What applicator for tire dressings?

mrlysle

mrlysle

Life's too short. Laugh!
I was curious. What type of applicator do you folks use for tire dressings? I have been using a gel type dressing recently with one of those premolded foam applicator pads but after a couple tires, the dang stuff has soaked into the sponge and starts oozing out between my fingers and generally makes a mell of a hess! I was looking at one on a detailing supply site that consisted of a sponge pad mounted in a plastic holder with a lid. Looked like maybe it would be a little less messy to use. Any thoughts/suggestions? For me, the tire dressing (which is the last thing I do) is the messiest part of my details. Thanks a lot for your time. :yourrock
 
Since you are using a gel dressing I would suggest using a non-nylon paintbrush. No mess and great if the tire has ridges.
 
I use an EO tire swipe. I've got one for shiny, solvent based dressings, and one for water based dressings. The solvent based one does ooze, I wear nitrile gloves when I use it, keeps my hands clean and grips the pad well.
 
I have used a dedicated wheel applicator liked them alot. If fact so much so that i wore them out. Started to shred from so many applications. I had a bunch of four or five inch PC finishing pads that I did not use any more. They have been working very good for me for at least a month. Hold the products that I use very well it does not seem to go thru the pad onto my fingers when applying. Cannot say the same for my thumb though.
 
eagle one tire swipe for me. i too dedicate them based on solvent or waterbased. the solvent ones always get gunked up and requires a full night of soaking in dawn to clean them

i was using pva sponges i got from adams polishes. they work well and last a lot longer than tire swipes. only down side was having to cut them in half since th big block is too big for my 45 profile tires.
 
I recently started using old Viking handle wax applicators. I cleaned them with some Simple Green and water. They spread the dresssing very nice and the handles keep your hands clean.

When I am not using them I slip a plastic baggie over the bottom.
 
I guess I am odd man out here. I go to the dollar store and buy bags of sponges..usually get around 20 for a buck. Use them and throw them away.
 
3Dog said:
I guess I am odd man out here. I go to the dollar store and buy bags of sponges..usually get around 20 for a buck. Use them and throw them away.
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Nope not the odd man at all. I usually pick up a 20 pack of the "scrubbie" spongers with the green backing. They work great and for the price you cant beat em.
 
joyriide1113 said:
i was using pva sponges i got from adams polishes. they work well and last a lot longer than tire swipes. only down side was having to cut them in half since th big block is too big for my 45 profile tires.
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i cut them is 3 sizes. they also seem to last a while. but now im using this it works real good.

autogeek_1880_112298319
 
At the dollar store down the street they sell three packs of the yellow applicators that look just like the Eagle One brand. The only difference is that I can get three for a buck instead of two for three bucks. :lol: They may occasionally fall apart on me, but for a buck they work great. Sometimes they last just as long as the Eagle One tire swipes last. Either way, it is a solution for me.

I have also started wearing gloves while dressing the tires. That way it doesn't matter what I use to apply the dressing because my hands will stay clean. The biggest pain in my butt is when you get all that black stuff up under your fingernails. I don't mind getting dirty, but when all I want to do is dress the tires I hate to have to spend 20 minutes cleaning out my fingernails. Rubber gloves are something I don't know how I lived without. I'll never go back to dressing tires without them.
 
The Eagle One tire swipes work very well to minimize product use and spread a nice even bead of product over the tire. I usually designate a swipe to a certain product (ie: #1 gets WG Tire Gel, #2 gets Z16, and so on).

Be careful with them on raised white lettering as it will cause a premature failure of the foam if you are to abrasive with it.

For the price and availability, I haven't been able to find a good source other than EO.
 
If you are too rough with them then you can peel the foam right off the yellow block too. That happens with the Eagle One tire swipes or the generic dollar store ones.
 
Pats300zx said:
Nope not the odd man at all. I usually pick up a 20 pack of the "scrubbie" spongers with the green backing. They work great and for the price you cant beat em.
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dollar stores have their imitation looking tire swipes. it just foam so im sure they work great,.
 
Jngrbrdman said:
If you are too rough with them then you can peel the foam right off the yellow block too. That happens with the Eagle One tire swipes or the generic dollar store ones.
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Which is exactly why I have been using the "dollar store" variety now that I've found them. I figure it's just a tire, so who cares if it's cheap foam? Not like I'm going to scratch anything...

Plus that way if I HAVE to, I can just use it once and toss it out without feeling too bad about it.
 
I have been using a Carrand tire swipe that I got at Auto Zone. It looks alot like the swipe show earlier in this thread but does not have the clear plastic cover. The back side has a gray plastic cover that keeps your hands from getting all gunked up. It works very well but does wear out eventually.
 
boehljed said:
I have been using a Carrand tire swipe that I got at Auto Zone. It looks alot like the swipe show earlier in this thread but does not have the clear plastic cover. The back side has a gray plastic cover that keeps your hands from getting all gunked up. It works very well but does wear out eventually.
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Exactly the ones I use and they work very well. I found the Eagle One swipes separated from the yellow backing too easily.
 
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