Getting the tyres right

[BriskodaJeff]

I have been using a spray tyre dressing (Power Wheels from memory) whose longevity can be measured in minutes rather than days or weeks. So I bit the bullet and bought some AG gel dressing. It's better, but not nearly as good as I hoped or expected. So I'm thinking maybe I need to prep the tyres before application of the AG. Is there a particular technique or product I should be using for this? Thanks.

[CWARD]

I use Turtle Wax tyre gel which leaves a matt finish applied with old socks and excess W buffed off. 

[Vrsboi]

7 hours ago, BriskodaJeff said:

I have been using a spray tyre dressing (Power Wheels from memory) whose longevity can be measured in minutes rather than days or weeks. So I bit the bullet and bought some AG gel dressing. It's better, but not nearly as good as I hoped or expected. So I'm thinking maybe I need to prep the tyres before application of the AG. Is there a particular technique or product I should be using for this? Thanks.

When washing your wheels spray some wheel cleaner on the tyres and use a brush ( old dish brushes will do the job) to scrubb the tyre, then rinse, dry with an old cloth and apply the gel

[Gissin]

how old are your tyres?

work all comes down to prep as well, as mentioned scrub your tyres and get all the crap off then apply a couple of thin coats, leave to dry for gloss or buff for a matt finish.

[BriskodaJeff]

7 minutes ago, Gissin said:

how old are your tyres?

 

9 months - same as the car.

7 minutes ago, Gissin said:

work all comes down to prep as well, as mentioned scrub your tyres and get all the crap off then apply a couple of thin coats, leave to dry for gloss or buff for a matt finish.

Thanks - that was the reason for the question. Having changed to a gel that others speak highly of, I wasn't impressed which made me think I must have been doing something wrong. So I was after tips on how to prep the tyres before putting the gel on. I suspect I've overloaded them so will do as recommended, and give them a good scrub with wheel cleaner and an old brush. Hopefully that, plus a good rinse afterwards, will give me a decent base to apply thin coats of gel with longer-lasting effect than I've seen so far. Looking forward to getting at it this weekend.

[Gissin]

2 minutes ago, BriskodaJeff said:

9 months - same as the car.

Thanks - that was the reason for the question. Having changed to a gel that others speak highly of, I wasn't impressed which made me think I must have been doing something wrong. So I was after tips on how to prep the tyres before putting the gel on. I suspect I've overloaded them so will do as recommended, and give them a good scrub with wheel cleaner and an old brush. Hopefully that, plus a good rinse afterwards, will give me a decent base to apply thin coats of gel with longer-lasting effect than I've seen so far. Looking forward to getting at it this weekend.

9 months is fine then, sometimes old tyres just absorb any silicone.

best thing I've found dish sponge with the rough bit and a bit of fairy liquid gets them very clean, scrub and rinse twice.

for application I use an old Halfords polishing pad and cut it up £4 (black one is best, Velcro back)  I use the megs endurance high gloss £8.

 

best of luck dude

 

[Skodaboy1983]

Best thing I have used and found while watching a detailing video on YouTube was the show buff thing that buffed your shoes, just spray a bit in or apply a bit of gel and rub onto tyre.

 

Davy

[silver1011]

I've never got on with the foams or gels.

 

The liquids are much more effective in my opinion, although it depends on what effect you're after.

 

I prefer a nice shine rather than a dulled matt finish and use Autosmarts Highshine, applied using a dedicated application brush.

 

The level of shine can be reduced if required by wiping the sidewall with a cloth but I just leave it.

 

[bomski]

CarPro PERL; it's an SiO2 based fluid that can be used on tires and plastics (great for engine bay dressing). It leaves a kind of satin finish on the tires and lasts at least a week in damp conditions.

[horkin]

ValetPro Black to the future is superb on both tyres and trim.

 

Apply to pre cleaned tyres and trim and watch it darken over a few minutes to ink black satin finish, Lasts and lasts.

 

I've tried so many products and for under a tenner this is my favourite.

 

Harry

[Skinneroo]

On 4/24/2018 at 08:15, horkin said:

ValetPro Black to the future is superb on both tyres and trim.

 

Apply to pre cleaned tyres and trim and watch it darken over a few minutes to ink black satin finish, Lasts and lasts.

 

I've tried so many products and for under a tenner this is my favourite.

 

Harry

 

+1 for Valetpro. Used it for the first time last weekend. Very impressed

[horkin]

18 minutes ago, Skinneroo said:

 

+1 for Valetpro. Used it for the first time last weekend. Very impressed

Yes I've tried all sorts but am impressed with Valet Pro BTTF. One thing you need to watch, use it sparingly. First pot I got I lathered it on and was through it in no time.

 

Harry

 

[valvedoctor46]

On ‎4‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 20:37, bomski said:

CarPro PERL; it's an SiO2 based fluid that can be used on tires and plastics (great for engine bay dressing). It leaves a kind of satin finish on the tires and lasts at least a week in damp conditions.

I'm with bomski. I used megs endurance for years and then tried carpro perl and I'm a convert. You can also water it down for many uses around your car, but I use it neat on tyres.

[Bignij]

On 4/23/2018 at 20:37, bomski said:

CarPro PERL; it's an SiO2 based fluid that can be used on tires and plastics (great for engine bay dressing). It leaves a kind of satin finish on the tires and lasts at least a week in damp conditions.

+1 It's what I use and it's very good. The thing I like about it, is the fact that it can be diluted to do other plastics. I think it's neat on the tyres. 1:2 for exterior plastics and 1:5 for interior plastics. You're supposedly able to use it on leather as well but I haven't yet done so. 

[samuir1974]

Perhaps stated above - but cannot be emphasised enough with tyre dressings.

 

Good results can only be expected with decent preparation of the tyre surface.

 

A strong APC mix and stiff brush of the tyre rim should see an amazing amount of grime come out the rubber.

Repeat more than once for best results. Allow tyre to dry before applying dressing thereafter.

 

Personally... i use EZ Tyre Slick which is great value. Meg's Endurance is great too.

 

[BriskodaJeff]

Thought I would update on mine following all the helpful advice on here - thanks all. Last Saturday I gave the wheels their spring clean. I also used the AG custom wheel cleaner on the tyres and gave them a good scrub. Once dry I applied the AG tyre gel. Stupidly I forgot to take a "before" picture, but the "after" picture shows it all looking good, as you'd expect.

 

Four days and c500 miles later this is how it looked yesterday morning.

Not the best picture, but while most of the shine has gone the tyre still looks black rather than the horrible brown it used to go within a couple of days. I can only guess the brown was where I'd overloaded it and the brown staining was excess gel / spray breaking down. So I'm happy enough. Going forward I will scrub the tyres at each wash to give a "key" for the gel to absorb and I hope this will keep the tyres looking at least this good or possibly even better between washes as the gel gets a chance to sink in rather than just sitting on the surface.

[JohnnyType2]

tyre paint, gets a super slick shine and lasts at least a week, great for the shows.

[OctyEstatevRS]

You can use the same product on the plastics as well.

 

Again, prep and apply.

 

I use the trade version for the wheel arches etc

[CJohnson]

On 15/04/2018 at 09:52, BriskodaJeff said:

I have been using a spray tyre dressing (Power Wheels from memory) whose longevity can be measured in minutes rather than days or weeks. So I bit the bullet and bought some AG gel dressing. It's better, but not nearly as good as I hoped or expected. So I'm thinking maybe I need to prep the tyres before application of the AG. Is there a particular technique or product I should be using for this? Thanks.

 

My Technique is as follows i use an initial spray of either bilt hamber surfex hd apc / Britemax grime out / adams rubber and tyre cleaner and allow to dwell for the duration of me cleaning that alloy and once the wheel is done give it a scab with the tufshine tyre brush, then rinse and repeat until the foam from the cleaner is white, once it goes white i reach for my green monster cloth by klin available from Dooka detailing or Excel detailing supplies, give the tyre a good scrub with the cloth (you'll be amazed how much more this pulls out the tyre).

 

Then i will at the end of the wash dry the tyres with a microfibre and a metro vac blaster to ensure its completely dry. then i have 2 go to tyre dressings: the first is Gyeon Q2 Tire.

1 layer then 20 minutes layer a gentle wipe down and apply a second coat (leave for Glossy / wipe down after 10 minutes for matte)

 

and the second is Cartect Tyre Wax available from dooka or excel apply one coat leave for 20 minutes, gentle wipe then apply a second coat (again leave for a glossier finish or wipe after 20 minutes for a matte finish)

 

the gyeon coating i have had up to 5 months out of during the summer months and cartect i have been getting around a month of durability and the finish i desire on my tyres.

 

Below photo is Cartect after 1 week of driving 

 

Thanks 

 

IMG_3212 by Craig Johnson 1994, on Flickr 

 

 

Edited 3 May, 2018 by CJohnson

[silver1011]

Wow, that's some serious effort for black tyres.

 

I just blather this stuff on with a brush...

 

 

[Wardy]

Another vote for Gyeon Q2. The only one I've found that's actually worthwhile in terms of duration. 

 

I used Megs Endurance before that, but only for 'high days and holidays' because it wasn't worth the time input on a maintenance wash in my opinion.

 

Also, as Ste eludes to earlier on, this is also about base condition of the sidewall. I think there are people who use a tyre product without proper prep, and then wonder why it falls off almost immediately

[Broctoncf]

I've used Autoglym tyre dressing for years and very pleased with it, after washing the car simply spray on an old sponge and rub all around the tyres, i do this about every 4/5 washes.

[Delberthot]

I wash and dry the tyres then use Carplan Tyre Slik which takes a couple of minutes to spray on then walk away. It lasts as long as I need it to and is cheap and quick to use.

 

If you happen to catch them at the right time, the Range have 750ml cans for £3

[CrisBora]

Another vote for gyeon tyre. Lasts 2 months with easy. If it happens to catch dirt, just pressure wash the tire and voila.

 

love it.

 

first apc, I use dodo total wipe out and wheel brushes. Dry cloth.

then gyeon, and the hair dryer trick. As explained in their website.

 

lovely satin look on the Potenzas, and now on the pilots.

 

for maintenance, just using foam canon and sonax wheel cleaner plus

[silver1011]

Never mind the tyres, you need some of these...