Moving FB from wall to ceiling

[dusovt]

I need to replace my wall mounted FB booms and cant help but look at the fancy-schmancy (insert your favorite brand name) double ceiling booms. Had a few questions for operators who are using double booms:

1) Do customers really notice the difference? Does it seem to minimize the weight of the brush/hose when in use? Do they appear to stop the hose slap?

2) I already have my weep boxes on the same side as the wand holder - does this present a problem? I see from most of the pictures that they setup new washes with the brush opposite the wand holder.

Appreciate any info...thanks!

-chris-

 

[MEP001]

The only time I've seen it as a problem is when the idiots who "double-team" (One uses the high-pressure while another uses the brush), and they get banged together and left twisted up so no one else can get in the bay. It's a bigger problem than with the old-style wall mount boom because the hoses tend to block the bay completely. Otherwise it works better for the customer because the foam brush is easier to use, but it doesn't completely keep the hose off the car.

 

[Twodose]

I think they are easier for the customer to use as they can go all the way around the car if they are used the way they are intended and that is one at a time.

Like mep said when you get 2 people using them at the same time they will bang together, get twisted up.

Overall I think they are a definite upgrade from the wall mounted booms.

 

[Jim L.]

My distributor set my bays with 2 single booms 6’ apart. One is nearer the entrance and the other nearer the exit….wand holder on one side and brush holder on the other. I like it OK but like MEP said they usually get tangled when “double teamed”. If I could do over I think I would try the “Z” boom setup.

 

[Waxman]

I was thinking of trying something like extending my wall mount fb booms to minimize hose slap and get around cars a bit easier.

 

[Eric H]

2) I already have my weep boxes on the same side as the wand holder - does this present a problem? I see from most of the pictures that they setup new washes with the brush opposite the wand holder.

Am I reading this correctly that your wand and FB are on the same wall? If they are the double booms will not work properly.
You also mention weep boxes. Is this a CW that Bob Hughes supplied equipment for? It would be Monorail equipment if you do not know who Bob was.

If you are looking for z- style booms I would recommend Zierden. I have 12 Zierden and 8 mosmatic booms and I prefer the Zierden for both price and easy maintenance.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

1) Do customers really notice the difference? Does it seem to minimize the weight of the brush/hose when in use? Do they appear to stop the hose slap?

yes. yes. yes.
I find them to be significantly more convenient for my customers, I definitely recommend them.

2) I already have my weep boxes on the same side as the wand holder - does this present a problem?

maybe - as others indicated, the dual booms can get tangled up. If your weep boxes are far enough apart you might be ok.
(FYI, mine get tangled only rarely - maybe 3 or 4 times a year in 1 bay.)

 

[dusovt]

Am I reading this correctly that your wand and FB are on the same wall? If they are the double booms will not work properly.
You also mention weep boxes. Is this a CW that Bob Hughes supplied equipment for? It would be Monorail equipment if you do not know who Bob Hughes

hi Eric -
Quite the sleuth you are - yes the original build was Monorail equipment (late eighties). I am struggling to remember if Bob was the guy - I seem to remember a Mike.

They are on the same wall and are setup for reclaim capture so I am not inclined to move them to the other side of the bay.

-chris-

 

[mjc3333]

Am I reading this correctly that your wand and FB are on the same wall? If they are the double booms will not work properly.
You also mention weep boxes. Is this a CW that Bob Hughes supplied equipment for? It would be Monorail equipment if you do not know who Bob was.

If you are looking for z- style booms I would recommend Zierden. I have 12 Zierden and 8 mosmatic booms and I prefer the Zierden for both price and easy maintenance.

Are the Zierden booms stainless steel?
What is the main difference in mantenance between the two?
Why do you have both types of booms?

 

[mjc3333]

yes. yes. yes.
I find them to be significantly more convenient for my customers, I definitely recommend them.


maybe - as others indicated, the dual booms can get tangled up. If your weep boxes are far enough apart you might be ok.
(FYI, mine get tangled only rarely - maybe 3 or 4 times a year in 1 bay.)

What brand booms do you use?

Do you like one brand over another and why?

 

[Eric H]

Are the Zierden booms stainless steel?
What is the main difference in mantenance between the two?
Why do you have both types of booms?

The Zierden have an aluminum boom arm and the swivel and mounting bracket are some kind of anodized steel as far as I can tell. The mosmatic are made of SS. The thing about the mosmatic that I do not like is the special adaptors that they use on the hose ends. My local hose shop does not carry them, though they can be special ordered. I think they might be European thread.
I can say that the mosmatic swivels do last a very long time. For the price they better last long. In two years of having the Zierdens I have only replaced the 2 o-rings in the swivel on one boom. So those seem to last a long time (and are very cheaply priced) too.
I did have a Zierden boom bend a little. I just bent it back. Worse case would be having a muffler/machine shop bend a new arm. I can take the Arm off in about 3 minutes.
The Mosmatic booms I have are in a newer wash that I built in '04. I just told the distributor I wanted the Mosmatic. Had I looked at the $800+ price tag per boom back then I would not have purchased them. The $250+/- for the Zeirdens seems more reasonable.

Let me know if you have any more questions. I don't want to ramble on too long here

 

[MEP001]

Dralco makes a "Z" boom in stainless that uses no special fittings for hoses and is about half the cost of Mosmatic. Maintenance depends entirely on the swivel used, which can be replaced for around $15. Dralco booms can be flexed 90° without harm. With 12½' tall bays I can change a bay hose without a ladder.

 

[JIMBO]

I use 2 'maxi-flex' booms bent into a z shape with a cheap pipe bender in my bays.Mounted them about 3 ft apart.Easy to service.they cost about $ 110 (about $210 now from kleen rite) 6 or 7 yrs ago ,and still good as new.