AR Direct Drive 5.5 GPM Pump

[Gutter Squad 14]

Does anyone out there have any experience with a RKV5.5G40? It is the 5.5 GPM direct drive pump that AR offers. I posted last year about buying a ts2021gr (gear-driven) pump... and have done absolutely nothing with the business in the past year. I sold my van, my trailer, and a good deal of other assorted equipment and am planning on just having one primary 13 HP unit and another 13 HP unit as a back-up (already have a smaller CAT pump on that one).

Any thoughts? I am thinking that everyone is going to go for the ts2021gr... but thought I would put this out there. The AR is half the price of the General pump... but sometimes you get what you pay for, too.

Thanks!

[Rick2 42]

Some people here have good luck with AR pumps but I'm not one of them. I can go out to my garage right now and find 3 that have given up on me.

[Jerry 24]

Directly, that question is about "Long-Term-Low-Cost"..

If you give the pump "the perfect water supply"

take meticulous care of them both..

Let's say the General-Gr-pump or eqivalent AR, Comet, Udor, or Giant

gear-reduction pump..

can go 15 years, on 3 or 4 rebuilds.

A direct drive "beefy-version" like the RKV, or a Comet FWD version..

would go 2 rebuilds and total replacement every 5 years.

so.. $200 dollars more, gets you TWICE the reliability, BUT..

add that 2nd Direct-drive pump cost every 5 years,

and the lost account for "lack-of" reliability,

"The service-records" show.. the one that is WAY better..

the Low-speed pump, gear reduced, or belt drive.

..and the belt drive runs cooler.. even better.

choose good tools, keep them well maintained, and profitable.

I am RELENTLOUS at teaching at the sales-counter..

Long-Term-Low-Cost.

.it's all math, and tracking, for statistics.

[Rick2 42]

Many years ago when I got into this line of work I bought an 11hp Honda with a direct drive Cat on it. Since then I have bought several other more powerful machines, several different trucks and trailers but I still have that old Honda with the Cat pump, the only difference is the unloader has been replaced. About 15 minutes ago I came home from acid rinsing a deck with that same machine. A very old direct drive pump but it still works perfect.

[Gutter Squad 14]

Excellent thoughts - I have a pretty old direct drive that still runs fine - I also have just two (ha ha) AR pumps that are completely shot sitting in my garage (both were stripped off 13hp Honda engines that I bought off craigslist from some disgruntled home-users... both left out over the winter with water in them).

Regarding other equivalents when talking about gear reduction pumps, what are other good choices besides the ts2021? I am open to suggestions and have never owned a pump over 4.8 gpm. I am STRICKLY a house washer... I don't do concrete and I decided a couple years ago that I wasn't going to do decks anymore (really satisfying results... but I don't like going back to the same house 3 or 4 times to finish a job).

[Russ Johnson 141]

Many years ago when I got into this line of work I bought an 11hp Honda with a direct drive Cat on it. Since then I have bought several other more powerful machines, several different trucks and trailers but I still have that old Honda with the Cat pump, the only difference is the unloader has been replaced. About 15 minutes ago I came home from acid rinsing a deck with that same machine. A very old direct drive pump but it still works perfect.

Is that a 4SF Cat? Those pumps are wonderful...but very costly now.

[Jerry 24]

That 4SF was fine for reliability..

it's the parts cost that will blow your mind.

Gear Reduction version with less expensive parts,

and runs a cool 1450rpm.. Comet FW5530GR or AR's RKseries GR version

they both have VERY beefy rods, and ceramics.

..longer-term-low-cost.

Edited May 22, 2011 by Jerry
sp.