My new Hankook Ventus v12 Evo tires are very dull compared to the Michelins they replaced. I have never used a tire dressing and have read years ago that some of them actually damage the tire by hardening the side walls. What is the truth about tire dressings and are there better ones that protect the tire and last longer? I am not looking for super glossy, but a nice slightly glossy look would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Tire Dressings
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Brake fluid on a rag.
Great for rubber.
Do not over apply! Rub it in.
Keep off paint!
Great for rubber.
Do not over apply! Rub it in.
Keep off paint!
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Brake fluid on a rag.
Great for rubber.
Do not over apply! Rub it in.
Keep off paint!
NO, NO, NO. NO, NO!!!
Brake fluid dissolves the kinds of rubber used in tires!
Brake fluid on a rag.
Great for rubber.
Do not over apply! Rub it in.
Keep off paint!
NO, NO, NO. NO, NO!!!
Brake fluid dissolves the kinds of rubber used in tires!
C apri -
You may be right, but my experience shows BF is better than left alone/dry. [also cheap and quick!]
BF generally gets along with rubber quite well.
Remember, LIGHT applications and NOT done frequently are my recommendations.
I am not a picky internet Nazi, but is there hard evidence that you can come up with?
Because I would never give this advice again, if what you say is verifiable.
You may be right, but my experience shows BF is better than left alone/dry. [also cheap and quick!]
BF generally gets along with rubber quite well.
Remember, LIGHT applications and NOT done frequently are my recommendations.
I am not a picky internet Nazi, but is there hard evidence that you can come up with?
Because I would never give this advice again, if what you say is verifiable.
Do we know what types of synthetic rubber are blended with natural rubber in tires, and is the rubber in the sidewalls the same blend as the rubber in the tread? If just one of these various products in the rubber blend reacts poorly with brake fluid or anything else, then brake fluid can't be used without some damage being done.
Nitrile synthetic rubber does not tolerate the glycol-type brake fluids (DOT3,4,5.1). The "rubber" in brake lines and other parts is ethylene propylene diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber. I've found one brake fluid maker (Hayes) who says that their DOT4 fluid is OK with natural rubber. I've found lots of guys who said that their dad or gramps wiped brake fluid on tires but the shine didn't last long, and that brake fluid softened old, hard wiper blade rubber to get a few more days service from them.
Nitrile synthetic rubber does not tolerate the glycol-type brake fluids (DOT3,4,5.1). The "rubber" in brake lines and other parts is ethylene propylene diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber. I've found one brake fluid maker (Hayes) who says that their DOT4 fluid is OK with natural rubber. I've found lots of guys who said that their dad or gramps wiped brake fluid on tires but the shine didn't last long, and that brake fluid softened old, hard wiper blade rubber to get a few more days service from them.
I don't know if Brake Fluid has negative reaction with tire's rubber or not, but in general I avoid using brake fluid on anything other than in the brake system.
Originally Posted By: mmab
303 aerospace protectant. Does not make it very glossy and also prevents dry rot.
I typically stay away from all tire dressing products, but on a rare occasion when I do find myself wanting it, 303 is what I use.
303 aerospace protectant. Does not make it very glossy and also prevents dry rot.
I typically stay away from all tire dressing products, but on a rare occasion when I do find myself wanting it, 303 is what I use.
Originally Posted By: Swift
Westley's
If I remember correctly, didn't they pretty much start the tire dressing/tire cleaning market? I still have a vintage bottle of their stuff laying around someplace.
Westley's
If I remember correctly, didn't they pretty much start the tire dressing/tire cleaning market? I still have a vintage bottle of their stuff laying around someplace.
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Capri -
You may be right, but my experience shows BF is better than left alone/dry. [also cheap and quick!]
BF generally gets along with rubber quite well.
Remember, LIGHT applications and NOT done frequently are my recommendations.
I am not a picky internet Nazi, but is there hard evidence that you can come up with?
Because I would never give this advice again, if what you say is verifiable.
I am not a chemist, so I don't have the answer off the top of my head, but I am trying to contact a colleague who can help me with hard data.
But I did find this:
http://www.robinsonrubber.com/pdfs/Polybutadiene.pdf
It says that polybutadiene, which is a major rubber type used in tires, has a poor to good compatibility with brake fluids.
I'll post back when I get a better answer.
Capri -
You may be right, but my experience shows BF is better than left alone/dry. [also cheap and quick!]
BF generally gets along with rubber quite well.
Remember, LIGHT applications and NOT done frequently are my recommendations.
I am not a picky internet Nazi, but is there hard evidence that you can come up with?
Because I would never give this advice again, if what you say is verifiable.
I am not a chemist, so I don't have the answer off the top of my head, but I am trying to contact a colleague who can help me with hard data.
But I did find this:
http://www.robinsonrubber.com/pdfs/Polybutadiene.pdf
It says that polybutadiene, which is a major rubber type used in tires, has a poor to good compatibility with brake fluids.
I'll post back when I get a better answer.
303 is great.. it has a nice dark black look nothing like the shiny armor all look.
as a Plus you can also use it to condition all your door seals etc.
Its also has very good UV protection
however its not cheap.
Last time I priced it .. was like 20$/qt spray bottle
and 13.95 for the 16oz(or was it 20oz)
It looks pretty much like milk in a bottle
as a Plus you can also use it to condition all your door seals etc.
Its also has very good UV protection
however its not cheap.
Last time I priced it .. was like 20$/qt spray bottle
and 13.95 for the 16oz(or was it 20oz)
It looks pretty much like milk in a bottle
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I like Michelin's tire dressing a lot, and use it whenever I get the itch to. I often leave them dry, but every now and again, I'll apply a thick coat of the Michelin dressing. It doesn't dry slimy like a lot of others, and doesn't have petroleum products in it. It also doesn't dry super-shiny; it's more of a matte-black finish. It's made by Pylon.
http://www.michelinman.com/tire-care/tire-care-products/
http://www.michelinman.com/tire-care/tire-care-products/
Followup:
I got an answer, and I'll try to paraphrase it (His response was full of comparisons of various types of rubber and kind of rambled.)
Some brake fluids - not all - have petroleum components in them. It's those components that are incompatible with the types of rubber used in tires.
The problem is that it may be impossible to determine if the brake fluid being used has petroleum components or not.
So while there may be positive experiences with brake fluid as a tire dressing, there exists certain combinations where this is not a good idea. Personally, I'd stay away from blanket statements about brake fluid.
I got an answer, and I'll try to paraphrase it (His response was full of comparisons of various types of rubber and kind of rambled.)
Some brake fluids - not all - have petroleum components in them. It's those components that are incompatible with the types of rubber used in tires.
The problem is that it may be impossible to determine if the brake fluid being used has petroleum components or not.
So while there may be positive experiences with brake fluid as a tire dressing, there exists certain combinations where this is not a good idea. Personally, I'd stay away from blanket statements about brake fluid.
Meguiars Endurance is the BEST tire dressing I've used so far. It gives the tires a deep black shine without making them look greasy. It lasts for months. My tires are a year old and they look better than the day I bought them. Make sure you shake the bottle before using it. If you like your tires to look "wet", get the high gloss.
Originally Posted By: mmab
303 aerospace protectant. Does not make it very glossy and also prevents dry rot.
+1
303 aerospace protectant. Does not make it very glossy and also prevents dry rot.
+1
All I ever use is a product called "No Touch". It;s one of those white foamy sprays that cleans and leaves a clean black that's not greasy looking.
Having owned a premium auto detail business for the last 4 years, my favorite treatment is Optimum Opti-Bond applied with the Griot's Garage Tire Dressing Applicator. Opti-Bond is water-based so it leaves a nice, natural matte finish with no sling.
Another cheap and easy option I've seen is floor polish.
I tried it this weekend (used Pledge floor polish with "Future" shine) and it work decently. Not shiny at all, but it does make the tires look much newer - nice and black.
I tried it this weekend (used Pledge floor polish with "Future" shine) and it work decently. Not shiny at all, but it does make the tires look much newer - nice and black.
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