Experiences cleaning undercarriage?

[atortella]

I am considering the purchase of either a pressure washer or steam cleaner. Does anyone have any experience using these under the car? Any recommendations on which is suited better for the task?



TIA

[imported_Luster]

I use a pressure washer for the undercarriage and the wheel wells.....but NOT on the paint.



It works pretty well. Usually I will do this after a "salty winter".

It`s best if you can put the front end up on ramps.



Then I re-paint undercarriage parts as needed. Mostly the exhaust. (Getting ready for spring car shows!).......



See my post in "Car Shows and Concours"......



Here... (http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19333)

[Redcar GUY]

you can spray all you want but I have found the only wat to get the undercarriage clean the right way is to get a creeper and a bunch of old rags some degreaser and go at it... It matters how CLEAN you want it ;)

[imported_Luster]

I haven`t seen a bottom like that in 20 years!!!!!



:bow :bow :bow :bow :bow :bow :bow

[Accumulator]

ChuckD- I have used both. A steam cleaner would only be useful or occasional, very involved cleanups. The little ones currently popular would take FOREVER; don`t bother with those. The pressure washer, with an appropriate wand (very important for ease of use) would be more useful. Note that you really still need to get under there with something (I like brushes, boar`s hair for cars like Redcar GUY`s, soft synthetics, or rags, for "normal cars") and actually clean by hand. Like Redcar GUY, Luster, and some others I can think of, I LOVE a detailed undercarriage :up



A lot of it depends on what shape the undercarriage is in. The undercarriages of some cars are covered with surface rust by the time they hit the showroom. Others are so nice they deserve a coat of sealant. But the first step is to clean it.





IMO, the best thing for regular cleaning is something no longer in production :( . It`s an undercar wand made by American Water Broom. Hollow tubing-handle connects to a hose, rectangular head on casters has fan-spray nozzles that point up. You just rinse your undercarriage off with it, or use a siphon-feed to run some soap through it when needed. It has a rather strong spray and works great. I tried to get American Water Broom to re-introduce them, but no-go even though I offered to by whatever quantity they`d need to justify manufacture :nixweiss Someone COULD home-brew something similar. It`d be worth it if you live in the snow belt.

[atortella]

This would be mainly for my 4X4 cause I am tired of getting under there with a rag and was looking for something to make the job easier and faster.



Sounds like maybe a pressure washer would make clean-ups a little easier... but expect to still get under there with the rags.



Thanks all

[Lowejackson]

Redcar GUY

:bow





Steven

[Pats300zx]

Very nice RCG :xyxthumbs