Which Tunnel Equipment?

[soakd]

Good afternoon,

I am about to start construction on a new 130' tunnel. We get pretty mucky roads in the winter so I am looking at installing 2 sets of wraps. I'm on the fence between Belanger Quickfire wraps and Sonny's wraps. From what I've read the Belanger Quickfires may do a better job, but do they break down? How bad is the maintenance? They have a lot of moving parts so I'm a bit concerned. How are the Sonny's wraps? Do they get the job done?

Thanks!

 

[Earl Weiss]

My Experience: 1 Tunnel with Sonny's Spider wrap 901 Mitter configuration, 2 Tunnels with 2 sets of AVW wraps each. One Tunnel with one older Gen Belangers (Not Quick fire) and One AVW set. All can do a good job.
No air Cylinders used on AVWs or Sonny's. Belangers work great but had to tweak them with Bungees to have them follow on a fast line. The Belangers with Cables, Air cylinders, Rollers, Valves, require much more attention. Sonny's and AVW only have Shocks for adjustment. Sonny's and AVW work well. Would never do the Spider / reverse configuration (Like I have at one place) unless space requirements dictate. The reverse wraps lose some dwell time and they won't get out of the way or follow as well on a fast line (Air cylinders are available which might help with this but that is another complication to deal with) . They do a great job on the front but typicaly the back is the issue.

Due to the shock on the vertical arm the Sonny's seemed to cause more damage when they climbed a car than the AVW's. Likely Quick fire would not climb a car. Wraps climbed car because controller messed up, or bearing froze, or there was some electrical interruption.

 

[JeffM]

We have MacNeil at two of our locations and Belanger at the other. When set up properly, both give a great quality wash although the quick fires do require daily cleaning so that they move smoothly.

 

[soakd]

Thanks for your replies. Jeff which MacNeil wraps are you using (superflex?) and are you using one or two sets? Would that be your preference in a future wash do to less cleaning?

 

[soakd]

Hi Earl, I am familiar with the 901 Mitter Combo, which includes two sets of wraps. I'm not clear on what you mean by the Spider/Reverse configuration. Thanks for your reply!

 

[Earl Weiss]

Hi Earl, I am familiar with the 901 Mitter Combo, which includes two sets of wraps. I'm not clear on what you mean by the Spider/Reverse configuration. Thanks for your reply!

Many companies make this configuration. There is a mitter curtain and on the exit side are typical wraps with arms attached to the mitter and at the far / exit end of the arm hangs the wrap. The reverse set up has the arms attached to the mitter extending toward the entrance of the wash with the wraps hanging from the end at the entrance side.

Due to the point of pivot at attachment to the miter the arc moves toward the exit and follows the back end as the brush swings from the side to the center. At the entrance side the arc has the brush move toward the entrance which is the opposite of the way the car is traveling.

https://www.sonnysdirect.com/mainse...id=Sonnys_Direct&wec-locale=en_US&cm=982-1018

Wraps existed for many years where the brushes hung from the exit end of the arm. Putting them the opposite way is typicaly called "Reverse" and has maybe been arounf 10 years or so. (Maybe longer).

 

[Earl Weiss]

Video ere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c430vyhiuUE

Notice ow he says one concentrates on the grill (entrance / reverse side) and the other on the rear. This is a function of the arc / pivot of each.

 

[soakd]

Earl,

Thank you very much for the detailed reply about the pivot point on the reverse wraps!