I need some pointers.

P

planethopper

New member
I am new in this business and just got a contract to clean trucks like the fed-ex ones. so far i've been using a brush with a detergent I bought at a janitors store then spraying them off with my pressure washer. Yesterday when I was brushing the trucks my brush kept freezing so I just started spraying like a madman but my water tank started emptying to fast. Is there an easier way? I have a 3000psi 4gpm machine but I only have a 125 gal tank in my van and I have to clean over 20 trucks at a time.
 
Run hose to the faucet or get a bigger tank. I hope you already thought of this.
Richard
 
The best way is to do the job the right way. Put away the brush and buy some professional 2 step chems. This of course requires the water mentioned in the previous post.
 
When we used to wash trucks back in the early 90's a man named JT used to always tell me ( "let the soap do the work" ) These Words from a Pro.. No Brushes just spray hot soap from top to bottom wait a minute and rinse....

If I remember correctly we used Joy Dishwashing Liqued Siphoned thru a machine with hot water and then had a guy go behind us with a cold water rinse.. It worked good....

GOOD LUCK
 
2 step chems?

by 2 step chem do you mean I should get another pressure washer, one for the chemicals and one for the rinsing? Today I skipped the brushing because the soap was freezing before I could rinse it off. The reason I tell you this is because I can't use the same machine for the 2 step method because of freezing. There is no water source where I clean the trucks so I've been looking around for another tank but they are hard to find unless I want to pay $700 for a 250gal tank, there's got to be a cheeper place to find a tank.
 
Sounds like you are using a cold water machine. A hot water unit would be a necessity if you a planning on washing trucks year round. You may want to consider a hot box to add to your existing unit.

Also, 125 gallon tank, @ 4 gpm, gives you 30 minutes of water. How many trucks can you wash in 30 minutes? Sounds like a very time consuming proposition, if yo have to stop & go get water every 30 minutes.
 
By 2 step I mean I downstream both chems through the nozzle, 1 machine. Some people use a seperate pump for their acid and that works as well.
I can't imagine paying that much for a tank. I bought my 525 gal for $265.00 at the farm store, so shop around. The addition of a hotbox is an excellent idea and you might consider it for next year as you shold be getting out of the freezing cold soon. ( hopefully) I think a Hotbox is a necessity if you are going to wash these trucks year round.
 
thanks guys

The price i mentioned for the tank is in Canadian dollars but still very expensive. Hey Larry B, you said both cems? I thought one was chem and the other just a rinse, is there a chem in the rinse water to? and do I have to go back to my machine to switch over to the rinse on every truck?
 
sorry about the double thread

I have another question. Which is better, a gas hot box or an electric hot box and a generator? What chems are best for this type of washing?
 
Depending on what is most convenient for you will determine what kind of hotbox you want. I prefer the efficiency of the diesel burners w/ 12 volt iginitor, that way I just need a battery that I can charge off of my truck. If operating a generator is what you want that works too.
2 stepping is basically the application of an acid to break the dirt bond to the vehice, followed by a soap that neutralizes the acid and causes a small reaction with the acid and allows the dirt to be rinsed off. You would have to check with some local suppliers to see what they have to offer. This is the easiset and most efficient way to wash trucks and you should rarely need to brush with the proper application. If you are serious about washing trucks this is by far the best and faastest method. You can continue to brush if these are the only trucks you intend to wash, but if you want to do more fleets or just make the job easier, you need to 2 step with the proper chems.
 
Check out Ebay for a recylcled food grade tank. It'll be 250 gallons and be on a skid, 48"x39". Cost should be around $100 US plus shipping. I found one at a local Hoods store for $90.00. They even have plastic sign holders on the sides from the labels, add vinyl letters, and you're advertising. Just starting out, but that's what worked for me on a tight start up budget.
Rog
 
Larry B said:
2 stepping is basically the application of an acid to break the dirt bond to the vehice, followed by a soap that neutralizes the acid and causes a small reaction with the acid and allows the dirt to be rinsed off. You would have to check with some local suppliers to see what they have to offer. This is the easiset and most efficient way to wash trucks and you should rarely need to brush with the proper application. .
Click to expand...

How is this done ? do you have to make trips back to the rig to change from acid to soap to rinse. DO you have a link or 2 were I can get the parts.

Thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top