tires and dry rott ?

[dustrunner]

anyone know what causes tires to dry rott and a cure ?:wondering

[TatTooL23]

I also would like to know what to spray or rub on tires to hopefully preserve them and ward off dry rot.

As far as I have seen once the dry rot starts u cant fix it.

[RapidRick]

Ultraviolet and ozone attack the chemical bonds of the compounds in the rubber. Keep them out of the sun for the UV however ozone is in the atmosphere and it's hard to get away from that.

I use a couple different types of synthetic dressings. Armor All to be more specific currently.

Inactivity also promotes cracking as well as low air pressure, so I guess ride more and the tires will last longer :lol:

Hope this helps

[oldskool83]

keep the bike on a stand and armor all them. if your dealing with 30 year old tires its time for new ones.

[oscarmayer]

rubber dries out over time. It was not ment to last for years. so no matter what they will "dry rot" and crack and get ruined. if you had a special "controlled" enviroment like a musium then maybe you can kepe them in ok shape with proper humidity and temp control and no sunlight, but that's it.
I haev seen some guys try to use dry rotting tires and it enver ends up pretty. even putting a tube does not stop the tire itself from comming appart. so jsut spend the coin and get new ones.

[El Camexican]

Rule #1 with tires you are trying to preserve is to NEVER keep them in an area where welding is going on, its even worse than direct sunlight. Welding creates ozone and as stated above ozone is detrimental to rubber. All over you who weld with a condom in your wallet might want to heed this warning. As far as Armor All goes, I’m skeptical about long term preservation. As someone once told me “Putting Armor All on tires that are left in the sun is like putting butter on your skin and going to the beach”. I never had a problem with car tires cracking up on me before I could wear the treads out when I was living up North, but down here my tires seems to crack up all to heck before I’m ¾ to the wear bars and I suspect the use of Armor All is adding to the problem based on a talking to the owner of the tire shop I buy my rubber at. I’m not going to argue with anyone over this, but after having to toss my garage kept Michelins in the garbage well before the wear bars were reached I’m backing off on the Armor All. Also of note , don’t EVER put Armor All on a street bike tire. Not even a little on the side walls, unless your hell bent on testing your frame sliders. Also somewhat related, I know that drag races will “paint” old dry slicks with brake fluid to soften them up and get a couple more passes out of them, but I suspect this is not a good long term way to revitalize rubber. I just keep my stored tires in a cool, dark, dry corner on wood and hope for the best.

[dustrunner]

well i picked up a big red with the original tires that are nice and was just curious as to how to keep them nice. after all they are 26 year old tires ...and never been of my uncles bike.

[El Camexican]

well i picked up a big red with the original tires that are nice and was just curious as to how to keep them nice. after all they are 26 year old tires ...and never been of my uncles bike.

Keep them, clean, full of air, out of the sun, off the ground and away from welding and hope for the best.

[remsandpets]

For me, I ride the hell out of it and try to wear them out before the damn dry rot has a chance to set in. Ride good and replace them when needed, what else can I say? Ya have to ride in the sun and fresh air. There is just no getting around it. Use it or loose it.

[RapidRick]

For me, I ride the hell out of it and try to wear them out before the damn dry rot has a chance to set in. Ride good and replace them when needed, what else can I say? Ya have to ride in the sun and fresh air. There is just no getting around it. Use it or loose it.

I like this idea the best :)

[Micahdogg]

I've heard of people parking bikes on plywood sheets to keep the tires off the concrete.

[dustrunner]

ya, i have stands that keep them off the c ment when stored...

[honda200x1987]

I know this is a older thread but better than staring a new one, I never thought Armor All, tire shine would be bad for tires. Guess I need to wash mine clean but I heard Vaseline is recommended. I can't remember but I think Mike from Vintagemotorsports coats his NOS tires with something . I really would like to know for sure what is BEST to keep the NOS tires I have stored away and the set I have on my 200X from dry rot. Vaseline?

[barnett468]

I know this is a older thread but better than staring a new one, I never thought Armor All, tire shine would be bad for tires. Guess I need to wash mine clean but I heard Vaseline is recommended. I really would like to know for sure what is BEST to keep the NOS tires I have stored away and the set I have on my 200X from dry rot. Vaseline?Petroleum based products are not the best. i would use meguiars endurance tire dressing in the hand pump bottle not the aerosol or gel. the pump is water based. then wrap them in a good plastic bag to keep the air off of them.

[tri again]

yupp x2 w/ elcam
also a great place to store stuff is behind the air compressor..NOT!!


anything that generates UV or ozone is bad.
I have full spectrum lights in my garage to ward off winter blues..can't be good for tires.

[vintagemotorsports]

Guys i use a product called formula 303 for all my tires it is the cats ass, there is no silicone in it and it acts like sunsceen for anything plastic or rubber I spray it on and let it soak into the tires it makes the tires nice dark black and soft and doesnt give it that slimey used car salesman look. its kind of expensive but there is nothing out ther like it they have 2 types i get the blue and white bottle called aerospace formula

[dirtwheels]

I've been using 303 aerospace for a while as well. It is by far the best stuff I have found. My brother-in-law is a boat guy and he turned me onto it. It is expensive but it works great to resurrect or protect anything rubber.

[honda200x1987]

Thanks for chiming in Mike, I hoped you would. The guys at work told me that most protectants like Armor All are silicone based and will eat at your tires and makes them weak and works like tanning lotion in the sun so I guess they were right. They say the street rod guys use plain dish washing liquid on the tires to give them a shine. I found the 303 on ebay and I will be sure to try it out so thanks for the info guys, everyone with OEM tires should try this stuff. http://www.ebay.com/itm/303-Products-30340-Aerospace-Protectant-Trigger-Pump-Sprayer-16-oz-ounces-030340-/300944870169?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item4611b64b19&vxp=mtr

[MTS]

Murphys tire grease! its a soap base..wont pull the moisture out of the rubber..use it every day mounting tires to prevent corrosion on wheels..works great can wash your hands with it too!

[Dirtcrasher]

The old timers store their hot rods on top of flat garbage bags over the concrete.

One the homes had 9 hot rods in it for twenty years or better stored that way and thats what he told my father...........

[barnett468]

you can look a bit online and see for yourself what might be best. there are 100 different tire protectant. look up "tire ozone". as another member explained, ozone strangely enough is one of the worst things for tires.

1. most tire treatments have some level of uv protection.

2. only a few have ozone protection. it is called "antiozonant", meguires endurance is one of them..

3. doesn't matter if a product leaves a dull or shiny finish, or sticky to the touch or not when one is merely trying to preserve the tires.

[Ghostv2]

I dont know what i have been doing, but my tires have been lasting. Maybe they pull in moisture from the earth and the tarp on them outside keeps the UV an ozone out. :lol:

I still have the original front tire on my 83 200e, rear were removed for better tires by PO i suppose. My 85 200s has the original front and had the original rears until 2 years ago when they cracked apart. Mostly from sitting and leaking it just helped destroy them. If i would of kept up with them they would of lasted a few more years. I guess its time i take some of this advice.

[ColtonGG33]

I still have my original dx tire on rim, not one hint of dry rotting on it! It's been stored on concrete floor most of its life too.

[xrider]

Put a light coating of vasoline on the sidewalls of the tires. This is what I do. It was recommended to me by a Hoosier Rep years ago.