Tire Dressing Applicator Comparison
 

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Price:
Cobra Tire Dressing Pad $2.99 @ Autogeek.net
SM Arnold Tire & Trim Dressing Applicator $2.99 @ Autogeek.net
Eagle One Tire Swipes $1.99 for 2 @ local auto parts store

How I used it:
Each applicator was used to apply one coat of DP Gloss Tire Gel to one tire. The gel was applied to the applicator and then the applicator was used to apply the gel to the tire. Additional gel was added to the applicator as needed.

Thoughts:
After many, many years of using Eagle One Tire Swipes to apply tire dressing I decided it might be time to make a change. The quality of the EO Tire Swipes had definitely changed recently and not for the better. So, I included with my last Autogeek.net order two different tire dressing applicators. These two new applicators along with the EO swipes will be discussed.

SM Arnold Tire & Dressing Applicator (pictured right):
Out of all the applicators in the test I was most excited to try out the SM Arnold T&D Applicator. It was the only one which featured a hard plastic backing and a hard plastic cover to put over the applicator between uses. Going into the test I thought this one would be my favorite because of these mess reducing features.

The plastic backing & cover definitely worked well. The backing kept the dressing 100% off my hands and the cover allowed me to put the applicator away wherever I wanted without fear of mess. The bad part of this applicator turned out to be the foam. It was undoubtedly the softest foam of the test. The soft foam caused me to "bottom out" the applicator constantly which results in the plastic backing scraping against the tire. Obviously, this is not going to hurt the tire, but it makes getting a good result difficult and is a general PITA. Plus, the soft foam of the SM Arnold showed the most wear of all the applicators in the test after the one use. This issue also made it quite difficult to get tire gel into all the areas of the sidewall especially the area where the tire meets the wheel.

The SM Arnold was clearly the most innovative applicator in the test, but was certainly not the favorite. SM Arnold should make the foam in their applicator thicker so that when it compresses the applicator won't bottom out or use firmer foam for the same reason. The firmer foam may be the better idea since it won't wear as easily either.

Eagle One Tire Swipes (pictured middle):
I've been using EO Tire Swipes for a long time and they're a great product. They're available in almost any auto parts store which is convenient and they're cheap. I can usually find a package of 2 for $2-$3.

The EO TS is a nicely thought out applicator too. It has a curved applicator surface to match the curvature of the tire wall and a hard foam backing to prevent the tire dressing from soaking all the way through the applicator. Plus, since they're constructed entirely of foam I can cut them down to size for use on low profile tires.

The old EO TS's were great. You could get many uses out of them before they would get messy and the foam held up very well too. Plus, the curved shape allows you to cover the tire more easily and to reach the bottom of the tire. Unfortunately, it seems EO has recently changed the black foam part of the swipe. The new black foam is more porous and softer. So, not only does the foam wear faster but the applicator becomes very messy after the first application because the dressing does not stay at all in the black foam. Plus, the EO TS is not good at distributing the tire gel evenly across the tire. It ends up gloppy in some places and thin in others.

I like the EO TS because of the ability to cut it down to size and the curved shape, but it gets messy fast so I feel like I have to throw them out after each use which makes them expensive despite the low price.

Cobra Tire Dressing Pad (pictured left):
The Cobra TDP is a thick yellow foam pad which is "sliced" in the middle creating two sides. One side should be used consistently as the handle and the other side as the applicator to avoid messiness (duh!).

The yellow foam of the Cobra was much firmer than the application foam of either of the other two applicators. However, it was still a very pliable foam so I could press it against the sidewall and it would conform to the shape and I could squeeze it into crevices to get gel everywhere.

After one use of the Cobra it was not messy at all. In fact, touching the pad gave me the impression that most of the gel ended up on the tire and not soaked into the pad. The Cobra also did one of the best jobs distributing the gel evenly and I was able to get the entire surface of the sidewall with the Cobra. After use the Cobra TDP showed no wear what so ever (except one side was black from the dressing).

Overall, I thought the Cobra was the best applicator. It kept my hands clean, distributed the dressing evenly, and was able to get to all areas of the sidewall.

I'll try to update this thread to keep everyone abreast of the durability of these applicators.

good review mikeyc!
did you need to wear rubber gloves with these applicators?
am guessing that you did not- and the cobra still kept your hands clean?
that would be a nice solution to getting rid of the gloves if it works that well!

I never wear rubber gloves when dressing the tires which is likely why I am so obsessed with how messy an applicator gets.

The Cobra kept my hands clean I believe because it is SO thick and because the foam is firmer and probably less absorbent which forces the gel onto the tire rather than into the applicator. I've only used it once. So, I'll report back as to how long my hands remain clean with this applicator.

My obsession with messy applicators also stems from the fact that you have to put them somewhere. My EO Tire Swipes were pretty much wallowing in a messy pool of tire gel on my shelf and it was gross.

Instead of the products you mentioned this one is my favorite with a superb handle but is a little expensive compared to the others! Autosport Tire Dressing Applicator

[QUOTE=Silverstreak HX,Sep 28 2006, 03:43 PM] Instead of the products you mentioned this one is my favorite with a superb handle

They sell those at Walmart and the foam is gray and comes off in a short time. IMO not worth the $10.

Any opinions on the actual tire dressing? I cant seem to find a good one that doesnt look like crap after the 3rd day

I've used Meguiar's Endurance Tire Gel with great success for many years. I recently switched to DP Gloss Tire Gel and it has held up well too although it's not quite as glossy.

For maximum durability and look make sure you clean your tires before applying any dressing. :thumbup: