Cooper Tires - Normal or Defects?

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rpr

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Hey guys, I just picked up a set of new Cooper Rugged Treks. They ride great but I noticed they had a lot of surface staining when they were installed. I figured they would clean up fine but I just got a chance to get out there and scrub them and I cannot get these surface stains off.

Can you take a look at these pics and let me know what you think? Almost looks like a chemical was spilled on them that stained them and actually caused some surface bubbling.
 

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Jeepwalker

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Are they all like that, or just one tire? Did you try something like a tire-cleaner on them? Maybe the best thing would be to take them back where you bought them and ask if they can clean them. That way they are aware of the issue and they can clean them with whatever they use (so they can't blame the owner).

Looks like it's cosmetic, but, hey, if ya spend good money on tires you want them to look good too!
 

RamInfo

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Possibly mold release? That should clean off pretty easily, tho, and shouldn’t cause the pimpling that’s shown in photo 1.

best,
DG
 

oe542bob

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Try some Bleche-White on the tire. Spray the entire tire and make it wet with the spray. Let it sit for a minute, then use a tire brush and soapy water. Then rinse.
 

Nick@GotExhaust

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Looks like that is the lubricant they use to mount the tires. Not sure what product you already tried but most "tire cleaner" products with a good scrub brush should clean it off.
 
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rpr

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They’re all like this, although some worse than others.

I haven’t put anything on the tire yet other than soap, water and elbow grease. I was concerned if I tried anything stronger they might try to say it was from a product I used in the event I do try to take them back.

A more aggressive tire cleaner product might help with some if not all of the staining but the bubbling is not coming off, that’s the rubber.
 

caulk04

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I recently got a set of Cooper's and found the bluing on the white letters quite hard to remove. It did come off though with a couple scrubbings.

Any decent brand tire cleaning product is fine and won't hurt anything.
 

Bigskyroadglide

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I've got 3 sets of different Cooper tires on 3 different vehicles. I've never had a problem and they all have had some discoloration after mounting.

The blue green crap on the white letters takes forever to get off as does the mold release solution.

I just scrub em and run them. After about 3 months it usually wears off.

I could be wrong but I think it's fairly common
 

GTyankee

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If they came from a tire store, i would go back & ask them how they make them look nice, including the bubbled one, that looks as if was a Blemished Tire, in other words, a Second, meaning not something they would use in the show room.

When i was a teen, i bought my tires from the Farm Bureau CO-OP
I paid something like $12 each for Blems, ( not perfect, no return )
 
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jshillin

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It's the stuff they used to mount the tires. You need a good tire cleaner with a really stiff tire brush to clean them. Soap & Water or APC won't remove that stuff. Look at something like Adam's Tire Cleaner or Westley's Bleche white. Both are pretty strong so clean good and rinse. Depending on your wheels though, the Westley's might be too rough and can stain aluminum wheels.
 

HEMI_Finn

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Some of that staining almost looks like there wasn't enough carbon black added to the rubber. Rubber isn't naturally black.
 

David James

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Hey guys, I just picked up a set of new Cooper Rugged Treks. They ride great but I noticed they had a lot of surface staining when they were installed. I figured they would clean up fine but I just got a chance to get out there and scrub them and I cannot get these surface stains off.

Can you take a look at these pics and let me know what you think? Almost looks like a chemical was spilled on them that stained them and actually caused some surface bubbling.
Cooper makes fine quality tires. Looks like the mounting lube, but if you’re concerned go back to tire store and tell them ASAP.
 
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