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Hot Rods Go To Tire Black

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by A Boner, Jun 12, 2025.

  1. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,982

    A Boner
    Member

    Not, shine…just want to get rid of the brown sidewalls on black wall tires. Hopefully something that lasts a while…what do you use?
     
    dana barlow likes this.
  2. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 14,864

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    This stuff looks nice. Light coat or like any paint it will crack a bit and people will think your tires are falling apart.
    Like Lil, It last long time.
    upload_2025-6-12_14-13-10.png
     
    dana barlow likes this.
  3. noboD
    Joined: Jan 29, 2004
    Posts: 8,843

    noboD
    Member

    Find Lestoil in an OLD hardware/grocery store. It will clean all the ozone off your tires. It's the only thing I use.
     
    winduptoy and sidevalve8ba like this.
  4. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 4,147

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member

    I use the tire shine. Spray it on, let it set a minute then wipe it back off. It leaves a crisp black sidewall & no shine that way.
     
  5. Joe H
    Joined: Feb 10, 2008
    Posts: 1,764

    Joe H
    Member

    SimpleGreen will take it off.
     
    CSPIDY, 6inarow and VANDENPLAS like this.
  6. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,402

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    I still have a bottle of Eagle 1 tire cleaner. Best for me for years. Is it still made? Unlike Armor All, won't take the lamp black out of the rubber.
     
    dana barlow likes this.
  7. oldiron 440
    Joined: Dec 12, 2018
    Posts: 3,765

    oldiron 440
    Member

    Bleach White
     
    jaracer and Algoma56 like this.
  8. RockyMtnWay
    Joined: Jan 6, 2015
    Posts: 533

    RockyMtnWay
    Member

    Never had issues with my firestones and then excelsiors (once I went to radials) browning up, but seems like my auburn deluxes need more ‘care’.
    Has anyone tried this Adam’s stuff. Seems like all the ‘reviews’ of cleaning products I’ve read or watched, rank this one tops.

    IMG_8345.jpeg
     
  9. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 58,988

    squirrel
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I use a scrub brush and soapy water on tires. If they need more than that, they don't get it.

    but it would be fun to open this can, and see what's inside. It does slosh, it's not dried up completely

    black01.jpg black02.jpg black03.jpg
     
  10. Phillips
    Joined: Oct 26, 2010
    Posts: 1,751

    Phillips
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Man I forgot about Lestoil! We also used it in a pinch to swell/“rejuvenate” ink fountain rollers back in the duplicator days. Never even thought about putting it on tires.
     
    41 GMC K-18 and winduptoy like this.
  11. miker98038
    Joined: Jan 24, 2011
    Posts: 1,472

    miker98038
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I had a can of the DuPont tire black, back in the mid 60’s. I used it to “recondition” the door handle and other gaskets on my 55 bird when I had it painted in 1968. Worked good, didn’t crack, cheaper than all of them new. Which was important back then. I’m sure mine wouldn’t slosh anymore.
     
    winduptoy and squirrel like this.
  12. Kiwi 4d
    Joined: Sep 16, 2006
    Posts: 3,788

    Kiwi 4d
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I don’t think we can get lestoil down under, what is it based on? Simple green works but it’s another chore . Coker’s are diabolical for brown oxidation.
     
    winduptoy likes this.
  13. Meguiars Mirror Bright vinyl & rubber treatment was my go to.....makes the tires black again with no shine. Can't get it anymore (local or online???).

    I have Meguiars Natural shine protectant, but haven't used it yet. I still have a little Mirror Bright left. From what I've read the #40 is very similar to Mirror Bright.

    rubber.png
    tire.jpg


    "Mirror Bright Vinyl & Rubber Treatment, which is no longer produced for US markets (for no reason other than it was just not very popular) is very similar to our #M40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner. This product, #40, is what we use a lot around the office here at Meguiar's when we are looking for a more original appearance. That said, it is water based, & typically needs re-applying every week if on a daily driver. Pros & Cons."
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2025
  14. bushwacker 57
    Joined: Oct 3, 2007
    Posts: 792

    bushwacker 57
    Member

    On blackwall tires back in the 60S we used Brake Fluid .
     
  15. Kerrynzl
    Joined: Jun 20, 2010
    Posts: 3,513

    Kerrynzl
    Member

    @A Boner Use Concrete cleaner.
    It works on white walls and black rubber.

    Spray it on and a light scuff with a scotch pad then wash off [stay off the paint]

    Here is a half done tyre [approx 2 mins / tyre]
    upload_2025-6-13_20-38-2.jpeg
     
    Paul B and CSPIDY like this.
  16. Hotwyr
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 153

    Hotwyr
    Member

    I always hate tired dressings, especially the real goofy ones. After trying everything I had , from Purple Power to Westley's recently, I tried some Mother's Back to Black. Worked great and is still looking good.
     
  17. noboD
    Joined: Jan 29, 2004
    Posts: 8,843

    noboD
    Member

    I'm not sure what it's made from, smells like hazmat should be interested in it. It is kind of thick, not a thin liquid. I had a pair of hard to find floor mats that were getting brittle. I soaked Lestoil into them and left them set in the sun for a few days. Softened them up like new and that was about 20 years ago. I soak hard door bumpers and other rubber parts in it too. Mice love it. I had a little critter eat through the side of a bottle to get to it. There's one old local grocery store that carries it.
     
  18. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 9,594

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    For years I've used Maguiar's wheel and tire spray to clean both my wheels and tires. I do the wheels first as I don't let the cleaner sit too long on my wheels. Then spray the tires and use a stiff scrub brush on the sidewalls. I can watch the cleaner turn brown as it sucks the dirty brown color off. Then I use Armorall tire treatment on a rag, not directly on the tires. I spray the rag and rub the sidewalls with it. It leaves them dark and new looking without that ugly shine to them. My tires and wheels are 5 years old now and still look like new tires and wheels.
    [​IMG]
     
    Paul B, Just Gary and 41 GMC K-18 like this.
  19. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 10,858

    jnaki

    Hello,

    I used to use Armor All. But, before one goes off of the deep end, it was the definitive tire cleaner and lasted for weeks, without any “browning” effect. But, as later versions from the big tire sprays and solutions from the “big” names in auto cleaning products came on the scene, Armour All took a dive. Folks were downgrading the product left and right. The newer products worked just as well and perhaps, lasted longer. So, the bandwagon started and took off.

    But, a little care was all it took to wipe it on and wipe off any shine or excess coating. We always garaged our cars, whether a daily driver or hot rod. So, before we left to go somewhere, it took minutes to wipe off any road grime from the streets, depending on the weather conditions. The tires were always a satin black with no shine on the surface.
    upload_2025-6-14_3-47-33.png
    It did not matter what type or brand of tire it was, a blackwall was washed and cleaned. Then a fine spray was put on a rag to wipe on, that lasted for weeks of coastal salt air incursion daily and nightly. But, then again, our El Camino and other cars were inside of a garage.

    Jnaki

    So, I still have a bottle of the old Armour All product spray and it still takes care of the leather seating surfaces if needed. No, I don’t like the sliding noise, so a clean rag is always used after the application. After the wipe down, it makes no noise and stays clean for… again… weeks and sometimes a month or so.

    We all have different sprays to clean upholstery, such as leather. The leather surfaces are easier to keep clean and they wipe up nicely with a clean cloth, if necessary. When our granddaughter was with us almost 24 hours of the day, she was standing up when we were having a rest or lunch under a shady tree on our road trips. She was walking all over the leather upholstered seats and that was after a day at the beach. So, it did not matter, as we knew it would clean up nicely since it was protected with Armour All.
    upload_2025-6-14_3-48-33.png
    No tire lettering, just plain black tires for miles of fun… polished black painted rims, chrome beauty trim rings, and center chrome hubcaps.

    Note:

    For our daily drivers, if we do go through a full car wash, they put on some tire wiping product. It stays clean for weeks. They wipe it on, not just a spray. So, it has time to cover the surface. YRMV
     
  20. 05snopro440
    Joined: Mar 15, 2011
    Posts: 2,695

    05snopro440
    Member

    Super Clean works great to clean whitewall or black wall tires, but don't let it sit on aluminum or paint.

    I've also had good luck cleaning tires with a simple SOS pad.
     
  21. stuart in mn
    Joined: Nov 22, 2007
    Posts: 2,641

    stuart in mn
    Member

    If you don't have any car care products handy, go under the kitchen sink and grab a can of Comet or Ajax and a scrub brush.
     
  22. 20240728_101408.jpg Screenshot_20250614_090104_Amazon Shopping.jpg Screenshot_20250614_090037_Amazon Shopping.jpg I like this combo of soap and rubber treatment, I use a brush with the soap. The treatment is water based and does not harm or dry out the rubber like petroleum types do. I get it on Amazon. New rubber look not shiny or fake looking.
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2025 at 11:11 AM
  23. '29 Gizmo
    Joined: Nov 6, 2022
    Posts: 1,112

    '29 Gizmo
    Member
    from UK

    Sidewall dressings which clean the surface remove the rubbers ozone protection and cause premature aging. Look at the small print by tire manufacturers.

    Surface treatments that add a black protective finish do not

    Your choice.
     
  24. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,982

    A Boner
    Member

    Bought some Dollar store “tire shine & gloss”…and as with lots of Chinese stuff it failed as a “shine”, but actually cleaned the brown tires to a flat black!
    IMG_5958.jpeg
     
    Lone Star Mopar likes this.
  25. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 4,147

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member

    I forgot to mention the cleaning whitewall part. I've found the Magic Eraser works like a champ. Use soap & water, or whatever your poison of choice is. A quick scrub w the eraser & you'll be looking like new again. Then I use the tire shine & wipe it off for a crisp black.
     

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