Tire Sealant Problems!

[AustrianOak82]

I have tried a couple of different tire sealants and have had less than desired results. I wanted to see what I might be doing wrong here. So far, I have tried Blackfire Total Tire and Trim Sealant and the Turtle Wax Jet Black Endura-shine Kit. I tried the Blackfore on both of our cars and got about 3-4 days of gloss, before it rained and it was completely gone. I am getting the same results with the Turtle Wax kit, only it lasts a little longer. I have even gone as far as using Bleche Black after the APC to make sure I got everything.

*Here are the steps I am taking with the Turtle Wax Kit:

Pre-soak tires with Brown Royal and power wash
Pre-soak with 4:1 APC and scrub heavily with a scrub brush
Wipe tires clean using a terry towel
Apply one coat using the sponge
After 10 minutes has gone by, apply second coat (4-5 total coats)

*Here are the steps I am taking with the Blackfire Kit:

Pre-soak tires with Brown Royal and power wash
Pre-soak with included tire cleaner scrub heavily with a scrub brush (repeat)
Wipe tires clean using a terry towel
Apply one coat using the sponge
After 10 minutes has gone by, apply second coat (4-5 total coats)

The only thing I can possibly think of, is that there is leftover tire cleaner/conditioner on the wheels that I am not completely removing. Confuses me, because the tire looks spotless and has no gloss at all to it. I clean out tires with the Meguiar's Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner pretty regularly. I don't use tire foam I am wondering if this is my problem and somehow I am not getting the tires clean enough maybe? Anyone have any thoughts? Suggestions? Are there any other products that I should be trying besides these two?

[Setec Astronomy]

After you clean the tires, have you tried rubbing a towel on them to see if anything comes off? Does the tire look brown at all after you scrub (when it's dry)?

[AustrianOak82]

After you clean the tires, have you tried rubbing a towel on them to see if anything comes off? Does the tire look brown at all after you scrub (when it's dry)?

Yeah, like I said I use a terry towel to wipe them down. My towels are white and there is usually very little on the towel. The tires aren't brown afterwards, just a dull shade of black.

[Setec Astronomy]

I would think if you are applying a coating, that "very little" is too much to be coming off on a towel for a pre-coating wipe test. Doesn't the TW kit come with a cleaner? I don't see that your process includes that.

I think I'd do the same thing as far as precleaning with another product, but I'd want to use the recommended/supplied cleaner as the last step before the coating.

As far as the Blackfire, I haven't used my BTTTS yet, but perhaps you are using too much? I've found with dressings and trim sealants sometimes too much is worse than not enough, that it doesn't "cure" and then washes off easily. Perhaps a light buff to remove excess a little while after you apply?

[Mantilgh]

Not sure what's up there. Maybe your particular brand of tire doesn't take well to coatings.

Are you rinsing the cleaner off after scrubbing and before the towel? I assume you are but you never know. I also use my scrub brush while I rinse to help to help remove the cleaner.

I have used the Turtle Wax JetBlack Endura kit a couple of times on newer and older tires. I know most here say they should be very clean, but I just scrub and rinsed, blow them dry, then coat, and just used SimpleGreen for them. Haven't used the TW cleaner yet for tires at least. The ones I see on a regular basis still look good.

One thing that will mess up the TW one is if you don't remove the water left in the area where the tire touches the wheel. That, like any other crack/seam, will hold some water unless it's blown out or sat for a long time.

[AustrianOak82]

I would think if you are applying a coating, that "very little" is too much to be coming off on a towel for a pre-coating wipe test. Doesn't the TW kit come with a cleaner? I don't see that your process includes that.

I think I'd do the same thing as far as precleaning with another product, but I'd want to use the recommended/supplied cleaner as the last step before the coating.

As far as the Blackfire, I haven't used my BTTTS yet, but perhaps you are using too much? I've found with dressings and trim sealants sometimes too much is worse than not enough, that it doesn't "cure" and then washes off easily. Perhaps a light buff to remove excess a little while after you apply?

I did use the TW included cleaner, I forgot to add that above. Also used the cleaner with the Blackfire.


Not sure what's up there. Maybe your particular brand of tire doesn't take well to coatings.

Are you rinsing the cleaner off after scrubbing and before the towel? I assume you are but you never know. I also use my scrub brush while I rinse to help to help remove the cleaner.

I have used the Turtle Wax JetBlack Endura kit a couple of times on newer and older tires. I know most here say they should be very clean, but I just scrub and rinsed, blow them dry, then coat, and just used SimpleGreen for them. Haven't used the TW cleaner yet for tires at least. The ones I see on a regular basis still look good.

One thing that will mess up the TW one is if you don't remove the water left in the area where the tire touches the wheel. That, like any other crack/seam, will hold some water unless it's blown out or sat for a long time.

After I did the APC and brushed it, I wiped it dry with a terry towel. I will try and power wash it again after the APC vs wiping dry and see if I can get it cleaner that way.

[Desertnate]

Not sure what's up there. Maybe your particular brand of tire doesn't take well to coatings.



I wonder about this too. I've used the Turtle Wax kit on all three of the cars in our family fleet.

The Perelli's on my car look great weeks later, yet the Continentals on my daughters car barely lasted a week or two. Both are daily divers which see similar weather conditions.

I recently applied the coating to the Bridgestone's on my wife's car. I'll be checking them out this evening to see how they held up being driven in the monsoons of the last week or two.

[Mask]

Even with carpro perl undiluted Continental just doesn't last.
Michelin seems to accept dressing better :)