Optimum Tire Shine; what am I doing wrong?

[imported_Picus]

Hey guys; I just got a gallon of this stuff. I wanted to try it out, haven`t really found a "go to" tire dressing I like. Anyway, I`ve used on three cars now, all tires were cleaned with a degreaser and brush, allowed to dry, then I applies OTS using a spray bottle, applied uniformly and wiped off excess.



So, the problem? It looks terrible; splotchy, almost no gloss at all, and worst after about 30 minutes the tires don`t look dressed *at all*. Am I applying wrong? What`s the trick here?

[Bigpoppa3346]

I apply the first coat pretty heavily, as in, spraying a good amount on the tire and applicator pad, and actually *work it in* to the tire. Then go back 10 mins later, apply some product on the applicator(but not the tire), and work it in as well. Repeat until desired gloss is achieved.



I`ve used over half of my gallon that I bought and would buy it again no questions asked. Sorry to hear it isn`t working out for you.

[mikebai1990]

Can`t give you a definite reason, but I`m wondering maybe if this is only a problem unique to the specific tires you are doing? If the tires are neglected, they often require a lot of dressing to dress the rubber. Maybe some pictures? :)

[imported_Picus]

It`s not that it isn`t working out, I am sure I am doing something wrong. I didn`t take pics of the applications, sorry. I re-applied another dressing on all three because the OTS was looking bad.



I applied mine similarly bigpoppa - pretty heavy on the tire, let sit for a few min then wipe off excess. I will try working it in.



The tires I am doing were pretty caried, a brand new set of bridgestones on a corvette, a set of kumho ecsta on a toyota matrix, and my own (toyo t1-r, ~3000km on them), all were clean.

[Setec Astronomy]

Try not wiping off the excess. I personally never use enough of any tire dressing that there is excess to wipe off. I use a small amount, work it in, go around the car. Then I go back to the first tire and if it doesn`t look "wet" enough, I will give them all another swipe.



I have found the Optimum to be one of the more durable of the water-based dressings, only surpassed by Z-16...but then again I haven`t used nearly all of them out there...and I`m sure you have dressed a lot more tires than me, Picus, and I probably take a lot longer to do it, too.

[EBPcivicsi]

Is it the thick stuff(optimum tire gel) or the thinner, more watery dressing?

[Setec Astronomy]

Is there a gel? I thought we went through this before and there is just the one "watery" product even though one of the online vendors calls it a "gel" in their description.

[Bigpoppa3346]

Is it the thick stuff(optimum tire gel) or the thinner, more watery dressing?



We are talking about the thinner, more watery dressing.

[Bigpoppa3346]

Is there a gel? I thought we went through this before and there is just the one "watery" product even though one of the online vendors calls it a "gel" in their description.



Yes there is. I remember asking someone about it (forgot who, think it was Dent`s & Details or Anthony Orosco), and he said it was meant to be applied by a machine.

[Setec Astronomy]

Link, Bigpoppa?

[mikebai1990]

Hm... How exactly do you apply a tire dressing with machine, though?

[r_wain]

Hm... How exactly do you apply a tire dressing with machine, though?



Car Detailing Store (http://www.1car-detailing-training.com/optimum-tire-gel-p-61.html?osCsid=999bf7482e118cdd05b61fd0603e8c17)



You spray it through an air gun.

[Setec Astronomy]

Car Detailing Store (http://www.1car-detailing-training.com/optimum-tire-gel-p-61.html?osCsid=999bf7482e118cdd05b61fd0603e8c17)



If I`m not mistaken, we`ve been through this before, and that stuff at Kleen Car is the watery stuff, that`s just an early picture/description, and there is only one Optimum tire product.

[silkstone]

If I`m not mistaken, we`ve been through this before, and that stuff at Kleen Car is the watery stuff, that`s just an early picture/description, and there is only one Optimum tire product.





no, I actually started a thread about this awhile back. I knew of another vendor who had this.

Now it is carried by a few others. You can put it on by hand, it is too thick for a regular pump sprayer.



Optimum Opti-Bond II Tire Gel



Optimum Opti-Bond II Tire Gel (http://www.danase.com/opopiitigel.html)

[Brian_Brice]

it seems they have a few optimum products that arenta vailable anywhere else??? is it real optimum and why would they have knockoffs when the only product they seem to sell is optimum??? any way that site kinda creeps me out for some reason.