# Optimum Tire Coating Problem



## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Bit of an issue with this product on first use. Has anyone used it & had an issue like this?

Tyres were absolutely spotless, scrubbed thoroughly then aggressively rubbed with a MF towel twice to pull all the dirt out the pores of the rubber. Was ok after the first layer which I allowed to cure around 45 mins. Followed up with a 2nd for more gloss & this happened. Totally ruined the tyres 










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## A&J (Mar 4, 2015)

Maybe send a question to the OPT forum or I can do it for you and let you know of the answers if you like!

Edit...I asked on OPT forum! Ill let u know once something useful pops up.


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## Hoppo32 (Nov 18, 2008)

Brian1612 said:


> Totally ruined the tyres


Tar remover should remove the coating.


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Very strange Brian, I have used this product on 4/5 cars and never had that issue.

For a tyre coating I have found that multiple hits of a really heavy duty tyre cleaner (Tuf Shine or Adams) is essential. The MF rub is then followed with Kerosene or IPA to ensure pristine surface.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

A&J said:


> Maybe send a question to the OPT forum or I can do it for you and let you know of the answers if you like!
> 
> Edit...I asked on OPT forum! Ill let u know once something useful pops up.


Appreciate it AJ, hopefully someone can shed some light on it. I have contacted OPT for some advice as well.



Hoppo32 said:


> Tar remover should remove the coating.


Apologies the wording makes it look worse than it is. I meant for this wash specifically. Yeah I used an old MF & some panel wipe to break it down. Not 100% go e but removed the bulk of the browning. Redressed with another dressing to hide until I next scrub the tyres.



atbalfour said:


> Very strange Brian, I have used this product on 4/5 cars and never had that issue.
> 
> For a tyre coating I have found that multiple hits of a really heavy duty tyre cleaner (Tuf Shine or Adams) is essential. The MF rub is then followed with Kerosene or IPA to ensure pristine surface.


Yeah I'm bamboozled myself as the tyre was spotless. I scrubbed it with neat Rebound which is an extremely effective rubber cleaner. I then scrubbed with a klin green monster which pulled more grime from the rubber then followed up again when they were dry with an old MF & some solvent panel wipe until no more black gunk came off the tyre. Added some photos to show how thoroughly they were cleaned. Last photo the tyre looks dressed it is that clean 














































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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Just dawned on me that the applicator I used had been used previously with another product! I wonder if both together have reacted & caused the issue as I've experienced. 

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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Brian1612 said:


> Just dawned on me that the applicator I used had been used previously with another product! I wonder if both together have reacted & caused the issue as I've experienced.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


Could be one explanation for it. Some tyres react differently to dressings, Optimum isn't my favourite tyre coating as it's obnoxiously glossy but it did last well on every tyre but Michelin PS 4S.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

atbalfour said:


> Could be one explanation for it. Some tyres react differently to dressings, Optimum isn't my favourite tyre coating as it's obnoxiously glossy but it did last well on every tyre but Michelin PS 4S.


Are you sure you are thinking of the same dressing balfour? This one is very satin, verging on matte finish I'd say.

I think brand can't be the issue as it done it on both the Goodyears on the front & Vredsteins on the rear.
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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Brian1612 said:


> Are you sure you are thinking of the same dressing balfour? This one is very satin, verging on matte finish I'd say.
> 
> I think brand can't be the issue as it done it on both the Goodyears on the front & Vredsteins on the rear.
> Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


This is the one I have used and where I bought it from, even with one layer its pretty glossy? I'd normally do a second coat more to ensure perfect coverage and get full durability from it.

https://countydetailingsupplies.co.uk/shop/optimum-tire-protection-coating/


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

That is the stuff!

The results I got some a single coat I wouldn't call glossy though. That's the main reason I was applying the 2nd layer after letting the first cure.

Trying to upload the images of it but won't let me for some reason.



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## Hoppo32 (Nov 18, 2008)

atbalfour said:


> This is the one I have used and where I bought it from, even with one layer its pretty glossy? I'd normally do a second coat more to ensure perfect coverage and get full durability from it.
> 
> https://countydetailingsupplies.co.uk/shop/optimum-tire-protection-coating/


Maybe over application, it's a product that needs very little to get the satin look. If it's purple when applying then you are using too much, a blue tinge is normal though.
If you dont want a glossy look then definitly don't apply a second coat.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Hoppo32 said:


> Maybe over application, it's a product that needs very little to get the satin look. If it's purple when applying then you are using too much, a blue tinge is normal though.
> 
> If you dont want a glossy look then definitly don't apply a second coat.


I thought this until I watched their own video of how to apply. They are using a LOT more than I did for application so rules that out as well.

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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Yeah to be fair my tyres were purple. Guess I've used too much which was making it a bit too blingy.

Black pearl has a dedicated matt version which I like a lot better, can always top with perl now and then if I want to boost the look, knowing that the underlying coating will provide the base layer of dirt resistance and won't be shifted by anything but wear or harsh scrubbing.

Two good products though. Fingers crossed you get to the bottom of it, I'd be tempted to give it another go with a fresh applicator


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## tosh (Dec 30, 2005)

Hoppo32 said:


> Maybe over application, it's a product that needs very little to get the satin look. If it's purple when applying then you are using too much, a blue tinge is normal though.
> 
> If you dont want a glossy look then definitly don't apply a second coat.


This is good advice. Regardless of videos that you see, if it's purple on the tyre you have used too much. It's really really economical and very easy to over apply. I would also recommend a very short nap MF to apply which you then need to bin.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

tosh said:


> This is good advice. Regardless of videos that you see, if it's purple on the tyre you have used too much. It's really really economical and very easy to over apply. I would also recommend a very short nap MF to apply which you then need to bin.


Yeah I'm fairly certain over application isn't the issue as I only used maybe 6-8 drops on an applicator. I have a microfibre applicator to try next time instead of foam, basically trying to remove any possibility of it going wrong 2nd time around. Appreciate all the advice everyone 

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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Hi Brian - did you go back for a second application? Interested to hear how you got on and if you encountered similar issues?


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

atbalfour said:


> Hi Brian - did you go back for a second application? Interested to hear how you got on and if you encountered similar issues?


Tried it again with a fresh MF applicator & had much better results. I applied a bit more this time around which I think helped. I think that trying to over work this product around the tyre can cause issues as well as it bonds & sets hard on the rubber. If you are still working it in as this begins to happen it can result in those streaky, glue like residue marks I got..

Not the clearest photo but it's left a fairly glossy finish, semi gloss I would say. 









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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Brian1612 said:


> Tried it again with a fresh MF applicator & had much better results. I applied a bit more this time around which I think helped. I think that trying to over work this product around the tyre can cause issues as well as it bonds & sets hard on the rubber. If you are still working it in as this begins to happen it can cause issues.
> 
> Not the clearest photo but it's left a fairly glossy finish, semi gloss I would say.
> 
> ...


That looks fab, Brian. That's the type of finish I like on my tyres.

Great job.

Cooks

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## hibberd (Jul 5, 2006)

The base rubbers used are normally a slightly creamy white colour when the rubber is being mixed ingredients are added. These ingredients are to help with the vulcanization and what is called cross linking. The raw rubber is a super viscose fluid and the molecules and like cooked spaghetti and just as when you try to pick up a spoon full they slide along each other. The cross links chemically join them together and this changes the hardness of the elastomer after vulcanization. A part of the ingredients mixed is SOOT and this causes the Black colour. Also because the mixture is dry ingredients this is often with a plasticizer which makes into a more dough like consistency. What you might be doing is with your enthusiasm is removing some of the SOOT and this is what you are seeing as dirt. I retired last year from a Dutch rubber product manufacturer, which is part of my back ground. Hope this helps, its all verry complex so I have tried to describe it to make it understandable.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

hibberd said:


> The base rubbers used are normally a slightly creamy white colour when the rubber is being mixed ingredients are added. These ingredients are to help with the vulcanization and what is called cross linking. The raw rubber is a super viscose fluid and the molecules and like cooked spaghetti and just as when you try to pick up a spoon full they slide along each other. The cross links chemically join them together and this changes the hardness of the elastomer after vulcanization. A part of the ingredients mixed is SOOT and this causes the Black colour. Also because the mixture is dry ingredients this is often with a plasticizer which makes into a more dough like consistency. What you might be doing is with your enthusiasm is removing some of the SOOT and this is what you are seeing as dirt. I retired last year from a Dutch rubber product manufacturer, which is part of my back ground. Hope this helps, its all verry complex so I have tried to describe it to make it understandable.


Vredstein? 

Thanks for that info, I don't understand a lot of it in all honesty but I think you may be describing what I suspected on first application. As OPT tire coat seems to cure into a hard barrier I'm thinking while spreading it thoroughly it's actually begin to set which has resulted in the brown glue like film on my side wall. When applying to the golf above I used more & simply spread it around the tyre in one direction without working into the rubber. Ensured even, thin coverage so there was no run off & then I just left it to cure. No issues this time & it seemed to self level as it cured 

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## hibberd (Jul 5, 2006)

Brian1612 said:


> Vredstein?
> 
> Thanks for that info, I don't understand a lot of it in all honesty but I think you may be describing what I suspected on first application. As OPT tire coat seems to cure into a hard barrier I'm thinking while spreading it thoroughly it's actually begin to set which has resulted in the brown glue like film on my side wall. When applying to the golf above I used more & simply spread it around the tyre in one direction without working into the rubber. Ensured even, thin coverage so there was no run off & then I just left it to cure. No issues this time & it seemed to self level as it cured
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


No not Vredestein. Ruma Products Oblique, Fluid Swelling Elastomeric Seals Used In Water, CBM, Oil, Gas and Geothermal Wells


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

So I think have perfected application doing my own method. Tyres were scrubbed clean & also wiped down with solvent panel wipe.

I start by applying a liberal amount to the mf applicator & quickly spreading over the tyre. Repeat on all tyres then return to the first tyre again but this time, only apply a little to the applicator & lightly spread over the tyre again. The first layer has cured by this point & feels very slick which allow the second to go on easier with no grab, this gives a nice even coverage & leaves a very nice finish 









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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Looks well. I'm getting about 3 months from it but get much longer if I use it as a base layer then apply Perl to give that 'fresh' look every other wash.

Makes the tyres very easy to maintain, never need to use any more than shampoo on a mitt as even after the Perl has worn off the OTPC stops dirt embedding into the rubber. Definitely an effective product.


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## tosh (Dec 30, 2005)

Exactly the same with my application. 
It dries so quickly, don’t go over the same area twice, literally spread it once around the tyre using a short pile MF applicator and don’t touch it. Then use a clean bit of the applicator to do the next tyre. 

If you don’t use a clean MF for each tyre the 4th tyre won’t look the same as the first because of the contamination. And you can’t touch it up or go over it again. 

You will never get the product out of the applicator (or your hands) so that will have to go in the bin. I suppose you can try tar remover if you’re quick enough. 

I’ll try adding some Perl on top and see how that goes


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Yeah I had to use another side of the applicator as the side I used before had cured & made the applicator hard, almost like a coating.

Good advice with the maintenance of them, I'll use a soft bristle detailing brush & some shampoo to clean them for a next few months. Will top the opti-coat with a diluted autoglanz trim reaper mix to help it last. What dilution do you use Perl at? I'm thinking around 1:2?

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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Brian1612 said:


> Yeah I had to use another side of the applicator as the side I used before had cured & made the applicator hard, almost like a coating.
> 
> Good advice with the maintenance of them, I'll use a soft bristle detailing brush & some shampoo to clean them for a next few months. Will top the opti-coat with a diluted autoglanz trim reaper mix to help it last. What dilution do you use Perl at? I'm thinking around 1:2?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


1:2 is perfect on top of a coating like this.

Was going to mention that a hard brush will speed up degradation of the coating so a wheel woolie, mitt or a soft bristle brush would be all it'll take.. I don't even use an APC and suds are always white first hit showing it is doing it's thing.


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## Richors (Apr 29, 2007)

atbalfour said:


> Could be one explanation for it. Some tyres react differently to dressings, Optimum isn't my favourite tyre coating as it's obnoxiously glossy but it did last well on every tyre but Michelin PS 4S.


Must admit, I struggle with PS4's for some reason...……...I wonder what works best on them.....…?


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

I've spent a lot of money on tyre products to get to the bottom of that one. As much as I hate it, I bet something really greasy like Megs Endurance would embed itself in the pores and last fairly ok.

The only way I could get anything water based to stick was to go the tyre coating. I actually think they are one of the few tyres that look decent undressed with the dark contrast Michelin logo that gets lost when the majority of the rubber is darker.


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Little update on the OPT tire coating. 1 week & 80 miles later, a quick wipe over with some optimum no rinse at QD dilution was enough to clean them up. Still looking nicely dressed & if it can remain this way for 1+ month I'll be seriously impressed.




























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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Brian1612 said:


> Little update on the OPT tire coating. 1 week & 80 miles later, a quick wipe over with some optimum no rinse at QD dilution was enough to clean them up. Still looking nicely dressed & if it can remain this way for 1+ month I'll be seriously impressed.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


Holding up well Brian - no regular tyre dressing would look as pristine after a week. You can expect this to last for quite some time - shine does eventually dull to the point where you want to top it, but the underlying protection is very much there.

I did a full wheel and tyre decon on my own on Saturday and stuck on a fresh coat of Black Pearl. Found the previous layer was so durable I could not get back to that 'natural grey' rubber despite 1 round of APC, 2 rounds of seriously potent tyre cleaners, a round of Kerosene and a final round of IPA.


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## tosh (Dec 30, 2005)

Just don’t scrub the tyres; I find normal shampoo and a detailing factory brush is enough to keep the tyres clean. Any abrasion will shorten its lifetime. 

I.e. don’t do the wife’s car and then watch her park rubbing the tyres along the curb.


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

tosh said:


> Just don't scrub the tyres; I find normal shampoo and a detailing factory brush is enough to keep the tyres clean. Any abrasion will shorten its lifetime.
> 
> I.e. don't do the wife's car and then watch her park rubbing the tyres along the curb.


My first mistake when I first started out with OTPC - had the Tuf Shine brush out every week and was wondering why I only got a few weeks out the coating :lol:


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Unfortunately my dad decided to drag the tyre I've been testing along a kerb 










Luckily I have another 3 tyres to pick from!The usual ONR wipe down & the tyres were back to clean. Still looking very good at 2 weeks & 160 miles now although the gloss down has died a little. Suspect the lighting might be making it look less glossy than it is though.










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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

That seems to be working really well, Brian. 

Cooks

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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

This time it was rinsed with the PW then cleaned with wheel shampoo & a soft detailing brush. Lost a bit of gloss but still looks good for 3 weeks old.

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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Brian1612 said:


> This time it was rinsed with the PW then cleaned with wheel shampoo & a soft detailing brush. Lost a bit of gloss but still looks good for 3 weeks old.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


That's very impressive, Brian.

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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Cookies said:


> That's very impressive, Brian.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


Seen claims of 6-12 months, I highly doubt that is possible though. If it's capable of doing 2-3 months I'll be extremely impressed.

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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

What sort of mileage is the car doing?


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

atbalfour said:


> What sort of mileage is the car doing?


310 miles at the 3 week mark.

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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

4 weeks, 400 miles. Officially impressed with this stuff.









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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

An extended test like this is great and what these tyre coating threads have lacked to date. It's a concept that hasn't really caught on yet - ultimately this is a product all about durability so I'm sure seeing your results, others will come around to the idea of it.

I'd love to get a tyre coating shootout going.. difficult to do due to uneven wear on front vs rear tyres, but there's a good few on the market now including this, Black Pearl, Tuf Shine Tire Clearcoat and a couple from Fireball (may be others).


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Certainly some dressings that make bigger claims with regards to durability. As you said it's difficult but a fair real world test of these dressings would be very interesting.

Pretty sure there are claims that this OPT tire coat can last 6-12 months, whether this is from OPT themselves or users of it, I'm not sure. I don't believe it will last anywhere near that long but it's already surpassed what I thought it would be capable of in real world testing so I'm impressed 

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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Brian1612 said:


> Certainly some dressings that make bigger claims with regards to durability. As you said it's difficult but a fair real world test of these dressings would be very interesting.
> 
> Pretty sure there are claims that this OPT tire coat can last 6-12 months, whether this is from OPT themselves or users of it, I'm not sure. I don't believe it will last anywhere near that long but it's already surpassed what I thought it would be capable of in real world testing so I'm impressed
> 
> Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk


Yeah I believe that claim is from Optimum themselves and it's plastered over YouTube.

I have no doubt that there is still a protective element left on the rubber after a few months, unlikely to look 'freshly dressed' which is what most people are after. That's why I love the occasional layer of Perl.

Unlike looking after the paint - cleaning tyes is not fun and the routine I've got into allows me to deep clean them twice yearly rather than weekly. No regular tyre dressing can make it unscathed through a rain shower so this is the only way to keep tyres looking fresh (without it the car just doesn't look finished IMO!).


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

5 weeks & 520 miles. Still looking well dressed after a wipe down with some ONR 









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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

8 weeks & 850 miles later, another wipe down with ONR. Still looking well dressed with a satin like finish, really impressed. At this point I decided to top up the dressing with a 1:1 mix of Autoglanz Trim Reaper just to return some gloss to the tyre which it achieved very well. I see this being my typical tyre routine with optimum tire coat being my base layer for a water based dressing top up every few weeks. No aggressive cleaners needed for months at a time 





































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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

That looks genuinely impressive, Brian. I love a nice glossy tyre dressing. 

Cheers

Cooks

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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Great stuff Brian, glad your results mirrored what I've experienced too.

Topping it from the start I find acts as a sacrificial layer and can really extend the coating durability while having easy to maintain, great looking tyres.

You should try black pearl next


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Final update on the optimum tire coating. Around 3 months is achievable, maybe even 4-5 if topped up with a diluted water based dressing during maintenance washes from the start. My favourite feature of this product is how it creates a barrier on the tyre that stops the rubber being as porous, substantially reducing the amount of dirt bonding to the sidewall.

It also makes cleaning much easier with a soft detailing brush & some wheel shampoo all that's needed to clean the tyre up.





































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