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Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:53 pm
by ChrisD
Just wondering how many folks use a power washer? If you don't and own one, is there a reason you don't use one to clean your jeep off?

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 3:47 pm
by nostaw
I own a wimpy electric one and occasionally I use it to clean off the jeep.

Some of the gas ones can strip off paint if you aren't careful with them....

JW

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 3:59 pm
by ChrisD
I wonder if that is where my wax goes...

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 5:07 pm
by Carl McFly
I don't but if I did, I'd use it for the frame and undercarriage stuff. I use the power washer at the self serve cah wash for the underbelly

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 7:28 pm
by Hoodoo Man
I waxed before Rausch for the first time and then power washed just tonight, got a lot of crap off the undercarriage too. It was a lot faster having waxed to get things clean even after sitting in the sun a few days... I like power washing vs soap and hose, I just dont use the highest setting and stay at least a few feet from the heep as the paint can come off as Jon mentioned if you get too close.

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 8:37 pm
by ZAEDOCK
My Jeep gets washed when it rains. :lol:

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 8:54 pm
by Scott
That reminds me, need to get my pressure washer back from my brother before it freezes.

I always used it... when I owned a Jeep.
Need to be careful under the hood though, the pressure can get the water into wiring harnesses and other places water not under pressure wouldn't go.

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:33 pm
by Frank
Id like to know the psi of your power washer if its taking your paint off then its got to be more that 3500 psi and more than 3.5 gpm . Ive power washed all 5 vehicals in my stable and never once took any paint off. Stripes on the wife's van in the winter once , but I blamed that on the snowbanks. Ive got a 2500/2.8gpm gas with adj nozzle on the wand. I use it on Mona all the time. I then use the hose with no nozzle and a hand towel and wash under the flowing water. Ive never used soap of any kind on the paint and Id have to say its usually clean at the start of a run. FjR68

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:25 pm
by mightymeglet
Scott wrote:That reminds me, need to get my pressure washer back from my brother before it freezes.

I always used it... when I owned a Jeep.
Need to be careful under the hood though, the pressure can get the water into wiring harnesses and other places water not under pressure wouldn't go.
Yea he did, you could eat off my TJ when I got it.

I use my moms washer when I wash my TJ, it's a little electric one, I pressure under it and soap and bucket the blue parts.


So Scott I've been meaning to ask, want to come to the cape to wash my CJ after I wheel it. I can get you in an airplane :lol:

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 11:00 pm
by midniteryder
Carol & I have an electric power washer at home or we use the car wash when we are in a hurry.

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:43 pm
by wesley4x4
i have a 4-cycle high powered pressure washer i stand back about 5 feet and it seems to get all the mud off of it and i keep the hose about 1.5 feet away from the frame and it gets all the dirt... but i only use the pressure washer to get all the chunks of mud off then i hand wash the rest with a garden hose and soap

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2010 9:41 pm
by Widow Maker
Yup our little electric power washer does pretty good cleaning up underneath. Probably not powerful enough to take the paint off - my Rough Country Decals still on the shocks. Use it to powerwash the house down too - doesn't shoot the shingles off either.

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2010 8:04 am
by ZAEDOCK
If it doesn't remove paint, then it's just a washer - not a "Power" washer. :lol:

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2010 6:47 pm
by dvm
I use a Sears 2900 psi, yellow tip (I think the tip color codes are industry standard). I use it on the paint and under the hood, just close enough to get clumps of mud off, or get it wet to sponge wash. I mainly use it for underneath. Had to rig up a "stubby" nozzel, about the size of a spray paint gun to get under where its needed. Works great for the multi-stage preping of a POR15 job. Since I now use all kinds of sprayed on rust inhibitors underneath and inside the frame (in an attempt to prolong the frame & underbody life), I don't wash it after a run unless its really muddy, as it removes the inhibiter some. Any paint that comes off, was just painted rust, and was meant to come off anyway.

Re: Power washing your jeep good or bad?

Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 8:22 am
by catie14
i was told going through the touch car wash can scratch your paint. I also was told your winch can get damaged in the car wash.. I think I'll try a power washer now to get it clean
thanks!