Keeping White Wall Tires White

[David K.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

But, aren't lemons yellow? sorry I couldn't help it.

[Joseph L.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

For my 60, I have used Westlies with "Mr. Clean Magic Eraser" for the stubborn
brown spots & dark streaks for the last several yrs on the same white walls without any "insulting" damage to the macroscopic eye.

[Ed L.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

Maybe try brillo pads if you're worried how Westley's will react with tires, caps and painted surfaces?

[Pete P.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

I've been using Westley's Bleche-White since 1976 when I first bought my '60. I spray the whitewalls with Westley's, use a horse hair bristle brush to gently scrub the whitewall, then hose them off. When you first spray the whitewall, you'll see the Westley's lift off the grime. You can find Westley's at most Carquest Auto parts stores, K-Mart, and some ACE hardware stores. Westley's does a great job.

Pete

[Bill W.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

I've been using Westley's Bleche-White since 1976 when I first bought my '60. I spray the whitewalls with Westley's, use a horse hair bristle brush to gently scrub the whitewall, then hose them off. When you first spray the whitewall, you'll see the Westley's lift off the grime. You can find Westley's at most Carquest Auto parts stores, K-Mart, and some ACE hardware stores. Westley's does a great job.

Pete

Those of you who use Westleys, make sure not to let any of it get on your aluminum wheels. Bill

[Tom R.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

I recently showed my '60 at the Spring Auto Show at Charlotte Motor Speedway. I waited until after arriving at the show and parking to clean and perk up the tires. I was astounded by the yellowing of the white wall tires that really showed up in the sunlight. The tires can not be more than 3-4 years old and have been cleaned several times since application.

Valeria

Can you post a picture? My vette wires Eagle GTs (1978) and I've had the same problem. I've used the products described above with poor results...the yellowing returns. I've even used emory paper to sand the white letter which gives sparkling results. But the yellowing returns.

As a result, of this thread, I contacted John Kelsey (Kelsey Tire Co) who makes Good Year reproduction tires. He asked for some photos so I've sent him mine.

[Dick W.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

Maybe try brillo pads if you're worried how Westley's will react with tires, caps and painted surfaces?

Westley's will not hurt paint, if you rinse it off, won't hurt tires, most Vette's have stainless steel hubcaps.......but as has been posted be careful with aluminum wheels. It won't hurt them if they still have the clear on them, but can streak them if the clear is gone. Always wet aluminum wheels thoroughly with water before using a harsh cleaner.

[Tom R.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

Here's what John Kelsey wrote:

My question:
Ok...here are GTs. It was emory paper that I used the last time around...but yellowing effect returned.

Although this is not peculiar to RWL tires. I see it on any white esthetic, bias and radial. As to brand it is non - denominational. The discoloration is migrating from carbon black inventory stored in the white rubber. It is unlikely that the stain barriers have been disturbed to allow the chemical migration from the carcas of the tire - especially at essentially max section width. Again, if the tires have been periodically treated with black enhancement products. These chemicals allow a path to exist which allows the black molecules in the cover gum to migrate, via gravity, down the sidewall and into the white. The longer the stain has had to set, just like gravey on a tie, the longer it will take to fulley remove. This is just not located on the surface. with each passing day it will gradually move deeper into the white. When you use the emory paper it removes the surface contamination, yet will not extract the more deeply penetrated contaminates. Try tire prep with a nice high pile cloth - whith an ample amount of patience. You will see the white brighten. This process will have to be repeated several times. Eventually extracting the staining material. As the tire is exposed to heat - direct sun - for an hour or two after cleaning the stain will return. Just not with the same intensity. After all these years. I still do this to myself from time to time. Another way to stain white rubber is to allow the black and white to contact each other during the mounting process. The remedy is still the same.

My question:
Any particular product you find particularly effective?

Patience, Rubber prep, perhaps 120 grit sandpaper. Rubber prep is sold in most every parts store, under different labels, in quart cans. Example - O'Riellys' sells it under the XTRA Seal label. Stock number 14-100. Moisten your cloth with the prep, rotate on each letter - with your thumb. You should be able to see the contaminates accumulate on the high pile cloth. As this is observed. Move the cloth slightly to an uncontaminated spot and repeat the process. As I mentioned earlier. When you think you are done, you are not. Expose the tire to direct sunlight, reasonably high ambient temperatures- this temp increase will excite the remaining - perhaps unseen contaminates - to migrate to the surface for your continued removal process.

The use of abrasives is fine - up to a point. You do not want to significantly reduce the height of the lettering. As "patience" begins to run out. We tend to turn to the "quick fix" - too agressively. The tire prep degrades rubber as it cleans. The sand paper, emory cloth, buffing wheel etc. are again fine to lightly roughten up the letter surface. This gives the prep more surface to degrade and stain to remove. Just do not do this frequently with each letter. As exasperation sets in. Which it will. Leave the project until your frame of mind has improved. This will be helpful in reaching your goal.

Here's a link to the product mentioned. May be the same as Westley's

https://www.tireresources.com/index....roduct&id=1800

[Jerry K.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

Try Simple Green on the whole tire. I spend about ten minutes per tire and add nothing to tire as all the products cause yellowing!! I also use Sparkle on the hubcaps. Good luck. Jerry

[Domenic T.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

Any kind I can find in the kitchen and I think the ones with bleach work better.
I have used it on a set of tires every wash as the black seems to leach into and thru the white (normal).
It won't hurt the rubber.

DOM

I will add something to my previous post that might explain why the yellowing keeps coming back.

Many tires breath thru the rubber. Aircraft tires on one of the jets I was flying was allowed to seep (breath) up to 8lbs a day. Normal pressure was 128 lbs. and they were tubeless.

I saw something on the Discovery or something like that that showed tires being made.

They adressed the isue of the white being added to the mould for white walls which makes the white part of the black as a whole.

With the heat and flexing I think the black breathes thru the white causing the yellow.

I would think grey but its a chemical and not a color that is going thru the white.

But the fact remains we still have to use all the methods posted to clean the yellow.

DOM

[Dick W.]

Re: Keeping White Wall Tires White

Here's a link to the product mentioned. May be the same as Westley's

https://www.tireresources.com/index....roduct&id=1800

Not the same as Wesley's. The product you liked to is what we used to use on tubes when you patched them. You would rough up the tube, apply this product and ignite it. Afterwards you would roll your patch on.
VERY FLAMMABLE