Brown residue on side shoulder of tyres
Brown residue on side shoulder of tyres
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Discussion

fwaggie

Original Poster:

1,644 posts

230 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
I bought a set of wheels & tyres a while ago to use on trackdays.

Just been on one today (good fun!)

After a few laps I noticed the outer shoulder (and the inside shoulder as well I guess) was going brown, like it's getting covered by a brown oily residue which is coming out of the tyre.

Worse on the tyre that was getting hottest. (rear right)

Comes off easily, and it's just a very thin film on the side/shoulder so no effect on handling, but I've never noticed it on any other tyre I've had, and after a quick look at everyone elses tyres only one showed the same kind of thing. (out of 50+ cars)

They're Michelin Pilot Sports (the first ones) so a few years old now.

Nothing to worry about? Signs that the tyres are past their best? Anti-ozone stuff built into the tyre which is designed to come out to counteract the ozone in the air, and goes brown on contact with air? (found on google)

ChiChoAndy

73,668 posts

285 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
It's poo.

balders118

5,941 posts

198 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
I've noticed this on my new tyres (Toyo T1-R's) and they're just used for road use. No idea what it is, I assumed it was the stuff they used to help get it on the rim.

fwaggie

Original Poster:

1,644 posts

230 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
ChiChoAndy said:
It's poo.
laugh

I don't want to meet the animal that can do that much oily poo.

fwaggie

Original Poster:

1,644 posts

230 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
Just had a look at the manufacturing date on the tyres, fronts is week 10, 2008, rears week 22, 2008, so only 3 anna bit years old.

furrywoolyhatuk

682 posts

184 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
Isnt it just a build up of brake dust?

pacman1

7,324 posts

223 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
Rubbing the wheel arches?

balders118

5,941 posts

198 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
If it's the same as mine I have drums on the back, so won't be that and it definately isn't rubbing the wheel arches.

JustNeil

636 posts

257 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
I used to get something similar on the rear tyre of my sports bike. I think it's something to do with them getting hot and leaching out oils. I never found it impacted grip at all.

McSam

6,753 posts

205 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
pacman1 said:
Rubbing the wheel arches?
On the outside tyrewalls? Hope not!

I'm interesting in the consensus because my Wanlis have this on them too, and I'm trying to work out if it's the culprit for them being lethal in the wet. Maybe it's the dogst they're made of starting to melt back out..

LuS1fer

43,517 posts

275 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
If you leave your car out in the sun, your sidewalls will eventually go a brown colour.

SVTRick

3,633 posts

225 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
If you leave your car out in the sun, your sidewalls will eventually go a brown colour.
You are having a laugh .....

Jonny1984

309 posts

192 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
My old Parada Spec 2's used to do this. I always assumed it was the tyre gel I used on the side walls going "off" My current Michelin Exalto's haven't done it yet.

LuS1fer

43,517 posts

275 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
SVTRick said:
You are having a laugh .....
Nope.

Leptons

5,493 posts

206 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
SVTRick said:
LuS1fer said:
If you leave your car out in the sun, your sidewalls will eventually go a brown colour.
You are having a laugh .....
True story! Also think it's something to do with tyre dressing that has been absorbed and leeches out when the tyre gets warm.

fwaggie

Original Poster:

1,644 posts

230 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
Leptons said:
SVTRick said:
LuS1fer said:
If you leave your car out in the sun, your sidewalls will eventually go a brown colour.
You are having a laugh .....
True story! Also think it's something to do with tyre dressing that has been absorbed and leeches out when the tyre gets warm.
I've read that they can go back to the colour of natural rubber, whatever that is, as the carbon black (!) is destroyed by UV light.

fwaggie

Original Poster:

1,644 posts

230 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
Jonny1984 said:
My old Parada Spec 2's used to do this. I always assumed it was the tyre gel I used on the side walls going "off" My current Michelin Exalto's haven't done it yet.
Could be, I don't know if / what the previous owner used.

My "road" wheels & tyres get tyre dressing on them once every couple of weeks and don't do this.

Zerotonine

1,171 posts

204 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
Mine get this, mainly on the Pirelli P6000s on the back, I assumed it was the poo like nature of them trying to escape the shame of being associated with P6000s. It cannot be tyre dressing as I rarely even wash the car, let alone dress the tyres! The uber budget acceleras on the front do not suffer so bad with the brown residue. So I guess they are made with less crap.

John D.

21,028 posts

239 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
No idea what exactly it is, but I always thought it was just a sign a tyre had gone through a few heat cycles. Seen it on all cars I've had; usually after a long run on a hot day.

Clio would be front tyres only. Elise all four. The latter used its tyres much more evenly.

ETA - It is not tyre dressing. Never put that cack on my tyres!

SVTRick

3,633 posts

225 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
fwaggie said:
Leptons said:
SVTRick said:
LuS1fer said:
If you leave your car out in the sun, your sidewalls will eventually go a brown colour.
You are having a laugh .....
True story! Also think it's something to do with tyre dressing that has been absorbed and leeches out when the tyre gets warm.
I've read that they can go back to the colour of natural rubber, whatever that is, as the carbon black (!) is destroyed by UV light.
I have tyres on trucks that sit outside for long periods in the sun and all weathers.
Plus some stored tyres on the container roof.

They are still as black as the day they were born....