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Preserving old rubber
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22423
Location: UK

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:57 am    Post subject: Preserving old rubber Reply with quote

ooerr

The wings on the Dodge's trailer are rubber, not unlike those found on Post Office Morris vans in the 50s. Has anyone got tips on how best to preserve them?? they are fitted to an alloy bracket inside, and a steel one running over the top surface, but the edges are still vulnerable. Are there any treatments that can preserve the rubber?



ta, Rick
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UKdave2002
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was once told to apply brake fluid to preserve rubber ? I can see the logic but if you do it I'd test it on a small section first!

Dave
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buzzy bee
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi

You can get a solution that you paint on, that restores cracked window rubbers, I have never used it, but I have seen it in the Frost Catalogue.

We used to use Red rubber grease on rubber on the sprayers, and it stoped it perishing for a while, even with the harsh chemicals on. I have some somewhere if you need some, or you can just use vasaline, but I have only ever used red rubber grease.

Cheers

Dave
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Uncle Joe
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Assuming the rubber hasnt started to crack or perish, you can also use talcum powder....I wonder if it can be purchased with 'scent of Castrol R'???

UJ
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Penman
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi
What was that stuff we used to use on model aircraft elastic?

Was it soft soap or something branded?
It kept the rubber supple for much longer considering the stress we were putting it to winding them up before flight.
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kaybee
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Rick, I've had good results with Medicinal Glycerin,available from most pharmacies but comes in small bottles and it looks like you might need a bit more than that Smile We had some '41 Willys quarter vent window rubbers that were rock hard , painted the stuff on a few times and left it sit for a couple of weeks and it gradually softened the rubber up and we were able to use them again, lasted about 15 years. Hope this helps, cheers, Col
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Uncle Joe
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The brake fluid on rubber that UK suggested is an old trick used by secondhand car dealers to make tyres look better.... Shocked

UJ
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Rivet_101
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

don't get it on your paintwork though!
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rustyreks



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 44

PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:16 am    Post subject: preserving old rubber Reply with quote

I would stick to the glycerine i just used some on some old austin rubber

boots to tidy them up if it has perished you may need to buff the surface

as well with some light sandpaper and then apply the glycerine other

products that would also work are silicon spray or armourall these are

designed to protect rubber or vinyl denatured alcohol is a good rubber

cleaner the worse damage done to rubber parts is oil and grease and just

dirt and grime so if you wash the oil and grease off with some petrol and

keep the rubbers clean and use some above protectants the parts should

last much longer. brentnz
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peter scott



Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7112
Location: Edinburgh

PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't remember which way round this is (very helpful) but there is a big difference between natural rubber and synthetic rubber.

One is attacked by brake fluid and the other is attacked by oil.

(You must always use mineral oil in Citroen hydraulic systems but never in normal braking systems.)

Another piece of probably useless advice I'd pass on is a trick I was told about just recently. If you have a tape recorder, record player or video recorder that has tired rubber belts and wheels then these can be revived by boiling them in water for 10 or 12 hours.

Peter
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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22423
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 8:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just to revive this old thread about preserving old rubber products, rustyreks has sent over this info which may be of use to anyone wishing to preserve rubber items. I wouldn't recommend reviving cracked tyres in particular, but things like my trailer's rubber wings could well benefit from this treatment.

Rick

-----------------------



"I just bought some old rims and tyres for my thames pickup they are pre 1948 rims, they are 18" and were available for commercial vehicles only, quite hard to find have only seen them advertised a couple of times over the last 3 years and only one or two rims not 4. I bought these for 155.00 nz, freight was 120.00 to get them here but still think that's a good price, the tyres are in good order a couple are retreads very old.



The rims and tyres were all dusty and dirty and covered in old paint so I
cleaned them up.

Here's a couple of pics of before and after they have good tread and no major cracking so are useable I just washed them with some soap powder and used a wire brush to remove the over spray and a lot of elbow grease I also treated them with glycerine as I have some available it restores the condition of the rubber. I have used spray silicon crc and had good results or have heard others use armoural they
are not painted its just the natural rubber made me think that by treating
the old tyres will make them last longer by reducing cracking and perishing as well as improve their appearance. Dirt oil and solvents are a threat to old tyres.



One of them still had the original firestone label they are very old, a couple were made in south Africa amazing what a clean up will do am pleased I bought them now. Brent"
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SV8Predator



Joined: 24 Aug 2008
Posts: 136
Location: Further up the creek

PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
the tyres are in good order a couple are retreads very old.

Quote:
made me think that by treating
the old tyres will make them last longer


These tyres are not in 'good order'! They are potential deathtraps and should be scrapped immediately.

You're not actually intending to use them on a road vehicle are you?

I thought we'd got this message through to everyone through club magazines, forums, etc.
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PAUL BEAUMONT



Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Posts: 1281
Location: Barnsley S. Yorks

PostPosted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Waxoil claims that it can be used to preserve/extend the life of rubber parts. I have little experience of using it for that purpose, but they make the claim that it will not attack Chassis rubber parts.
PAUL
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SloResto



Joined: 17 Feb 2008
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2008 12:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What an interesting thread! Like an earlier poster I have heard that vaseline is a good rubber treatmnet. I have used it on my old Ph 1 vanguard screen rubbers which were pretty bad and am hoping that they will last me until I can afford to replace them.

A tyre shop once told me that the greatest enemy to tyres is ultra violet light and that is why cars parked under cover will have longer lasting sidewalls than those left in direct sunlight. Smile
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Phil - Nottingham



Joined: 01 Jan 2008
Posts: 1252
Location: Nottingham

PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2008 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tyres still degrade and harden and develop flats - anything over 10 years is very suspect and even newer in hot climates.

People have died in classics and modern cars driving on old rubber - if you do not mind killing yoursrlf the others that will be involved may not share your views
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