Great looking black tires
 

I asked the guy at the local tire store, what kind of tire dressing should I use on my new tires to keep them from cracking. He said nothing and any of that stuff will dry out the rubber and make them crack sooner. I'm thinking of trying black cream shoe polish, automotive leather upholstery cleaner and preserver, saddle soap, or thined semi gloss black enamel paint. What do you think, and what do you use?

Re: Great looking black tires
 

Surf city garage tire shine. Leaves a perfect sheen in my opinion. Not real glossy, smells like bubble gum and doesn't leave the tire orange when it fades off.

Re: Great looking black tires
 

No offense, but why did you even go to the guy at the tire store??
ozone, sunlight probably the worst thing for tires JMO

Paul in CT

Re: Great looking black tires
 

yea this is what ive heard from multiple places too. sunlight and heat dry them out/rot them quicker than anything. if the tires are kept cool in a dry place they last a long long time.

It also depends on the quality of the rubber to begin with.

even propping a board against the tires on trailers to keep them out of the direct sun seems to extend their life a heck of alot longer. We have a spare tire for our boat trailer and 4x8 trailer that have been around since the early 80's always stored in the garage under a shelf and not a single crack in them and as supple as new tires.

Re: Great looking black tires
 

i like "no touch" spray .

Re: Great looking black tires
 

For what it is worth this is from an old FAQ,



Most people don't give a lot of thought to their tires except for how they look. Truth be known, your tires are designed to perform under extreme conditions of heat via kinetic energy transfer, high speeds for long periods of time and incredible forces of torque and flexing. That's a lot to ask from a chunk of rubber, inflated with air like a cream filled donut.

The science behind the modern rubber formulas used by major tire manufactures today is both complex and interesting. The rubber itself contains and ingredient called Antiozonant.

Antiozonant is an ingredient that helps to prevent the exterior rubber surface from cracking, checking, oxidizing, and deteriorating. The rubber is designed in such a way as to constantly work its way to the outside of the tire and as such, continually replenish the exterior surface with fresh antiozonant.

After the antiozonant works its way to the outside of the tire and is exposed to the ozone in the air, it turns brown. The technical term for this effect is blooming.

This is why you see a brown film on the surface your tires. You can wash your tires with soap or an all-purpose cleaner and remove this film, but in a few weeks, it's back. That's because the antiozonant continually works its way to the outside of the tires every time you drive your car.

Thus before applying a dressing you really need to do a thorough job of cleaning the outer surface of the tire to remove any spent antiozonants as well as any previously applied dressing and this will prepare the rubber to accept a fresh application of tire dressing.


Meguiar's Tire Dressing Options
To maintain your tires and keep them looking sharp with a deep, dark black color, Meguiar's offers six unique tire dressings that treat the rubber with Meguiar's own special conditioning agents as well as patented antiozonants that replenish your tires' original antiozonants and keep your tires looking blacker longer than generic tire dressings and protectants.

Special polymers actually penetrate and cure to the surface to form a long lasting barrier-film that protects your tires from inclement weather and exposure to corrosive elements.

Re: Great looking black tires
 

glenn in camino .............................
Try Black Stove Polish. It is the best thing that I have ever found !
Believe it or not, these rear tires are white walls, treated with Black Stove Polish. This was done several years ago.
Be sure to wear plastic gloves. They will stain your hands, as well.
MIKE :) (mikeburch)
CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE - Twice

Re: Great looking black tires
 

We used to use brake fluid in the old days.

Re: Great looking black tires
 

Glenn,

I never tired it but in the old days I heard using paste black "Shinola" and buffing the heck out of it worked great.

In Worlds Fastest Indian, movie, "It fills the cracks" too.

Richard
Anaheim CA

Re: Great looking black tires
 

If you want the tires to look real nice put a 3 inch whitewall around them ( lol )!
Wayne