Thanks guys for your help. I think we are talking two subjects: One is cleaning the RWL which are manufactured to spec. I had one set, the car came with. Cleaning them was a breeze. Second is the case of RWL not to spec. You can brush them all day long with minimum success. So I went with sandpaper (not allergic to it ). As I wanted to limit the amount of elbow grease, I took my little friend, the FEIN Multimaster and used 120 grid. It was easy and fast, it remains to be seen how long it will stay white, though. My impression is, that it is not only a thin layer of white, bonded onto the black letters, but that the white is as thick, as the letter itself. For whatever reason (maybe brake dust) the front tires had a darker brown, than the rear tires. Front Rear Rear done All done
I'm with Larry, turn them to the inside and you'll never have to clean them again. But if you must, I had that problem years ago with a customers car and I just sanded them with a 180 disc on the DA sander and they came back white.
That is how whitewall tires are manufactured. I know because I worked at BFG back in 1969 in Kitchener.. A "router" then cut the black layer to present the whitewall. Raises the question - For raised letter tires, if the black final carcass is vulcanized over white layer, then the black layer would not seal at the raised letters and how would a tool know where to cut the black layer to expose the white letters and finish the sealing the black layer at the letter site?
I don't know the process to effectively bond the black over the white, but the black is "milled" (again, not sure what proccess) to expose the white letters. Cut a tire, and you can see the "skin" of black covers a "white wall" with letters. So, it appeared to me to be a "one piece" of whitewall and letters with the black bonded overtop and integral to the sidewall and tread. My biggest experience were aircraft tires (military) and unfortunately, we didn't get whitewalls. (But we had the paint crayons when they were effective and made out own, until we were told to stop)
Used BleechWhite and a scrub brush for years. Went to Cooper Tires and besides handling better for me NEVER had the discoloring issue.
Is there anyone on this site who worked for bfg or goodyear who did or saw how the white lettering was completed?
As already mentioned, BFG has had issues with the white letters turning brownish. Cleaning needs to be done periodically. I give them a light sanding to whiten them up.
BFG bulletin about browning of RWL tires. https://dcadprod.azureedge.net/b2c-...duct-bulletin-wsw-browning-vff-3-bfg-only.pdf
Then Oxyclean should work (and explains why my letters turn as my cars are always garaged) (Oxyclean is an oxygen bleach 9oxidizer) I'll get some and see how it works and post back if it works better than mineral spirits or brake clean. Since it would not likely lead to damage or be as much trouble as the spirits/brake clean.
Man I wish I liked the black wall look on m,y car because that would be a helluva lot easier. So far: Srteel wool, parts washer detergent, Comet, sand paper, every 3M scrungie type you can think of, Epoxy thinner, Acetone, an hour of bullsh!t elbow grease, rinse, repeat, and STILL brown to off white gradient. BFG T/A radials are the pinnacle of day 2 musclecar tires (imho) so I don't know with all the big time cocktail yielding car collectors how Michelin can get away with this.
May not ship to Canada but Flat rock Mi. is not far from me. Then, again, I cannot cross the border = covid!
Followup: Picked up a little tub of OxiClean White Revive Laundry Whitener + Stain Remover Took about 5 minutes to do all four tires and they brightened right up. Way faster then the spirits/brake clean. Going to see how long it lasts. I will make a paste and apply it to the other car and let it sit for an hour and see if that makes any difference.
