Tire Stickers Issue...weird

[mbesman]

I've had Tire Stickers for a few months now. I did well on last 2 tires because I learned as I made mistakes but that's not the issue.
Scenerio: Tire stickers all nice and shiny white. Drive car for a while. All of a sudden half of one set on one tire will look like crap. (Pictured) the other half is fine. This happens sporadically with no rhyme or reason. One day clean, next day only 1 half is filthy. Happens on front and rear. and doesn't happen on passenger side to this level. It's very strange and I cannot figure out why. Any ideas??

Pictured are front and rear driver and front and rear passenger.

[PepeLePew]

I had the same problem. I put them on my sons 2011 2lt Convertible and they looked great against the black wheels for a short period of time. My son is 15 and doesn't drive on his own yet so my wife drives the car daily. She admitted to hitting the occasional curb which I accounted for most of the damage. However, there were numerous times she'd come home after I cleaned them back to shiny white and they were all marked up again. The only thing I could ever come up with is that any kind of tire shine (including the one you get from the tire sticker place) would somehow get smeared from the black tire on to the sticker. Needless to say, I was over it though and spent 4 hours peeling them off. Then I sold the wheels that were plastidipped and went with some chrome ZL1 replicas that really make the black car pop now.

You don't look like you use any tire shine though, so it baffles me some. Maybe they just don't hold up that well to weather.

Since yours aren't damaged, I would suggest just trying to keep them clean if you like the look. You could also use a tire pen to try to white them out again if it seems like they are fading and not just dirty. Taking them off is extremely difficult and not worth the time. I probably wouldnt put them on the next set of tires either unless you don't mind the extra work to keep them clean.

[mbesman]

Yes, I don't use tire shine specifically so they stickers don't get dirty. I'm baffled as well. Makes no sense, rhyme, or reason. I am keeping them cuz I like the way they look when they are clean. I do have to maintain them but I attribute that to the first two tires I installed with them. I learned as I went. Any other ideas out there?

[PepeLePew]

I feel your pain buddy... they do look good on your car when clean (nice wheels btw too!)

The other thing I was thinking is that maybe its brake dust making them dirty... still doesn't explain why it only messes some of them up though. But maybe switching to a "cleaner" brake pad might help.

Other than using a tire pen to whiten them up though, the only thing I can think is to give the Tire Stickers guys a call and see if they have any suggestions. Like maybe there is some kind of teflon spray that keeps dirt from sticking. Or maybe using the tire sticker shine will make them easier to clean when they get dirty... worth a shot.

[Moto-Mojo]

Being a child of the '70's, when the 'raised white letter' thing was so popular, and given this new stick-on thing, (I don't profess to know how it works) I'd say let it go. It looks mildly cool but I'm going au naturel with the black rubber. You didn't ask but that's my two cents.

[Baseball]

And now for my overpriced $.02. I had TredWear (not Tire Stickers) for years and they stayed very nice. I used Wesley’s Bleach White and a soft brush at each washing. Really added to the look of the car to me.

[2nd SS]

While we are on the subject, how are you cleaning these letters? I have the tread wear letters too, and they seem to be dirt magnets. I've used the bleachwhite as well, and it takes several good scrubs to get them white. I have been trying to find a cleaner that does some of the work for you, but haven't found a good one yet. I did find this little sander at Lowe's that helps.

[Moto-Mojo]

[QUOTE=Baseball;10554814]And now for my overpriced $.02. I had TredWear (not Tire Stickers) for years and they stayed very nice. I used Wesley’s Bleach White and a soft brush at each washing. Really added to the look of the car.


Baseball, you’re a young man after my heart. Grew up in Cincinnati in the 60’s and 70’s. That should mean something to a baseball fan. Your tires look very tasteful and yes, old schoolish.

[mbesman]

Ha,
Yeah I use the Bleche White cleaner and a sandpaper square to clean myself. Seems to do the job just fine. Like I said the other letters are all white and look great. I have new pads on and if it were the pads I would say why aren't all the letters dirty? Or even all the letters on the same tire. The teflon coating spray seems interesting. I may try that to see if it will make cleaning them easier. It's not really a pain as its just another 5 minutes during a wash. I think I would do it again as I love the look.My main question was just how could this continually happen this way? One part clean , one part dirty.

Any more ideas on cleaning the letters out there? I think those of us with stickers can learn from each other. Thanks for all your input guys.

[Caniac27]

I have looked at your pics several times and it truly is baffling. I have tire letters on my car and am not seeing this at all. I will say however that I made my tire letters myself. I bought some white rubber sheets on-line and hand cut out each letter. So my lettering is white on both sides. I think the tire sticker ones have black rubber backing. Maybe the cleaner you are using is getting in behind the letters (pockets with no glue on the letter) and when you start driving the crud is spinning out onto the letters? After installing my letters and every other cleaning I use a little acetone on a microfiber towel and carefully wipe off each letter to be sure there was no remaining glue and such. So far so good. I go weeks without cleaning the the tires and the letters still shine nice. Like you I love the look. They look great on your car.

[PepeLePew]

Caniac27 - I can't believe you made those letters yourself by hand. I've seen your car in several other threads and thought it looked amazing. Now I have a whole new appreciation knowing you made them... nice work!!!

[Caniac27]

Originally Posted by PepeLePew

Caniac27 - I can't believe you made those letters yourself by hand. I've seen your car in several other threads and thought it looked amazing. Now I have a whole new appreciation knowing you made them... nice work!!!

I really like the Tire Stickers product just not the price!

[mbesman]

Update: I think I figured out why the letters got so dirty and only some of them at various times. As mentioned by another reply it was suggested it may be the black foam on the back of the letters. I believe this is the case. They seemed to get dirty when they peeled slightly. I have since taken some of your suggestions and bought a Sharpie paint pen and a new glue. This glue worked great and set very fast. The pain pen actually worked great as well and makes cleaning the letters much easier. They also appear much whiter. So as of now I'm a happy camper again. Tire stickers looking great again. Thanks everyone.

[Roader]

Originally Posted by Caniac27

I have looked at your pics several times and it truly is baffling. I have tire letters on my car and am not seeing this at all. I will say however that I made my tire letters myself. I bought some white rubber sheets on-line and hand cut out each letter. So my lettering is white on both sides. I think the tire sticker ones have black rubber backing. Maybe the cleaner you are using is getting in behind the letters (pockets with no glue on the letter) and when you start driving the crud is spinning out onto the letters? After installing my letters and every other cleaning I use a little acetone on a microfiber towel and carefully wipe off each letter to be sure there was no remaining glue and such. So far so good. I go weeks without cleaning the the tires and the letters still shine nice. Like you I love the look. They look great on your car.

For the love of god fix the front or rear so the words line up on rotation lol