mitter problems

[carnut2]

Just recently, our mitters have been damaging rear wipers and does not seem to have the same action it used to. Do these go bad or out of adjustment.

 

[madstack]

If the mitter is pulling the wiper away from the window and damage occurs as a result of the blade "T"ing with the arm, they do sell plastic sleeves that prevent the T.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Just recently, our mitters have been damaging rear wipers and does not seem to have the same action it used to. Do these go bad or out of adjustment.

If you specify the brand and type of mitter you have that would help. If the problem did not occur before there are some guesses.

A. You have rips or tears in the cloth that's catching.

B. You have a worn pitman arm or connection that has changed the action.

C. Your liquid solution to the mitter has changed because of a clogged dilution tip or other reason making it less slippery (Or you have changed to a less slippery product. )

 

[bmattivi]

mitter curtain damage

I have an autec 425, almost three years old from day one I have had an issue with the mitter curtains tearing off the passenger side wiper blade, may wash 200 cars just fine and then it takes one off. in fact I drive a 2009 gmc sierra and it ALWAYS HAS LIFTED THE PASSENGER SIDE BLADE but never ripped it off. My wash water chemical tank is clean, just cleaned it and the lines, I run it wide open for chemical and I just had autec's chemist review my msds sheets for my chemical and they found nothing lacking for lubricity and my mitter curtains are all less than 6 months old no tears, rips, etc. just recently I also tore off two gps antennas the ones that go in the center on the roof, the second one cost me $500 to repair on a Cadillac, ripped the little antenna right off and lifted the entire base from the roof. I have since taken the center row of mitter curtains off (total of 4) but just took another passenger side wiper blade off just a few minutes ago, I am thinking of taking every other row of mitter clothe off to see if this helps, any suggestions?

 

[Earl Weiss]

Not really familiar with this unit. Is it a "Side to side" mitter?

 

[bmattivi]

mitter curtain damage

no it is a moving gantry with mitters swinging front to back and then back to front

 

[robert roman]

Cleaning of horizontal and vertical surfaces is function of chemical, type of material and penetration, lubricity, speed and angle of attack (brush to surface).

Based on the effects you described, I would begin by checking angle of attack; are gantry and tracks properly aligned to the floor.

Did the installer follow directions in adjusting tracks? If there are more shims in place than recommended, this suggests possibility of improper install.

Things usually break when equipment is not moving according to specs. Is the gantry moving too fast? Typical gantry speed is 5 meters per minute.

Taking out rows of cloth would only reduce the opportunity to make contact with surface thereby reducing the amount of horsepower applied to surface and therefore less work (cleaning) is completed.

425 comes with mitter retract. Why aren’t you using it to side-step the problem vehicles?

 

[Earl Weiss]

I can only guess vis a vis the autec unit. As described it seems that the PS wiper at rest has the tip to the right. The cloth could catch this tip as it comes across the fender. One problem unique to a gantry unit is that as the coth moves across the mitter not only moves from the from of the car to the rear, but does it also contact the car in the opposite direction, rear to front which would be the opposite of tunnel travel? I could see (again a guess) that in the normal tunnel front to rear direction the stuff would not pull away as it does in rear to front travel. Have you seen it happen on your truck and other vehicles? was the gantry moving rear to front when it happened? If so, and there is a retract can it be retracted or stopped for this direction?

if that's not it... I got nuthin. Good luck.

 

[bmattivi]

mitter curtain damage

the mitter retract only comes on when the vehicle is done washing, the damage is done but thanks for your input

 

[carnut2]

Thanks for suggestions. An update. We use Peco side to side mitters. All cloth in good shape, barely three years old. Use water for lubrication, just like side wraps, etc. All mechanisms seem to be operating properly. Tried plastic bags, customers hated, and cost prohibitive. Not an everyday problem, just an inconvenience for us and customer.

 

[Earl Weiss]

2 Xarnut 2 and Bmattivi,

Soap should be injected into the cleaning solution, not just water. Test the solution being sprayed on the cloth. JUst because the MSDS sheet says the tuff has lubricity does not mean the injection ssytem is working correctly.

 

[KwikClean]

Use water for lubrication, just like side wraps, etc.

I would suggest either direct injection a type of low pH lubricant or mounting a set of foamers prior to the mitters to apply a low pH detergent. This may aid in reducing surface tension of the cloth on the wipers and other parts of the vehicle.

As i posted this, I saw Earl posted something very similar..sorry for the reduntincy

 

[Earl Weiss]

I would suggest either direct injection a type of low pH lubricant or mounting a set of foamers prior to the mitters to apply a low pH detergent. This may aid in reducing surface tension of the cloth on the wipers and other parts of the vehicle.

FWIW I asked a cloth mfgr which did a better job of lubricating. Soapy liquid applied to the cloth or foaming the soap on the vehicle. His answer was soapy solution applied to the cloth.

 

[KwikClean]

FWIW I asked a cloth mfgr which did a better job of lubricating. Soapy liquid applied to the cloth or foaming the soap on the vehicle. His answer was soapy solution applied to the cloth.

Not disagreeing; just curious...What was his reasoning for injecting rather than foaming?

 

[Earl Weiss]

Not disagreeing; just curious...What was his reasoning for injecting rather than foaming?

Foam just gets on the surface of the cloth or vehicle. Applying to the top of the curtains and in betwen as they move and similarly with rotational devices coats the entire surface of the material keeping it clean and slippery so as parts of the car or protrusions get in between the material they are still hitting a slippery portion. It also helps flush any contaminants from material better than foam.

 

[KwikClean]

Foam just gets on the surface of the cloth or vehicle. Applying to the top of the curtains and in betwen as they move and similarly with rotational devices coats the entire surface of the material keeping it clean and slippery so as parts of the car or protrusions get in between the material they are still hitting a slippery portion. It also helps flush any contaminants from material better than foam.

That's great, makes perfect sense.
Thanks for the insight my friend!

 

[buda]

Get a 3" roll of 3M masking tape and tape the rear wipers to the back window. I know several high volume exterior car washes that do this and have no further problems with rear wipers.

Bud Abraham

 

[carnut2]

Thanks for all the input. Two things. Our customers do not like tape or bags on their wipers. Who's going to take them off? Second, we already are barely getting the cars rinsed off, if we add soap to mitters, they are right before rinse bar. Was wondering about our layout and would like some input. In order,our tunnel is presoak, high pressure rinse, foaming shampoo, top brush, side wraps, mitters, rinse bar. Does this sound right?

 

[buda]

Understand your plight, but some of the best and highest volume express washes in the country bag and tape rear blades by telling the customer, very nicelyy, that it is the only way to protect the rear wiper blade. If they do not want them to do this it will be at their risk. You can condition them to accept this method.
Bag when vehicle is wet, tape when dry.

For advise on proper rinsing with shampoo on mitter contact Dan Hanna of Kaady Chemical 503-783-1679 or dhanna@kaadychemical.com he can help you

Bud Abraham

 

[KwikClean]

Thanks for all the input. Two things. Our customers do not like tape or bags on their wipers. Who's going to take them off? Second, we already are barely getting the cars rinsed off, if we add soap to mitters, they are right before rinse bar. Was wondering about our layout and would like some input. In order,our tunnel is presoak, high pressure rinse, foaming shampoo, top brush, side wraps, mitters, rinse bar. Does this sound right?

Maybe adding a rain bar or something to that effect. have a hard water rinse, prior to your (assuming, I didn't see you list any) drying agent/clear coat arch followed by another rinse (spot free or just normal) or increase the GPM of the spray nozzles of the rinse arch to increase the flushing capabilities of your rinse arch.