BF Goodrich browning

[i_taz]

I was able to file a claim w/BFG and they took 40% off a new pair of T/A's because of the browning that effects the lettering.... I used everything from brake cleaner to sand paper to Mr Clean pads and they would a vanilla-ish white but that's about it...then they just get darker from there.

 

[moparleo]

Was Armorall used on them and how old were they??Date codes..

 

[moparlee]

There was a thread over on FBBO talking about the same issue with the BFG's. I have a set that's only 2 to 3 yrs old with that same brown discoloration and they have never had tire protectant on them. You just can't get that brown sh*t off.

 

[wedg2go]

Bleach, as in cleanser?

Dang! I was getting ready to buy a set for my little brand "X" show car. Now you got me rethinking this...

 

[i_taz]

The date code is from 2014 and there is a 6 yr warranty period. Originally it seemed it was specific sizes like mine 255/60 but a friend has a similar problem on his 235's that are over 10 yrs old. His 255's are good so it's the exact opposite but his don't get as brown just a vanilla-ish color....My 235's are ok...

From what I understand it's coming from inside the compound and according to Micheline it will wear away when exposed to UV which my car rarely is... That's how dark they got just sitting in the garage for maybe 3 months since I cleaned them last....I was going to pull the trigger for a set of Poly glass but put that off for another time...

 

[413]

Things return to their original form. In the BFG case the tires are crap!

 

[Avalanche]

If all else fails, could you paint the lettering? Tire lettering paint.
Don't know if it would make it worse or not.
Don't know of the paint is permanent or it would bleed through and make a mess

 

[i_taz]

At least their acknowledging the problem... I was just going to buy 2 new tires but decided to call them first. With mounting and balancing I only saved $100 but I'll take it, obviously. One thing I didn't like with the new tires was one took about 4oz to balance...the other less than 1oz. I heard from someone their Polyglass were a bear to balance...IDK if that's common

 

[moparleo]

The Goodyear "Polyglas" are going to be repro tires that are bias ply. For looks only. ANY tire over 5-6 years old should be replaced even if it has No miles on it. Tires are made from a combination of many, many different ingredients and then Vulcanized, (baked like a cake) to cure or cook the mixture. Deterioration starts as soon as they leave the mold. Just like the way a cake would go bad after take it out of the frige. The original "T/A" radial has not been manufactured since Michelin bought BFG decades ago. They also bought Uniroyal tire co. The original T/a tire was made entirely of rayon. A 2 ply carcass and 4 folded Rayon belts, equaling 6 plies under the tread. The current T/A uses the original mold but uses the old steel belted Uniroyal "green tire" ( the tires name before it is baked in the mold). That is why the current T/A does not balance or handle/ride like they did back in the early seventies. I was there and sold hundreds of them, when I sold actual BF Goodrich, Uniroyal and Michelin tires when they were all separate tire companies.

 

[340challconvert]

I have a set of TA radials on my A66 vert I bought in the early 80’s. Car was storage until 3 years ago. (I won’t be driving on them, but they still hold air, believe it or not.)
Letters are dirty, but still white. I had put 235-15 on the front and 255-15 on the back to give the car a little “TA” rake back then. Used to get the TA’s at garage net back then (about $60 per tire) oh well.

Looks like the new ones can be a mixed bag?
Mopar Leo, thanks for the TA radial update.

 

[i_taz]

The Goodyear "Polyglas" are going to be repro tires that are bias ply. For looks only. ANY tire over 5-6 years old should be replaced even if it has No miles on it. Tires are made from a combination of many, many different ingredients and then Vulcanized, (baked like a cake) to cure or cook the mixture. Deterioration starts as soon as they leave the mold. Just like the way a cake would go bad after take it out of the frige. The original "T/A" radial has not been manufactured since Michelin bought BFG decades ago. They also bought Uniroyal tire co. The original T/a tire was made entirely of rayon. A 2 ply carcass and 4 folded Rayon belts, equaling 6 plies under the tread. The current T/A uses the original mold but uses the old steel belted Uniroyal "green tire" ( the tires name before it is baked in the mold). That is why the current T/A does not balance or handle/ride like they did back in the early seventies. I was there and sold hundreds of them, when I sold actual BF Goodrich, Uniroyal and Michelin tires when they were all separate tire companies.

So your saying T/A's are also for 'looks only' too...??? Maybe they know were not going to actually drive these cars...? I'm not being smart just frustrated... No more Uniroyal per say, no more BFG per say, no more Kelly per say, no more General per say, Remington, Jetson, Lee, JC Penny and on and on...but we have Hankook, Falcon, Yokohama, Bridgestone, Nitto, Kuhmo and on and on. The only other RWL I know of are Cooper Cobra or M/T Sportsman, Why you would name a passenger tire 'sportsman' I'll never know....how about 'Radial M/T' or M/T Competition...? BTW...My old tires were made in TN, new tires Mexico...

These tires convinced me make a move...23 yr old Jetson that are as white as a baby's bottom...zoom in on those....they look brand new from an inch away. I know, I know they could blow at any minute but I doubt it...

 

[340challconvert]

My A66 was last on the road in 1984, so the TA’s are just move around tires as I get the car back together. I was looking at Cooper Cobra tires as replacements when I finally get her back on the road.
I-taz, Sweet looking 69 Olds vert by the way!

 

[i_taz]

I have a soft spot for 442's but it's not mine...someday though. There practically giving them away compared to e-bodie's....!

 

[i_taz]

The Cobra's are worth considering and get positive reviews but I've owned Cooper products in the past they strike me as 2nd tier, like Kelly's are today but if these T/A's start failing me again they would be my only other choice...

 

[gzig5]

I've got Coopers on the back of my car and while they are nothing to write home about, they are round and go down the road just fine. Definitely a hard tire and crap for traction, wet or dry. They are just place keepers until the budget allows for new 18" wheels. I may give the stick on letters a try when I get there.

 

[moparleo]

Back then brakes were small and wheels diameters were small and tire diameters were large. Performance tires of the late sixties and into the seventies generally had 60 series aspect ratios. The ratio of tire height to section width. To make a whitewall or RWL tire requires andding 2 more layers of rubber to the sidewall. A thick layer or white and a thin layer of black. The top layer is then buffed off on the tips of the lettering or completely around the tire on a white wall. Since cars now all have disc brakes, the rotors need more clearance for air circulation to cool them. So wheel diameters have increased, where now 18" is the most common rim size and to keep the tire from getting too tall the sidewall had to shrink. Everything is now what was once called Low profile. There is not much market for 14 or 15 inch tires so slowly the tire manufacturers have discontinued them and sold their molds to smaller companies that can survive on low production, high unit cost tires. Just like the Wide whitewalls are usually seen on cars from the fifties, RWL tires are marketed for cars from the late sixties/early seventies. The tires are safe just made to fifty year old tire technology. "appearance over performance" Fuel injection used originally in aircraft and diesel engines crossed over to racing and high end performance applications. Fast forward and most people don't even know what a carburetor is. That is the same technology gap that there is between bias-ply tires and radial ply tires. Tires are a major part of the suspension system and required a complete overhaul of the rest of the suspension to complement the radial tires unique steering, braking characteristics . Rims had to be strengthened, shock absorbers revalved, suspension parts tolerances tightened, etc... tires are more than just the round things that support the car.

 

[i_taz]

I agree....16" are almost on the way out too but leave it to the Japanese(firestone) to come out with an updated Wide Oval radial...
I see them on Mopar's lately but there's just something so wrong..
I still prefer even an aftermarket tire given a choice...

Here's a new one, OWL Pirelli's I have on my truck are showing the white letter layer on the nubs that are being worn away on the sidewall....little white dots all over them...

 

[i_taz]

Got the new tires and was warned that they may not match lettering wise and looks like that's the case. As mentioned before new tires made in different plant... There ever so slightly larger...seem to measure the same down to the millimeter but somethings just not right... 2nd pic are new 2019 tires

 

[fasjac]

Oh crap, I’m still new here and just read this. I have two sets of these now about 5 years old. I just went WAY to fast a couple weeks ago for this info. Didn’t get in 5th gear though, but still. I will have to go to plan B for sure. It’s so easy to just stand on it for a few seconds.
Good info

 

[plymouth67]

As far as the yellowing letters has anybody tried a Mr. Clean magic eraser?? These things are magic...I have set of these tires on the Duster and the letters look yellowish...I'm gonna try the magic eraser....