Tire dressing applicators for chunky/off-road tires

M

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I don't like spraying the tires. It seems to waste a lot of product and it's messy. But the applicators I've used got torn up by the chunky shoulders on the tires. What do you guys suggest? A certain brand/type of applicator? A brush?
 

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A lot of people use something like this:

www.autogeek.net

CarPro Darkside Tire Applicator Brush XL

Introducing the CarPro Darkside Tire Applicator Brush XL for flawless tire dressings. Upgrade your detailing game with this premium tool today!
www.autogeek.net www.autogeek.net

There are a number of similar ones out there.
 
The upgrade paint brushes from Harbor Freight. Still cheap and they last a long time.
 
What kind of sprays have you used? I really like tire foams for off road tires as they do a nice job cleaning the tires and they are pretty durable. And when they do fade, they fade slowly. NoTouch was my favorite but it is hard to get now. AA Tire foam is good. Meguiars Hot Shine is ok but looks a bit brown on some tires. IMO the biggest con with them is on really big tires, you will probably use a bottle on a single vehicle. That said, I'd rather drop $5 on a can of shine vs spending an hour with a paint brush on tires...
 
yakky said:
That said, I'd rather drop $5 on a can of shine vs spending an hour with a paint brush on tires...
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Not sure what type of paint brush one uses to dress a tire but I use a 3 inch brush and can dress a tire on my Tacoma in 2 minutes so ten minutes total for all 4 tires.
I use Aqua Gloss from Superior products. Some may turn their nose up at it but IMO it is one of the best products Superior offers. It's $42.00 per gallon or $10.50 for a pint. It's dilutable and I use it at 3:1 for tires so that gallon makes 4 gallons at 3:1. Use it at 4:1 on interiors. Try a pint. You may like it.
 
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A soft, dense bristled brush is what you want here. As SNP209 mentioned, a flag tipped brush is excellent, but I prefer the XL sized detailing brushes featured in post 40 in the below thread -

DFB

Post in thread 'Tire Dressing Applicators'

Since writing this post nearly 18-months ago, I have been favoring the ultra-large detailing brushes for tire dressing.

Now, the original in this space was the Detail Factory Curveball, and the Screwball that followed later. The main detractor using these brushes for tire dressing is the cost, they are almost too nice to subject to this task. Since those arrived, the usual suspects have come out with their knock-offs for nearly half the price. Having used the Maxshine and Detail Factory versions back to back, they have been performing exactly the same...
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Setec Astronomy said:
A lot of people use something like this:

www.autogeek.net

CarPro Darkside Tire Applicator Brush XL

Introducing the CarPro Darkside Tire Applicator Brush XL for flawless tire dressings. Upgrade your detailing game with this premium tool today!
www.autogeek.net www.autogeek.net

There are a number of similar ones out there.
Click to expand...

Those are ok for low profile tyres but too small and stiff for larger SUV/truck tyres.

 
Get the exact brush that SNP209 posted a picture of. I’ve been using that brush for years and it’s by far the best way to apply tire dressing especially to tires like the one in your post.

Btw what exact tire dressing do you use?
 
BLM said:
Not sure what type of paint brush one uses to dress a tire but I use a 3 inch brush and can dress a tire on my Tacoma in 2 minutes so ten minutes total for all 4 tires.
I use Aqua Gloss from Superior products. Some may turn their nose up at it but IMO it is one of the best products Superior offers. It's $42.00 per gallon or $10.50 for a pint. It's dilutable and I use it at 3:1 for tires so that gallon makes 4 gallons at 3:1. Use it at 4:1 on interiors. Try a pint. You may like it.
Click to expand...
It was a bit of an exageration, but if you have big tires, you can definitely spend the better part of half an hour if you don't spray the tire to apply. Don't forget cleaning them too. While tire foam does it all. And it outlasts most water based dressings by a mile.
 
I've been using the Maguire's foam. It's too shiny for my taste. Well, I like it on my wife's car with low-profile tires. But on my Land Cruiser and the old truck... too shiny. I usually soak the tires, roll forward 'til the bottom of the tire is sprayable, spray again. I let that sit for a few hours or overnight, then wash the tires with a mild Dawn and water bath. That knocks down the shine, leaves a deep black, and lasts a few washes and several weeks.

I'll grab a couple different brushes and change dressings too.
 
So when one uses a flag tipped brush similar to the one in post #6, how do you avoid getting the sealant on the inner lip of the wheel? Which one would then have to wipe off with a rag.
Seems as though using a brush similar to the carpro Parkside applicator that could be avoided?

www.carpro-us.com

CARPRO DarkSide Tire & Trim Applicator Brush

Introducing the pinnacle of tire dressing application: This extraordinary solution from CARPRO was designed to elevate your detailing experience.
www.carpro-us.com www.carpro-us.com
 
I take DFB's point that the Carpro brush might be small for a giant truck tire, but what is the brush everybody was using here for a while? I don't remember it being large, but I can't remember what it was, I never tried one. I want to say it had a sliding cover on it.
 
BLM said:
So when one uses a flag tipped brush similar to the one in post #6, how do you avoid getting the sealant on the inner lip of the wheel? Which one would then have to wipe off with a rag.
Seems as though using a brush similar to the carpro Parkside applicator that could be avoided?

www.carpro-us.com

CARPRO DarkSide Tire & Trim Applicator Brush

Introducing the pinnacle of tire dressing application: This extraordinary solution from CARPRO was designed to elevate your detailing experience.
www.carpro-us.com www.carpro-us.com
Click to expand...

You sort of feather the brush on its side. It’s alot easier to pinpoint than you’d think based on how wide the brush is.

For example when I dress my tires using that brush I make sure to only apply dressing onto the black rubber outside of the yellow ring. If the brush touches any part of the white & yellow it runs the risk of making it dirty which would ruin the clean tire, but I’ve pretty much never had that happen using that brush.

[sometimes I’ll use a tire foam applicator to apply to these tires because it is easier, but I don’t always have a fresh clean 1 of those available]

069e5a8ab45b88e6572d668b9658d4b2.jpg


As for the inner part of the sidewall, you sort of feather the brush but in the opposite direction, this time applying pressure similar to how you would a paint brush if you were painting a corner wall in a room so that the bristles form a sharp edge allowing you to carefully but easily go around the rim without touching it.

It’s very rare for me to need to wipeup any tire dressing off a rim. I actually hate to have to do that because I don’t like the idea of tire dressing getting onto my microfiber towels, so it’s a good thing I don’t have to.

Setec Astronomy said:
I take DFB's point that the Carpro brush might be small for a giant truck tire, but what is the brush everybody was using here for a while? I don't remember it being large, but I can't remember what it was, I never tried one. I want to say it had a sliding cover on it.
Click to expand...

Are you referring to the brush that BLM posted a link to in the post just above yours?^^
 
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Eldorado2k said:
Are you referring to the brush that BLM posted a link to in the post just above yours?^^

[sometimes I’ll use a tire foam applicator to apply to these tires because it is easier, but I don’t always have a fresh clean 1 of those available]
Click to expand...
No, a small one with a sliding cover. They must have stopped making them because I can't find...wait--here it is, but I don't think they make them anymore:

WBCRD93045__CRD93045___01.jpg


Looking through my emails I apparently bought one in 2013--that must have been when they were the rage. I don't remember ever using it--I can always find a clean tire swipe, I have a box full of Chinese ones.

Here's a review with pictures: https://autogeekonline.net/threads/review-carrand-brush-shine-tire-dressing-applicator.91390/

Ha, Angus, whatever happened to him? Another lost member.

Amazon.com: Carrand 93045 Brush and Shine Tire Dressing Applicator Brush , Gray : Automotive

Buy Carrand 93045 Brush and Shine Tire Dressing Applicator Brush , Gray: Brushes & Dusters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com
 
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I use Tirekicker from Chemical guy's and it's not water based. But the price has gone double since I bought it. I will look into something comparable that's not water based.But make sure to run acetone through it when you get home. Also not everyone has a compressor on job.
 
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That's the first time I've seen tire dressing applied with a paint gun. It seems like you're losing 50% of the dressing - atomized and blown away by the pressure (and wind). Also, looks like you may be dressing the wheels and body a bit. I like the idea... wonder if dropping the pressure and tightening the fan would help?
 
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