Is it safe to ducktape tires?

[Snagglefoot]

I bought a white grease pencil and mark the inside of the tire wall. It pretty much washes off in 6 months. FL,FR, RL,RR or vice versa.

 

[Snagglefoot]

The wife's lipstick. I mean, I'm already using her toothbrush for cleaning the vent grilles.

Or for getting to that hard to reach itch.

 

[Rmay635703]

Put the duct tape on the tread avoiding the bead area.

When you mount the tire don’t even bother removing the tape, it will add another minute of lifespan to the tire and wear off as you drive

 

[Allaneddie]

The OP has a legitimate concern. It's possible that the glue may degrade the rubber of the tire that it contacts. Sometime chemicals don't play well together.

So the answer is maybe it can cause a degrade of that rubber, maybe it's not going to be any issue at all.

Why not put the tape on the rim on the side that mounts to the vehicle, but not on the flat area that touches the vehicle, so if there is residue when removed, no one will see it.

The tire came from the factory with a label glued to the tread. Sometimes the installer leaves it on, other times they don't. Duct tape or Duck tape won't hurt the tire.

(PS: I'm old enough to remember when new tires came in paper wrappers

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Tires run through everything known to man on a daily basis. I don't think some tape glue is going to deteriorate them too badly. In fact, a tire is like a big roll of tape in the sense that it wears down a tiny bit with each revolution. Think of a roll of tape that can be unrolled for 70,000 miles.

Nah,,, put your tape on there and worry about something else.

and PS,,, it's DUCT TAPE. Ducks don't need to be taped.

DUCK tape is a brand so not necessarily wrong. Like all tissues aren't Kleenex but we get the point

 

[John105]

Why not use tire marking crayon?

I do, and when I posted on the BMW forum once asking what people use, , a person said why?

1. tires are staggered
2. they are not directional

I discovered that in 2008, I was still using a 1970's concept of not moving a tire from one side to another (reverses direction)

 

[JimPghPA]

The tire came from the factory with a label glued to the tread. Sometimes the installer leaves it on, other times they don't. Duct tape or Duck tape won't hurt the tire.

(PS: I'm old enough to remember when new tires came in paper wrappers

View attachment 248518

The "glue" used for the factory stickers probably was chosen because it is compatible with the tire rubber. The glue used on Duct Tape may be different and may or may not be compatible with the tire rubber.

There's probably many types of glue used for sticking labels and tape, and many type of chemical formulas for those glues. Assuming that because the glue on a factory label is OK, means that a glue on Duct Tape is OK, is taking a big leap of faith with no data to prove it.

Again maybe it's not a problem, but maybe it is.

Assuming without knowledge of the chemistry and no test of long time compatability, is exactly that, an assumption. Not enough data to predict the outcome.

In God We Trust. All others, show us the data.

 

[Owen Lucas]

I use a Brother label maker for the wheels so I know to rotate them next year LF, LR, RF, RR.

 

[ripcord]

The wife's lipstick. I mean, I'm already using her toothbrush for cleaning the vent grilles.

No wonder you're bunking with Cuddles.

 

[ctechbob]

You're way overthinking this (A BITOG Specialty), but just in case, lets see what @CapriRacer has to say.

There's not many substances that will react with vulcanized rubber, so my guess is, tape aint going to do much.

 

[vavavroom]

Acid, alkali, and mineral oil can degrade and damage rubber upon (prolonged) contact. Pressure-sensitive acrylic adhesive used on duct tape will not damage rubber but, as I already said, use a low-tack tape like gaffers or masking tape if you don't want unsightly residue although I don't see how it matters on the tread. Any residue will wear off very quickly. You could put a toilet seat sanitized band around the tire and write on that. Nick a bunch from a maid's cart at a hotel.

 

[ripcord]

I think this is kind of a nothing issue. Oxygen and sunlight are going to be a lot worse for the tire than a bit of tape adhesive. If you are still worried about it, bag the tires and label the bag.

 

[daves87rs]

Won’t hurt it a bit . Duck tape, masking tape, clear tape, painters tape….

 

[camrydriver111]

The reason I ask is 2 out of 8 my tires got tread damage. The tread is torn all the way to the belts.

I didn't have such issues until I started duck taping the tires. It could be just a coincidence but I wonder whether the glue could weaken the rubber.

 

[ctechbob]

The reason I ask is 2 out of 8 my tires got tread damage. The tread is torn all the way to the belts.

I didn't have such issues until I started duck taping the tires. It could be just a coincidence but I wonder whether the glue could weaken the rubber.

Pics?

 

[CapriRacer]

Pics?

X2!!

I don't think that the amount of petroleum distillates in the adhesive would affect things. And even if they did, the effect would be local and immediately obvious when the tape was taken off. I suspect there is something else going on. Pics would help confirm.

 

[4wheeldog]

The wife's lipstick. I mean, I'm already using her toothbrush for cleaning the vent grilles.

I guess that works if you aren’t kissing anymore.

 

[Jetronic]

Is it harmful to put ducktape on the tire tread?

When doing the winter changeover I started putting a piece of ducktape on the tread where I write with permanent marker which wheel the tire came from.

When it is time to change back I peel off the ducktape. There is some residue remaining, but after driving for a few km, it comes off. The tire makes strange noises when driving with the residue. It is gone almost instantaneous though.

Is it possible for the ducktape glue to leech into the rubber and affect the compound?

you do know new tyres come with labels glued to the thread right? Don't worry about it.

I use chalk myself though.

 

[Jetronic]

True ... but then there's this:

View attachment 248491

Which says Duck tape branded DUCT TAPE

 

[twouvakind]

Zip tie an appropriately scribed piece of cardboard to a wheel stud hole or two. Better yet, use lashing wire as it is reusable.