Whitewall question

rosenkranswa

Senior Member
I have a 1930 Town Sedan with whitewalls (don't shoot me, I like it). All four are the same make and installed at the same time. I clean them with Blech White about once a year which leaves them nice and white. One of the four for some reason turns brown very fast, you can almost watch it change. Cleans up fine, but will be almost tan in a couple months sitting in the garage. No evident difference from the other three other than the rapid color change. Doesn't seem to relate to sun exposure.

Any idea why one tire would change so fast, and what to do about it, other than put on four new blackwalls?
 
Does that tire see more sun than the others? Like maybe the sun comes in from a window or open door and hits that one more? Or it could be its just from a different batch?

Maybe the neighbors dog doesn't like your whitwalls :D
 
Are the ww 's Firestone ? If so it seems they brown a little have never had this with Goodyear. I have been lucky with my 29 Roadster It has Firestone now for 5 years and they have always been easy to keep white. Tudor has always run Goodyear. Have fun modelAtony tony white Lafayette, LA
 
I would suggest keeping a eye on your neighbors
Big dog when he comes strolling through your place....
Gil. NoCal
 
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My '30 coupe has 6 Firestone w/w's and they seem to discolor at the same time. Of course I keep in inside. They will discolor in about year. They're about 5 yrs old.
 
I had the same problem with my Goodyear's it was a flaw in the tire they told me it had to do with the heat when they made it. I had to replace it. And now it is time to replace all of them. I have had this set on it since 75 I think they done well and they are easy to keep up.
 
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I have a 1930 Town Sedan with whitewalls (don't shoot me, I like it). All four are the same make and installed at the same time. I clean them with Blech White about once a year which leaves them nice and white. One of the four for some reason turns brown very fast, you can almost watch it change. Cleans up fine, but will be almost tan in a couple months sitting in the garage. No evident difference from the other three other than the rapid color change. Doesn't seem to relate to sun exposure.

Any idea why one tire would change so fast, and what to do about it, other than put on four new blackwalls?

With all the cars you have, why not have an A with white walls
 
On our Tudor and Coupe with ww's, the right rear discolors faster than the others. That is the tire closest to the tailpipe and I surmise that has something to do with it.
 
Thanks for all the input folks. Definitely not the local fauna, and its one of the tires that's normally away from the windows in the garage. I think I'm going to go with the heat flaw in the manufacturing theory. Not a big deal, just annoying.
 

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I believe that the bleach may cause the browning of your tire according to Brattons they tell,you to you'se simple green to clean your white walls ,I also believe that croker,has the same warning.
 
Try this. It worked on my first A, a 31 Deluxe Roadster with Goodyear diamond tread whitewalls.

Murphy's Oil Soap. Because it will turn the white really white, I think there might be a bleaching agent in it.

Brush some on the tires, full strength. Let sit for about a half hour. Scrub with a steel wool or Scotchbrite pad and some running water. Let dry naturally. They should be the "new" white again.

If you do try this, tell the Gang what happened..

Larry
 
I had two sets replaced on my Town Sedan - apparently a manufacturing defect with Firestone (and possibly others) in the production process several years back. This latest set that I switched out seems to be staying white now with little maintenance. I don't believe that it has anything to do with sunlight, exhaust heat, tire cleaners, or the neighbor's dog. I would recommend contacting the folks you bought the tires from and asking them about some sort of swap or adjustment. I dealt with Coker Tire and they seemed cooperative on both occasions. Good luck regardless.

Dick
 
We had our monthly Model A meeting last night, and the guest speaker was a guy that owns a tire shop. He brought in some 19" radials and some 21" Firestone tires. Both types had very substantial sidewalls and a nice thick tread. He gave a slide show presentation showing how the tires are made. The radials don't come in 21" yet, but for a car that gets driven a fair amount I'd go with the radial tires. For my 28 or 29 I'd be glad to have a set of those Firestone tires.
 
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