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Self-Serve High Pressure hoses wearing out

SoakZone

Member
We are running 1400psi out of our Hot Rinse but we are finding that our hoses are wearing out and fraying where they come into contact with the cement floor.

Product suggestions on better quality single-ply high pressure hoses and/or sleeves to put over top of them to prevent them from wearing out.

We just opened up in January 2020 and already have had to replace 3 hoses.

Thanks!
 
You don't want to let your hoses drag on the bay floor, they'll wear out. Use a shorter hose so they don't drag on the bay floor. Our bay hoses last for years, we replace them when the outer jacket starts to crack by the gun.
 
Our 8 bays are 19"x25" with overhead swinging booms. Contact with the cement is inevitable when smaller cars come through. We have hooks all over the place, too... but you know how customers leave the bays!

Anyone install a type of sleeve over the hose that might come in contact with the floor?
 
The 15' hoses work perfect for me.

I replace as necessary. I keep spares on hand and you should, too.

Hoses are a wearable item that you need to regularly replace. If a hose is worn out it's a sign that it has made you ample $$$, so you should just replace it with a big smile on your face.
 
I’ve always used this rule for hose length...
High pressure: boom to floor measurement PLUS 3 ft.
Foam brush: boom to floor measurement PLUS 4 ft.

I find this provides convenient operation for 90–95% of the population and extends hose life by keeping them from dragging on the bay floor.
 
I’ve always used this rule for hose length...
High pressure: boom to floor measurement PLUS 3 ft.
Foam brush: boom to floor measurement PLUS 4 ft.

I find this provides convenient operation for 90–95% of the population and extends hose life by keeping them from dragging on the bay floor.
Great advice... I'll pass that along to the owner! Thanks!
 
There are wrapped pressure hoses that hold up better against dragging on the ground, but I agree with the other advice, they shouldn't be dragging on the ground.

High pressure: boom to floor measurement PLUS 3 ft.
I'll check mine, but that sounds pretty accurate. FWIW I don't like when the hose hits my ankles when I walk around a car. It's the most comfortable when the low point is around my knee.
 
There are wrapped pressure hoses that hold up better against dragging on the ground, but I agree with the other advice, they shouldn't be dragging on the ground.


I'll check mine, but that sounds pretty accurate. FWIW I don't like when the hose hits my ankles when I walk around a car. It's the most comfortable when the low point is around my knee.
How do you find the length when washing a dually 3/4 ton? We sometimes have bucket trucks come through and cube vans, too... would that shortening of the hose still enable the customer to reach all the way around?
 
I have 16 foot bay doors with the boom mounted about 18 feet high and 32 footlong bays and my hoses have never drug on the ground. I run a 3 foot hose down from the end of the boom that almost never wears out and makes it easier to replace hoses when needed. I just started using the new lighter poly braid hose that has bend restrictors on each end that I get from Kleenrite. They are a bit more money but are very light and so far doing a great job.
 
How do you find the length when washing a dually 3/4 ton? We sometimes have bucket trucks come through and cube vans, too... would that shortening of the hose still enable the customer to reach all the way around?
then they have to deal or find elsewhere to go. just focus on catering to the masses, that will make you the money. or you could build an outside bay with a tall boom.
 
then they have to deal or find elsewhere to go. just focus on catering to the masses, that will make you the money. or you could build an outside bay with a tall boom.
True that... We do have three 115" Truck wash bays, but those guys seem to prefer the 19'x25' bays lol
 
How do you find the length when washing a dually 3/4 ton? We sometimes have bucket trucks come through and cube vans, too... would that shortening of the hose still enable the customer to reach all the way around?
I drive an extended Ford Transit 250, and I can get around that very easily. I see people washing bucket trucks and cube vans all the time and they don't seem to have any trouble. I could go at least two feet longer on the hoses without them dragging the ground, but as it is there's already way too much washing of stuff outside the bays. I'm not in the business of making it easier for idiots to make a mess I can't clean up without rolling out equipment to wash down the lot.

I've seen a tunnel setup without booms where they put several short pieces of PVC pipe over the hose. It stays at the lowest point and protects the hose from wearing.
 
The hoses in our large bay were wearing out due to dragging on the concrete, so when I installed the new hose, I basically "shortened" it by creating a loop up high with some cable ties. It can still access the whole of the bay, but prevents the wear from the concrete. In the future, I'll order replacement hoses at a length that I don't need to create the loop.
 
I use the spiral wrap from KR JM Mustng shows above for my Air Freshener and Shampoo machine hose now and it stops them fom breaking where they flex in the middle and scrape the ground. It's cheap enough to experiment with.
 
What I've done to solve the problem of the hose touching the floor is I bought some of the springs you see transport trucks have on the back of the cab to hold their air lines up and out of the way. Simply take 2 heavy duty tie wraps, fasten the one end up at the boom and then create a loop of whatever size you need between the ends of the spring. This keeps the hose off the floor and allows the customer the ability to use the whole length of hose when needed by stretching the spring. Hope this helps. Kevin
 
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