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White letter tires

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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 11:51 AM
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Default White letter tires

My white letters are dull / scuffed and need some help. I bought a white greasepen which works but only lasts a single wash. Is there such a thing as white letter "paint" to freshen them up ?? Any tips would be appreciated.

Pete
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 12:05 PM
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Have you tried an SOS pad? I've used them on my '76 and they usually come out much whiter.
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 12:07 PM
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 12:13 PM
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I've tried that and many other cleaners / scrubbing pads, they really need something like a rubber paint appied but looking for that type of product.


Thanks
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 12:22 PM
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You could try vinyl spray paint commonly available in auto parts shops for interiors, the flexibility of this type of paint should stand up well on a tire and it adheres to rubber quite well, you would have to mask everything so it will consume some time...depends how much you want the look.

Good luck
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 12:26 PM
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Mix some bleach with water and dish soap then scrub with a sturdy brush.
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 12:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Jud Chapin
Have you tried an SOS pad? I've used them on my '76 and they usually come out much whiter.
I agree, make sure it's an "SOS" pad not some other brand. The SOS seems to have bleach or something in it that makes the letters white.
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 01:52 PM
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I have used "Comet". Throw the powder on it and scrub it with a wet brush. Then spray off. This always makes mine look like new.
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 01:55 PM
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Barkeeper's Friend - works great!
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 02:11 PM
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I agree with the SOS pad, comet works too. The white letters are typically molded in with some thickness extending through the plain surface of the tire...which means you won't scuff or scrub off the white.

Scrub harder, maybe try some of that bleche-white stuff.

Steve
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 02:40 PM
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thanks guys

I'll try a bleach based product / SOS product and if that doesn't work I will go the route of a vinyl paint.
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 03:53 PM
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Use Clorox Soft Scrub on a Brillo pad, it works really well. The best stuff to use if you can still find it is Castrol Super Clean at full strength, I have never seen anything that cleans like that stuff. Someone told me it's no longer available though because it's not friendly to the enviornment.
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 04:14 PM
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I've always used "BLECHE-WHITE" and a scrub brush, follow the directions on the bottle, apply it dry and let it sit a bit, scrub, rinse and the tire comes out like new, the black is blacker, and the white is whiter, a final step is to apply some tire dressing, its always worked for me,,,Peace,, Moosie
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 07:34 PM
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I use something like this on my BFG Comps
http://www.shop.com/op/~Duplicolor_H...30369645?buy=9
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 08:11 PM
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Simple green works also. Spray it on full strength on the whole tire, then brush. I think the brushing is more important than what ever cleaner you use, wether it's a comercial white wall tire cleaner or any other strong detergent.
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 08:26 PM
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Originally Posted by moosie982
I've always used "BLECHE-WHITE" and a scrub brush, follow the directions on the bottle, apply it dry and let it sit a bit, scrub, rinse and the tire comes out like new, the black is blacker, and the white is whiter, a final step is to apply some tire dressing, its always worked for me,,,Peace,, Moosie
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Old Nov 22, 2006 | 10:24 PM
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Originally Posted by moosie982
I've always used "BLECHE-WHITE" and a scrub brush, follow the directions on the bottle, apply it dry and let it sit a bit, scrub, rinse and the tire comes out like new, the black is blacker, and the white is whiter, a final step is to apply some tire dressing, its always worked for me,,,Peace,, Moosie
thats what i have been using and they always come out like new,even these old tires in the photo ,,the letters came out white
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Old Nov 23, 2006 | 05:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Highhat
I use something like this on my BFG Comps
http://www.shop.com/op/~Duplicolor_H...30369645?buy=9
This stuff looks like the ticket. I've done everything else described above none of which I found is permanent. I learned from a tire engineer, as noted above, that the white portion is built into the tire and if its to thin...the black comes through. No cleaner will solve that problem. It will take a product such as this.

How has this worked for you?
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Old Nov 23, 2006 | 05:47 AM
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Default White letters

Well, you guys are going to cringe but use light sandpaper. How do you think the letters got white in the first place. On a white letter tire. There's a white strip(part of the sidewall compound) all the way around the outside of the tire with a thin cover strip over it. The curing mold creates the raised letters leaving the black coverstrip intact and a grinder takes the top of the letters off exposing the white under the coverstrip. So, if your letters won't clean up, sand it down just a bit.It's harmless.
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Old Nov 23, 2006 | 05:52 AM
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Originally Posted by 73, Dark Blue 454
Mix some bleach with water and dish soap then scrub with a sturdy brush.
That's how I do it...then some ArmorAll to darken the black tire...looks great..
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