FLEETWASHDUDE

How many of you have chose one over the other and for what reason? For me, fleet is steady but physically hard work and getting to be chemically expensive. When I fill up the rig with fuel, I cant help but think how I would much rather be washing that gas station fuel isle than going to wash a bunch of filthy trucks. Hood Cleaning seems like fun but I dont "know anything about it".

go with the belt drive. Those direct drive units arent all that great even for rinsing off a car, I cant imagine washing any kind of concrete with one. If your budget will only allow you for 1k, then go with the cat pump. Those are much better in my opinion. I had a cat direct drive and it lasted me five or six years.

I'd like to see if anyone has developed a system of capturing runoff with a trash pump.

I use a high suds detergent for fleet cleaning. My vacuboom fills with foam. I really like the vacuboom because it is smaller than most reclaim units and it has a pump out system. My problem lies with the foam. It is ruining my vac motors. Is there anything I can buy that is relatively inexpensive that i can put in the vacuum canister that will eliminate the foaming? Thank you.

I'm still not understanding why you dont just discharge your dirty water directly from your vacuboom to a tank in your van. Instead you want a vacuum tank and another sump pump? What for? Your vacuboom is allready set up with a pump out isnt it?

thanks, ill try that.

Dang, that stinks. Still not a bad deal. Did it come with a battery? I was wondering how it would keep the amps up since the motor isnt elec. start. I have always doubted 12 volt units anyway. I've never had one but I've heard some horror stories. A lot harder to work on?

I've got a hydrotech hot water unit and really there is no comparison. Our hydrotech has a cat belt driven pump and 110 volt burner, absolutely the best burner hands down that I've ever seen. Both chinese knockoffs I've got had broken air cleaner housing and some other cheap components like the gas cap and oil dipsticks. If you've got the money and a lot of work, go for american made stuff.

I've got two chinese engines. They work fine. Just as good as honda from what I've seen. One of them is electric start and the other isnt. I've got 6 months use on each of them and no problems whatsoever. They are actually a little easier to start than a honda and quieter for some reason. Jain Dong is a big engine manufacturer in china and they make most of the look alikes. I've got a 11hp JD engine mounted to a belt driven AR pump, all set up for less than $650. For that price, I would probably just use the burner coil and tank, maybe put a little better pump on there, 2k, you cant go wrong.

I still dont see your logic. I dont think Unions have the same goals as they once did.

True but didnt the UAW just recently within the past year lower those labor cost to more competetive levels. If I remember correctly, it was costing around two thousand dollars per vehicle just for the retirement benefits for those employees. The ball allready began rolling downhill before the UAW and the big 3 could come together and lower labor cost. ?? I have always been against Unions. If I went to fill out an application somewhere and was in need of a job, and agreed to be paid $14 per hour for my time and labor there, wouldnt it be wrong to join a union of workers and demand higher wages and benefits by threatening to walk off? It isnt right. Its Blackmale. One more reason I have always been a republican.

I dont know much about hoods, how often do you try to schedule them?

This is the second downstream injector I have tried today and nothing. I can say it will pull chemical if the tip is off the gun. I am buying from our local hydro tek dealer. Same problem on either injector I have tried today. Any ideas? I dont want to drive back down there.

Yes Russ he failed to go over this with me. In fact, he didnt know what a downstreamer looked like until I pointed one out to him. He is new though and made it clear he doesnt know anything about what he does for a living. Its all good.

yep the water flows so better hang on when starting the engine.I cant say no.

sounds good. Just switching the tip would be great to stop the acid flow but pulling in that trigger all day washing trucks sounds painful. p.s. the soap nozzle at home depot is flimzy looking and I cant believe I paid that much for it. $20 .

Ok, I only wash fleet, I dont use quick connects, everything is plumbed, no trigger gun, only open gun, 100 ft. of hose. I read somewhere that you cant run much pressure when downstreaming. I upstream all soap and will continue to keep the valve for that. I am only using the downstreamer for pulling acid. I didnt know that I needed to change my tip to keep the psi down. I just got back from home depot and got a soap nozzle, its huge and should work but now need a quick connect to make the tip work.

The guy said this size will work for my motor and pump. 3-5 gpm. I guess I will go get my money back and resume upstreaming.

I need to find a dealer for aluminum citric acid cleaner. It uses phosporic acid if I am correct instead of hydrocloric. It is not abbrasive and doesnt turn aluminum "white" and if I am correct it also is safe on polished aluminum. I need to get some prefer in powder form.

Thanks guys, chemicals are just so expensive to ship.

I had a customer, he had four trucks and trailers I was washing and doing extras like brightening an aluminum tanker for free as well as cleaning the engines all for $140 total. I was just glad to have some extra work during the week since I mostly work on weekends. Well, I've been wondering why he quit having his trucks washed and when I passed by his business the other day, he had a tank and pw in the back of his pickup. I cant wait till he calls be back, price will be double.

Two of our cold water belt drive pumps (Cat 550) are having issues. Oil is coming up out of the caps. The caps on Cat pumps come with a small hole in them. Havent had this issue before. They are working good as usual and are kept in a heated garage so no freezing issues just a lot of oil loss. The burner of ours uses a Cat pump as well but no problems with it. I've got a twelve hour day today so be back tonight. Thanks for any help if offered.