| Author |
Message |
Ed Jewett (Kristinsgrandpa) (67.29.223.137)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 05, 2004 - 9:41 pm: | |
Does anyone know what to seal weathercracks,scrapes and cuts with?
Thanks in advance for your time.
Ed. |
TWO DOGS (67.209.132.182)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 12:32 am: | |
best thing you can do for your tires is paint them with brake fluid about three times a year,it takes one tuna fish can full of brake fluid to do three 24.5 tires....takes about 3 minutes per tire |
Geoff (Geoff) (66.238.120.5)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 7:48 am: | |
2D, I am surprised the rubber hasn't fallen off the sides of your tires painting them with brake fluid. How long have you been doing this?
Ed-- if your tires are cracking, how old are they? Are you sure they are any good for driving? Truck/bus tires only have a 7 year cord life, although they can last a while longer.
--Geoff
'82 RTS CA |
TWO DOGS (67.209.132.88)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 7:52 am: | |
been doing it for 40 years,why are you surprised,or, are you afraid to learn something |
Geoff (Geoff) (66.238.120.5)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 8:01 am: | |
What I mean is, how long have you been doing the brake fluid thing on one set of tires? As far as the practice goes, I used to watch used car lots paint the tires with brake fluid 40 years ago. We have had this discussion before, and my practice is to use only soap and water on tire sidewalls after having them crack on me using Armoural. I see brake fluid as having the same destructive properties as Armourall-- it draws the natural oils out of the rubber, which looks good at first, but after a couple of years the rubber starts cracking from drying out.
--Geoff |
Johnny (63.159.174.153)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 9:34 am: | |
Brake fluid is the opposite of armorall--itr protects the rubber. |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.41.212.127)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 9:42 am: | |
The amazing thing about tires... The rubber compounds that are used in them never fully cure, from the moment it comes out of the mold until after they are tossed onto a tire pile the curing process continues.
Part of the curing process is the loss of natural oils from the rubber.
When a tire is brought up to operating tempurature while driving those oils migrate throughout the rubber, a tire that is brought up to operating temperature in this way, all the time, will only gradually lose the overall percentage of oil in it's rubber.
However, in a tire that is not brought up to operating temp very often, the oils near the surface are dissapated faster than they are replenished and once the oils in the surounding area are used up the rubber will begin to crack.
Likewise, a product designed to draw the natural oils to the surface, such as Armourall, will cause the loss of those oils at a faster than normal rate (before I knew this to be true I had two sets of car tires crack on me, one with 90% tread) , I feel pretty confident that brake fluid will do the same thing but probably even faster.
A tire that is driven to operating tempurature constantly is going to replenish the oils lost in this way, but the once gradual loss of the overall percentage of oils in the rubber is no longer gradual.
Any product that draws oils out of the rubber and brings them to the surface is shortening the useful life of the tire.
The only thing the tire manufacturers reccomend to clean tires is mild soap and water.
The best way to keep tires from cracking prematurely is to drive them all the time...and keep them out of the sun if you can't.
Brian |
Rodger in WA (64.70.24.205)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 12:03 pm: | |
This is just a comment, I'm no tire expert.
The Michelins on my Prevost when I bought it in '99, were installed in Canada. They have no date stamps, so I'm not sure of their age. The treads were close to 100% but small sidewall cracks were present. According to Michelin literature, cracks up to 1/32 inch deep are acceptable. Since I bought the coach I've driven it about 45,000 miles. Today the cracks look no larger or deeper than when I bought the coach. I cover them when parked for more than a day or two.
Last year I had them inspected at a truck tire store. I was told they looked fine but just for safety's sake, I replaced the steering tires. The coach is now for sale or I would probably replace the rears this year just for peace of mind.
As for sidewall cracking due to extended non use, this is my experience: A Volvo I bought new in '71, came with Michelins. I commuted with it from Southern WI to Chicago O'Hare airport, making the 160 mile round trip about 4-5 times a month, plus daily use when home. The car was garaged at home but it would sit in the O'Hare employee parking lot for up to 4 days at a time while I was on a trip. Within a year the tires developed small sidewall cracks, similar in appearance to those on my coach tires. I ran them for over 3 years and 65,000 miles with no problems. The replacement tires were still on the car when I sold it in '82. These tires also had about 65,000 miles on them. Here's the curious part: The car was retired from commuting at around 80,000 miles and would sit outside undriven for several weeks at a time, once for 11 months without being driven. These tires never developed sidewall cracks.
My point is, cracks may not always develope due to non use and I don't think small, shallow cracks are anything to worry about, especially with tires less than 7 - 10 years old. |
Ed Jewett (Kristinsgrandpa) (65.58.212.49)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 12:34 pm: | |
The key to this inquiry is "not bus related" in the topic headline.
These tires are on a backhoe I recently purchased, to clear a spot, to build a bus barn, to work on/store my coach. I thought that someone might know of some liquid rubber or paint to seal the sidewalls. At $600 to $800 ea. I want to preserve them.
I knew of the brake fluid trick, I used to use it when I was young and a set of tires only lasted 20 to 25 thousand miles. I hear people swear by Armourall, but do not know the long term effects on rubber. Armourall says it protects but, the truth in advertising laws in this country are kind-of lax.
Either brake fluid or Armourall will make them lood good, but I want to seal them not shine them.
Thanks for taking the time to help. I appreciate the responses.
Thanks, Ed. |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.41.212.127)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 2:12 pm: | |
Different tire companies use different compounds for their tires and some companies use several different compounds within their individual product lines.
I would suspect, though I'm not a chemist, that the softer the compound, the more oils are in the rubber, the less likely the tire will experience cracks, and the stickier or more grip the tires will have.
Unfortunately a softer compound also means the faster the tires will wear.
I have heard some odd ideas about protecting rubber none of which I know to work for certain so
your results may vary.
#1. Tire Sunscreen...
sold via some RV products companies, I have
never heard if anyone has experience any
benefit.
#2. Automotive Undercoat
an old rancher in rural Nevada swears by it
pliable enough if used properly (thin but
full coverage) he claims it keeps his
equipment tires from cracking
years longer.
#3. Spray Paint
another old Nevadan spray paints his tires
flat black, only problem he says is that
"ya have t'keep after it"
Who knows... although you'd think that any type of sealing of the tires will probably help keep sun off them and help to keep the oils in the rubber.
I HAVE seen rubber parts which were exposed to the elements that had a layer of paint on them for years and looked like new underneath the paint.
Brian |
Jimmci9 (209.240.205.68)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 3:00 pm: | |
jc whitney has the tire rubber paint yucky stuff in their catalog.... |
john wood (209.137.231.100)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 4:26 pm: | |
How about just using a liquid wax? Regular applications of a good product with a UV protectant may be just the ticket. |
TWO DOGS (67.251.50.64)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 4:32 pm: | |
eventualy the tread wears out geoff,....I have it on my tractor tires...(John Deere)...bus tires..trailer tires... |
Tony (64.215.196.129)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 8:02 pm: | |
Ok guys I have been putting Johnson's one step floor wax on my Tires for years and they don't crack, put It on full strength with a sponge It will make the Tires shiny and will protect them I put It on 2 times per year, used the same thing for 32 years on Truck Tires and It makes them look good and will protect them. |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.41.212.127)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 8:21 pm: | |
Y'know... that Mop n Glow stuff like the Johnsons Floor wax Tony uses is pliable, but wears like iron.
I ought to know, it took three days to scrape it scrub it and ajax it up off the floor of my coach, someone had been using on the floor in there for years, layer after layer.
It might work great for tires, sure is a bugger when it's on floors.
Brian |
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