Car Wash Forum
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Tunnel equipment life expectancy
- Thread starter Rusted6
- Start date
Earl Weiss
Well-known member
You ask a simple question with a complicated answer. If the structural components are Stainless and / or Aluminum they will last indefinitely. Most everything that moves or makes contact has some life expectancy but it can vary from 100,000 cars to millions of cars. Washing material varies based upon type - Filament, foam or cloth and types of cloth.
MEP001
Well-known member
Also type of vehicles washed - one manufacturer told me that brushes on their machines in their area last twice as long as the ones sold here because a much higher percentage of vehicles washed here are trucks. They even make the bottom section of the side brushes black to hide the grease and grime picked up off of ball hitch receivers.
Depends on wash volume. If you don't wash many cars, the equipment will last a long time.
Cloth will last longer than foam; but I don't like cloth. Personal presence.
The most common thing I replace is bearings and hoses/polytube due to age and wear.
The actual framing last forever. Especially if it's stainless steel.
Cloth will last longer than foam; but I don't like cloth. Personal presence.
The most common thing I replace is bearings and hoses/polytube due to age and wear.
The actual framing last forever. Especially if it's stainless steel.
Earl Weiss
Well-known member
Depends. Had top brush Foam OEM from AVW and I don't think it lasted 100K cars before shedding pieces and I went thru several sets. Got replacement from Erie and it's lasted 3-5 Times longer with nary a sign of wear.
Thanks everyone for the input so far, I know it’s like how log is a piece of sting And how many cars it washes but I’m trying Work out when car wash Tunnel is Classed as still in great condition and not starting to have problems putting aside normal maintenance.
Are you talking 5, 10 20 years ?
Are you talking 5, 10 20 years ?
Equipment is rebuildable and the framing should last as long as parts are available to rebuild the components attached. This is why I prefer bare aluminum or stainless equipment. Typically equipment is replaced when an upgraded version is available or you just don’t like the equipment/manufacturer you have now.
If you go powder coated it looks great on the front end but becomes a headache later on.
Be careful when picking things out like free vacuum arches as they are often made of steel so the lifespan is cut down drastically or becomes a painting headache every year.
IMO the big exception is the conveyor as well as blowers. If I have an older blower that is beat up and the motor goes I’d prefer to replace the entire thing. If a conveyor is having issues at multiple points and some of the more expensive components are at the end of their life I may replace.
Now, just because the equipment lasts a long time doesn’t mean repairs are cheap. A high pressure pump replacement can cost around 50% of the cost of an entire new pump stand.
If this is an express wash typically repairs really jump up year 3. That doesn’t mean you won’t have repairs year 1-2 but year 3 typically gets heavy.
If you go powder coated it looks great on the front end but becomes a headache later on.
Be careful when picking things out like free vacuum arches as they are often made of steel so the lifespan is cut down drastically or becomes a painting headache every year.
IMO the big exception is the conveyor as well as blowers. If I have an older blower that is beat up and the motor goes I’d prefer to replace the entire thing. If a conveyor is having issues at multiple points and some of the more expensive components are at the end of their life I may replace.
Now, just because the equipment lasts a long time doesn’t mean repairs are cheap. A high pressure pump replacement can cost around 50% of the cost of an entire new pump stand.
If this is an express wash typically repairs really jump up year 3. That doesn’t mean you won’t have repairs year 1-2 but year 3 typically gets heavy.
Earl Weiss
Well-known member
Agreed that conveyors reach a point of repairs exceeding replacement cost. Most everything else with Stainless or aluminum bones lasts indefinitely. I have stuff going back 30 Plus years. As long as parts are available I will continue to maintain them. . Brushes still Spin and Mitters go front to back, side to side or in a circle,
HI, I am in the same place as you were in 2020. I looked online where it was mentioned industrial equipment (new one) don't get Finananced for more than 10 years. I don't expect the equipment to last more than 10.
let me know if this was helpful !
with a good weekly and monthly preventative maintenance and supply of parts, equipment can last indefinitely.
one of my tunnel is 18 years old and the only thing i finally had to replace was my conveyor, mitters (basket frame eroded away too much), and dryers (rebuilt motors on some of them 3x).
still washes as good as any other washes because the chemistry is good and wraps spin just as well as any new equipment.
one of my tunnel is 18 years old and the only thing i finally had to replace was my conveyor, mitters (basket frame eroded away too much), and dryers (rebuilt motors on some of them 3x).
still washes as good as any other washes because the chemistry is good and wraps spin just as well as any new equipment.