Tip Protectors

[jimbeaux]

I'm looking for a good brand of tip protectors, tried several different ones that I am not completely happy with. Just wondering what kind other operators are having good luck with.
Thanks for any info or thoughts you might have.

 

[MEP001]

The two I like the most are the GinSan and the Hamel, both of which are sold by Kleen-Rite. The GinSan do get brittle in extreme cold and break, but in general they wear well. The Hamel ones are more flexible when it's cold, but I hate the way the end gets "fuzzy" from all the scraping they get.

 

[soapy]

I finally got tired of all the tip protector designs. My customers were always cutting them off. I finally had some metal ones made at a local shop then had them coated with Rhino liner truck bed liner. They have lasted for years and I am not constantly replacing them. I showed the design to hamel mfg. once and they said they were going to start making them but it never happened.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Now that is a good idea. My only issues is that some people use them to try and bust up wheel well ice buildup which ends up plugging the protector and therefore the tip. Have you had any issues like that?

 

[CRHAMEL]

Soapy..Did you talk to my Dad or me at show???How long ago did we chat?? Sorry for the oversight. We have had trying a last year but we are doing very Here is what we came up with. It seems that the TP get really abused in the washes. People have all variations of what works for them. We make a Quality part that and we try to keep the format simple so that it can be changed to accommodate everyone, But the off the shelf application that fits everyone needs can be tough.I have had customers tell me that TP are best/cheapest "insurance" policy that a person can get.That piece of soft plastic covers the SS nozzle and they wont damage their car when the high pressure shuts off
Thank you for your support any questions or concerns please feel free to give me a call
Chris Hamel

 

[soapy]

It was your dad that I talked to a few years back. We rode together out to kleenrites new warehouse for a get together at one of the car wash shows. My tips is a piece of metal tubing cut about the length of a regular tip protector about a 1 1/2 inch round. A round circle of metal like a washer is welded on one end with a hole for the nozzle to go through. The nozzle holds it onto the end of the wand. The whole metal tip piece is rubber coated so it can't scratch anything. They out last any tip protector I have seen by at least 10 times. Plus it makes the loud WHOOSHING sound that gives a impression of power IMO.

 

[Jeff_L]

I wonder instead of using rhino liner you could use the flexseal in a can? Might be cheaper.

 

[jimbeaux]

Thanks for the replies
Soapy, that sounds like a great ideal and something that I will work toward. Just a wild thought, I wonder if an empty shotgun shell would work by drilling the correct size of hole in the brass side and then rubber coating the plastic end to look nice? Like I said just a wild first thought.

 

[CRHAMEL]

To all on this post...
If you guys want to give our TP a try I am willing to GIVE you some to try (say 10 or so)
I will even pay the freight....Just shot me a email with your address and what color you want... Red/Blk/Blu
Chris

 

[soapy]

The reason I used the metal is because my customers here constantly cut the plastic ones up. I have also used plastic dip to coat them.

 

[jimbeaux]

To all on this post...
If you guys want to give our TP a try I am willing to GIVE you some to try (say 10 or so)
I will even pay the freight....Just shot me a email with your address and what color you want... Red/Blk/Blu
Chris

E-Mail sent, Thanks for your generous offer.

 

[Greg Pack]

The reason I used the metal is because my customers here constantly cut the plastic ones up. I have also used plastic dip to coat them.

OK, you got me on this one. Why do they cut them off? In twenty years I can't recall this happening to me.

 

[soapy]

I would guess that it is so they can get the wand in closer when cleaning engines, wheel wells etc. It happens at four different location so it is not just one person. I guess it is my area of the country.

 

[CRHAMEL]

Jim,
Please ck you PM...
Chris

 

[mjwalsh]

dump gun nozzle tip protectors --- an engineering challenge?

Jim,
Please ck you PM...
Chris

Chris & Soapy,

Out of curiosity, have you folks ever tried to make a tip protector that will work for a dump gun such as the dump gun that Cat Pumps & KleenRite sell.

I am not sure how many operators like us who have tried the regular guns & prefer the dump guns. From our perspective it would be useful if there was a way also shroud the entire opening at the end of the gun --- so it did not cause the customers to get their pants wet when we tried the more commonly used tip protectors like the ones on your website.

I am sure they would need to cost more but if they were durable they would be worth it --- because it seems like it would help prevent those naughty hunters-mudders or whoever from clogging our nozzles --- as a result of digging under their wheel wells.

Mike

 

[CRHAMEL]

Mike,
Are you able to send me a pic of what the end of the wand you are working with...I am sure we can figure something out
Chirs

 

[jimbeaux]

I wanted to post an update on my tip protector question. Chris Hamel sent me not only the tip protectors to try but a very generous sample of his products. Many thanks to Chris! The tip protectors work great and I really like the Vac cleanout tub he offers.