Rubber...
Rubber is a flexible latex product produced from the juice of a rubber tree. In varied process, it's mixed with other chemicals to create different products. The process for a soft latex mattress is different than a rubber tire (tyre) used on a car. Charles Goodyear developed vulcanization in 1839 where he mixed latex, sulfur and heated the mixture to harden the liquid rubber.Over the years, new uses for rubber were invented. One process is to coat the exterior of a hard plastic object to give it a soft feel without affecting the structure of the inside. I've seen some plastic writing pens with a soft rubberized sleeve to make them comfortable.
One problem with products made with rubber is longevity. Tires have a manufacturing date stamp and people are warned against buying from an unreliable source as many 'new' tires have been been produced years ago and the rubber elasticity declines on an old tire making them unsafe.
I bought an emergency spotlight with a rubberized handle. Never used it. One day before a hurricane, I decided to open the box and try it, only to find the rubber handle was sticky to the touch. I found the rubber feet on my water pic (purchased 2 years ago) leave black marks on the countertop.
My laptop mouse deteriorated within 2 years and I was lucky enough to remove the rubberized surface with 91% rubbing alcohol. I have a very expensive mouse/controller I use in design that has programmable buttons and a 3D wheel. The rubberized surface is also deteriorated and sticky. That was a $300 purchase and they are no longer manufactured. Basically, I'm in trouble if I cannot find a replacement on Amazon or eBay. I dusted the surface with talcum powder so it wouldn't be so sticky and will experiment if I can clean it with alcohol or a solvent to remove the rubberized coating and not destroy the controller.
That said... be cautious of long-term purchases that have a rubberized coating.
Comments (4)
What do I think? I have no experience with rubber dolls. Sorry.
I thought someone would come forward with an answer by now... anyone?
A topic for a future blog: I hate rebate. I suggest you avoid sales with mail-in rebates.
If you have a bad tire, replace THAT tire with the same size tire.
Before you do so, check to see what the tread is on the other tires.
Just use a penny.
In the United States, tire tread depth is measured in 32nds of an inch. New tires typically come with 10/32” or 11/32” tread depths, and some truck, SUV and winter tires may have deeper tread depths than other models. The U.S. Department of Transportation recommends replacing tires when they reach 2/32”, and many states legally require tires to be replaced at this depth.
The idea of the penny test is to check whether you’ve hit the 2/32” threshold. Here’s how it works:
Place a penny between the tread ribs on your tire. A “rib” refers to the raised portion of tread that spans the circumference of your tire. Tire tread is composed of several ribs.
Turn the penny so that Lincoln’s head points down into the tread.
See if the top of his head disappears between the ribs. If it does, your tread is still above 2/32” , If you can see his entire head, it may be time to replace the tire because your tread is no longer deep enough.
The penny test
When performing the penny tire test, remember not only to check each tire, but to check various places around each tire. Pay special attention to areas that look the most worn. Even if parts of your tread are deeper than 2/32”, you should still replace the tire when any areas fail the penny test.
Consistent wear around the whole tire is normal, but uneven tread wear could be a sign of improper inflation, wheel misalignment, or a variety of other things. If you see uneven tread wear, you should have a technician inspect your vehicle.
the rotation is just left & right tires switched.
If all 4 tires are the same size, rotate them in either the clockwise or counterclockwise orientation, preferably with the new tire in front.