Bent Ryko Brush Shaft

[Islandwash]

I installed a Ryko Soft Gloss 5 about 3 years ago. I like it, a good washing simple machine but; I have had the passenger's side entrance brush stub shaft bent and replaced over 9 times. I have raised return air pressures. My Thanksgiving "strike & bend " was caused by a 4 door Ram Pickup with an 8 foot bed. After the last wash pass with the brush turning. At rear of the vehicle, the brush shut off and did not return fast enough and got caught behind truck bending the shaft. The location is an un attended 4 bay self-serve.

 

[MGSMN]

Rear brush bent shafts can be caused by the rear brush getting caught in a hitch or a bike rack installed in the hitch receiver. Then what usually happens is the customer freaks out and tries to drive out of the wash dragging the machine with them which will bend the shaft or rip the arm off the machine. I've also seen people hit a rear arm just driving into the wash.

 

[Islandwash]

I am looking for suggestions to reduce the number of bent shafts. one shaft a year perhaps, but 3 to 4 shafts is excessive. Are there any adjustments that will help? Any signage that has worked?? thanks

 

[MEP001]

I am looking for suggestions to reduce the number of bent shafts.

At rear of the vehicle, the brush shut off and did not return fast enough and got caught behind truck bending the shaft.

Fix this issue.

 

[DavidM]

Was there a hitch on the truck? That seems to be the cause of bent shafts for us. Unfortunately, no one reads signs asking them to remove hitches or they say "I used it before with my hitch on"

David

 

[soapy]

They used to have clutches on the rear arms to prevent this. Don't know if it still a option.

 

[Ryko CS]

On the older machines, the clutched portion was the upper half to help prevent grabbing antennas or mirrors. For the lower portion, I agree with the comments above where it's most likely tangling into a rear trailer hitch or similar. You may want to ensure the rear arms are level though as if they have shifted over time to where they tend to fall "closed", it would take more to retract them. To level them:
Turn off the air, and bleed the system down from the pneumatic panel on the right side of the machine.
Move one of the rear arms in fully, then pull out to ensure no air in the cylinder.
Move that arm all the way to center, then pull back to it's about 1" off the in-stop bumper and let go
It shouldn't really move either in, or out. If it does, it's not level.
Move the arm to the full out position, then move them about 1" off the out-stop bumper and let go.
It shouldn't really move in, or out. If it does, it's also not level.
To level, place a floor jack under the brush to just barely hold it up.
Loosen the top pivot bearing mounting bolts and adjust as needed until you can get the arms to remain
fairly still without air. Once you do, turn the air back on and test.
It should close or retract without requiring "extra" air pressure to do so.
Also make sure there are no binds in the air cylinder clevis'.

 

[MGSMN]

Using a quality soap designed for brush lubrication will help reduce how much the brushes grab also.

 

[MiltonJohn]

I am looking for suggestions to reduce the number of bent shafts. one shaft a year perhaps, but 3 to 4 shafts is excessive. Are there any adjustments that will help? Any signage that has worked?? thanks

I installed a Ryko Soft Gloss 5 about 3 years ago. I like it, a good washing simple machine but; I have had the passenger's side entrance brush stub shaft bent and replaced over 9 times. I have raised return air pressures. My Thanksgiving "strike & bend " was caused by a 4 door Ram Pickup with an 8 foot bed. After the last wash pass with the brush turning. At rear of the vehicle, the brush shut off and did not return fast enough and got caught behind truck bending the shaft. The location is an un attended 4 bay self-serve.

curious if you found a solution. I had 3 shafts replaced due to the same issue for long trucks. It happened yesterday, first this year. It gets expensive!

 

[Islandwash]

On Friday I have my 4rth bent shaft; since posting in November. I should have it running again on Monday. I went to bold signage prohibiting long bed trucks. AS we know customers do not read. This past time it went 10 days before the shaft got bent.

I am still working on a solution. Each time it has been caused by an 8 foot bed pickup with 4 doors. Watching video, the arms are out, the brush is not turning. The arms retract but the passenger side one does not clear the rear of the truck. The gantry is moving and catches the brush and bends the shaft If the brush is turning it rounds the rear corner perfectly

I checked the brushes being level as suggested on the forum, Ok. I shifted to a high lubricity brush soap, I checked retract air pressure. The air cylinders & clevis and all hoses are in order. I cannot use more air pressure because the brush arms slam on the stops.

I started talking with Ryko factory tech support and my regional tech support manager. All are good guys. We started talking in November. The latest thought is that the return speed on the gantry is too fast. Unfortunately, because of COVID and schedules they have been unable yet to get a tech out.

Even though we do the shaft change in house, it is still expensive. A shaft plus a bearing plus several hours of my manager's time. More importantly my almost new Softgloss has acquired a bad local reputation for being down. Each bent shaft causes from 3 to 5 days of lost income. My new machine is broken down more than the machine it replaced

 

[MiltonJohn]

On Friday I have my 4rth bent shaft; since posting in November. I should have it running again on Monday. I went to bold signage prohibiting long bed trucks. AS we know customers do not read. This past time it went 10 days before the shaft got bent.

I am still working on a solution. Each time it has been caused by an 8 foot bed pickup with 4 doors. Watching video, the arms are out, the brush is not turning. The arms retract but the passenger side one does not clear the rear of the truck. The gantry is moving and catches the brush and bends the shaft If the brush is turning it rounds the rear corner perfectly

I checked the brushes being level as suggested on the forum, Ok. I shifted to a high lubricity brush soap, I checked retract air pressure. The air cylinders & clevis and all hoses are in order. I cannot use more air pressure because the brush arms slam on the stops.

I started talking with Ryko factory tech support and my regional tech support manager. All are good guys. We started talking in November. The latest thought is that the return speed on the gantry is too fast. Unfortunately, because of COVID and schedules they have been unable yet to get a tech out.

Even though we do the shaft change in house, it is still expensive. A shaft plus a bearing plus several hours of my manager's time. More importantly my almost new Softgloss has acquired a bad local reputation for being down. Each bent shaft causes from 3 to 5 days of lost income. My new machine is broken down more than the machine it replaced

Thanks for responding . I've done alll those things except slow gantry . My Ryko tech is coming Monday...I'll try that ! I was hit Friday and down now.

 

[Islandwash]

This has been a long running problem for me. After the install in 2019, I got 6 great months out of the machine. After that within 2 months I had 3 bent shafts. One of the shaft bends was a tragedy, because a customer came in washed his minivan, before we knew of the bent shaft. It was over $12,000 worth of damage to his car that my insurance had to pay and for me a $2,000 deductible. Ryko could not find any problem specifically but reset air pressures . Then it went away for almost a year. Then every once in a while. Since last summer it has been terrible.
Your inquiry has helped me a lot. I thought the problem was just me, thank you.

The only saving grace is that one of my employees has it down to under 3 hours to change out the shaft & bearing.

A big help has been watching videos of when the shaft bends. Out of 4 videos it has not been caused by a trailer hitch. Likely it is in the machine program. Prox switch ??? no error codes

 

[Islandwash]

Hopefully solved

Ryko tech changed wash settings on HMI, one change was to end all washes at front of car not the rear. He also changed air pressure and damper valve.

Simple things, but required the right person with the knowledge

 

[MiltonJohn]

Let me know how is works. Hopefully that is a solution. My tech doesn't have the skill set to change the program.
If it works I"ll find a "guy"....

 

[Islandwash]

I feel positive. A good experienced Ryko tech is the essential part. There is propriety knowledge involved.

 

[MiltonJohn]

I feel positive. A good experienced Ryko tech is the essential part. There is propriety knowledge involved.

Checking in to see if it has made a difference reversing the end sequence?
I replaced my shaft two weeks ago and found the bottom saddle bearing cracked near the bolt. I shut it down and plan to weld the saddle bearing tomorrow to hopefully strengthen it.

 

[Islandwash]

Yes, over 2 weeks and counting. I suggest watching your bay video to see what is happening, whenever you get a strike or bent shaft. Your cause may be different. But having the brush stop turning at the front of the car seems better logically. Unless you have the newer Washbuilder HMI you will likely need an experienced Ryko tech to change the program.

 

[MiltonJohn]

Yes, over 2 weeks and counting. I suggest watching your bay video to see what is happening, whenever you get a strike or bent shaft. Your cause may be different. But having the brush stop turning at the front of the car seems better logically. Unless you have the newer Washbuilder HMI you will likely need an experienced Ryko tech to change the program.

Thanks. I do have the washbuilder...I'll call tech support this week for help. Thanks again!

 

[MiltonJohn]

This is a late reply to the bent shaft issue. Ryko had the tech update the software and the issue is gone. It doesn't solve stupid drivers but it did solve the repetitive shaft and arm issue .

 

[Islandwash]

Great, Stupid drivers are a common problem, but come with the territory. As long as the equipment is set up right .