My $35 pad washer

**AudiFanatic** · 01-01-2011, 08:38 PM

After looking around at all the available pad cleaning options, I was a little baffled by the price tag of these pad cleaning systems. I then came across this video of how the grit guard washer works.

http://www.palmbeachmotoring.net/asc...ad-washer.html

After watching the video and realizing how simple the pad washer is, I decided to just build my own. So after 20 minutes of walking around lowes and $35 later, here is what I have come up with:

The washer functions very similarly to the grit guard one. I did a quick test run with just water and a heavily caked up orange lake country pad with phenominal results. I`m thinking I need to tweak the splash cover a little bit to make it more accessable. I`ll be detailing a car for a client tommorow so I will give it a full test run in the morning. Let me know what you guys think.

**Legacy** · 01-01-2011, 08:41 PM

Very ingenious.

**Barry Theal** · 01-01-2011, 08:45 PM

I have that pad washer and you just hit the nail in the coffin. That is about as close as it gets. Yours look alot stronger lol. The lid is way of though. Man you saved yourslef a lot of money.

**someidiot** · 01-01-2011, 10:24 PM

very innovative

were you able to pick up the grit guard thing at Lowe`s or is that something you already had?

**AZN_C300** · 01-02-2011, 12:50 AM

Very nicely done. Still have your receipt? Mind listing out the components you bought?

**AudiFanatic** · 01-02-2011, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by someidiot

very innovative

were you able to pick up the grit guard thing at Lowe`s or is that something you already had?

I had the grit guard here, I accidentally ordered a 2nd one when I place my last order with autogeek.

**AudiFanatic** · 01-02-2011, 02:27 AM

Originally Posted by AZN_C300

Very nicely done. Still have your receipt? Mind listing out the components you bought?

I don`t know where I put my recipt, but its just a bunch of different PVC couplings. The base uses 1" PVC, the pieces that slide up and down use 1 1/4" and the support bracing inside is 1/2". All schedule 40 tubing.

I`ll look for my recipt and if I find it, I`ll scan it and post it up.

**AudiFanatic** · 01-02-2011, 02:29 AM

Originally Posted by Barry Theal

I have that pad washer and you just hit the nail in the coffin. That is about as close as it gets. Yours look alot stronger lol. The lid is way of though. Man you saved yourslef a lot of money.

I already have ideas to redesign the lid to make it more like the gritguard unit. Since Lowe`s closed early today, I wasnt able to get back there in time to pick up some more pieces.

**imported_Bert** · 01-03-2011, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Barry Theal

I have that pad washer and you just hit the nail in the coffin. That is about as close as it gets. Yours look alot stronger lol. The lid is way of though. Man you saved yourslef a lot of money.

No kidding. The price Lake Country and Grit Guard charge for their pad cleaners is a bit rediculous.

**Dan** · 01-03-2011, 11:45 AM

Hmm, cool idea, but why not skip the mini PVC jungle gym and just glue some plastic tabs to the bucket and use those to support the grit guard?

**Tru_Shine** · 01-03-2011, 01:22 PM

Love it! I do like how the real pad cleaner has a small dome shape to clean the pad real good instead of just a flat surface though? wonder what we could do about that?

**08xB** · 01-03-2011, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Tru_Shine

Love it! I do like how the real pad cleaner has a small dome shape to clean the pad real good instead of just a flat surface though? wonder what we could do about that?

Contact Grit Guard directly... I got two for $10 + shipping.

**IC3DT3** · 01-04-2011, 12:28 PM

NICE!!! Man, with this and the extractor build I posted, I wonder what else can be built to save us detailers some cash? We need more great ideas like this!