Firestone Wilderness tires: reluctant to dressing?

Porkanbeans

Porkanbeans

O RLY?
We have an '03 Chevy Tahoe I clean on a regular basis. Every time I wash I clean the tires with Simple Green, scrub with a tire brush, the whole deal. Come time to put dressing on the tires, there are some spots that don't take well to it, so the job always ends up splotchy. It doesn't matter what product you use, I've used V.R.T., DuPont teflon, Natural Look, EO Wet, Black Magic, you name it. The trouble areas are where the tire has been rubbed on a curb, could that be the case? It comes out spotty on top of that. I hate those tires. They ride horribly too.



Who shares my frustration?
 
"Curb rash" will definitely prevent the dressing from being absorbed evenly. This will cause a splotchy look. Not a whole lot you can do about it from my experience except try to minimize it the best you can.



Keep in mind that different tire types are made from different rubber compounds. Each rubber compound can have a different look even with the same dressing. My old High Perf All Seasons looked really good with Meg's Endurance Gel, while my new Ultra High Perf Summer Tires don't seem to absorb it evenly (which results in shiny and dull spots). But they look really good (and even) with 303 or Meg's NXT Tech Protectant, and even Meg's #40.



Just re-read your post, and noticed you've used atleast two really "slimy" dressings (EO Wet and Black Magic, I've never used the others). To get an even finish after using these types, I've noticed that the tires need much more than 1 or 2 passes of scrubbing. I mean they really need to be cleaned several (even 4-6) times to remove the old dressings before the new dressing will absorb evenly. I have found that my Simple Green 10:1 mix (water to SG I usually use) just doesn't cut it with these dressings; so I use Orange Blast 4:1 or even full strength to cut their greasy film. And even then it takes several really thorough scrubbings. When absolutely clean, the tire should be black with no shine. Then apply your favorite dressing, allow to sit for half hour or so, and wipe off excess with an old rag. Should help quite a bit for you.



When using Simple Green, do you have it diluted? Some people use it full strength, but I've found it can stain rims if not careful. This is why I use Orange Blast when my tires are really dirty, but I do not use either one full strength on my rims. Just be careful of your rims no matter what you use.



Hope this helps.



Dave
 
I spray SG full strength on the tires only. I have used A2Z to no avail as well.

Now that I think of it, the tires really absorb dressings. Usually 2 or 3 layers are needed to keep a gloss.



Thanks for your input.
 
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