Upping My Car Wash Game

General Discussion
#1

I have a good friend who runs a detail shop here in Seattle, and he takes care of the heavy lifting (Xpel Clear bra, opti-coat, semi annual wax, etc.)

However, I like to wash and maintain my cars for the most part during the year. Especially during the winter months in the PacNW, its important to keep your paint from getting too much build up.
Prime Example from the other day after a drive:

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Low Pressure:
Goodyear hose
Eley Free Standing Hose Reel

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Eley Quick Disconnects

http://www.eleyhosereels.com/uploaded/thumbnails/db_file_img_319_505x433.jpg

Adams Fire Hose Nozzle

http://www.detailersdomain.com/assets/images/graphics/00000002/adamfirehose.jpg

High Pressure:
Kranzle K1122TST electric pressure washer
General Pump quick disconnects
MTM Hydro snow foam gun

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61Gp00zjzzL.SL1500.jpg

Products:
Adams 2-bucket Wash Kit (Gets you everything you need to start off)
Adams Rubber cleaner
Adams tire shine
Sonax Wheel Cleaner

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I like to first pressure wash all the loose dirt off the car, foam gun, scrub, wheel wash, and then blow off the car with my Stihl blower.

My setup is evolving, but basically I wanted something that was easy to setup and get going fast, quiet, efficient, and last a long time. The products I use are from trial and error for what works best for me.

#2

nice writeup. hows that Stihl blower working for you (I’m in the market for one)?

#3

Nice! I could definitely use a good car wash kit. Can’t wait to get an air compressor when I get back!

#4

Stihl makes the best stuff. Great warranty and light weight.

#5

Nice setup!

If you have hard water in your area, I recommend using a CR Spotless.

http://www.crspotless.com

The resin in mine has lasted me for 2 years with biweekly washes + quarterly rinses of a 52-panel solar array.

Dave

#6

nice, good to hear. And I hear on the Stihl stuff, I’ve got an FS 90 trimmer and its a beast.

#7

Its good to have the right tools! :slight_smile:

I looked at that foam gun, but ended up going with this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000XTH1GY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#8

I have that exact one. It’s funny, I know at least five of my friends who graduated from the low pressure option to the mtm.

It really makes a difference and uses a lot less soap and water. Same goes for the whole process. I use a lot less water when I use the pressure washer from start to finish versus the hose. Give it a try. :slight_smile:

#9

The water in CoS is super bad. Not to mention the leftover remnants of 10 million year old pines causing acidic dirt…

#10

I have an echo and I’m quite happy with it. I believe echo was purchased by a Japanese company and they now have a 5 year warranty on these tools.

I have an echo trimmer and blower. Both good.

#11

Are those quick connect fittings any good? Are they fancy and excellent? Or just another thing that leaks and annoys me?

Also I have a Honda pressure washer and it has a tank with soap marked on it. Any idea what the fuck I do to use that?

#12

LOL - it does use a bit of soap/water if you use it on the “thick” soap setting.

What made you select the Kranzle pressure washer?

#13

Put liquid soap in it and use the pressure washer like you normally do. It adds the soap to the stream of water.

#14

I have tried them all (home depot to amazon special), these are the best/leak-free ones on the market for both high pressure and low pressure quick disconnects.

Its a lot of money just for hardware, but they make the process of working so much faster and easier on your hands . My wife also loves that she can switch out the hose and nozzle in seconds.

I bought the Kranzle because it was a “professional” grade model, which means greater reliability for the pump and other components. I also watched a bunch of youtube videos like a dork and found it to be the quietest and fastest to setup (50 ft hose reel, lays down flat). One thing that was also important was that the gun, hose, and attachments were not proprietary. Most of the Karcher, Husky, or home owner models force you to buy that brands attachments. For example, my old Husky electric washer didn’t allow for the hose to be disconnected from the pump, had proprietary attachments, etc. I ran over the wand and it cost more to repair the unit from the shop than to buy a new one.

Cliffnotes: Bought the Kranzle because it was the most quiet, had standard M22 fittings (no proprietary bullshit), pro grade pump for long trouble free operation.

#15

I had an electric one that my neighbour gave me. It worked ok but was poorly designed and would fall over a lot.

The one I bought this summer was much better. Pretty strong and not remotely quiet. But way better design. I would like to upgrade the hose to something nicer and softer. The one is a bit Stiff…pain to put away.

You said those fittings are expensive… They’re 40 bucks? That’s not bad of they work well. Thanks for the tip. I will buy them once I find them.

#16

You spent $1200 on an electric power washer to wash your cars with?!

#17

Eley stuff is there own brand, have to order from them. But its worth it. They are robust and serviceable.

Eley female x1 (End of garden hose)
Eley male x3 (pressure washer inflow, nozzles)

The general pump high pressure fittings are also a great buy, here is what I had to buy:

1x Male for Foam Cannon inflow
1x Male for any wand attachment(s) (Kranzle came with two)
1x Male for the gun inflow
1x Female for the hose end outflow
1x Female for the gun outflow (foam gun and wand attachments plug into this)

#18

Thanks for the Kranzle review. The Amazon one (AR383) is 1/4 of the cost, I’d have a hard time justifying the cost of the Kranzle, even though the quality looks top notch.

I was recently looking at the gas powered ones (I have a big driveway), and the Honda powered units (like Ryobi) look very nice - but I’m sure will wake up the neighborhood on full power.

Decisions, decisions…

#19

Yes, its a professional model so its 3x as a similar homeowner model you buy from Home Depot. I also use it to clean my patio furniture, exterior house trim, windows, trampoline, and other delicate jobs where my gas unit would tear it up.

This guy put it best:

[quote]This sleek unit from Kranzle fits easily into our “Better” rating. The built-in reel keeps the 50 feet of hose from turning into a pile of kinks and knots; and there’s on board storage for the variable spray wand and (included) turbo nozzle.

The Kranzle pump is also a winner. Kranzle produces one of the very best quality, if not the best quality pumps on the pressure washer market. Kranzle pumps can pull water from a standing source of water like a tank or lake, and they can be ran completely dry and/or sit in bypass mode for up to 2 hours without burning up or melting the seals Adjustable pressure and a built-in gauge let you safely clean a wide variety of surfaces.

One more thing that helped secure the “Better” niche: detergent is siphoned through the exit side of the pump. This means you can use a broader range of cleaners without having to worry about damaging the seals on your pump.
[/quote]
I also have several thousand dollar gas unit that I use to clean my hardscapes 2x year (PacNW winter and springs are harsh). If you price out what it costs for a contractor to come out and clean your house, it pays for itself in a couple seasons.

#20

AR Blue is another great buy.

You need a gas powered one to do hardscapes, as they flow more water (GPM) that is required for higher pressures to get the job done. Get a honda powered unit. Engine will last forever.