New surface cleaner

I have a landa 3500 psi 4.2 gallons Looking to upgrade surface cleaner between landa water jet or a big guy 1250 and 1000 respectivly
if you had to pick which one?

Can't go wrong with a Big Guy! They are sweet.

Your surface cleaner is really depending on how much gpm's your pressure washer is putting out.

A good rule of thumb is 4" per gpm, example 4gpm would be like 16" surface cleaner but you can go up to like a 20" if you wanted which the Classic by Whisper Wash is an excellent choice.

If you have 5gpm then 20" to 24" which the Classic is still a great choice or Steel Eagle 24" or Whisper Wash has 2 models, one is a floater and the other has casters. I am not crazy about the casters but if they rigged big back tires like the Big Guy (28" surface cleaner) has then I would buy one as it would be a lot lighter than my Steel Eagle machine.

The hover type are great but kind of hard to keep in a straight line for huge areas like parking lots, that is why I like the big tires on the back so you can keep them in straight lines.

You can run a Big Guy with 5.5gpm but it will not be as fast overall as if you run a 24" or 20" surface cleaner as you will have to walk slower than if you were running an 8gpm machine that will make that thing work great!

Many people have tried the Northern Tool brand of surface cleaners and a couple people I know have had luck with them but most say they are junk. The same goes for Whirl-A-Way, most have said they are junk but a few have said that they are ok. Everyone I know that has had a Classic says the same thing, it is a great machine.

Hope this helps.

Thanks chris great post lots of information and thanks Jason leaning towards landa water jet only because Ron swears by them 1250 new
but I could have lots of left over money if I go the other route will see thanks

Nobody around here or up in San Antonio (where I got my trailer rig) sells the landa water jet. It might be the price or it might be something else but I do not know.

I broke a nozzle out of the spray bar on the Big Guy surface cleaner last nite so I had to call Bob at PressureTek and order a new bar, only like $78.00. I like that design over the Steel Eagle because with the Steel Eagle it is two pipes that thread into a "T" and you have a piece of plastic that helps you adjust the angle and you do that for both pipes. The Whisper Wash is a one-piece spray bar with angle-drilled holes for the nozzles so you never worry about the right angles.

I called Whisper Wash about their 24" Ground Force surface cleaner (they make 2 of them, one is a hover type and the other is on 4 casters) and asked them if they could put 2 tires on the back and caster in the front like the Big Guy and they said that they do that often, it is called the Little Big Guy feature for like $50.00 more than regular price. If I did not have 2 of the Steel Eagle 24" machines, I would really like to get one of the Whisper Wash 24" machines with that feature, it sure would be lighter than the Steel Eagle.

I love my Maxima 36" surface cleaner

IT'S THE DADDY!

Mike Sullivan wrote:

I love my Maxima 36" surface cleaner

IT'S THE DADDY!

What are you pushing that thing with?

I have a 16 in whirlaway a 20 in whirlaway and a Big Guy. My big guy works great but I'm sure It would work much better if I were using a bigger machine. My other 2 clean like there is no tomorrow and other than the normal wear and tear I've never had any makor problems. If you are using 5.5gpm machines or greater I would definetly go with a big guy.

I have a 16 in whirl away a big guy and a 28 in steel eagle. I would trade the steel eagle for a big guy in a heartbeat. It is too heavy. Larry, I am still having problems with my big guy vertical striping. I am gonna call whisper wash and talk to them. I have changed my tips more than once and still have the same problem. I have talked to a few other guys that say they have the same problem.

Mine does it fron time to time and I have to overlap on all mine when using it. I've changed my tips also and it still does it. Last time I had to go to whisper washer they wanted to change out my bar to an updated one. They never said why so I told them no. Figured they were just after more $$ as usual. Maybe there is something in the design? I wish they would have said somthing if thats the case.

Larry, What degree tips are you using in your big guy? I switch mine out for different situations.

I've got 2.0 tips in mine. Norrmally I don't ever change them. I've tried 2.5 tips but didn't get enough rotation out of them.

Spencer wrote:

Mike Sullivan wrote:

I love my Maxima 36" surface cleaner

IT'S THE DADDY!

What are you pushing that thing with?

I like to max out. Make the most of everything I have.

Unfortunately the Maxima 36" comes with a 1/4" hose from the gun to the swivel.

Take it off, remove the gun, install a solid 3/8" high pressure hose on it
with pressureteks heavy duty ball valve for maximum flow.

When running the surface cleaner I run a 20hp Honda with a 1:2 gear box
driven AR 8gpm @ 3500psi 1750rpm pump and a high pressure T with
couplers on a short 3/8" high pressure hose with a
13hp Honda AR 5gpm @ 4000psi 3400rpm pump

TOTAL output - 20hp 8gpm @ 3000psi + 13hp 5gpm @ 3000psi = 33hp 13gpm @ 3000psi

Nozzles are (2) 25 degree 07.5's

IT IS SO FAST YOU CAN WALK BEHIND IT LIKE A LAWN MOWER!

Anything stronger than this on a 3/8" hose and you would need to upgrade the
engines to 24-28hp + 18hp to max out the pumps - 8gpm @ 3500psi + 5gpm
@ 4000psi = 13gpm @ 3750psi using (2) 25 degree 06.5's

and/or add 2 hot boxes. I don't have hot burners so I max out my flow instead. I think it is a better trade off financially.

You would have to upgrade your hose to 1/2" if you are really hard core and
push more than 13gpm @ 3000psi like Jim@garagecleaning does.

Mike Sullivan wrote:

Spencer wrote:

Mike Sullivan wrote:

I love my Maxima 36" surface cleaner

IT'S THE DADDY!

What are you pushing that thing with?

I like to max out. Make the most of everything I have.

Unfortunately the Maxima 36" comes with a 1/4" hose from the gun to the swivel.

Take it off, remove the gun, install a solid 3/8" high pressure hose on it with pressureteks heavy duty ball valve for maximum flow.

When running the surface cleaner I run a 20hp Honda with a 1:2 gear box driven AR 8gpm @ 3500psi 1750rpm pump and a high pressure T with couplers on a short 3/8" high pressure hose with a
13hp Honda AR 5gpm @ 4000psi 3400rpm pump

TOTAL output - 20hp 8gpm @ 3000psi + 13hp 5gpm @ 3000psi = 33hp 13gpm @ 3000psi

Nozzles are (2) 25 degree 07.5's

IT IS SO FAST YOU CAN WALK BEHIND IT LIKE A LAWN MOWER!

Anything stronger than this on a 3/8" hose and you would need to upgrade the engines to 24-28hp + 18hp to max out the pumps - 8gpm @ 3500psi + 5gpm @ 4000psi = 13gpm @ 3750psi using (2) 25 degree 06.5's

and/or add 2 hot boxes. I don't have hot burners so I max out my flow instead. I think it is a better trade off financially.


You would have to upgrade your hose to 1/2" if you are really hard core and push more than 13gpm @ 3000psi like Jim@garagecleaning does.

That is some serious juice!!! I bet it speeds things up quite a bit. Is it worth the fuel costs?

Yes, because you are running both machines at the same time using just one surface cleaner and one guy. Eliminates the need to pay for extra help and an extra surface cleaner.

Not many guys join there machines together, it makes a huge difference.

Spencer wrote:

I have a 16 in whirl away a big guy and a 28 in steel eagle. I would trade the steel eagle for a big guy in a heartbeat. It is too heavy. Larry, I am still having problems with my big guy vertical striping. I am gonna call whisper wash and talk to them. I have changed my tips more than once and still have the same problem. I have talked to a few other guys that say they have the same problem.

Spencer what are you pushing your 28" big guy with? Do you have more than one machine?

You would need at least 8gpm @ 3000psi for it to run right.

Mike Sullivan wrote:

Spencer wrote:

I have a 16 in whirl away a big guy and a 28 in steel eagle. I would trade the steel eagle for a big guy in a heartbeat. It is too heavy. Larry, I am still having problems with my big guy vertical striping. I am gonna call whisper wash and talk to them. I have changed my tips more than once and still have the same problem. I have talked to a few other guys that say they have the same problem.

Spencer what are you pushing your 28" big guy with? Do you have more than one machine?

You would need at least 8gpm @ 3000psi for it to run right.

I have an 8 gal Pressue Pro and a 5 gallon Hydrotek.

What size engines are those? 20hp 8gpm @ 3000psi you would need 04.5 nozzles on a two bar.

Hook 'em together with a high pressure T, you can't beat 13gpm with 3/8" hose. That would max it out.

Does the 28" come with a miserable 1/4" hose and gun?

Take it off and put a 3/8" hose on it, take the gun off and use a ball valve. It makes a difference.

I would sell your steel eagle and get a Maxima 36" if you want to max out with 13gpm.

They are surprisingly light weight, only 37 lbs.

Spencer wrote:

I have an 8 gal Pressue Pro and a 5 gallon Hydrotek.

Is that a 24hp Honda 8gpm 3500psi

and

16hp Vanguard 5gpm 3000psi

Damn, you've got me beat Spencer. Join those bad boys together.

I'd change your nozzles out with (2) 25 degree 07.0's with your 28" Big guy, you will f*#king fly!

Mike Sullivan wrote:

Spencer wrote:

I have an 8 gal Pressue Pro and a 5 gallon Hydrotek.

Is that a 24hp Honda 8gpm 3500psi

and

16hp Vanguard 5gpm 3000psi

Damn, you've got me beat Spencer. Join those bad boys together.

I'd change your nozzles out with (2) 25 degree 07.0's with your 28" Big guy, you will f*#king fly!

You got it man. That is exactly what I have. Do you have any pics of the setup?

No, I need to buy a digital camera. It's really simple, just buy a high pressure T, put couplers on it, 3/8" hose just long enough to join one machine to the other, change your nozzles out with 25070's on the Big Guy (I assume it is a two bar?), and take off the 1/4" hose (unless it already has 3/8"), take off the gun, install a 3/8" hose, and a ball valve,

AND YOU ARE READY TO ROCK!

After you get a couple of big concrete jobs, the amount of money in labor you will save you can put towards a Maxima 36"

Spencer wrote:

That is some serious juice!!! I bet it speeds things up quite a bit. Is it worth the fuel costs?

Actually you are not using more fuel or water than you would doing the same job. You are using the same amount in a shorter period of time.

Hence if a 1000 sq.ft driveway normally takes you 1 hour with an 8gpm machine, and 1 gallon of gas

and you add your 5gpm to it, you can now do it in 40 minutes. The machines are running together, less time, and same amount of gas is used.

same with the water, less time, more gallons per minute, same total water used.

I have a Whirl-A-Way 20" and 4gpm. I'm really thinking of getting a 16". It would be fine for me, since I just do residential. My 20" is slow from what I've been hearing from others. So, 16", though smaller in size, would go faster. Is that good reasoning?

Not in my opinion!!!