-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Gives me the error message: "We are unable to ship direct to this location - click here to find a local distributor"
I have the black for my grey wheels. I haven't put them on yet but they seem like they blend in to the tires. I'll have pictures and know for sure in a day or two.Trying to decide between grey & back alloy gators to go on my 21" grey turbines ... the grey protectors look like a close colour match but is it close enough ?
I'd love to hear peoples opinions ... grey or black?
artsci
Sponsor
There have been many posts on Alloy Gators going back about three years. I don't mean to rain on the parade but if you're new to the topic please don't conclude that they're a panacea for rim rash. They're not. I gave them up after about six months -- they provided minimal protection for anything but the most gentle scrapes, they started to pull loose, and after about 6 months looked like hell.
Don't waste your money. Nothing in the line of rim rash protection products works -- I've tried them all. The best protection is careful driving around curbs. It comes down to that.
Don't waste your money. Nothing in the line of rim rash protection products works -- I've tried them all. The best protection is careful driving around curbs. It comes down to that.
...and when you decide to finally scrap them, you'll need to repaint the edges of all your wheels. Fun!
Are you saying that the installation of the Gators scratches the rims edges?
I could see potentially how the taped on rim protection could take some paint with it. But the alloy gators, If installed correctly, are right up again the rim. If something got in there I could see how they could scratch the rim. But in regular use and removal I just don't see how they can damage the rims if they are installed correctly.
Can you clarify what you mean and is it based on personal experience? If so do you have pics?
I've only had alloy gators on mine for 2 months and there already paid for themselves with the damage they prevented from my wife and the service center driving my S.
Dirt gets between the plastic and the rim. As you drive, the tire & plastic flexes slightly and grinds the dirt into the paint, and takes the paint off. Last time I replaced my tires, I pulled all of them off, all four wheels had finish damage around the edges.
I made sure I had them installed correctly and that they were seated all the way up against the rim.
Here's an example of the type of paint damage you see:
If I were to pull that AG off, you would see that peeling paint around the entire rim.
f-stop
Active Member
I think this is valuable feedback to hear - I was starting to consider these for my new MS but I've always wondered about the longer term value of this kind of product.
I am still getting use to the size of the car (it's WIDE) so I'm having to train myself to park further from the curb than I'm used to. But Autopark works so well I'm just trusting it to do the job, it parks it perfectly first try and keeps a nice distance from the curb.
artsci
Sponsor
Here are a few photos of what my Alloy Gators looked like after about 6 months. Even though they were properly mounted they separated from the rims in a number of places. Not a pretty picture. And removing them required dismounting the wheels and deflating the tires. These things are a total PIA.
I'm going through the same learning experience - I also know that no matter how careful I am, I will eventually scuff the alloys (either because I haven't noticed a curb or because the car-park exit is too tight or some such thing) ... so I am looking at Alloygators too.
I'm glad artsci posted his experience (I know from reading the forums he's been living with his Model S for a while and looked at lots of things) ... I might go with rim blades to start with (they appear to be more easily mounted and have less potential to damage the alloy via abrasion ... but they seem to offer less protection) and then consider a switch to Alloygators if they turn out to be duds.
If you go with Alloygators then let us know how they work out for you.
I have over 50k on my Gators and they are awesome. I have had one incident where I hit a curb and was sever enough to have the Gator replaced. Perhaps my experience is so difference because I had a dealer install mine that install a bunch of sets. Every time they rotate my tires they are checked. I think they are worth EVERY dollar.
I can tell you that mine are installed correctly, too... I'd challenge anyone to tell me that they're not - they were also installed (several times, through tire changes) by the tire dealers who have dealt with them extensively.
And don't get me wrong... they've saved the wheels against a few deep gouges that would have been created by curbs. The question you have to ask yourself is whether you want to save yourself from a chance of a few deep gouges, or an even higher percentage chance of grinding the clear coat & paint off the edge if/when dirt gets between them - and the dirt will get in there.
Joseph Torbati
Former Vendor
Hi I own OCDetail in N.Cal SF Bay and I stock and install gators on regular basis. Ive seen them save rims many times. The issue with dirt and scratching the surface of the rim i've never seen. But I always coat rims with Cquartz so maybe thats why.
Joseph Torbati
Former Vendor
I know that was annoying but in the Bay repairing one wheel the right way(tire off powder coat back to spec) is 275$ per after mount and balance. So gator alternative is much cheaper. And I'm yet to see any of this excess scratching when I've removed them.
Like I said earlier, I don't recommend against them, it's just that I had that experience. All 4 wheels ended up with the paint ground off in my case, and it was distributed thoroughly under each of the alloygators (so it wasn't a curb hit or something that created a one-time crack).
It could be the fact I didn't put special protectant on the rim. It could be the fact that we have winters and small cinders get spread on the road and they have a better chance of ending up between the gators and the wheel where they get to experience the grind. There are probably some factors we aren't even thinking of.
It could be the fact I didn't put special protectant on the rim. It could be the fact that we have winters and small cinders get spread on the road and they have a better chance of ending up between the gators and the wheel where they get to experience the grind. There are probably some factors we aren't even thinking of.
