Does Full Dip Survive a Tyre Change?
Does full dip survive a tyre change? The quick answer is no because the machine for removing the tyre is simply too aggressive for the paint.
When we had our Shogun imported to Spain from the UK the alloys were pretty tatty to say the least, one solution we found was to try out a product called ‘Full Dip’ which is very similar to Plasti Dip, essentially they are a liquid vinyl which is applied to the wheels [can also be used on bodywork] just like painting with a rattle can, the big difference is that this paint can be peeled off so it’s a semi permanent solution.
Being semi permanent has its benefits, the cost of Full Dip is reasonable at around €24.00 for a four cans which will paint a full set of 16 – 17″ rims, the down side is that the paint is nowhere near as resistant as ‘real’ alloy paint.
Sticking with our stock rims we decided to refurbish all five alloys and try Full Dip, it’s good stuff too, we like it and its flexibility when it comes to tyre changes however it performs poorly at best, this is one of the very few downsides to it.
Being a liquid vinyl it cannot survive the machine, the edge of the rims fray and you will get inevitable marks simply through the process of removing wheels and putting them back on in a tyre changing scenario.
So what is the solution?
There are three – buy new rims, paint in the traditional way [which will still need touching up or buy more Full Dip/Plasti Dip which is the route we took. This time we went for a matt black, the anthracite was just a touch paler than we wuld have liked so a full on black was chosen to pair up nicely with the new Falken Wildpeaks we’d had put on.
The biggest issue you will probably come across is the time it takes to prep your alloys again, the old liquid vinyl needs removing however if you have applied sufficient coats in the previous application then it ‘should’ just peel off. After that it’s simply a case of spraying the alloy again and leaving it 24 hours to dry.
So no, Full Dip does not survive a tyre change although it is very easy and very economical to have your rims looking brand spanking new again.
Does Diesel Affect Full Dip?
A quick note here to add that diesel or anything that acts like a paint thinner will have an adverse affect on your alloys painted with liquid vinyl. We learned the hard when our tank was overfilled and diesel ran over the wheel, upon washing the car a few hours later [and the alloy] the paint on the affects alloy began to smudge away – imagine ink on your hands, it was a right old mess.
The positive to this however is that paint thinners can be used to patch any areas where your Full Dip may have began to peel away as it smoothes out the edges ready for a simple spray over.
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