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While I have 4 new NDCC tires on the road wheels of my M38, I'm going to mount a 50 year old NDCC on the spare. The tire is a re-tread, but it's in very good shape with almost new tread depth, no cracking, and it holds air just fine. It's just hard and needs some love. I have it dis-mounted at the moment preparing to swap rims.

Doing some research on vintage tire treatments (besides a good cleaning with soap and water), seem to point at staying away from Armor-All type modern products. Some old vehicle forums (classic cars, trucks, tractors) say to give it a few good coats of silicone spray, others say a few good coats of brake fluid (supposed to have a rubber preservative in it) works well. I've heard the military used to use brake fluid as tire dressing back in the day.

The tire will likely never meet the asphalt again, and I'd be leery to use it more than a few miles if I have to I will, but want to recondition it back to fair condition and appearance to hang it on the spare mount.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you might have. Thanks!

I'd stay away from DOT3 brake fluid...it might be a great tire dressing, but it's also a great paint remover...

Mike B

Thanks Mike.
Tire is dismounted and not painted so no worries about stripping paint this time. I wonder about juice that doesn't eat metal or rubber in a brake system but strips paint so easy?

Yup, if I go with brake fluid it'll probably be DOT5 for the silicone factor, which seems to keep coming up in my search.

I keep an old jug of recycled DOT3 around just to strip paint off little parts. Works great.

I'm not looking for some magic elixor. Maybe I'll end up using the modern stuff at the auto parts store if it's cheaper than DOT5.

Maybe Wes will give up his secret sauce recipe for the tire juice they used on the Wing Commander's B-52 back in the day?

Crisco! Loretta Lynn loved it for her apple pie crust.

Thanks Rick!
I've got to admit that bacon grease came to mind...........maybe I was just hungry at the time.

I'd try it but would probably attract every stray dog and cat in the neighborhood.

Luckily I'm not in bear country. Do alligators like bacon?

Hot soapy water bath with a scrub brush looks pretty good.
Hopefully good enough for my local tire shop not to balk at mounting a used 50 year old retread for my spare.
Pretty sure they have an inflation cage.

Still debating what dressing to use.

You might want to try some SPF 50 + Suntan lotion it will look good for quite a while and will protect the tyre from the sun. It does only last for a month or so but it does a good job. It is great for leather dash boards as well.

The local discount tire guys won’t mount a tire older than…

Forgot what it was.

Most tires have some way to identify the date made.

Might be prepared.

Yup. Even though my local tire shop did it for me a month ago, today they decided they won't. Ten years is the limit their lawyers let them play with.

Guess I'll buy a new tire for the spare. Oh, well......

Guess I'll buy a new tire for the spare. Oh, well......

Well I'll be! You can build a jeep but cannot mount a 16" bias ply tire on a very narrow rim and then insert the tube and liner!!!!!????!!!!

The only special tools needed are a mallet and your foot and a squirt bottle of soapy water! A tire spoon also comes in handy occasionally but a 12 inch common screw driver will work in it's place.

On a show jeep/trailer queen the used tire should be no problem as long as it cleans up nicely. However, If I am building a driver and make 20 or 30 mile trips often then I would want a spare I know will get me home.

I thought about it Wes, for a minute or two. The last time I did that the score was tire 3, me 1. Heck, changing the little tires on my old Snapper riding mower last summer almost did me in.

Yup, not a trailer/show queen. Even though it's for a spare and would probably never see the pavement again, never say never and it could maybe be used for a few miles to get me home. But sometimes I go with the karma.....no worries with a new one going "boom" when I least expect it.

So I've got these two 50-year old retreads that were on my M100 when I bought it (have since put 2 new tires on it) if anybody is interested for the asking....

Cost for new Firestone 7.00-16 NDCC tire and tube delivered --- $233

The last time I did that the score was tire 3, me 1. Heck, changing the little tires on my old Snapper riding mower last summer almost did me in.

To avoid misleading the audience the bigger the rim diameter up to about 18" the easier the tire is to install.

233??

What was the shipping?

I mounted my own tires on the rims, I did buy new tires though cause mine were so rotten I didnt dare try using them.

I am still waiting for my tire to show up- I think I ordered it in May?

I used a HF tire changer. Little bit of soapy water and done.