Product review: Tire cleaner

dla4567 · Jun 1, 2021

A lot of us have experienced brown letters on our tires. I’ve tried all the usual cleaners and got the best results from paint thinner, but it doesn’t last. So I talked to the maker of tire cleaners about the brown letters and this is the one he recommended for me. They make several different tire cleaners, I suspect they’re all basically the same. Info and purchase can be found at lasteffortgarage.com.
I followed the directions to the letter. (Which was a bit of a pain in the ***). Must be removed from car and set in sunlight on a 70+ day. Apply heavy coat and let sit 10+ minutes. Squeeze out of letters with putty knife, wipe clean with white rag, do this 4 times, let sit over night, wipe clean in the morning, buff with nylon brush.....I wasn’t amazed at the results like I was hoping to be, still not as white as the letters on the front tires that never had this problem. But much better and acceptable IF they stay that way, only time will tell. They claim this is a once a year treatment.
I’ll follow up and let you know when they turn brown again.
Anybody else try this stuff?

AR67GTX · Jun 1, 2021

Looks pretty good. Totally Awsome is another cleaner that I have been reading about a lot and also tried out with good success. Main thing is it’s very cheap at places like Dollar General, and is useful for dozens of chores. It’s usually thinned down for most things. Cleaned up my red stripe tires very well.

unfortunately a lot of the products used in tire manufacture now result in muddy looking white letters and stripes and defy just about any attempt to bring back to bright white status. I have an old Vette and the guys are always complaining over on the C1 and C2 forum about being unable to bring white letters and stripes back to a clean state. But a lot of them are swearing by Totally Awsome.

dla4567 · Jun 1, 2021

AR67GTX said:
Looks pretty good. Totally Awsome is another cleaner that I have been reading about a lot and also tried out with good success. Main thing is it’s very cheap at places like Dollar General, and is useful for dozens of chores. It’s usually thinned down for most things. Cleaned up my red stripe tires very well.

unfortunately a lot of the products used in tire manufacture now result in muddy looking white letters and stripes and defy just about any attempt to bring back to bright white status. I have an old Vette and the guys are always complaining over on the C1 and C2 forum about being unable to bring white letters and stripes back to a clean state. But a lot of them are swearing by Totally Awsome.

I use Totally Awesome a lot. It’s a cheap alternative to Simple Green and a great general purpose cleaner.

turbine68rt · Jun 1, 2021

Used this for decades... and still do

69Bee · Jun 1, 2021

I used to use a product called "Bleach White" but after a quick search online, it seems to be the same product shown above. They changed the look or the company was sold, doesn't really matter. I used to use a brass bristle brush, but I am sure any stiff bristle brush will do. Instructions used to say, 'spray on, brush, and rinse'.

I found a pic of what I used, and is basically the same...

91r/t · Jun 1, 2021

turbine68rt said:
Used this for decades... and still do
View attachment 1118271

Me too, but this product along with most if not all others won't touch the browning issue that goes on with the BF Goodrich Radial T/A's in the wider rear sizes. Love these tires but they suck as far as quality and white letters go. I may switch the a radial redline tire to solve this issue as I am sick of my white letters looking like complete **** right after scrubbing the hell outta them.

toolmanmike · Jun 1, 2021

turbine68rt said:
Used this for decades... and still do
View attachment 1118271

Westleys will not clean the BFG white letter tires with the defects!! Period. BFG has had this white letter browning issue for years on their larger tires (like 255/60-R15). I contacted them and they know of the defect and will replace tires if they aren't too old or worn. I have had smaller 14's on the front of my Swinger for years that are pure white and have never been cleaned with anything other than car wash soap and a wash mitt. I have tried absolutely everything on the rears including acetone with very limited results. I cleaned my rears with a Scotchbrite wheel on a cordless drill a week ago, actually removing white letter material. I will see in a couple days how brown they are.

dla4567 · Jun 1, 2021

91r/t said:
Me too, but this product along with most if not all others won't touch the browning issue that goes on with the BF Goodrich Radial T/A's in the wider rear sizes. Love these tires but they suck as far as quality and white letters go. I may switch the a radial redline tire to solve this issue as I am sick of my white letters looking like complete **** right after scrubbing the hell outta them.

This will likely be my last set of BFGs.

RT6PK · Jun 1, 2021

The issue with the BFG's going brown has been discussed pretty in depth. I went with the Micky Thompson Sportsman ST's have have been very happy with the whiteness of the white letters, (not to sound racist). For cleaning, I use the Mr. Clean Stain Eraser.

toolmanmike · Jun 1, 2021

RT6PK said:
The issue with the BFG's going brown has been discussed pretty in depth. I went with the Micky Thompson Sportsman ST's have have been very happy with the whiteness of the white letters, (not to sound racist). For cleaning, I use the Mr. Clean Stain Eraser.

View attachment 1118282 View attachment 1118283

Nice looking tire and white letters. I like the smaller fonts myself and M/T's are very period correct. Thanks for the tip.

turbine68rt · Jun 1, 2021

toolmanmike said:
Westleys will not clean the BFG white letter tires with the defects!! Period. BFG has had this white letter browning issue for years on their larger tires (like 255/60-R15). I contacted them and they know of the defect and will replace tires if they aren't too old or worn. I have had smaller 14's on the front of my Swinger for years that are pure white and have never been cleaned with anything other than car wash soap and a wash mitt. I have tried absolutely everything on the rears including acetone with very limited results. I cleaned my rears with a Scotchbrite wheel on a cordless drill a week ago, actually removing white letter material. I will see in a couple days how brown they are.

View attachment 1118275 View attachment 1118276

Apologies, I wasn't even aware of a browning issue with the larger T/A's. Had them on daily drivers in the 90's and didn't really have trouble keeping them clean. These days I have the blackwalls out.

toolmanmike · Jun 1, 2021

turbine68rt said:
Apologies, I wasn't even aware of a browning issue with the larger T/A's. Had them on daily drivers in the 90's and didn't really have trouble keeping them clean. These days I have the blackwalls out.

No problem at all. Many haven't heard about the issue, just the guys that own the tires and cuss every time we get our car out of the garage. They will turn brown in a matter of a few days. I compare it to not brushing your teeth for a week. :mob:

66383 · Jun 1, 2021

Comet in a can and a wire brush. Got tired of it and turned black side out.

Bighouse · Jun 1, 2021

I use simple green, and a brass wire brush on the white. Never let me down.

Come to think of it I really use it for everything in different levels of dilution. From cleaning drum brakes to wiping down interiors. If it doesn’t do it at full strength I use superclean.

toolmanmike · Jun 1, 2021

Bighouse said:
I use simple green, and a brass wire brush on the white. Never let me down.

Come to think of it I really use it for everything in different levels of dilution. From cleaning drum brakes to wiping down interiors. If it doesn’t do it at full strength I use superclean.

Do you have the BFG"s with the browning letters?

Frank Mopar · Jun 1, 2021

Spray 9.

zyzzyx · Jun 1, 2021

Westley's was sold, and when that happened, they promptly changed the formula.
It used to be the best, but not any more! I guess they think they can sell river water
if they put it in the same old bottle! How are they still in business?

moes · Jun 1, 2021

been using this for years. I think they changed the packaging since I bought some last time.

Ranger16 · Jun 1, 2021

dla4567 said:
This will likely be my last set of BFGs.

For what it's worth, my Cooper Cobra's have the same browning issues.

Moms68 · Jun 1, 2021

Product review: Tire cleaner

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