[timind]

Recently purchased a pair of Meadowlark Kestrels noticed the woofer rubber surrounds look a bit dry. I'm thinking about using some Armorall or something similar to lubricate them. What do you use for this. Thanks.

[KS]

303 Protectant is far superior to ArmoAll, and I don't know if using 303 would be the right thing to do.  I'd try it.

[richidoo]

ArmorAll has silicone which will accelerate the degradation. Rubber is latex, a protein which degrades with exposure to oxygen and ultraviolet light. 303 seals out the oxygen and blocks UV. Keep the speaker in the shade too.  Definitely get the OK from the speaker maker before doing anything. The surrounds might not be real rubber at all. Butyl or other synthetic rubber will not degrade, but also not as compliant as real rubber. I need to ask my own speaker mfg about this too. Mine seems like real rubber, starting to get a little chalky, that's how it starts.  The black color is pure carbon black powder added to the liquid latex to make it opaque so that light will not penetrate as it will with pure amber colored transluscent rubber which degrades faster.

[JerryM]

Back in the day I would use Permatex Belt Dressing on the rubber surrounds of my Mach 1's. It works great! 
Have fun,
Jerry

[warnerwh]

 I'd not mess with treatment for fear of doing more damage to the driver or maybe damage the glue holding the surround to the cone.  If you look at vintage speakers from the 70's with rubber surrounds you will see that the surrounds look and operate fine.

[Wayner]

I have 2 pair of Dynaco A25XL's with rubber surrounds. they are 37 years old. Don't put anything on them.

Wayner

[timind]

Thanks for all the info. Chalky is a good description of mine. I have another pair of the Kestrels and the surrounds look fine. I believe the chalky ones are newer than the others.
I say thanks for the info but I'm still not sure what to do with them.