Brake fluid on tires??

Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration
Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Brake fluid on tires??
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wilf Bradbury on Thursday, June 14, 2012 - 08:44 pm:

A while ago I seem to remember a thread about what to use and what not to use on tires to get a nice shine. I thought brake fluid was hard on rubber/or whatever they use for tires these days.Is it really safe?
Wilf


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tman - Right Coast on Thursday, June 14, 2012 - 09:04 pm:

NO


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Will,, Trenton,,,New Jersey on Thursday, June 14, 2012 - 09:06 pm:

Never ever use brake fluid on tires, It will ruin them


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John M mASLACK on Thursday, June 14, 2012 - 09:35 pm:

As I recall, in the early 70s, the composition of brake fluid was changed. Previous to that brake components were made from rubber. After that every thing was neoprene. I remember this because it was my job to rebuild the various master cylinders and wheel cylinders on the older trucks we had. This went on for a couple of years until all the rubber components were gone. The new brake fluid would swell and soften the rubber components to a gummy mess...So,that being said, I can't believe that modern brake fluid is good for tires. However I do know it was recomended as a tire treatment back in the day.....


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Herb Iffrig on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 08:46 am:

Wasn't brake fluid made from castor oil back then?

Herb


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 08:59 am:

I tried cleaning some really old but uncracked 21" tires with brake fluid some months ago based on the advice from the other thread. They looked like new and still does, no sign of deteriorating or swelling (yet)
I'll put them om my wire wheels and try them out :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 09:37 am:

Maybe a one time use as Roger described wouldn't hurt them to the point of ruining them but a constant application would cause some real bad things to happen. I personally wouldn't use it. To me the best way to clean tires and really make them look nice is soapy water and a stiff brush. It takes a lot of elbow grease but the oldest tires can look very good using this method. And all I ever used was dish soap. I've also used the off the shelf whitewall cleaner on my black walls. But I've kind of got a disliking of harsh chemical cleaners. I used Gunk engine cleaner on a tire that had been sprayed down with rearend grease and the results weren't all that good. Nothing works better than elbow grease and soapy water applied with a brush. JMO


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve McClelland on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 09:44 am:

I worked for BFI 20 years ago, as some of the trucks were cleaned and repainted for a truck show / rodeo. I remember some of the rout drivers would put hydraulic oil on the tires they looked new for 2-3 weeks. Never heard of any ill effects from using hydro oil...... It sure made the tires black and shiny.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George Button III (Chip), Lake Clear, NY on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 09:46 am:

Wilf, I use Amor-all tire cleaner. It's not too shiny and has a conditioner in it for the rubber. Works great for me at the shows and doesn't leave a greasy residue.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Doug Money - Braidwood, IL on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 10:16 am:

GoJo with pumice really cleans the whites of the tires and I assume the blacks as well. It sure saves the arms.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Hughes, Raymond, NE on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 10:20 am:

I have a good friend that is an engineer for Goodyear. Last time this came up I asked him about it. He said that yes, brake fluid is a good treatment for the tires. He said to not use Armor-all, as it dries out the plasticizers in the rubber. I trust his judgement as he knows his rubber. He designs (almost) all of the belts for NASCAR. I wish he would go to Vietnam and get the rubber formula right for the tires that they are making for our cars.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By R. S. Cruickshank on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 09:48 pm:

I drive my cars now but when I was showing a 37 Packard, I used Johnsons lemon pledge on the tires. They always looked new and had a matte finish.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Leming on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 10:34 pm:

In the 70's and 80's we used brake fluid all the time on tires to make them look good for car shows. It never ruined any of my tires, but as the previous notes say, maybe brake fluid has changed (composition) I agree the armor all is good, none of the stuff seems to make them look like brake fluid did.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By M Philpott on Friday, June 15, 2012 - 11:43 pm:

does it make a difference as what dot spec? I had a great uncle that bought a 53 chev flat bed 2 1/2 ton that he always put brake fluid on and when he died in 82 it had the same set of tires on. Most of the miles were driven on soft dirt roads but age being a factor in warm weather central cal did work.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Stroud on Saturday, June 16, 2012 - 04:16 am:

I agree with Steve about Armor All. I have posted this before, but on the show "My Classic Car" a few years ago, they had a guy on there from Steele Rubber Products, which make rubber moldings for windows and such. He said, "do not use products that contain silicone on rubber, it will deteriorate it". I had heard this before from word of mouth, but that made me a believer. JMHO. Dave


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Saturday, June 16, 2012 - 07:51 am:

Don't use Armorall on plastic, either. I used it on the dashpad of my 914, then direct sun through the windshield cracked it. It became infamous in early Porsche forums in the mid-1990s.

rdr


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David Dewey, N. California on Saturday, June 16, 2012 - 01:49 pm:

Years ago we borrowed a guys truck for a trip to pick up a car body, and left him our car to use--with the promise to not take his dog with him in it. It came back with the seatbelts chewed up, dog hair around, and he had armor-alled the dash in an attempt to clean up the car (and dog drool). In a month the dash was cracked.
Also, if you want to ruin your piano's keys, use armor-all on them; they will become a cracked mess shortly.
OH, BTW, if armor-all gets in your painting area, you'll have to add fish-eye preventer to any paint you do afterwards!
T'
David D.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jeff Haugen on Thursday, September 06, 2012 - 11:57 pm:

I have used brake fluid on tires for many years and have never once had any problems. Stay away from Armor-all


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nevin Gough on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 03:48 am:

I have used Armor-all foaming tire cleaner on my Universal T Drivers since they were new in 2005. I would armor-all them a dozen times a year yet the sidewalls are in great condition.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Patrick on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 07:40 am:

Brake fluid is not harmful to rubber, whatsoever and has been used for years as a preservative for tires and rubber. I've had the same set of Universal tires on my '26 coupe for 42 years and they look like new.

Brake fluid is a hydraulic fluid designed for use in closed systems with rubber hoses and tubing and will not attack or break down rubber, since, with all the rubber tubing and rubber seals in modern brake systems, the driver's life would be in peril if brake fluid attacked, softened or broke down rubber as claimed above.

Paint it on your tires with a 1 1/2" paintbrush and let sit sink in, then come back later and wipe off any excess with a rag. Jim Patrick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Greg Whaley, Georgetown Ontario Canada on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 07:58 am:

Just to add some fire to the Armor All debate:

I have used Armor All on every one of my vehicles for the the last 20+ years with zero issues. The running joke on my street is that I have shares in Armor All because I use it so much.....I use it on tires, plastic trim, dashboards/door panels, etc. Keep in mind as well that my vehicles don't sit out in the sun for days on end either - which I'm sure has a lot to do with it.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dexter Doucet on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 09:16 am:

Hey guys, what about tire wet? I've used it on a vinyl top also. If anyone knows that's tire wet is bad for vinyl, kindly speak up


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Friday, September 07, 2012 - 09:24 pm:

Armor All cripples the plastisizers(sp?) in vinyl, turns vinyl into plastic.

I did an MGTD 2 months ago and when finished I had 5 new tires installed on it. They look BITCHEN! Then I took it to get detailed. They put some crap on the tires that shined like somebody had just put some kind of crap on them. Cost $90 for the job. Looks like hell.
Soap and water for my tires from now on.


Posting is currently disabled in this topic. Contact your discussion moderator for more information.
Topics Last Day Last Week Tree View    Getting Started Formatting Troubleshooting Program Credits    New Messages Keyword Search Contact Moderators Edit Profile Administration