WD40 on tires?

[manicrodder]

I was looking over the WD40 Fan Club site which has tips by Chip Foose. He uses WD40(original) on his tires. He is sponsored by WD40, so that is probably why. Anyone here ever try it? I would think it would be solvent rich.

 

[togwt]

Use caution if you use WD-40 as it contains strong hydrocarbon (aliphatic) solvents, which may cause the paint surface to become clouded (opaque) or compromise non-neoprene rubber, it is also highly flammable (easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames) Don’t let it drip onto the brake pads as they will become ineffective and / or grab and squeal

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

I'd be willing to bet Chip never wrote any of those "tips" on the site; they just put his name on them because they sponsor him, like you said.



I wouldn't even begin to consider using WD40 as a tire dressing.

 

[Dan]

Using WD-40 on tires would be pretty silly. There are plenty of good tire dressings that are cheaper.

 

[imported_Larry A]

WD40 can be used on Wheel wells

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

WD40 can be used on Wheel wells

"Can" and "Should" are two different things....

 

[manicrodder]

There are probably a lot of fathers with teenage sons, wondering where the WD40 is going.

 

[imported_PiPUK]

Use caution if you use WD-40 as it contains strong hydrocarbon (aliphatic) solvents, which may cause the paint surface to become clouded (opaque) or compromise non-neoprene rubber, it is also highly flammable (easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames) Don’t let it drip onto the brake pads as they will become ineffective and / or grab and squeal

The solvents in WD40 are less hazardous than many of those routinely used for solvent degreasing and tar removal (and, for that matter, panel wipe). There is little more risk of clouding paint than there is with mineral spirits. Flammability is not really a concern, again, it is much lower than with panel wipe (flash point is 49C which makes it only just flammable by standard classifications).



The risk with WD40 is that it is designed to leave a residue. It amazes me that no one seems to pick up on this. It is a water repellent and lubricant and it cannot do that if it doesn't leave something behind. Moreover, this 'tip' backs that up perfectly, if it does work in any regard as a tyre dress, then it is leaving something behind! That something is very specifically water resistant (else how can it be water repellent) so it isn't something that is going to be washed off paintwork with a simple rinse. For this reason, WD40 should not be used by a detailer on paint work. If you are an average joe who has some gunk and doesn't know any better, fine - but for a pro, it should simply not be done.

 

[Accumulator]

The risk with WD40 is that it is designed to leave a residue. It amazes me that no one seems to pick up on this....it isn't something that is going to be washed off paintwork with a simple rinse. For this reason, WD40 should not be used by a detailer on paint work... it should simply not be done.

Thanks for posting that, took the words right out of my mouth.



I'm no WD-40 hater, but people seem to use it for all sorts of things for which it's just not optimal.

 

[imported_PiPUK]

Thanks for posting that, took the words right out of my mouth.



I'm no WD-40 hater, but people seem to use it for all sorts of things for which it's just not optimal.

Many people quote it as a 'do-all' solvent and yes, it is pretty effective. However, the residue will need a really good clean and probably an IPA wipe to remove and even then I wouldn't guarantee that there might not be some heavy residues remaining. The residue is plenty enough to destroy the bonding of a great many LSPs. As I said - seems like a product that should simply be too messy and risky for a pro to be using.

Use caution if you use WD-40 as it contains strong hydrocarbon (aliphatic) solvents, which may cause the paint surface to become clouded (opaque) or compromise non-neoprene rubber, it is also highly flammable (easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames)

This actually refers to the other type of product which is used on the cheap for cleaning (I know, slightly different application) - gasoline and cheap kerosene. These products do contain some real nasty (aromatic, more than aliphatic) solvents which could indeed cloud paint, could compromise rubbers and would be extremely flammable. The WD-40 was unsuitable because it leaves messy residues (though is fundamentally quite safe). Gasoline/kerosine is great because it doesn't leave so much in the way of residue (though many now have oils and lubricants designed to help keep an engine in top form) but the big problem with them is they are massively more dangerous than should be acceptable in this application. What you want is a product which is safe like WD40 but rinses easily and doesn't leave residues. Thankfully, they exist in huge abundance in industry where they are known as solvent degreasers. The best detailing equivalents are a bit like stoners tarminator or Tar-x - unfortunately in the US, you have much less tar than in the UK and thus your range of solvent degreasers (that is what a tar remover tends to be) is much limited.