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Answers
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How do I keep my whitewalls
clean? For simple clean-up, use soap and water.
We have brought to market our own whitewall tire
cleaner that can be found by clicking this link. For
over-the-counter type products, you may use Mr. Clean Magic
Eraser or Simple Green Extreme. Avoid products that contain
strong cleaning agents such as bleach or lye. Products like
Comet Cleanser, Ajax, Brillo or Bar Cleaner have bleach in them
and these chemicals will cause yellowing and cracking of the
whitewalls. Do not use Armor All on whitewalls. Sadly, some
products that are designed specifically for cleaning whitewalls
have bleach in them, so, be careful.
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What is the difference between
bias-ply tires and radial tires?
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Bias-ply tires are: 1) Most authentic,
period-correct look for a vintage car. 2) Less expense
generally. 3) In most cases, wider whitewalls and more choices
of brands and whitewall sizes and appearances. 4) The most
notable appearance features are the straight up and down or
vertical side walls, the attractive "pie-crust" edges of the
tires that resemble scallops and the period-correct looking
tread patterns. A good example of a bias-ply tire with a wide
four inch tire can be seen on this link:
BIAS PLY TIRE.
The disadvantages of
bias-ply tires are that they do not ride as nice as steel belted
radials will or perform as well on cornering or in wet
conditions. They tend to follow cracks or seams in the pavement
("tram-lining")
and they will "flat-spot" if they sit too long without use,
although the tires will smooth out after driving for a given
distance. If you are running bias-ply tires presently that are
over 6-8 years of age, they are probably in need of replacement
and new bias-plys will probably perform much better than
outdated rubber will. Bias-ply tires probably will not have as
long of an estimated tread life and may not have a high enough
speed rating if you have a need for speed.
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Steel-belted radial tires have: 1) Superior
ride and performance. 2) Attractive design. 3) Period-correct
appearance and whitewall stripes for more modern cars. 4) Longer
tread-life and 5) Speed rated for higher speed driving. The
disadvantages are: 1) Higher cost. 2) Can
cause cracking or harm to antiquated wheels. 3) May detract from
a vintage presentation on an older car. 4) In tight quarters, a
steel belted radial may be wider than needed and could rub or
make contact with a fender skirt or body panel. Please click
here to see a fine example of steel belted radials on a
collector car:
STEEL BELTED RADIALS.
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What precautions
should I take when I receive my tires from you?
When your new tires arrive, confirm that you
have received the correct size tire you ordered or
your car requires before having them mounted. Your
new tires should come wrapped in wide plastic
strips. Most brands have the whitewalls covered with
a thin blue coating to protect the whitewall. This
can easily be scrubbed off with soap and water and a
scrub brush. Inspect your whitewalls for any
blemishes or flaws. Report any problems to us if you
should discover them. Under no circumstances should
you stack the tires one on top of each other. If
this occurs, even for a brief period of time, the
black finish on the tire will stain the whitewall,
in some cases, permanently. This is called a "carbon
transfer". This is not covered by warranty and is
totally due to improper handling of the tires. Be
careful that your installer does not stack the tires
on top of each other out of your presence and then
try to tell you the tires came this way! Take note
of the recommended tire inflation pressure and
follow it. If you run inner-tubes, it is critical
that you inspect the inside of the tires for any
inspection tags, "mold marks", sharp edges or
foreign objects. These things can puncture your
inner-tubes.
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What should I be aware
of when my whitewalls are mounted on my wheels?
We recommend finding an installer that is
familiar with whitewall tires and has some measure
of experience. It is not unusual for whitewall tires
to call for weights that amount to 1% of the
combined weight of the wheel and tire. For example,
a wheel and tire weighing 60 pounds may take six
ounces of wheel weights. Some
technicians will tell you this is way too much
weight but they fail to realize that the whitewall
is on one side of the tire only and is a thick,
heavy piece of rubber that simply requires more
weight to balance in some cases. If high amounts of
weight are necessary, a thorough installer will
dismount and rotate your tire 180 degrees and
re-balance. Matching the high and low spots of the
wheel and tire can also result in less weight being
necessary. Clip-on type weights are not recommended.
Clip-on type weights can also damage your
inner-tubes if you run them and can harm the finish
on your chrome or painted/powder-coated wheels
creating a gateway for rust. Also, these type of weights often will fall off with
whitewall tires. Stick-on weights are preferable. A
precision balance can best be achieved by using a
"finger-attachment" and balancing by the stud holes
which is called, "lug-centric". Using a cone in the
center hole of the wheel is called "hub centric" and
generally will result in a less precision balance
with whitewall tires. Take careful note if your
installer harms or stains your new whitewalls.
Our wheels and tires MUST BE balanced using a STATIC
setting, never dynamic. Do not allow your installer to inflate
your tires beyond 40 pounds of pressure to seat the
beads.
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What size tire should I
select for my car? If you are still using
your original wheels or have wheels in the original
sizes, we can research the size for you and make
recommendations. If your car came with bias-ply
tires and now you wish to change over to modern
steel belted radial tires, you may find our Tire
Cross Reference Size Chart useful.
Please click here to view it.
If your car no
longer has the original size wheels on it, you
should be careful to select an appropriate size tire
for your wheel and also a tire that will fit in your
wheel wells without rubbing on the body, frame or
anything else. Please allow us to help you select
the correct size for your car.
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How wide of a wheel will my
tire fit?
Each tire has a specific
rim width range on which the tire can be mounted.
Failure to follow rim width recommendations may
result in poor tire performance or possible wheel
and/or tire failure. Choosing a wheel near
the middle of the range will give a balance between
ride quality and handling. A wider wheel will
improve handling at the expense of ride quality,
while a narrower wheel will improve ride quality at
the expense of handling. Consider these compromises
when selecting wheels.
Please click here to view a list of approved rim
widths. If you use Bias-Ply Tires, simply
refer to our Tire Cross Reference Chart to convert
your bias-ply size to a radial size. Most of the
tires we sell display a recommended rim width or you
can simply email or call us.
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Can I mix steel belted
radial and bias-ply tires? It is recommended
that all tires be of the same size, construction,
(radial or non-radial) and speed rating. If tires of
different speed ratings are mounted on a vehicle,
the tires with the lower speed rating will limit
permissible tire-related vehicle speed and handling.
The construction and handling characteristics of the
two differing tires can lead to performance and
safety issues. It is our belief that they should not
be mixed.
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What is the
difference between the various brands of tires you
sell? There are obvious price differences
between the brands. Notwithstanding price, in the
same tire size for example, the whitewall sizes may
be different. Some are wider and some are smaller.
The tread patterns may also look quite different as
well. Some tread patterns may look like they are
more from the '70's as an example while others may
look even older. There are also differences in
estimated tread life and in the warranties that are
offered. Even though the tires may have the same
size description, you may note that diameters and
widths can differ between brands. We would be happy
to point out all these differences and help you
select the most appropriate tire for your
application.
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Can I run
passenger car tires on trucks and trailers?
It is not a good idea. There are
significant differences between passenger car tires
and “Special Trailer” (ST) tires. A passenger car
tire is not designed to carry heavy loads for
extended periods of time while an ST tire is built
for such purposes as well as low rolling resistance,
long-life and stability while towing. It should be
noted that an LT or light truck type tire will work
as an alternative to an ST tire. An ST tire is
engineered to carry ten percent more load than a
similar sized passenger car tire. As a result, the
tire may have different steel belts, plies, beads,
thickness and diameter as compared to a passenger
car tire. The treads are also created to minimize
the tires squirming around. The tires also contain
different materials that allow the tires to stand-up
better to the elements while in storage. One big
concern when running a passenger car on a trailer is
that the side walls are not as strong as an ST tire
and can aggravate trailer swaying. The flexible side
walls of a passenger tire could cause the trailer to
sway badly enough that the driver could lose
control. We wouldn’t want to risk injury to life or
limb or to your special vintage trailer by using the
wrong type of tire.
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Do you recommend I
have my car aligned after I mount my new tires?
Yes we do. In most cases, our customers indicate
that they have not had an alignment in some time to
begin with. An accurate wheel alignment is critical
to balance the tread-wear and performance a
vehicle's tires deliver. Regular wheel alignments
will usually save you as much in tire wear as they
cost, and should be considered routine, preventative
maintenance. Since there are "acceptable" ranges
provided in the manufacturer's recommendations, the
technician should be encouraged to align the vehicle
to the preferred settings and not just within the
range. Ask for a print-out or record of the
post-alignment settings for future reference.
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What does UTQG mean?
To help consumers compare a passenger car tire's
tread wear rate, traction performance, and
temperature resistance, the federal government
requires tire manufacturers to grade tires in these
three areas. This grading system, known as the
Uniform Tire Quality Grading System, provides
guidelines for making relative comparisons when
purchasing new tires. Although this rating system is
very helpful when buying new tires, it is not a
safety rating or guarantee of how well a tire will
perform or how long it will last. Other factors such
as personal driving style, type of car, quality of
the roads, and tire maintenance habits have a
significant influence on your tire's performance and
longevity. Tread wear grades are an indication of a
tire's relative wear rate. The higher the tread wear
number is, the longer it should take for the tread
to wear down. For example, a tire grade of 400
should wear twice as long as a tire grade of 200.
Traction grades are an indication of a tire's
ability to stop on wet pavement. A higher graded
tire should allow you to stop your car on wet roads
in a shorter distance than a tire with a lower
grade. Traction is graded from highest to lowest as
"AA", "A", "B", and "C". Temperature grades are an
indication of a tire's resistance to heat. Sustained
high temperature (for example, driving long
distances in hot weather), can cause a tire to
deteriorate, leading to blowouts and tread
separation. From highest to lowest, a tire's
resistance to heat is graded as "A", "B", or "C".
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How many years do collector tires last?
Experience
has shown that when properly stored and cared
for, most street tires have a useful life
in service of between six to eight years.
Even when the tires look usable, it is
recommended that all tires (including spare
tires) that were made more than eight years ago be
replaced with new tires. Environmental
conditions like exposure to sunlight and coastal
climates, as well as poor storage and infrequent
use, accelerate the aging process. In ideal
conditions, a tire may have a life expectancy
that exceeds ten years from its date of
manufacture. However, such conditions are
rare. Aging may not exhibit any external
indications and, since there is no
non-destructive test to assess the
serviceability of a tire, even an inspection
carried out by a tire expert may not reveal the
extent of any deterioration. Check with the laws
of your state to determine if a shorter period
of time is required. Several states forbid tires
in service that are over six years old from the
build date.
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How can I tell
when my tires were made?
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To the right are two examples of
DOT Safety Standard Codes. "DOT"
means the tires meet or exceed
the Department of
Transportation's safety
standards. "MA" is the code
number assigned by the DOT to
the manufacturing plant. "L9" is
the tire size code. "ABC: is a
group of symbols, optional with
the manufacturer to identify the
brand or other significant
characteristics of the tire. The
"0301" means the tire was made
during the 3rd week of 2001 (the
first two numbers designate the
week it was manufactured and the
last two numbers indicate the
year).
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How much weight does
it take to balance whitewall tires? It is
not unusual to add up to 1% or more of the total
weight of the wheel and tire. Six ounces of weight
may be required to
balance a wheel and whitewall tire weighing 60
pounds, as an example. Should an extremely high amount of
weight be required, a responsible and
knowledgeable installer will dismount the tire
and rotate it 180 degrees and re-balance in an
attempt to lessen the amount of weight required.
Installers with modern equipment can also match
the high and low spots of the wheels and tires
to obtain a precision balance. Try to locate a
tire installer who has experience with whitewall
tires and understands that the whitewall tire
stripe is thick and heavy and only on one side
of the tire. It takes more weight to off-set the
weight of the whitewall stripe which some
technicians fail to realize. Furthermore, if you
are running inner-tubes, these can also add to
the need for more tire weights. Since our wheels
are "lug centric" not "hub centric", we strongly
recommend that the
technician use a finger attachment when
balancing so as to balance the wheel and tire
from the stud holes as opposed to using a cone
in the center hole which will not produce as
precision of a balancing job. Insist on
"stick-on" type weights, not clip-on style
weights. Clip-on weights will not stay put
with some brands of tires and will fall-off.
They may also ruin your chrome plating. The
tire technician must ALWAYS balance on a
static setting, never dynamic setting. For
questions, please call us for assistance.
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I have an
inner-tube failure. What are the possible causes
and repairs?
1)
The most probable cause we have
found are inspection tags or foreign
objects/sharp edges in the tire itself.
These conditions can puncture and spoil an
inner-tube immediately or gradually over
time. We recommend that the offending tire
be carefully inspected. Inspection
tags are glued-in and measure about 1/2"
long by 1/4" wide plus or minus. They are
often difficult to remove. I have found as
many as 8 of them in one tire! They are even
located high up on the inside of the tire
sidewall. You can use a hair dryer to loosen
them or very, very carefully grind them off.
Additionally,
inspect the tire itself for any sharp edges
or "mold marks" that may protrude enough to
puncture the inner tube. We have found
foreign objects inside tires before such as
a piece of gravel or metal filing. These
objects can kill an inner-tube
2)
The second major cause of inner-tube
failure can be improper installation. Sadly,
an installer may simply not have the
knowledge or experience in dealing with
inner-tubes and the tube gets bunched up,
over-inflated or not positioned properly in
the wheel and tire. The technician may not
use baby powder to ease the installation. We
suggest finding an installer who has
experience with inner-tubes and wire wheels.
Avoid "big-box" type stores that don't have
experience, time or patience to properly
mount tires on wire wheels.
3)
Defective tubes can also occur and
despite everything going smoothly, the inner
tube simply fails and needs replacement.
An improperly sized inner tube may not match
your application. Make sure you have the
right size tube. For radial tires, use only
a radial inner-tube. Be careful that the
valve stem is not too big for the valve stem
hole in the wheel. This could cause a leak
due to chaffing as the valve stem tears
itself off on the choking effect of the
smaller valve stem hole in the wheel.
Speaking of valve stems, make certain that
the valve stem itself is in proper alignment
with the valve stem hole and not at a
cock-eyed angle.
4)
Sharp edge in the wheel causing
inner-tube failure. Despite using
the utmost care on our end, a sharp edge
could be puncturing your inner tube from
something within the wheel. This rarely ever
occurs but it cannot be ruled out if all of
the above listed conditions do not exist.
Look carefully at the inside of your wheel
for any sharp edges in the rim or protruding
through the liner material. You can run your
hand over the interior of the wheel and
sealer area and see if you can find a sharp
edge. If you do locate a "sharp", please
call or email us if it is our wheel and
under warranty for further instructions. Be
careful the edge or "sharp" does not injure
you. If you attempt to repair the problem
yourself, make certain that your actions do
not violate any warranty that may be on your
wheel that forbids self-repair. Here are the
steps we would take:
A)
Smooth off the sharp edge you discovered.
Smooth it flat as possible. A file or Emery
cloth may be sufficient. We are assuming
that the sharp edge will be very small.
B)
Clean the inside of the wheel thoroughly
using Acetone. We want the sealer area as
clean as possible. Don't pull off all the
existing sealer, just clean it.
C)
After identifying the problem area, apply GE
or Dow Corning brand 100% pure silicone.
Make certain the material you purchase says
it is "Non-corrosive". We
like to have clear silicone so you can see
if you have covered up the area involved and
that you have it thick enough but not too
thick. You can purchase this material at
Home Depot stores. You will only repair the
area involved not the entire sealer area. It
is not necessary to lay a coat of silicone
over the entire sealer area. Do not remove
the entire inner-liner of the wheel to make
a repair on a single area.
C) Lay
down a thin coat of silicone over the
involved area and smooth it flat with a
putty knife. You can apply the new silicone
material directly over the area involved. Be
careful that you do not allow the silicone
to get close to the lip or bead of the rim.
Material stacking up on the bead area may
prevent your tire from seating or beading-up
properly. If you accidentally get some
silicone in this area, clean it off as soon
as possible or wait until it drys and then
remove it.
D)
Allow the silicone to dry for 3-5 days
before mounting your tire. The silicone
takes a few days to set-up and fully dry.
With these steps taken, you should not have
any further problems. Make certain that the
coat you apply is thin and not too high or
it will interfere with how the inner-tube
will fit inside the wheel.
Regarding
Flaps or Liners. Some owners use
flaps or liners to protect against sharp
edges in the wheels harming the inner tubes.
A properly installed liner with silicone
does the job that a flap or liner would do
in nearly all cases. Flaps and liners can
introduce problems of their own if not
properly sized. They can also make the
wheel, tire and tube more difficult to
balance. If you decide to use a flap or
liner, get the right size one for the job or
get advice on how to fabricate one from an
inner-tube. For our brands of wheels that we
sell, we do not recommend tubes or flaps.
If
you have any questions, please call or email
us. We are glad to help and we want you back
up and running as soon as possible.
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friendly advice is
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Motorspot,
Inc.
427 Industrial Way, Unit
C - Fallbrook, California
92028
Telephone:
760-731-8301 (Phone calls returned)
Monday through Friday 9 - 5 PST
email
12/29/20 |
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