work over long periods. 

One of the most substantial environmental aspects is temperature. 

So, what temperature will the glue handle or be endangered during usage and preservation?

Most organic glues have full steady working temperatures. So, only if they’re endangered to higher temperatures for long periods their operation declines considerably. 

However, thermosetting mortars such as melamine, phenolic, and formaldehyde resins structure tough connections. Besides, these types have considerable friction to higher temperatures. 

Silicone pastes have a huge level of moldability and relatively high-temperature friction as well. Therefore, it makes them great options for marine or plumbing usage. 

As a result, at lower temperatures, the healing of these adhesives will be slower. On the other hand, the healing will be quicker at higher temperatures. 

Electric Insulation

You can find a ton of plastic automotive adhesive that performs as an electric bushing. But, if you want to protect external components or seal a crease, this might not be important. 

Nonetheless, if you’re fixing any internal crack remember how much wiring your RC vehicle has. This means there are a lot of internal places and areas in the motor that need additional electrical safety.  

Overall, these are the conditions you should keep in mind before jumping into the other glue options.

Now, let’s find out what are the cheap alternatives to shoe goo in the next section.

So, What Can You Use Instead of Shoe Goo?

When we’re out of shoe goo mostly worry about, will I find any shoe glue near me?

Therefore, it’s important to consider the shoe goo alternatives for RC bodies that are available in RC stores.

Let’s find out the substitute for shoe goo or what works better than shoe goo.

Plasti Dip

If it comes to shoe goo vs plasti dip to secure your RC body, then shoe goo obviously wins.

It’s because the application of plasti dip is a bit harder than shoe goo. Also, it puffs out faster than shoe goo.

However, plasti dip can be very useful in absence of shoe goo for a time being.

Plasti dip is basically a spray paint that cures like rubber. To apply this, you need to mask the other parts of your RC with mask tapes that don’t need to be sprayed or secured. 

Then apply at least 3-4 coats of plasti dip on the required parts. Lastly, give it around 5 minutes to dry up.

Voila! Your RC body will be secured from damages, especially water damages.

Also, you can secure your EC3 or EC5 connectors from corrosion by applying plasti dip on them. 

However, Plasti-dip doesn’t suit well on Lexan bodies. Also, it gets harder to wipe off the dirt from an RC vehicle with plasti dip on. You would have to run it underwater to get the dust or mud off.

Liquid Cement

Another good alternative can be liquid cement. It’s largely considered as one of the useful adhesives for plastic prototypes that are made of polystyrene plastic. The additional tough formula lets the RC modeler stick tiny parts together that need tip precision and accurateness.

Besides, it helps to dissolve plastic to form a strong bond and dries quickly as well. Also, it works well on any surface like veneers, glass, metal, rubber, leather. Therefore, it can be used for making your RC snowplows at home.

However, this adhesive requires 15 to 20 minutes to air-dry before working. You need to apply the cement to both portions as well so that the adhesive can contract to itself and make a strong bond. 

Also, this adhesive can give a slightly heavier structure to your RC bashing body. Hence, the truck might get sluggish.

E6000 

E6000 can be a very good substitute for shoe glue. But the question that arises so often is, is E6000 the same as shoe glue?

Well, the E6000 is a bit stronger than the shoe goo. Actually, it’s reckoned to be the industrial edition of Shoe Goo. That means it can be used on various surface materials of RC basher models. For instance, rubber, leather, vinyl plastics, and so many others. 

Also, E6000 is white, therefore, it’ll give you clean output. Besides, unlike other glues, the E6000 application is simple and will barely get sloppy when it evaporates. 

It won’t exacerbate your RC’s aluminum surface. Also, even if the bolts come loose a little, this adhesive works like a nylon nut and keeps the bolt from rolling free.

However, the smell of E6000 is very loud and overwhelming. Also, it’s a little bit temperature sensitive. That’s why try not to use it on the bashers that get warmed up so easily.

Gorilla Glue

Well, there isn’t much difference between Gorilla glue vs shoe glue. Because both have quite the same formula. Gorilla glue is also an industrial adhesive.

However, it’s also known as general-purpose glue. That implies it can be applied to virtually everything.

Also, it’s manufactured of a clear formula, the same as Shoe Goo.

Yet, it’s also got some other cards to play!

Gorilla Glue is immune to heated and damp temperatures and is reluctant to water as well. This makes it excellent for binding hard RC materials tightly.

Normally soldering iron is used while building brushed ESC at home. But you can secure the cable connections to the ESC and motor in your RC model with this glue.

Nevertheless, one thing to keep in mind is that gorilla glue is flammable. Also, the bond of this adhesive on an RC cannot hold much longer. Minor pressure or shock can break the bond.

Epoxy-Resin

Another best shoe goo alternative can be an epoxy resin.

So, what is an epoxy resin used for?

Epoxy resin is mainly used for adhesive purposes. As you can see the tough elements of epoxy resin works best as structural and engineering sealants. Normally, they’re applied in the building of cars, snowboards, aircraft, and boats.

However, epoxy is faster in case of curing than resin. Epoxy takes around 6-30 minutes to dry and on the other hand, resin takes around 8-10 hours to cure. So lengthy fix periods are a shortcoming if you’re in a rush.

Moreover, the residue is very hard to wipe out from the place where this adhesive has been used.

Therefore, it’s best to use this adhesive to repair damaged components of your RC bashers. Especially those parts that are subjected to less weight.

In short, if you want to solve issues in your RC cars, check all the wiring and joints as these are very light components. Then, if anything seems broken or loose, you can either use a soldering iron or epoxy resin to fix it.

Since we discussed so many glues here, we think a glue gun can be a great help for neat application. So here are some top-notch glue gun recommendations for you.

Now, let’s move to the next section where we’ll have a quick comparison of all the alternatives we’ve discussed so far.

Quick Comparison 

Have a look at the table below to make a preference according to your requirement.

Lastly, use the adhesives wearing gloves on hand to protect your skin from chemicals.

FAQs

Is the shoe goo fuel resistant?

The shoe goo isn’t gasoline resistant. It would get dissolved in your RC’s gasoline. Therefore, it won’t have enough bonding strength in your vehicle’s fuel system.

What can I use to prevent my touring car’s shell damage?

You can use the shoe goo or its alternatives to prevent your RC’s shell damage. If the shell is already cracked you could just lay some cricket bat repair tape over it. Then coat it all with shoe goo. 

Which adhesive is good to fix Kraton body damage?

You can use Tyvek tape on the whole interior of your Kraton body. Then cover it with gorilla glue or coat it on the other damages. It’ll ensure you have a strong basher body. 

Bottom Line

Hope we’ve provided you with reasonable shoe goo alternatives.

However, if you want to remove uncured shoe goo from any surface you can use acetone or citrus-based solutions. 

Or else, you can remove cured shoe goo by cutting or scraping.

This is all for today, see you!