Removing letters from tire sidewall.

[Clipper47]

I have found a set of 700-15 radial tires which will fit my Packard. Problem is that both sides of the tire have large raised letters of the manufacturer. Has anyone found a way to safely remove the letters (sandpaper etc.)without damaging the tire?

[Reatta Man]

A Dremel tool would do nicely, I would think.

Joe

[Guest edalfa]

Maybe you don't have to go through that. http://www.widewhitewalltires.com/2007_catalog/hi/12.htm. Diamondback lists your size in blackwall and whitewall.

Ed

[Dave@Moon]

You might be able to grind the letters off, but I can't imagine a way to safely smooth or buff the ground areas to get a reasonable appearance. I'd recommend experimenting with black markers, paint markers, and paints to simply cover over the white letters.

Tire recappers have a thick, rubbery black paint specifically designed to do this. (If you're a fan of the TV show Dirty Jobs they showed how this is done.) That stuff used to be available in parts stores, but I don't think it's available from retail suppliers any more.

[Dave@Moon]

I found a source for black tire paint by googling it. A thread on the Model T club forum recommended tire paint made by Miller Tire Co. in Wauseon, OH. Maybe someone will post who's used this stuff.

[Restorer32]

I grew up in Dad's recapping shop in the 60's. I know I painted literally thousands of tires using just cheap black enamel thinned with gasoline. Not suggesting you do that, likely a better way today. Grinding the letters off won't be a problem. Blending in the ground area will be more problematic. I suggest grinding the letters flush then sanding with fine paper to obtain as smooth a finish as possible, then polishing with coarse compound. You wouldn't think so but rubber can be "polished" to a certain extent.

[Clipper47]

Thanks for all the advice. The lettering is not raised very much and by lettering I mean the tire makers name : "Toyo". I suspect that sanding with 180 grit sandpaper and then finer paper will do the trick but I don't want to spend the money buying the tires and find out that it can't be done. Somehow "Toyo" doesn't look right on a slightly postwar Packard. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Guest imported_JPIndusi]

Can letters from the sidewall of a tire that say "tubeless" be removed for a car that did not originally have tubeless ?

Can this avoid points being taken off for a judged show where the car has tubeless tires before they were officially available?

Joe, BCA 33493

[Guest windjamer]

According to 06 judging manualtubeless tires with a tube will be allowed without removing the tubeless lettering.Tubeless tires first used 1955 for cars.Be sure you have the corect valve cap on the tube Plastic caps rec. a 1 pt deduction if used on vech prior to1951. Red crown caps are not exceped <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[ronbarn]

How big is your freezer? Several years ago I restored a two wheeler with small tires. The only ones I could find to fit the wheel said "Not for Road Use" in raised letters. I put the tires in my wife's freezer to make the rubber hard. Then I used a Dremel to carefully grind the letters and then sanded with fine sandpaper - all while the tires were still "frozen". Worked well.

[Guest imported_JPIndusi]

Windjammmer:

Thanks for your response. I would prefer not to install tubes since each demounting/mounting operation may damge the paint on the wheels and cost $$$ for rebalancing, tubes, etc.

If I grind off and smooth the sidewall where "tubeless" appeared, can I escape a point deduction?

Thanks - Joe

[Jim Bollman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would prefer not to install tubes since each demounting/mounting operation may damge the paint on the wheels and cost $$$ for rebalancing, tubes, etc.

If I grind off and smooth the sidewall where "tubeless" appeared, can I escape a point deduction?

Thanks - Joe </div></div>

The chassis judge should be looking at the valve stems, you might slip by and you might not, depends on the judge. The stem is pretty obvious if you're looking.

Jim...

[Guest windjamer]

Tires are my pet peive. I had an indivuial in my class that I feel cheated with tires. Maby some day ill get to judge his car. Pay backs are hell. In the mean time where I to judge your car Tubeless tire mtd. with or with out removing the letters if it didnt have tubes I would deduct at least 2 pts. per tire and if team capt. alowed I would take 3pts.each as non authintic. Put the damm tubes in . Reputable shops have plastic covers to protect wheels Dick <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Rick Lay]

I quote from the 2007 Judging Manual - page 21 - "Tubeless tires with a tube will be allowed without removing the word "tubeless" on vehicles that did not come with tubeless tires." In AACA Class Judging, there will be no point deduction in this regard.

Rick Lay

Chairman, Judges Training

[novaman]

my question is what points and where on the sheet should you put the deuction for a tire that should have a tube, which does not. My thinking would be the max. deuction for valve stem since that is all you can see, which if the tire is without the tube, it has the incorrect valve stem since the valve stem is made onto the tube not sealed to the rim.

[Rick Lay]

As the tire itself is not the issue (we presume it says tubeless, which is OK), let's address the missing tube. As it is an unseen item - we need to treat it like we do other unseen items in judging. We have a rule that we do not remove a component to inspect another component (like spare tires in an enclosed carrier - if we cannot see it, we assume it to be correct and in excellent condition - so there is no point deduction). We need to carry this spirit forth in the issue with the tube question also. As the valve stem is the only thing we can see, David is correct in taking 1 point per incorrect valve stem.

Rick Lay

Chairman, Judges Training