AMC Eagle Den Forum

The Shop => Suspension, Steering, Brakes, Wheels & Tires => Topic started by: Sunny on April 14, 2011, 12:15:48 AM

Title: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: Sunny on April 14, 2011, 12:15:48 AM
Would anyone be interested in a writeup on how to bring whitewall / white lettering back to new looking?
With the nicer weather, the majority of the work I've been doing in the shop has been winter to summer tire swaps, and I get asked how to clean white letter tires a hundred times a day.. So I wondered if anyone would be interesting me in doing a writeup with a video or some pictures.
I'd add how to clean dirty whitewalls up nicely, and a neat way to unyellow/brown the lettering when they get older.

I figured I'd ask befoe I put effort in to it, incase no one is interested :P
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: shanebo on April 14, 2011, 12:47:49 AM
Id be interested....My eagle doesnt have white walls...yet.....My Road King does though and they are getting a bit dingy, Id love to find a good way to clean em.
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: JayRamb on April 14, 2011, 12:51:58 AM
Napa has White Ink Pens that I used on my Eagle Mud flaps. Lasted All winter. Works great! Goes on slick.  Shake the pen/ink, has a felt tip adn there you go. I know of a couple guys who can't their raised letters on the tires white anymore, they use that.
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: MontanaEagle on April 14, 2011, 12:40:41 PM
The white ink pen would be good if the white has come off.  If it is just dirty, I've had good luck (not on tires but anything else white) with Soft Scrub with bleach.  It's about $3 or $4 in the cleaning supply section.  A toothbrush and non-diluted soft scrub should brighten them up nicely.
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: shaggimo on April 14, 2011, 05:13:39 PM
Purple power ;) (diluted a tick, other wise it will take some white off too, lol).
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: nvsteve on April 14, 2011, 07:36:11 PM
A few of my vehicles have wide whitewalls.  My 54 Ford Coupe and my wife's 03 Road King Classic. 

Being an old :censored: and the son of a real car guy back in the fifties,  I will stand by the Brillo Soap Pads or SOS Soap Pads as the best way to clean them up and leave them looking whiter than white.   Just spray the tires first and then get the brillo soap pad a little wet,  scrub the tire and rinse.  And they're cheap to buy.  One pad will do two or three tires.

I tried the Westleys whitewall spray cleaner but don't care much for it.

I personally think the purple power is a little harsh even when deleted.
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: shaggimo on April 15, 2011, 08:06:17 AM
Yeah I didn't care much for the westleys stuff either, the purple power you have to work quicky with,  I usually spray it on, scrub with a soft brush, the quickly rinse it off. I let it sit on there too long once  :-[ it took my white letters away, lol.
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: vangremlin on April 16, 2011, 01:36:59 AM
I spray some full strength Simple Green on the tire and scrub with a stiff brush.  You really don't have to work very hard, and they end up really clean.  Safe too!
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: El Matador on April 19, 2011, 06:43:22 PM
I use Gojo on my dirty whitewalls and raised white letters.  Works really well, although a bit time consuming.

So, do you suppose any of our methods are the same as what Sunny was going to show us?  ;D
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: Sunny on April 19, 2011, 06:52:00 PM
Not mentioned yet.
Although I've used quite a few with good success. I'll do a short writeup tonight, it seems like most people know what they're doing though. I've just gotta grab the pics off my phone that I took.
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: nvsteve on April 19, 2011, 08:11:32 PM
I just bought a set of whitewalls for my wagon so I'll be interested to keep following this thread for ideas.
Title: Re: Cleaning Whitewall/White Letter Tires
Post by: Sunny on April 22, 2011, 06:33:20 AM
So I've got a rule for you guys.
Don't let your friends kid play with your phone.
All the pictures I took / video are erased.
I'm probably going to take a picture or two today and just explain it in writing.