Hot Rods Tips on rubber conditioning

Any tips for conditioning the fire wall gasket on a 32 Ford? My gasket is in very good condition considering the age.

 

I apply 303 Protectorant on my windshield wiper rubber every time I wash my truck. It sits outside 24/7. After almost 6 years they are still fine, no streaking or missing rubber. Check it out on You Tube.
I also apply some on a rag and wipe all rubber door seals all still like new.

 

Commercial glycerin works really well restoring OG rubber parts. Sometimes 2 or 3 apps are needed and regular follow up helps keep it new. Light rub with denatured alky, not soaked, then apply and let the glycerin soak in. I've saved some pretty significant stuff that way over the years.

 

There was this stuff I used when working on aircraft which was called "Hellerine" oil. Looked a lot like glycerin, (probably was just glycerin) and it was used to soften up grommets, plug inserts, etc. I have used it to soften up auto stuff for many years.

 

KY sells a product that is rubber friendly and easy to apply.

 

Yikes!

 

Someone had to say it….

 

Opps, I meant K&N.

 

I would not recommend it for already installed rubber but before installation, common bleach will soften rubber really well. This is why they outlawed it for drag racing.

 

Any thoughts on this?

 

I was able to carefully remove the seal prior to sending the firewall out to media blast. The seal is in very good shape, I want to keep it that way for reinstallation.

 

If it is reasonably pliable as is, I would use it as is. You could try soaking just an end that doesn't show to see what happens. If it is original OEM, it should be ok to soak. The longer the softer usually. Up to a point.

 

I used wintergreen oil to rejuvenate some carburetor boots for an older motorcycle. I found the "recipe" on some motorcycle forum. If memory serves I just used 1 or 2 ounces in about 1 1/2 quart of water. Brought it to a boil on the stove, turned it to simmer for maybe 20 minutes and then let it cool naturally. Worked pretty good. Supposedly it will cook oils back into the rubber that have gone out of the part over time. I think my wife finally found it in a baking section at a store. I think it's used around Christmas mostly to make candy or something.

The kitchen smelled like wintergreen for several days though.

Lynn

 

Only problem with that stuff is those little packs never have enough for your toast .

 

The little bead on the lead edge is a little brittle, the rest is quite good considering it’s age.

 

Depends on your toast. I may have left overs.

 

I’m not sure a want to risk it simmering it. I’m a little paranoid

 

That's understandable. The carb boots I tried it on were so pricy to buy new I didn't really have anything to lose.

Lynn

 

And he was just the guy...

 

Napa and Advance auto sell a brake ***embly lube called Sil-Glide, it is for the rubber components on disc brake slides, and contact points where you would use anti-seize, states on tube it is also for weather strip. Best thing I have ever used. Work it into rubber with your fingers or a paper towel, wait 24 hours and go over the applied area with a soft towel, better than glycerin, Vaseline or anything else mentioned.

 

Absolutely no vasoline or any other petroleum based substance. It will may eat the rubber is its not a fully synthetic compound, and you wont know that for sure.

If you want a chemicaly neutral product then try silicone grease. It wont affect the rubber and will help seal the surface.

Alternativley red rubber grease which is castor oil based.

 

Any issues using Silicone based lube prior to painting? Should I wait until final ***embly before I “apply the ointment “ ?

 

Absolutly do not let silicone grease or oil get anywhere near metal that is due to be painted. Its the one thing that fill painters with horror as paint will not stick to it and its extreemly persistsnt. But after painting use as much as you like.

 

On the farm I use black tire paint on V belts on equipment that sits outside over the winter it seams to help the life.

 

I works great for lubing up windshield lock strips before you install them. Petroleum jelly works, too, but not quite as slick.

Here's a good read with technical details regarding why rubber degrades:

https://www.martins-rubber.co.uk/blog/what-causes-rubber-to-deteriorate

 

Good info, thanks

 

Yup that’s what my painter said

 

Also out of interest, having worked in the industry, rubber compounds used for tires, coolant hoses etc have an inbuilt defence for environmental aging. This leads to a blooming effect where the rubber can have a grey or brownish tint. Sometimetimes even a waxy surface. This is chemicals extruding out of the rubber onto the surface and acting as a barrier. If you clean this off it strips the protection from the surface and leaves it open for oxidation and subsiquent cracking. Some tire manufactures even warn of this issue.

Just to repeat myself, never ever use petroleum based chemicals, grease, oils or even vasaline on rubber unless you are absolutely sure its a synthetic, petrol resistant rubber.

 

I’m in the less is better camp as well