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Can anybody tell me what is the best paint to use for white tire lettering? Any tips as far as application?

You should check the forums of scale auto modeler magazine. scaleautomag.com I want to say they use something acrylic, and top coat with a "dull coat" flat clear. Is it safe to say this is for a shelfer not a runner?

try looking at an auto parts store like autozone. they carried a white letter paint pen that was specifically for rubber tires. i have used it bitd in a 1:1 and it worked well. i am not sure if you can still get them but i don't know why you wouldn't.

White polycarbonate paint should be the best as its flexible. Im yet to see my lettering come off. Just make sure you prep the surface to be painted.

LowClassCC wrote:try looking at an auto parts store like autozone. they carried a white letter paint pen that was specifically for rubber tires. i have used it bitd in a 1:1 and it worked well. i am not sure if you can still get them but i don't know why you wouldn't.

I was in the market for one not too long ago. We have an Autozone here so I went to their website to see if they carried it and it said they did. I go to the store and they had no idea what I was talking about. They are easy to find on the Internet here and in various colors too. I just didn't want to wait for shipping.

I never thought of using them on R/C tires.

teamcrp sells tire lettering paint pens on ebay....

bormac wrote:White polycarbonate paint should be the best as its flexible. Im yet to see my lettering come off. Just make sure you prep the surface to be painted.

What are you doing to prep the tires? Wiping with a slovent?

I just went to a Michaels's craft store, in he art section they have paint pens. I got a DecoColor fine line pen, they have thick and thin. they seem to work ok just do it in a few coats and their 3bucks I did some monts ago and their holding up even to a little bashing in my gravel driveway.

I use rubbing alcohol to prep. I use tamiya acrylic paint and a toothpic to appy. Sound like a odd tool for application but works well on small letters.

Dupli-Color Hot Tires. Available in white, red and yellow.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SHW-HT100/

i use this method, and its quicker than trying to use a pen/toothpick..
(prep first, make sure rubbed mold release is wiped off, also MOUNT THE TIRES FIRST if its a 3 peice wheel!)
1. Ill take a white ink pen (ive used sharpies just cause they were available locally) and color on the insides pretty well, not worrying about spillage or border bleed.
2. Ill apply 2-3 coats of white (it seems to thin sometimes showing black)
3. After its dry for a good day (time can be whatever), ill take a good blue shop paper towel, fold it over 3-4 times, wet it with paint thinner, and wipe over the white lettering so that the borders will be perfectly black. Trick is not to apply a terribe amount of pressure or thinner.
4. Onces the tires have the black border, there will probably be excess white outside the lettering or inside like a e or something, just use a xacto or toothpick to pluck it out.
5. You may need to reapply some white if it gets rubbed off by the thinner in the flatter spots, but thats easy to touch up

ill take some pictures next time i do it, but if done right it should look like this below from that ebay auction (this type of pen will NOT produce the results pictured unless you take 2 hours per tire. Wiping off with thinner is easy