Tire Dressing vs. Tire Sealant

[superstring]

Sorry if this has been asked before; I did a search.



What I'm wondering is this: I thought tires were supposed to "breathe", there's something called "bloom" which forms on the tire's surface as they age (and are driven). It's my understanding that this is a natural and necessary part of the way tire "rubber" works. If a tire is "sealed", then wouldn't this process be halted to the detriment of the tire??

 

[Bigpoppa3346]

Ehh...most dressings renew and protect tires(the good, water based ones). Some products are very durable(RDF Trim and Tire, Z-16, etc.) and some are not(most oil-based dressing purchased OTC). The durable ones last long enough to be called "sealants", where as the less durable ones are dressings, I guess. When it comes down to it, most products just shine your tires....it's the durability of them that classifies them.

 

[Eliot Ness]

Another thing to keep in mind is that a petroleum-based tire dressing will void a lot of tire warranties. That's one reason I only use water-based dressings, plus the fact that I really like the look of Poorboy's BnB and Zaino Z-16.

 

[paul34]

What about something like Meg's High Endurance? It feels oily

 

[Bigpoppa3346]

Endurance is definitely oil-based(has petroleum distillates). From what I hear it lasts long, but I never let oil based dressings anywhere near my tires anymore.

 

[abbeysdad]

A lot of things are petroleum based (e.g. ALL plastics) but that doesn't make it bad - actually I believe that silicone based tire products are the ones to be avoided. I can't speak with a final authority - we'd need a chemical engineer from a tire company for that, but I don't think Endurance is harmful to tires!



It should also be understood that tire dressings applied to the surface of the tire leaves a lot of tire that's untreated and 'breathing'.

 

[superstring]

It should also be understood that tire dressings applied to the surface of the tire leaves a lot of tire that's untreated and 'breathing'.

Yeah, this may be true, but I'm thinking maybe the ENTIRE surface needs to breathe, like your skin needs to breathe.

 

[35TH LE]

Can someone please explain to me their experiences with oil based tire dressings that did in fact damage a tire? Ive been using oil based stuff for years and have NEVER seen any damage inflicted on a tire by using them.



What is the worse case scenario that can happen?



In other words... I think people hype this up more then it should be. Please correct me if Im wrong.



Now..... if I had a 1957 Corvette with original tires I would worry about what went on the tires.

 

[coupe]

Those tires would be worthless if original anyways.

 

[wannafbody]

I used a silicone dressing and I got sidewall cracking in roughly 2 years. Good dressings like Zaino, Tropicare non silicone and Mothers FX shouldn't cause any issues.

 

[35TH LE]

I used a silicone dressing and I got sidewall cracking in roughly 2 years. Good dressings like Zaino, Tropicare non silicone and Mothers FX shouldn't cause any issues.

Do you attribute that cracking solely on oil based tire dressings?

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Before you guys get too wound up on this, there have been a lot of threads...here is one: http://autopia.org/forum/detailing-...e-dressings.html?highlight=oil+tire+dressings

 

[imported_Reflections]

Do you attribute that cracking solely on oil based tire dressings?

He was attributing the cracking to silicone based dressings, not oil based. Be careful not to confuse the two! I've seen no proof that oil based dressings are detrimental at all, where as silicone based dressings look oily and greasy and seem to damage the tire.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

He was attributing the cracking to silicone based dressings, not oil based. Be careful not to confuse the two! I've seen no proof that oil based dressings are detrimental at all, where as silicone based dressings look oily and greasy and seem to damage the tire.

Er...I think all of the tire dressings we use (with perhaps the exception of the Tropicare Non-Silicone) are silicone-based. Some of them use silicone oils, while others are PDMS (water-based). There have been many threads discussing this, one of which I linked earlier. Search around there are plenty more (I think there was one with a title like "good vs. bad silicone").

 

[abbeysdad]

Er...I think all of the tire dressings we use (with perhaps the exception of the Tropicare Non-Silicone) are silicone-based.

I think there are many, but certainly not all.

 

[Sherman8r44]

I think there are many, but certainly not all.

As I understand it, just about every "water-based" milky white dressing has PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane=a type of silicone polymer). Some clear, thick dressings are still "water-based" and have longer PDMS chains, while others are "oil-based" (usually Petroleum Distillates...which I believe are the main culprit in tires drying out/cracking) and have other dimethyl silicones.



So (again, as I understand it) silicone polymers in general are not the problem, but certain PD-based dressings can cause problems because of their quickly evaporative nature.