My $500 gamble--Fleet washing rig & I dont fleet wash

oxfordlawn

New member
OK I picked this unit up over the weekend. I just wanted the trailer and the large tank but ended up with everything else. The history is that this older couple bought this rig for their son to start a fleet washing business in Oregon and he used it for a year and gave up. He moved on to the corporate world and they have been lugging this thing around for years and even had it moved here to Florida because the hubby was considering getting something started. Well last year they had it serviced, and checked out...the hubby got a different job and the thing sat for another year so now it wont start due to gummed carb and stale gas. So I wanted the trailer and tank---popped the cover on the pump box and saw the 10 GPM pump and said wow to myself--these suckers are expensive. So I offered $500, they took it and now its in my driveway. I cant even figure out all the plumbing and water softening and valves and lines and....anyway, thought Iwould share and will update my progress on getting it running. Wont take much.
 

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If you wanted to flip it for more money, let me know.
 
I think you scored! that is a great fleetwashing set up. hose is costly enough.
 
Great deal that is a nice 2 step set up. Pump is probably a 5-6 gpm set up at the most with that small float tank 10 gpm would not likely keep up. The switches on the gun are for start/stop and soap1,2 or rinse. Looks to me like the tank is just a softener tank that feeds into the tank or direct feeds to the float tank. Good find you should be able to do a good job with that.
 
Most of those 2-step setups I have seen are from 4 to 5gpm and up to 2000psi with the chemicals running through the pump, aluminum brightener and high ph soap.

Over time the pump head/manifold will wash out and it is usually almost the same price to rebuild the pump as to replace it with the CAT brand. The aluminum brightener takes it's toll on the head/manifold.
 
you guys are right===after working on it the last couple hours, the pulse dampener says 10 GPM 3000 PSI not the pump. the pump has the serial # 58RSG118 on a plate, and google comes back with nothing, so I dont know for sure what it is---just like everything else on this trailer!

funny story #1 : well after about an hour of work taking the carb apart and cleaning, dumping the old gas and replacing the dry fuel lines and fuel filter, I attempted to start it. I had the wand on the ground by my feet thinking one of those switches may be an on/off switch. So I crank it over and keep misting carb cleaner in the carb to keep it running. after about 30 seconds it runs smooth and its off and running on its own.
Well did anyone notice there is no trigger on the wand handle?? me either:shrug:. So the motors running, I have water in the tank, and all of a sudden the wand takes off, wacks me in the ankle spins off the trailer and wedges itself in the garage! Holy Crap that scared the hell out of me.:eek:
But it runs and shoots out tons of pressure and gobbles up the water out of the tank fast. I need to figure out all the 3 way ball valves on this thing quick. thats all for now
 
Great deal that is a nice 2 step set up. Pump is probably a 5-6 gpm set up at the most with that small float tank 10 gpm would not likely keep up. The switches on the gun are for start/stop and soap1,2 or rinse. Looks to me like the tank is just a softener tank that feeds into the tank or direct feeds to the float tank. Good find you should be able to do a good job with that.
I also got a very large white plastic barrel, im guessing 50 gallon or so which is supposed to be the brine tank. again dunno and will ask when the time comes.
As far as doing a good job with it, dont think I will ever use the wash setup, but time will tell. When its done and I have it all back together, I will probably get an idea of what its worth on here and put up the pump and wash parts for sale---again time will tell.
 
A new two step system can be super expensive. You not only got a good.deal,but that could qualify as a you suck deal..



*a you suck deal is nothing but positive.
 
@ micah : thanks for the PDF file

@Scott : Yeah this was just one of those "right place at right times".It will probably go up for sale on here, im just not done playing with it yet--I will probably sell the unit & softener, not the trailer or large tank.
 
One of the switches on the gun is to switch from one chemical in the front position to rinse in the middle position to the other chemical in the back position.

The other switch is to slow down the engine/disengage the clutch so no water is flowing so you can talk, walk around or do whatever you need to do then switch back into the "on" position so water is flowing again then apply the aluminum brightener then soap then rinse (2-stepping).

Feel free to call if you have questions.

Russ at Southside can fixit/work on it if you need it repaired.

There are about 4 or 5 companies out there selling those systems.

The water softener tank is good for fleet washing also, it softens the water so the chemicals work a little bit better.

If you have a separate brine tank, you just add the water softener salt once in a while so the system can regenerate when needed. You probably have to manually regenerate if the system does not have power all the time to keep track of the gallons used up.
 
Chris thanks for taking the time to type all that up. After reading that and cleaning up the mess made by my runaway wand--I went out and "played" again. The 3 way switch for the 2 stepping and both solenoids are working and can suck from both soap jugs--so that part works---surprise surprise.
The other switch was making no difference on the engine speed, and the only way to cut the water from coming out the wand was to walk over and shut down the whole machine. There is a "actuator" with three electrical wires and a throttle cable attatched to the carb, so I assume this is controlled by flipping that switch. The choke cable is pretty stiff so I am going to assume this throttle cable is probably in need of some lube as well, or some actuator work. does this sound right?? Am I on the right track as to the operation of that throttle actuator? this is the speed control you speak of which will slow the motor and stop the water flow to the gun?
 

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You are on the right track. Some systems have clutches to disengage the pump from the engine, some slow down the engine, the possibilities are almost endless.

You can probably get the actuator working and it will slow down the engine.

That is good that the solenoids work, sounds like the whole rig has been not used in a lot of years.

It sounds like it might not stop the flow of water, probably just slow it down if there is no electric clutch that you can see between the engine and pump.

It looks like there is a gearbox but I can't see a clutch from the picture, do you see any wires going to the gearbox?

Sounds like you don't have too much more work to do to get it running.

Good Luck.
 
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