Why not paint tires for UV protection??

agesilaus wrote:
I may be wrong but the black color of tires comes from the carbon black that is added as a UV protectant by the manufacturer. As GDeTrailer above points out the tire will deteriorate just from age independent of UV exposure. The heating cycle that the tire goes thru every time you move the vehicle around will tend to break down the tire structure by itself.

But it is your tire. Of course manufacturers used to offer tires in 'white wall' that would have done the same as you are considering and I don't recall anyone claiming that white walls lasted longer than blackwalls.

Carbon black is definitely a UV stabilizer but it also acts as a stabilizer/strengthener.. Without it natural latex rubber would be a amber color and would not have the strength/stability/longevity when compared to latex rubber with carbon black..

Not to start the ST/LT debate again but if you are using ST tires, they are supposed to have additional additives to stabilize the rubber for UV exposure..

AS far as covering them or putting additional snake oils on them, I can honestly say, don't waste your time and money..

My TT sits in the yard with one side facing the south and one side facing north.. The north side is shaded with trees and the tires on that side are protected from direct sun by a small hill.

The south exposure the tires get FULL open sun in winter and summer.. I have not noticed any cracking of the carcass or tread on either side..

Replaced them at the 6th yr of ownership, no cracks or damage, just replaced them since they were going past the recommendation for safety reasons.. Kept one of those for a spare.. That spare is mounted UNDER the trailer..

Can't say I have found any cracks or damage to the spare the last time I checked air pressure and it is now about 9 yrs old.