Guys, I have a question for everyone. Just wondering how many of you out there have or would consider having your heavy equipment or fleet vehicles pressure washed? Maybe before your about to sell your old equipment, or just to keep it clean, or after doing regular maintance. Is this something you would consider or are doing? Just wondering as I am doing research for an add on biz...
Gslam88,I get my semi washed 1-2 times per month at the distribution center I pull for(a mobile wash co. comes in weekly)or at the truck wash I pass enroute. My dumptruck,skid steer,backhoe,equipment trailer,get washed if I pass the truckwash after a job,and they need it.(maybe 2-3 times per year ave.)or if I'm having repairs done on a piece of equipment performed by a shop,I may bring it in for a wash,degrease the engine,frame,etc.,if needed first. I don't wash them myself anymore in the car type,coin operated washes.When I have,they haven't come clean.The soap doesn't cut through the grime well enough. The truck and mobile washes use the right chemicals and they do come clean. I've checked on having the mobile service come to my house,but they're far enough away that the transportation cost are too high to justify.
The company i work for hardly ever has the truck or equipment cleaned. If it were mine though i would at least run a preassure washer over the truck every couple weeks. equipment i would probably clean every couple months or when it needed work done to it so i could keep myself cleaner.
When I ran backhoe for one of the contractors I used to take the machine back to the shop every night if we were close enough to wash it especially during dusty periods or when after on a job on a really muddy site. The trucks were washed about every month to keep the heavy build up of dirt off the frame and suspension. The excavators were cleaned if they were in heavy clay or clayish dirt to get it out of the track frames and around the rollers etc.
Truck (L9000) gets washed at least 1 a week and more offten if needed, Steamed cleaned underside and motor 1 time a month or whenever in for service. Waxed 1 time a month. Excavator gets cleaned after every job and steamed cleaned, waxed twice a year as do the bobcats and other equipment. every year the piece of equipment in the worsed shape spends the winter in the shop for a total reconditioning. Which includes new pins, paint, seals, hoses glass, seats, floor mats, or whatever is needed. The way my equipment looks reflectes on my co. Some of the best advertising you can get is clean lettered equipment.
Dwan,you sound like the kind of guy I'd like to buy my used equipment from.I'm impressed!! That's why your old Reo looked so good.
We wash triaxles and the lowbeds every day after they get back by drivers, pit loaders everyday....before and after regualar maintence we steam clean, hand degrease and chemical degrease all machines that come to the shop, they also recive new comany decals and are waxed before they return to work....cabs are also all handed cleaned and vacumed after each service interval or even as needed in between....pick ups are also usually washed everyday or so....machines are sent to be painted as needed at a local body shop to keep them looking good....it all reflects on us as company, customers use us because of what we are.....doesn't hurt that we have two chemex machines and two 4000psi hot pressure washers though to get the job done...
I'm a wash freak. Granted, being in the rental industry you want the machines looking nice all the time but I'd wash my stuff constantly if I owned them. I hate it when the machines have grease smeared all over them, it makes them look very old and run down, like you don't care about them. When I get a chance or a break I should say from driving, I'll wash our machines so they look brand new. Just looks nice to the public IMHO. Clean the inside with glass cleaner (inside of excavators) and wash all windows and sunroof inside and outside. Amazing how much nicer it is to be able to see what your digging! We wash our trucks as much as possible, I gererally wash it once a week during the summer months. Harder to do that when it's winter cuz of all the road grime kicked up by rain etc. Blake WA
I'm a wash freak. Granted, being in the rental industry you want the machines looking nice all the time but I'd wash my stuff constantly if I owned them. I hate it when the machines have grease smeared all over them, it makes them look very old and run down, like you don't care about them. When I get a chance or a break I should say from driving, I'll wash our machines so they look brand new. Just looks nice to the public IMHO. Clean the inside with glass cleaner (inside of excavators) and wash all windows and sunroof inside and outside. Amazing how much nicer it is to be able to see what your digging! We wash our trucks as much as possible, I gererally wash it once a week during the summer months. Harder to do that when it's winter cuz of all the road grime kicked up by rain etc. Blake WA
Cleaner IS Better I would love to have a guy to do nothing but steam clean equipment,the pressure washing services out here are getting $60-$80 an hour,for doing equipment,on site.That's providing the developer doesn't have a "no cleaning " clause,and the EPA isn't watching. I had to change a hyd line on a MES5000 Indeco hammer last week,sprayed 25 gals all over a Linkbelt 4300 Quantum,operator wanted me to clean the cab glass.Told him when he learned to keep the lines off the side of the trench,I'd learn how to do windows.I've got a standing call with Sunstate equipment for a hot water pressure washer,by the time I see it,I'll need to use the hammer just to find the machine's paint.
We take one day during the week to wash and clean the trucks and equipment and do general maintainence on them is the truck or machine rolled that week or sat in the shed
wow and i thought i was the only one that waxed equipment. we used to wax the tractors on the farm 1-2 times a year. cotton pickers were painted every year while we rebuilt the heads. i dont wax the equipment at my present job.although i joke with the fuelers/lubers that they should. i do however pressure wash the grader,scraper ,and water pull when i pass by the pressure washer in the yard. dozers and compactors get hit when our wash trailer is near the working face.(time permitting) Dwan Hall said:
We try to follow the same schedule if possible, as all of our depots are equipped with pressure washers. There are some of our operators that wax their units as well when time permits. Nothing like a freshly waxed grader I say!:wink2 There is something to be said when an operator/owner takes enough pride and interest in his equipment to actually wax it.:notworthy Also you have to keep in mind as Dwan mentioned, that your equipment is a travelling billboard for your company, and the better it looks the better your company is represented:yup
Once a week with the 9hp model shown here: http://www.karchercommercial.com/showProductModels.aspx?areaID=12&typeID=27&seriesID=139 I wash first and then grease so that if the pressure cleaner pushes water into any of the pins then it gets pushed back out by the grease...(just a little thing I have). I like to see grease at lube points because my Dad always said "if it has grease coming out, thyen dirt aint getting in" but there is nothing that irks me more than a machine with grease all over it.
What would be the point the rust is the only thing holding the crap I run together.:yup
Yeah, but just thing how nice the rust would look all waxed up:bouncegri
as long as yer not armor all'ing yer tires,worked with a guy that did that everyday to his backhoe what a waste of time
Well at least he didn't do a half *** job.:yup
The best solution I have found is the Solv All by United Labratories. It's an orange smelling solvent that is GREAT. I would spray down a greasy smeared boom and stick etc. of a 160 excavator, take a truck brush, wipe it up and down etc. and then power wash it and it looked like it came out of the factory. I have never seen something that cleans so well. I swear by it. Blake WA
I have a bud who washes his dump every day,waxes once a week.Fanatical--YEAH-has KEEP OFF decals on his fenders and windows. Mud? No way.Me? I'll go thru anything as long as it's not harmful and then cleanup later.And yes,I shine up my backhoe tires,not with Armor-all-something much better-for both appearance and longevity.One original Goodyear rear tire on my old 510B is 23 years old with 5800 hours.:thumbsup Not a waste of time.
What is it that you use on the tires??
X2 Oh wait 23 years ago maybe it's made out of steel.:wink2
Powdered weasel sperm put in an aerosol 16oz.can.Works wonders also on squeakyfront end joints.
Just realized Dozer boy--my steel tire I think from memory is older than you--and just what does that mean? Never mind--I know.I did'nt exactly mean I've been using the same tire juice for 23 years--lately some 3 to a pack deal at Sam's Club--good stuff-I'll check Fri. the name--just spray on and done-no wiping.1 can does 6 hoe tires.