Is it true

[sleepy]

I have spoken to a couple of guys that do body repair, and they were telling me that most tire dressings have brake fluid in them. Is this true with Meguires Hot Shine or any other Meguires Tire dressings? I figured I would come strait to the source to find out.

[tcope1]

Re: Is it true

I think they have that confused. Some people use brake fluid as tire treatment... not that tire treatment contains brake fluid. If it did, spraying it onto paint would eat through the paint.

[Murr1525]

Re: Is it true

Out of all the chemicals in both products, one might be the same.... but that hardly makes them the same product.

[sleepy]

Re: Is it true

They had convinced a kid that I know, he could put brake fluid on his tires. I wish I had a picture of that. The sidewalls are brown and rotting. Looks like dryrot. I have always wondered why the sidewalls turn brown after awhile. I figured that it was just dirt getting on them. But heard abou the brake fluid and had to ask.

[tcope1]

Re: Is it true

I've read of people doing that... they say for years and years and nothing adverse ever happen to the tires. But these were also people who had been doing it for 40 years. Tire dressing was probably not even around then, certainly not in the form it is today. I'd say it's _much_ more safe to use a tire dressing now then to use brake fluid. Excess brake fluid thrown onto paint is going to create some huge problems.

[William_F]

Re: Is it true

I have always wondered why the sidewalls turn brown after awhile. I figured that it was just dirt getting on them.

The sidewalls turn brown because there are compounds in the tire rubber to keep it pliable. When the the tires flex while in motion, it pushes these compounds to the surface and they brown. If memory serves, this process is called blooming.

It happens to all tires. I've never used brake fluid on my tires and if I don't clean and dress them on the regular, they brown.

[sleepy]

Re: Is it true

I've read of people doing that... they say for years and years and nothing adverse ever happen to the tires. But these were also people who had been doing it for 40 years. Tire dressing was probably not even around then, certainly not in the form it is today. I'd say it's _much_ more safe to use a tire dressing now then to use brake fluid. Excess brake fluid thrown onto paint is going to create some huge problems.

The kid that I was refering to had to buy a new set of tires, because of the rotting.

The sidewalls turn brown because there are compounds in the tire rubber to keep it pliable. When the the tires flex while in motion, it pushes these compounds to the surface and they brown. If memory serves, this process is called blooming.

It happens to all tires. I've never used brake fluid on my tires and if I don't clean and dress them on the regular, they brown.

Thanks for the info!

[RacerX88]

Re: Is it true

The sidewalls turn brown because there are compounds in the tire rubber to keep it pliable. When the the tires flex while in motion, it pushes these compounds to the surface and they brown. If memory serves, this process is called blooming.

It happens to all tires. I've never used brake fluid on my tires and if I don't clean and dress them on the regular, they brown.

Yes, blooming.

[TOGWT]

Re: Is it true

Brake cleaning fluid is a strong solvent that will dry out the tyre

b) Antiozonants- along with carbon black, the tyre manufacturer mixes in antiozonant and other protective ingredients to repel ozone from the rubber. These waxes and polymers migrate through the tyre at a molecular level to form a barrier against harmful ozone. As the tyres move (with the car being driven) the rubber flexes and heats up, allowing tiny amounts of the wax to surface. When a vehicle is not being driven (i.e. classic show cars, winter storage, etc) then without this action and the rubber can easily dry out and rot.

c) Blooming - after the antiozonant works its way to the outside of the tyre and is exposed to the ozone in the air, it oxidizes and turns brown. The technical term for this effect is blooming. Many chemical compounds, especially solvents, react vigorously at ambient temperatures as the oxidizing process takes place between water and the tyre polymer-binding agents. Water tends to wash away the natural oils and micro-waxes that help to maintain the tyres flexibility

[cnfowler]

Re: Is it true

Brake fluid is the most corrosive fluid in a vehicle. I wouldn't be putting brake fluid on or in anything but the brake fluid reservoir.

Colin

[sleepy]

Re: Is it true

I will tell be telling the car repair guys about this website. And let them see for themselves about break fluid. Thanks!

[TOGWT]

Re: Is it true

Dot 3 MSDS sheet - http://www.starbrite.com/msdssheets/...ds-6-18-05.pdf

[TOGWT]

Re: Is it true

Brake fluid conains Dimethalsiloxane

Many tyre manufacturers (BF Goodrich, Goodyear, Michelin, Pirelli, etc) have issued technical service bulletins advising against the use of tyre dressings containing Dimethalsiloxane (DMS) a petroleum distillate solvent. This type of solvent will dissolve away the protective waxes and can actually aggressively compromise the sidewall. In the event of warranty sidewall failure, one of the first things tyre manufacturers look for is evidence of the use of these types of products. When found, this is often the cause for not warranting the tyre’s sidewall failure.