We are finalizing financing and plans for our IBA to tunnel conversion and trying to make a decision on mitter or top brush. If you were to build a tunnel today, which would it be? Any other suggestions for equipment would be much appreciated! Tunnel length will be 60'. Thanks in advance.
mitter or top brush?
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Earl Weiss
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There is a trade off. Brush will clean better than Mitters. Brush will have more hassles and the amount depends on demographics. For Pick up trucks and other vehicles with roof racks you will need re tracts for the brush which of course affects cleaning (Same issue with Taxis with large roof top ads) I had Top brushes for many years. Still have one. I have removed them and replaced with triple mitters. With 60 feet you don't have that option. Have had 2 Sonny's 901 Mitters and I would say the action is equal to 3 of some other mitters, but they are noisier. (I start them when car is already in the mitter to lessen this. A local short tunnel is being built with twin AVW Mitters and 1 set of wraps. At a slow line speed this may do a good job.
Earl,
Right now we have plans to install 2 top brushes. I would imagine that would allow me to keep line speed up since they clean better, correct?
Also how does the retract of the top brush affect cleaning of PU trucks? And does the mitter curtains get into the back of the PUs cause any issues with them picking up crap?
Right now we have plans to install 2 top brushes. I would imagine that would allow me to keep line speed up since they clean better, correct?
Also how does the retract of the top brush affect cleaning of PU trucks? And does the mitter curtains get into the back of the PUs cause any issues with them picking up crap?
Earl Weiss
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I only had manual retracts on my top Brushes so I will let someone else here comment on auto retracts. My manual ones will let the brush clean the hood and roof and the loader would hit the retract switch for the Bed. So, of course it would not do the top Side rails. They also had to remember to put it down for the next car. Have no issues with mitters grabbing stuff in Pickups but it can still create an issue if something hangs over the side and a Wrap grabs it or a Blower blows it out. I'll save the horror story specifics. So, it's still a good idea not to have anything in there.
In November 2014, we replaced 1 side-to-side and 2 front-to-back mitters with a top brush with a top wheel and front-to back mitter from Belanger and the difference was significant. Windshields come out perfect and only the worst bird droppings have some leftover. As for the retract, the wheel goes up inches past the windshield. We raise for pickups (caps or no) and roof racks with cross pieces. No ski racks. Mitters will pick up grease or sand and spread it nicely over the next vehicle so the bed must be clear before they go through.
RJMurph
New member
Are you using any high pressure equipment?
High pressure helps as a bandaid for stuff missed on top cleaning equipment.
I have very little expirence with top brushes, but like earl said about retracts there is mild risk to be accounted for with using them. The wash that I have expirence with also had a sonar truck bed sensor that would retract the brush when a bed was detected. Worked really slick. Only issue was when there was a tool box at the front of the bed and the sensor would read it as a closed bed and the brush would fall into the bed. So loader had to put in a top retract for tool boxes.
In my expertise I can say that mitters are as easy as it can get. Very plug and play. Nothing to adjust or worry about. Plus the only real maintinance that goes into them is keeping it clean, grease it when nessasary, and replace material when worn. However the only one that really works well IMO is a sonny's 901 front to back. We have one in all of our locations and it works fantastic! No issues with open beds.
Honestly both in conjunction could go swiftly.
Good luck!!
High pressure helps as a bandaid for stuff missed on top cleaning equipment.
I have very little expirence with top brushes, but like earl said about retracts there is mild risk to be accounted for with using them. The wash that I have expirence with also had a sonar truck bed sensor that would retract the brush when a bed was detected. Worked really slick. Only issue was when there was a tool box at the front of the bed and the sensor would read it as a closed bed and the brush would fall into the bed. So loader had to put in a top retract for tool boxes.
In my expertise I can say that mitters are as easy as it can get. Very plug and play. Nothing to adjust or worry about. Plus the only real maintinance that goes into them is keeping it clean, grease it when nessasary, and replace material when worn. However the only one that really works well IMO is a sonny's 901 front to back. We have one in all of our locations and it works fantastic! No issues with open beds.
Honestly both in conjunction could go swiftly.
Good luck!!
JMMUSTANG
car wash owner
Peco makes a retractable mitter curtain.
Don't know anything about it though.
MCRT MITTING CURTAIN RETRACT SYSTEM OPTION (04 SERIES)
MFG
ECO MFG#:MCRT
PECO PART #550251
YOU MAY ALSO NEED:
028085 4W1 4-WAY VALVE(1) 1-CONTROL 24vac
This unit is designed to retract a mitting curtain cloth if needed. The unit will retract the cloth for a 6-foot clearance to let the vehicle pass.
Available only on MC04 & g, & MC08 & g series mitting curtains.
Don't know anything about it though.
MCRT MITTING CURTAIN RETRACT SYSTEM OPTION (04 SERIES)
MFG
ECO MFG#:MCRT PECO PART #550251
YOU MAY ALSO NEED:
028085 4W1 4-WAY VALVE(1) 1-CONTROL 24vac
This unit is designed to retract a mitting curtain cloth if needed. The unit will retract the cloth for a 6-foot clearance to let the vehicle pass.
Available only on MC04 & g, & MC08 & g series mitting curtains.