Not real sure

[James S]

I washed a bi-monthly account this weekend that has about 30 gravel trucks. They travel mostly down dirt roads so have a lot of dust build up on them. I two-stepped them the same way I've been doing and it just wasn't getting all the dirt film off. It didn't do as good on the tires as it normally does or on the frames. They weren't really any dirtier than they ever are. Any ideas on what might have gone wrong?

[Larry L.]

Could of been not enough draw though the downstreamer,sometimes trash will get in the downstreamer and it want draw the full amount.

Then there are those days that nothing will clean up just like some days bugs wanttt all come off.

Where they hauling gravel or chat?,chat dust can be a plain to remove in rainly whether or hauling where they keep the road watered.

[James S]

They haul a good bit of hot mix. Here lately I believe they've been hauling a lot of crushed stone down oil field roads. They weren't really any dirtier this time than they were last time I washed so I don't know. I think I'm fixing to try some heavier duty chemicals. The stuff I've got is what a local major trucking company uses in their automatic wash bay. It does good on them but they're all on the road trucks. These gravel trucks rarely see the road. I'm just trying to get a good chemical. I've got an HF that I use for heavy duty cleaning on oil-stained aluminum and I tried to use it the other day mixing it 28:1 like my supplier said to do but it didn't do the trick either. I'm just kinda stuck about what to do right now. Do you have a certain name brand acid that you stick with Larry?

[Larry L.]

No I do not have a name brand,I buy mine from people who make it and you can put your own name on it if you want.

Sometimes when hauling chat in wet weather or where thay are watering the chat road as they build can be a bugger to get off.Usually the tires are hard to clean,they look clean when wet but after they dry they will still have a white film on them,is this case in your Q'tion?

[James S]

No, they have more just mud stains on them from being on like a muddy location or something.

[Larry L.]

Ok,rinse them off both frame and tires and prespray soap on them before you start the two step.It should take the stain out,don't forget to prespray the front side of the inside dual.

[James S]

What if these trucks are hauling something similar to chat....What is your technique when it is real heavily stuck on? Do you make a stronger mix, spray a heavier mist of chemicals or what? Oh yeah and if you downstream soap as well, do you have to mix the soap heavier or should it work just the same?

[Larry L.]

yes stronger mix soap and acid,I wash with hot upstream soap,I hardly hardly hardly ever downstream soap but do downstream the acid.

[James S]

Have you heard of a set-up to where soap and hot-water can be controlled from the gun as well.....like, when you twist the pressure handle back to high pressure the burner will kick back on...I'm trying to maximize the one-man two-step process. Now I know you can set it up with like a car remote, but I was kinda wanting to see if there was something that was totally self-contained in the gun.

[Larry L.]

yes I have heard of the setup,some even start and stop the motor.

[grasshawg]

James, just out of curiosity, would this happen to be Murphy Bros trucks? Larry is the foremost authority on fleet washing, so I have no input for your question. Just curious.
Randy

[James S]

No, but their former truck foreman is now the foreman for one of the companies I have an account with called Newt Brown Contractors. They usually keep their trucks pretty clean as well though. Why do you ask?

[grasshawg]

As I said before. Purely curiosity. I used to roughneck in the oilfield, and Murphy Bros. built alot of our roads. Also, I used to haul propane out of Arcadia from the Martin plant. Passed by their Arcadia shop nearly every day. That's the only rock haulers I know of from your area, so I thought I'd ask.
Randy