tires don't like my tire dressing?

III

97 bonneville/98 Z71
About 4 months ago I bought 4 new cooper tires for my Z71. I washed the tires with soap and water like I always do before applying 303. I noticed that in certain spots it looks blotchy like the tire didn't absorb the dressing. If I rub my finger over the area it's fine and the blotch disappears. Mind you I have never had this problem with any other tire maker before as 303 and any other product I used seemed to absorb nicely into the tire. I thought that maybe it might be the 303, so I went out and bought meguiar's endurance and armor all. Same results with both of these products. So, it must be the tire? But I still don't understand why this would be happening. Even to this day my tires will look kind of blotchy looking if I apply a tire dressing unless I really work it in with my fingers. I even called cooper and they couldn't tell me anything.
 
Try using a degreaser first and scrub it with a brush and then rinse. Apply your tire dressing with a foam applicator then let it sit for 10 minutes or so. Then use a towel to buff off the excess.
 
Every once in a while, you need to give the tires a good thorough cleaning/scrubbing with a fairly strong cleaner. After that, a mild cleaning should allow your protectants to adhere to the surface better. Still, water based products usually don't last long.
 
I've noticed certain brands of tires hold dressings better than others. Coopers have never held a dressing very good for me. I think it has to do with the hardness of the compound. Michelins hold dressing very good, but the rubber is also soft. Coopers seem to have a harder compound.
 
brianjake99 said:
early stages of dry rot??

I doubt it. No indication of this on the tire.

SHOTIME, you've had this problem as well huh? Did you just live with it? If this is the case I will never buy coopers again!
 
I wonder if it has to do with the mold release chemicals? :dunno but if it does Boss probably gave you the solution ...
 
Give Westleys Bleech Wite a try on the tires to deep clean them. Keep it off the rims.. Spray on the tires .. let it soak inthe aggitate with a stiff brush then rinse.
 
i went through this recently .i was using solvent based dressing and it was building up and wouldnt stay on the tires so i got some heavy duty cleaner and scrubbed them real good. then i switched back to water based dressing. i detail my truck so much some of this stuff just builds up and needs to be removed every now and then:lmfao
 
I had the same experience the other day with a 94 geo tracker I did the other day. The tires were original and are showing signs of dry rot. I cleaned with meguiars hot wheels and dressed when dry. The dressing did look blotchy so I figured that they were not clean enough. So I hit them with full strength castrol super clean and a brush and the dressing adhered nicely.

I just went out to my Trans Am and just nocked the dirt off the tires and dressed without cleaning and they took the dressing fine. I have the BFG Drag radials which has a very soft compound. So maybe the compound of the tire does make a difference.
 
Periodically I will wash my tires with stong cleaner. I usually use Simple Green straight for this. Then I dress them with Poorboys Bold N Bright. Great look, no streaks etc. I apply the BnB with an old wash mitt.
 
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