OK I am doing my rims and need some info about the raised white lettering on the tires?

______________

You'll find that the carcass of the sidewall of the tire is actually white...not just the raised lettering. Don't believe me? Take a knife and cut into it!
It's hard to get the letters white white after they have be run for a year or so. It just discolors from heat and pollutants. The best you can hope for is to clean them with regular soapy water and a medium stiffness brush.
Paint, crayon, or any spray on stuff will work temporarily, but it's not gonna stay on there for long.
The best solution is to turn the white letters to the inside(remount them on the rims), or get new ones...
Adams' Apple2011-02-21 11:06:00

______________

Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

This sounds weird, but you could oil paint the letter's.  Use plenty of linseed oil when applying.  Oil is tuff and can take a lot.  I would keep the lettering clean, like Joel suggested.

______________

�����
My Link


MICK - C3VR Lifetime Member #113

Everytime I wash my cars whether they have white lettered tires or plain old blackwall I spray them with Westley's Bleche wite and scrub them with a stiff nylon brush, then hose them off.
It keeps them looking new. You may want to try that stuff. It might take a few scrubbing to get them bright. Good luck.

______________

GEN III 5.7L "LS6" Engine swap
TKO500 5 spd.

Westleys white wall cleaner is what I have always used. Seems to be the best I have found. Like Sarge said, may take a few times and they will never be as white as they once were. But they usually stay acceptable.
Rodney


______________

[QUOTE=rod7515]Westleys white wall cleaner is what I have always used. Seems to be the best I have found. Like Sarge said, may take a few times and they will never be as white as they once were. But they usually stay acceptable.
Rodney
[/QUOTE]

______________

 

 

Westleys! Is the best, I've tried others and always come to Westleys.

______________

   

oh and #1 is true

______________

   

Hey Mark,

I agree with the group on the Westley's. When I had the aluminum rims on my '79 I had the raised white lettering facing out and cleaned them up frequently. Then I switched over to rally Rims and had the tires mounted so that the sidewalls appeared black. Still gave the tires a few squirts of Westley's every now 'n then.

What I've found that works great is an SOS or Brillo pad from the kitchen.  They do a great job of cleaning the white letters or stripe.  After hosing them off good after, use a good tire protectant.

I have a set of TA Radials as well and have the same problem. Talked to a friend at an STS and he said that for quite a while, the rubber compound was releasing a brownish chemical through the rubber and the whitewalls get permanently stained.

Back in the day when I worked in a tire shop..we sold used ones and mounted all of them and water tested them..if they passed the great used tire test we used a bbq grill brush on the ww to clean it off with just water..the owner bought the cheapest ones he could find so they didn't last all that long but it worked great..I still do the same thing on the vette tires everytime they get dirty..white as new and 11 years old.
Rich

______________

My first parade at Carlisle 2010

[QUOTE=lukesvette]I have a set of TA Radials as well and have the same problem. Talked to a friend at an STS and he said that for quite a while, the rubber compound was releasing a brownish chemical through the rubber and the whitewalls get permanently stained. [/QUOTE]     

______________
"Down on the Boardwalk...

(Click image to see a larger version}

wow! must have been a Holiday or something today! Doesn't anybody work anymore. Thanks to all for the response and congrats to the taker of the True/False test you got a 100%.  I will try the overwhelming results of Westley and try a scrubber again but I think because of the age of the tires and I don't know how old they are and that they were in the swamps of Florida???

______________

Well I am mobile so I can and usually am on here all day..if you are wondering about the age of the tires..check the dot numbers..there are other numbers that can actually be dated..call the manufacturer or dealer of the tires and find out how old they are..I plan on replacing mine since they are 11 years old..
Rich

______________

My first parade at Carlisle 2010

I agree with the use of the Westleys tire cleaner.  I have been using that cleaner on on my cars and it is the best thing to use.  Nothing like seeing a bright white tire and chrome rims!!

______________
          



(click to see a larger image)