Keeping tire lettering white
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Keeping tire lettering white - 6/20/2007 9:53:26 AM
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EuroGoldLS
Posts: 3121
Joined: 2/9/2007
From: Princeton, NC, USA
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I recently ran across an article about keeping your white letters white so I'll share some of the content in paraphrase form.
Most tires, after a few years of age, start to fade or yellow. Tires that are used every day tend to pick up raod grime and look dingy and dirty. There are a few steps you can take to whiten them. So here are some tips about different things to use and what they do to the rubber.
- -Whitening by a strong bleach will fade the black rubber on the rest of the tire, don't use it.
- -Degreasers (greased lightning, etc) work well but after many times of use it will start to dry rot the rubber because it is a chemical that works against petroleum. **
- -Laquer thinner is by far the best at whitening, but it must be applied only to the letters themselves and without scrubbing.**
- -Mineral spirits works with no major side effects to the rubber.
- -Bar soap is a good thing to use, but requires a lot of scrubbing. **
- -Tire bleach (bleche white, tire clean, etc) is great at cleaning the tire, but not whitening the letters.
- -Shoe cleaner/glass cleaner or anything with mild amounts of ammonia work very well.**
- -Never use Varsol.
**Care should be taken around aluminum and alloy wheels and all painted rims.
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My theory is that every disrict in the USA tries to send their lying scumbags to either prison or Washington D.C. -rivereye
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/20/2007 4:59:15 PM
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rabbit0102030
Paint & Body Moderator
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From: GdUp, TEXAS
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Interesting tips. When I had white walls on my blaze, I had a white tire paint pen that I used to keep the lettering white.
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/20/2007 5:03:28 PM
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davtak
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I use Armor All Tire Foam and let it sit for like 5 minutes and do a little scribbing then I use Armor All Extreme Tire Shine and it lasts for a while. I even use the Extreme Tire Shine on the rims too. It works pretty well.
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/20/2007 6:28:15 PM
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EuroGoldLS
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From: Princeton, NC, USA
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I have a paint pen too, I used it on the Goodyears I had and it looked crappy, I think the pen might have been slightly dry though...
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My theory is that every disrict in the USA tries to send their lying scumbags to either prison or Washington D.C. -rivereye
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/20/2007 6:33:32 PM
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rabbit0102030
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Yeah, I had that problem after I had the pen for a while, I figured the same that it was getting too dry. Worked good when it was newer though, and I was too lazy to do all that scrubbing!
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/20/2007 6:47:43 PM
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EuroGoldLS
Posts: 3121
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From: Princeton, NC, USA
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If you put laquer thinner or mineral spirits on it, all you do is apply it with a rag with no scrubbing at all.
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My theory is that every disrict in the USA tries to send their lying scumbags to either prison or Washington D.C. -rivereye
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/21/2007 3:09:23 AM
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TheBrettster
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On limos we used Westleys bleche white and that stuff worked great even for the letters, we also used minerial spirits but i dont know if its safe for the tire.
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/21/2007 9:18:38 AM
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FFJustin99Chevy
Posts: 381
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From: Harrisburg, PA
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I just have a really stiff bristled brush. After I finish washing it, I use the excess suds and scrub the lettering. Doesn't take much scrubbing if your brush is good size and bristles are super stiff. Guaranteed safe......it's just soap and water.
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/21/2007 1:34:55 PM
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viper4559
Posts: 135
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From: Beavercreek, OH
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I used a stiffer brush once, and I started chipping my white off......
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/21/2007 8:33:15 PM
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rabbit0102030
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Yeah that was the thing I couldn't stand about scrubbing my tires.
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/22/2007 10:06:06 AM
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FFJustin99Chevy
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From: Harrisburg, PA
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Viper4559:
Did you use steel-bristles? I would imagine steel would wear away the rubber, but I haven't had that problem yet with plastic or poly.
Rabbit0102030:
Did you have white lettering on your low profiles? At least there's not as much area on those to scrub, I guess.
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/22/2007 1:05:54 PM
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rabbit0102030
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I was speaking of my stock tires, I never had low pro with whitewalls. Do they even make them that way?
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/23/2007 10:04:13 PM
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viper4559
Posts: 135
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From: Beavercreek, OH
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It's not a steel brush, I would have to call it plastic bristles, I bought this cleaning pack, mainly for the carpet scrubber and the brush that I can hook up to the hose, course the lug nut cleaner is nice, however I went back to my dad's old wooden brush to wash the wheels, that plastic crap it came with eats it up.
_____________________________
2000 Blazer LT 4 Door 4x4
Custom 3rd Brake Light
Halo Headlights
Euro Taillights
Hypertech Power Programmer
1984 S-10 Blazer 2 Door 4x4
5 Speed Manual
2.8L V6
Halo Headlights
Euro Taillights
2 12" Kicker CompVR's
Kicker KX 400.1
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/24/2007 8:53:33 PM
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FFJustin99Chevy
Posts: 381
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From: Harrisburg, PA
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Rabbit:
I didn't think they did.....it was more of a Point of Clarification on my part.
That would be some pretty small lettering!
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/25/2007 8:00:28 AM
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EuroGoldLS
Posts: 3121
Joined: 2/9/2007
From: Princeton, NC, USA
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Not white letters, but I have seen red stripe lo'pro's
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My theory is that every disrict in the USA tries to send their lying scumbags to either prison or Washington D.C. -rivereye
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RE: Keeping tire lettering white - 6/25/2007 12:07:22 PM
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rabbit0102030
Paint & Body Moderator
Posts: 1231
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From: GdUp, TEXAS
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quote:
ORIGINAL: FFJustin99Chevy
Rabbit:
I didn't think they did.....it was more of a Point of Clarification on my part.
That would be some pretty small lettering!
OK gotcha. Yes, it would be some tiny lettering!! 
Euro: That is a new style of tire isn't it? I thought I heard something a few months ago about that.
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