How do you remove encrusted tire glue?

Quoted message said:

Any better ideas?

The glue is Clement. The solvent is MEK but don't use it. Just chuck a wire brush up in a drill
motor and off comes the glue. Just do it outside-lots of old glue powder. Phil Brown

NS' may have said:

Same question... How do you remove encrusted tire glue? I believe it is Tubasti... It is the red
stuff. I have tried Alcohol and it doesn't even smear. The tire that was on there finally blew. The
glue is not fresh. It has to be a few years old anyway maybe more. It has been on the rim for quite
a while. I don't have any lacquer thinner.. I may try that...

Any better ideas?

If the glue is at the stage of being so dried up that it's flaky, a little work with a plastic
scraper will probably get most of it. If it's at that intermediate state where it's hard but still
resilient, you might get it loose with a heat gun, but I'd avoid this on an aluminum rim for a
number of reasons, and would use it with caution on a steel rim.. If the glue's not completely
fossilized, there's one really sneaky trick you can try if you still have the can of glue available.
Paint on a *thick* coat of it, maybe even more than one coat, wait just a couple of minutes, and
then aggressively scrape with a plastic scraper. The new glue will soften the old, and there's a
good chance that the whole mess will peel right out.

As a last resort, if you can't simply ignore the glue's presence, then MEK would probably dissolve
it. That stuff's nasty to work with, can be hard to find, and is more easily ignited than gasoline
in my experience. (I keep some around for those instances when nothing else will do what's needed.)
MEK can be had in quart cans at major hardware stores in most of the US if you find no other
solution. Use MEK outdoors only, try not to breathe the fumes at all, and wear thick
solvent-resistant protective gloves if you have to handle a rag that's soaked in it.

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My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Yes, I have a killfile. If I
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mek will kill you

laquer thinner on a rag is what I use .. outdoors. it may take time (and keep it away from your rim
decals), but it can remove decade old mystery glue.

I used Lacquer thinner on the wheel yesterday and re-glued a new tire to
it and rode same today for a good ride... The new-ish tire is atleast 7
years old (but was stored well). The ride was a short but quick-ish flat
25 miler... I was ready for it to blow or roll at any second and I
brought phone money just in case. Thank God, there wasn't a nasty scene
to remember other than the cars trying to force the issue on the road...

Yesterday, I was suffering from mild athsma that I am sure was caused by the Lacquer thinner.
It works like a champ. My IQ dropped about 20 pts I'm sure as well (and I don't have that much
to spare).

Thanks for all of the info...

BTW... I went to a LBS and asked for tubular glue...I paid $2 and went home.. When it came time to
use it ...It was patch glue.... I knew it smelled familiar... a few more wipes of Lacquer thinner
fixed the wheel right up...The packaging said Velox rubber cement... I took for granted that the LBS
tech knew what he was doing.... He even said it would do one wheel.(arghh!!)..

But it's a Done deal now...

NS>

also also...

Don't use a time trial bike on rollers unless you want to have an accident.... Bloody knee, Gash in
head, and severe arthritis from reinjuring wrist. The accident was on my balcony.... I have been
hurt less on the road! Live and learn....

(g.daniels) may have said:

mek will kill you

So will water, if used incorrectly. So will a *lot* of solvents, used indoors without enough
air exchange.

You will note that I gave explicit warnings to use it outdoors, not to breathe the vapors, and to
use protective gloves. I've probably gone through a couple of gallons of it over the years. It's
nasty, but can be used wihtout inordinate hazard if appropriate measures are employed. However, I
gave an alternate suggestion first, as well. Since MEK had already been mentioned *without* any
explicit warnings other than "don't use it" (which is about like telling some people "don't think of
the word 'rhinocerous'"😉, I felt that some more explicit safety cautions were in order.

BTW, MEK is still present in a number of common adhesives, and they don't warn people anywhere near
adequately on those labels. "Use with adequate ventilation" and "avoid breathing vapors" is about
all they say. My cautions, on the whole, are a lot more comprehensive.

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My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Yes, I have a killfile. If I
don't respond to something, it's also possible that I'm busy.

You don't. Where do you think 27" rims come from? ;-3)

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

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