problems with Simoniz TireShine Pads

[AppleExpress]

Is anyone using Simoniz Tire Shine Pads that is having problems with them shredding recently? So a few months back it looks like Simoniz changed the type of material they are using for pads, as well as discontinued making the wedge and flat face pads. Anyways, since then i am going through pads like crazy. Ive had to install 3 sets in under 4 months. What im finding is that this new material isnt allowing tire shine to absorb to the fronts of the pads very well. In fact it seems like it just runs straight down. Also, i never had a problem with the old white pads, but now im not getting top saturation either, and its causing the pads to shred apart at the top. (yes, for those who will ask, my system is a rear feed system, we have not upgraded to the top feed system yet) never had problems until recieving these new pads.

Yesterday i replaced 2 pads (as thats all i had available, and they are on backorder with sonny's and KleenRite) and pumped roughly 2 gallons of shine through the pads, as well as precharged them by pouring shine along the top and allowing it to soak down... Now after pumping shine into the pads, the pads were saturated on the bottom, however pushing against the front of the pads, i was not getting much shine. I ran a few vehicles through and noticed splotching and large unshined areas.

I have tried a number of things, from changing all of the nozzels from a 25* nozzle to a 0* nozzle for more of a cone effect to try and get saturation higher on the pads. Also Sonny's recommends running the controller on the setting of E1/E2. ive had to since change that to run on D2, which is a continuous pump just to try and get shine to the tires. Im running through tire shine rapidly now because of this obviously.

Does anyone have any suggestions or feedback on this issue?

 

[AppleExpress]

Also, Ive talked to Sonny's and they say this is the first their hearing of any problems, however it is not just my site experiencing this, but my sister site we have across town as well. Ive been trying all week and last week to get in touch with Simoniz, however they will not return my calls, or tell my Sonny's rep they will call me and never do.

 

[Earl Weiss]

No pad issues with the Viper. About as maintenca free as car wash equip can get. Costs more per application but less in agravation.

 

[Watchout1976]

Currently running Simoniz Tire machine TSA 101. I have done some retrofitting myself installing new manifolds, check valves, nozzles, etc. and still having same issues you explained. Going through product ridiculously. Did you ever come up with a solution to the problem?
I'm all ears.

 

[twerkinatthecarwash]

Let me preface this by saying its not only you. In the last few months all of our sites have been blowing through tire-shine pads and it is very hard to get them saturated. But this is what we've done to help prevent some of the shredding.

1) When installing a new pad take a sponge with some of the tire-shine chemical and soak the front of the pad rather than just priming it from the flojets or what not

2) Sonny's makes a cloth insulator for the top of the pads that helps with shredding

3) If you have the top flap with the drive nuts, don't tighten super tight. Just enough to keep your cover down.


None of this is perfect, and I'm still shredding pads, but it helps prolong the use in my experience.

 

[robert roman]

I’ve slopped gloss on tires for over 47 years.

The only stuff I’ve found that goes on easily, doesn’t sling and leaves uniform finish contained petroleum middle distillates or the stuff they make jet fuel and kerosene from.

However, it produces a deep black stain finish but not the Brill Crème shiny look.

This requires silicone. Silicone does not mix with water but the type used in tire shine is modified to be miscible or mixable.

An alternative to silicone is to use about 10 percent glycerin in water. It doesn’t cost nearly as much.

Or as Earl suggested, you may want to consider another device that has a more efficient and effective delivery system.

 

[rph9168]

Water based silicone was developed by the Germans during WWII as a substitute lubricant for engines due to a shortage of petroleum products. It did not work due to its inability to withstand heat. Solvent based dressings last longer but can have a negative effect on the appearance of the tires if used frequently causing them to either develop a brownish look or a faded gray color depending on the type of material the tire is made of. The original tire dressings we all glycerin based which is essentially sugar based. They made tires look pretty good but had almost no durability since glycerin is water soluble.

To get back to the original issue, Simoniz was really the one of first one to develop a tire shiner and the design today is essentially the same as it began. It is almost impossible to design a pad to last very long due to the raised surfaces on tires which tend to shred the pad. Simoniz has tried to develop a longer lasting pad over the years but to date have not really come up with a solution. From my experience the more product you use the longer the pad lasts because it makes the pads more "flexible" and somewhat resistant to shredding. The problem is that the product is expensive so I am not sure using a lot of product is any more economically efficient than replacing the pad more frequently. Brush type last longer but tend to use more product.

 

[Earl Weiss]

At the last show it seemed the trend was to move toward tire / wheel brush type applications. Now, some 2 years since my post #3, I am still happy with the no contact / no moving parts Viper. Application cost seems higher than others. Aggravation cost perhaps still lower.

 

[towerwash1]

I used to use the pads as well but i switch to the brush type and it works much better with a fraction of the cost per car

 

[TEEBOX]

I used to use the pads as well but i switch to the brush type and it works much better with a fraction of the cost per car

Out of curiosity which manufacturer did you go with?

 

[towerwash1]

It was belanger pads to sonnys tire seal conversion kit