I have seen a ton of different products and techniques for tire dressing application, alot that fail epically and some that work mediocre. Let me know your favorite way to dress tires and what product you use to get the best coverage and durability that prevents any "slinging"!
Tire Shine Application: Favorite Method and Why
- Thread starter eacmonroe
- Start date
I've found that whatever applicator I use, it gets really really nasty. I just can't get my tires clean enough so that the applicator doesn't get gunked up by the dirt left over.
Because of this, I buy generic foam applicators and throw them away after a couple of uses.
Because of this, I buy generic foam applicators and throw them away after a couple of uses.
RhetoricMixes
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- Dec 13, 2011
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:iagree:
Also try to find a site where you can buy the applicators in bulk and save yourself some moolah.
swanicyouth
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- Mar 3, 2011
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Started using the Carrand Tire Brush. It's pretty good and easier to clean than foam. If your looking to save money, buy grout sponges for $2, cut them up, then through them away when your done. I use pieces of grout sponge to apply all kinds of stuff. Them just throw out the piece I cut off.
MarkD51
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- Oct 15, 2012
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I thought those brushes looked pretty good, and a good idea, to keep the product away from the hands.
So, been thinking like somebody else has mentioned in another thread here about using a simple cheap small trim paintbrush?
Should be easier to get right up to the wheel's edge, without going over onto the wheel. With much lettering, and many tires with the little ribs which are sometimes a PITA to fully coat, this might hold some good promise?
I've got a full gallon of Optimum Tire Gel on hand, and the only obstacle that's coming to mind, is how to get product onto a brush without it going all over the place in the process?
Perhaps if I could find one of those little plastic travel sized Hand Soap Containers, with a snap closure Lid, to keep a small amount of product in? Then just pop open the Lid, and apply like a Paint? Or? Mark
Andr3wilson
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- May 16, 2012
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When you clean the tire wall, spray a degreaser or high concentrate APC. Then scrub and rinse. This removes all gunk and old dressing. I like water based spray dressings more, gels are hard to clean from the applicator (you need to clean them with mineral spirits to get it all out, 8 hour process all together) and they gunk up faster. I use the AG generic tire dressing applicator with a water based rubber/vinyl dressing. I spray it into the applicator and wipe on! Gives a nice wet look and does not sling.
Blackthorn One
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- Mar 19, 2009
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I agree. A small container is needed to hold the dressing or gel that holds 1/2 cup to a cup of product. Lugging around a gallon container is awkward, as is getting product out of it while applying. Some products can be sprayed from the gallon with a flexible hose sprayer. If you keep the lid off of a gallon, there is always that chance of spilling the whole gallon out. Smaller containers= less risk of wasting a lot of product.
The brush idea sounds effective.
As for myself, I use spray on products that I spray into the rim area of the tire and into any grooved areas, and a bit overall. I then use a foam applicator to spread it evenly, and then let sit for 2 or 3 minutes to soak in, and then buff off. My applicator accumulates product from the first tire, and then I spread that onto the next one, and spray near the rim again any spray more product as needed. I put the applicator pad into a ziplock bag afterwards.
I have found that I need to use a scrub brush to clean the tire with beforehand, and maybe use an old sock after that to remove all the old rubber residue. That prevents the applicator from getting too black.
4AudiQ
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- Feb 13, 2012
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I have used TUF SHINE for over 1 year.
Their Tire Cleaner is probably the best in the industry. To be the best, one must follow the directions exactly.
I coat my tires after washing on Saturday morning and typically my next drive is Monday morning, so the product is very dry, so no sling. This is an expensive product, but so worth it.
Many times I will go 1 month or more between product applications.
TUF SHINE Auto Detailing Kit | Tire Shine and Wheel Care Kit | TUF SHINE | Permanent Tire Shine Dressing For Autos, Trucks, Boats and RV's
Their Tire Cleaner is probably the best in the industry. To be the best, one must follow the directions exactly.
I coat my tires after washing on Saturday morning and typically my next drive is Monday morning, so the product is very dry, so no sling. This is an expensive product, but so worth it.
Many times I will go 1 month or more between product applications.
TUF SHINE Auto Detailing Kit | Tire Shine and Wheel Care Kit | TUF SHINE | Permanent Tire Shine Dressing For Autos, Trucks, Boats and RV's
Got sick of the foam "tire applicators" getting chewed up so I've been using a basic kitchen sponge. So far they have been working just as well if not better than any applicator I've used in the past. 1.99 for a 6pack of sponges, cut one in half, use and throw away. The ones with the smallest "pores" seem to be the most durable and allow you to apply thin even coats.
Blackthorn One
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- Mar 19, 2009
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I do not think it is good, because:
"Pine Sol and Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner were found to contain toluene, a solvent and neurotoxin that has been removed from many nail polish formulations due to consumer pressure over links to cancer and its ability to cause developmental damage to a fetus."
"The Simple Green Naturals product and two Tide products tested positive for 1, 4-dioxane. According to the National Toxicology Program’s Twelfth Report on Carcinogens, “1, 4-Dioxane is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen…"
Cleaning Products? ?Dirty Secrets? |
It is pretty effective at cleaning most things, though, even tires.
I believe it contains toluene because I always used to get light headed after using it for awhile, and I always used it undiluted. I get a very similar feeling from breathing racing gas fumes, which also contains toluene. ( I don't intentionally sniff, but after being in a garage where it was put into a gas tank, it gets to me a little bit.)
RMM
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- Apr 30, 2012
- 1,432
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Favorite tire dressings:
- Tuf Shine (more like a clear coat for tyres. Good for those who like low-maintenance);
- Optimum Opti-Bond;
- Zaino Z-16;
- UTTG
The applicators:
- painter's brush (I like it the most - it gets everywhere);
- generic tire applicators (if the tyre isn't really clean, and the dressing is "messy", hum...I tend to throw them away immediately)
- Tuf Shine (more like a clear coat for tyres. Good for those who like low-maintenance);
- Optimum Opti-Bond;
- Zaino Z-16;
- UTTG
The applicators:
- painter's brush (I like it the most - it gets everywhere);
- generic tire applicators (if the tyre isn't really clean, and the dressing is "messy", hum...I tend to throw them away immediately)
MarkD51
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- Oct 15, 2012
- 3,130
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Even Kitchen Sponges aren't cheap anymore, at least that's what I seen at Wally World the other day. Horrendous!
Might have to check the Dollar Store, but it seems all these places are putting the major squeeze on shoppers.
MarkD51
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- Oct 15, 2012
- 3,130
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I find simple green (full strength) to be effective for a few things around the house, but as a tire cleaner, it seems simple green, and Westleys Bleach White are both totally ineffective at cleaning tires lately.
It's ridiculous to waste a pint of both products combined, and the tires are still filthy.
Who wants to spend an entire afternoon just cleaning tires?!
I might be trying some sort of degreaser, which doesn't take me to the bank in the near future. These off the shelf products lately are totally for the birds it seems. Mark
MarkD51
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- Oct 15, 2012
- 3,130
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I did find my little travel Soap Box after I posted this afternoon,
Poured some of the Opti Bond into it, found an old stubby 2" wide trim paintbrush, and went to work.
Worked pretty well. While this gel seems a bit milky at first, that went away with some working of the product around the tire. It worked really sweet, and this will probably be my method for the near future.
Speaking of the Opti-Bond product. I bought a Gallon. And I noticed the Jug was far from being filled, abput 3-1/2"-4" inches down in the jug, and it looked like the product was about 12 oz short?
Can't they even fill a jug properly? I contacted Chris at Optimum a few days ago, but no reply.
Has anyone else noticed this? Are these Gallon Jugs perhaps larger than a Gallon, and thus they are not fully filled?
I'll write Chris again, or contact the Autopia people, and ask them what's the deal? Mark
Poured some of the Opti Bond into it, found an old stubby 2" wide trim paintbrush, and went to work.
Worked pretty well. While this gel seems a bit milky at first, that went away with some working of the product around the tire. It worked really sweet, and this will probably be my method for the near future.
Speaking of the Opti-Bond product. I bought a Gallon. And I noticed the Jug was far from being filled, abput 3-1/2"-4" inches down in the jug, and it looked like the product was about 12 oz short?
Can't they even fill a jug properly? I contacted Chris at Optimum a few days ago, but no reply.
Has anyone else noticed this? Are these Gallon Jugs perhaps larger than a Gallon, and thus they are not fully filled?
I'll write Chris again, or contact the Autopia people, and ask them what's the deal? Mark