Top Features of a Mobile Car Wash Pressure Washer

A mobile car wash pressure washer differs from conventional pressure washing machines in many aspects. For instance, these machines do not need to have the high output pressure of ordinary machines.

Simply put, car cleaning is not like most other cleaning tasks. Pressure wash systems are normally used for cleaning hard surfaces, such as floors, walls, parking lots, and roads. What such tasks require is the flow of high pressure output, which blasts away the dirt present on these surfaces.

However, adopting a similar approach could be disastrous for washing automobiles. This is the reason why a mobile car wash pressure washer is different from other pressure washing equipment.

Some features of mobile car cleaning pressure washer machines are as follows:

Output pressure

The output pressure level of pressure wash systems ranges up to 8000 psi. For auto detailing, such high pressure washer machines are not required.

A good mobile car wash pressure washer should provide an output pressure level of up to 1500 psi. Machines with higher output pressure might cause paint damage in vehicles. It is always better to keep the output pressure to less than 1500 psi for the safety of the vehicle.

Flow rate

Low flow rate can also be beneficial. However, this has nothing to do with the safety of the vehicle. Machines with low flow rate transfer less quantity of water to the surface. As a result, the cleaning becomes faster and leads to less water waste.

Steam car wash pressure washers offer the lowest flow rate. Any machine with a flow rate of 2 gpm or lower is good for a steam car cleaner. As such, a steam mobile car wash does not require high pressure washer machines, but would benefit from machines with a low flow rate.

Portability

Portability, too, is a concern for steam pressure washers for use in auto cleaning. Two types of machines are available on the market, wheel-attached machines and truck mountable machines. Both types of machines are ideal for steam car wash.

Truck mountable machines are better suited if the job involves travelling from one place to another. The companies that offer mobile services often utilize these machines. Wheel-attached machines are the best when the steam mobile car wash jobs involve cleaning within a small area, such a detailing bay or car dealership.

Nowadays, hybrid machines are available that can be used as both wheel-attached machines and truck mountable machines. Wheels can be removed from the machine when it is mounted on a truck or a trailer. These machines offer a lot of convenience to cleaning workers.

Do a thorough analysis before buying a machine. Know your requirements and then pick a machine. Choosing the right equipment is very important for efficient cleaning results.

Performance Parts and Upgrades for Off-Roading

When it comes to off-road driving, you want your vehicle to have sufficient performance power and capacity to handle the often unpredictable and volatile ground you will be driving over. Most vehicles come out of the factory designed for the consistent surface of paved roads, and off-road driving can often lead to faster deterioration of your engine and exhaust components - or the risk of getting stuck or turning over while driving along uneven or soft surfaces.

If you're serious about off-road driving, there are certain essential performance parts and upgrades that will help ensure your vehicle can handle the task without reducing the life-span of your vehicle or putting you at risk. Performance upgrades can easily save you a lot of money in the long term if you're doing a lot of off-road driving, as you will be able to address the specific issues that cause wear and tear on your vehicle's engine when driving on uneven surfaces. Below are the three fundamental performance parts and upgrades you should consider if you're going off-road regularly.

Air intake - Cold air intake systems allow your vehicle to draw in more dense, cold air during the fuel injection phase, meaning more efficient combustion and greater horsepower and torque. Installing an upgraded air intake system can often allow you to control the concentration of this performance enhancement - depending on your engine configuration and make, you may be able to spread the power increase across your vehicle's RPM band, or concentrate it on either torque or horsepower increases.

Suspension lift kits - Lift kits are often seen as a purely aesthetic upgrade, but they do have many performance advantages for off and on road driving alike. Lift kits help form a foundation for further performance parts installation and upgrades - through giving you more room to install larger wheels, exhaust piping, and other upgrades - but they also help reduce impact damage and increase balance, which is great for driving off-road. Greater suspension and more clearance mean a smoother ride, more performance power, and more ability to navigate difficult turns.

Tuners, chips, and programmers - Technological advancements in engine efficiency and performance are happening every year, and the on-board computer chips in your vehicle can be upgraded, tuned, or replaced to ensure you are getting the optimal performance out of your engine, and your vehicle will be compatible with any further performance parts you install. The right tuner or programmer chip for your vehicle can see a significant increase in horsepower and torque, as well as more efficient fuel consumption and greater handling ability - important attributes when driving off-road.

The Kicherer SLS AMG Super Car Tuning Program

The new Kicherer Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG super car tuning program is looking to give the German sports car a new, more aggressive look backed up by an incredibly powerful engine. The new upgrade package features a new supercharger system that was developed by the German aftermarket company instead of outsourcing parts to ensure that they had maximum control over all aspects of the SLS AMG. In addition to the supercharged engine, the team also modified the chassis, suspension, and exterior design to ensure that it all reflected the power that was underneath the hood.

The standard Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG comes packed with a hand-built naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 engine that churns out over 500 horsepower from the factory. But Kicherer thought that the motor was capable of producing much more power so they developed an entirely new supercharger system as part of the super car tuning program that did not require many additional parts and was virtually hidden in the engine bay.

The new supercharger system was designed to negate the addition of new pulleys and air deflections to reduce the amount of unwanted engine noise and improve the overall clean look of the engine bay while providing a superb amount of power. The German aftermarket company also installed a new stainless steel exhaust system with valve controls in the interior to reduce the backpressure from the engine and create a thunderous growl. The resulting output from both modifications is an overwhelming 700 brake horsepower and 620 lb-ft. of torque. The increased power can send the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.4 seconds and to a top speed over 186 mph.

In order to transfer all of that extra power to the road, Kicherer installed a new forged wheel setup along with a modified suspension as part of the Supercharged GT super car tuning program. The standard wheels were replaced with new Kicherer RS-1 three-piece forged rims with a black finish and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires that improve grip, handling, and braking dynamics. The suspension was also replaced with a new coilover setup that can be adjusted for height by 30 mm and hardness to better suit specific driving conditions and tracks.

The exterior of the new Supercharged GT SLS AMG model was outfitted with a range of aerodynamic pieces along with a satin black skin. The super car tuning program includes a new vertical grille with a front lip spoiler attachment, new carbon fiber fins on the hood and fenders, and a rear diffuser that improves downforce.

All of the featured components in the Supercharged GT Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG super car tuning package from Kicherer can be ordered and installed at the company's facility in Germany.

Resin Transfer Moulding

Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) is an efficient method of producing composite products, suited to medium volume production projects. A catalysed resin is injected into a closed mould already containing a pre-formed reinforcement. The amount of moulding material, usually a thermoset plastic is measured and inserted into the enclosed mould before the moulding can take place. The distinguishing feature of resin transfer moulding is that the reinforcement materials are placed into this cavity and the mould set is closed prior to the introduction of the matrix material.

Vacuum Assisted Resin Injection

The process includes vacuum assisted resin injection (VARI). This produces strong dense products, with dimensional accuracy and a smooth surface on both sides of the moulded component. The finished product can withstand tough environmental conditions and rough handling.

Resin Transfer Moulding Process

Resin Transfer Moulding includes numerous varieties which differ in the mechanics of how the resin is introduced to the reinforcement in the mould cavity. These variations include everything from vacuum infusion to vacuum assisted RTM. By applying pressure and vacuum the resin is forced through dry fabrics in a matched mould, a process which is performed at either ambient or elevated temperature. Once fully wetted the laminate is cured either at room temperature or in an oven. RTM combines relatively low tooling and equipment costs to produce large structural components.

Industries and Products

The process can produce composite components suitable for a vast number of different industries. RTM Products include:

    Automotive Components
    Aerospace Structures
    Aerial Lift Buckets
    Machine Covers and Housing
    Marine
    Wind Deflectors
    Spill Containment
    Medical Office Seating
    Public Transportation
    Agricultural & Farm
    Veterinary & Animal Confinement
    Industrial and Manufacturing
    Corrosion Applications
    Home and Recreation

Benefits and Advantages of RTM

Higher productivity and reduced labour are just some of the advantages of Resin Tranfer Moulding. Other benefits and advantages include:

    Created parts are extremely durable
    Accurate thickness on produced parts
    Created parts will not corrode or rust
    Parts are impact and chemical resistant
    Parts can be fire retardant
    High gloss finishes can be created on both sides of the part
    Reduced waste material

Overall, Resin Transfer Moulding is an extremely efficient method of producing a wide range of composite components. It enables the production of mid-range volumes of parts at a moderate capital investment. RTM has matured to the point of being capable option for composites production and many different industries in the UK can benefit from the RTM process.

Winter Car Protection Guide - A Guide To Car Care Over Winter

Winter Car Protection Guide

During the winter months your car has to endure some harsh environmental factors. Everything can be affected here from your plastic trims to your paintwork and wheels so it's well worth getting prepared now before the harsh weather comes.

We have prepared this guide to help you look after and protect your car during winter with the use of some excellent products, let's start with the paintwork.

Paintwork Protection

This is one of the most important steps and the one you must focus on. We all know what winter is like, gritters, rain and snow which means our cars get covered in salt. This can damage your paintwork and its best to lay some protection down to form a barrier against the harsh elements. You want to start doing this now.

Now of course you want to wash your car in the normal way, depending on how it looks you may want to polish it. Then to move onto protecting it, and there is a few ways of doing this.

Traditional carnauba based car waxes do not hold up in harsh winter conditions so alternatively you could lay down a paint sealant and leave it at that. Or you could additionally add a wax on top of the sealant to add further protection and there is no other wax better at the job than Collinite Car Wax. Your cars paintwork will now be well protected, we will talk about maintenance washing later.

We recommend Poorboys World - EX-P as a good paint sealant.

Wheels and Tyres

Your alloy wheels are a very valuable part of your car and detrimental to the overall appearance, with these being so close to the road surface you most certainly want to look after these also. Salt attacks wheels, painted, polished, diamond cut whatever they are all prone to damage over winter. We recommend if possible to remove each wheel and clean thoroughly, with either a shampoo or a strong wheel cleaner then give them a good rinse, dry them and then apply a wheel sealant like Chemical Guys - Wheel Guard. This will add a layer of protection to your wheels also.

Tyres benefit from a little protection to stop the rubber deteriorating a dressing with UV protection is recommended like Poorboys - Trim Restorer. Allow to soak in for several minutes before wiping any excess off.

Exterior Plastics

Plastic bumpers, trim, vinyls and rubbers also benefit from a little protection over the winter months, the extreme temperatures and the suns UV radiation can cause fading, cracking and hardening so it's a good idea to spend a little time here too. Application of 303 Aerospace Protectant will leave your plastic bumpers, trims and rubbers not only looking good but protected against the elements and with a layer of UV protection.

How to maintain

You have worked hard to protect your car and you want to keep it that way, it's best to keep your car as clean as possible during winter and not to slack off. Ensure you give your car a good rinse to remove as much dirt and grime as possible then proceed to wash with a good pH neutral car shampoo. This will ensure it will not strip or remove any sealants or waxes you have applied. Pay attention to the wheels when washing as you want to remove any road salts and other contaminates.
Follow this guide and your car will remain well protected over winter.

Vehicle Graphics - The Ultimate Free Advertising Space

How a van void of vehicle graphics could be costing your business potential customers.

With the general world economy struggling, most western developed countries are experiencing a difficult financial slowdown. Companies of all sizes are closing on a daily basis, yet some business owners are still leaving one fantastic potential space completely void of advertising.

One major advantage to purchasing your own custom vehicle graphics is the location where you can park the van. Whether the vehicle is parked outside your business, on a busy high street or town centre car park - large businesses pay thousands of pounds every month to advertising agencies for achieving brand presence in these valuable areas.

With the modern popularity of the internet, you can now source custom vehicle graphics made to specific, bespoke requirements for under £15 (GBP). Available in a large variety of colours, fonts and sizes - there really is no reason why any business owner cannot drum up a bit of extra trade.

Vehicle graphics have always been popular with traditional sectors like plumbers and electricians, but recently we're encouraging more and more less tradition businesses like newsagents, cleaners and takeaways to place their contact information on the company vehicles.

From the top of the range full colour vehicle wraps, which can cost several hundred pounds plus the price of design and fitting - through too single colour, cut vinyl self applicating vehicle graphics - the choice is extensive. Set yourself a realistic budget & avoid temptation to sell yourself something too expensive. While a full colour, printed vinyl vehicle wraps can look fantastic in theory, the practical real life advantages compared to a simpler single or 2 colour cut vinyl sticker vehicle graphics could be minimal. For a business to achieve the required level, a plumber for example, may only need the business name, contact information and a stock logo - this could cost £30 - 50 (GBP) saving hundreds in cash flow to invest in more urgent, profitable or valuable areas of the business.

These self applicating, single or double colour cut vinyl vehicle decals and graphics, which I previously mentioned, normally come delivered pre-fixed on "application tape". This application tape is like an industrial sized, paper "masking tape" with a low level adhesive. This has the function of allowing us to position the graphics accurately, directly from the backing paper, onto the required surface. You will just need to remove the backing paper, place the whole piece of application tape including graphics positioned on the vehicle where you require. Run over the application tape with a rubber or plastic squeegee, forcing the air bubbles out. Then pull away the application tape with the weaker adhesive, leaving the graphics remaining with the strong multi year rated adhesive in the required position.