I like to off road but got pretty full of mud the other day when I was out with my buddy in his Durango. It was just a bitch cleaning everything up , cost about $10 at the power washer to get the major crap off , then to final wash , clean ect.... it was like a whole day event to get it nice and new shiney.
Like off road but hate the clean up
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dingo
New member
I took my SR5 off road and splashed in some mud too. There is still some dried mud covering the undercarriage that falls when it rains. No matter how much you wash underneath there will always be spots you miss.
Question - I use a high pressure washer sometimes, are there some parts I should avoid getting water on?
Sometimes I am reluctant to spray the undercarriage in its entirety because of all the electrical connectors I see underneath (especially the connections which are visible on the transfer case). Sucks that it will NEVER be as clean as the first day, but if it were it wouldn't fulfill it's purpose.
Question - I use a high pressure washer sometimes, are there some parts I should avoid getting water on?
Sometimes I am reluctant to spray the undercarriage in its entirety because of all the electrical connectors I see underneath (especially the connections which are visible on the transfer case). Sucks that it will NEVER be as clean as the first day, but if it were it wouldn't fulfill it's purpose.
RamThis
New member
dingo said:Question - I use a high pressure washer sometimes, are there some parts I should avoid getting water on?
Sometimes I am reluctant to spray the undercarriage in its entirety because of all the electrical connectors I see underneath (especially the connections which are visible on the transfer case). Sucks that it will NEVER be as clean as the first day, but if it were it wouldn't fulfill it's purpose.
Just dont use the No. 0 tip pointed directly at the electrical connections, and even that is not likely to get into an electrical connection, at least not on newer vehicles. The external electrical harnesses on modern vehicles are very well sealed from the elements, most having two or three raised sealing ribs on the male portion of the connector.
I have a Honda 3500 PSI pressure washer that I bought off eBay for $265 and it works GREAT. I clean my driveway with it, my house brickwork, and of course, the engine bay/chassis of my vehicles. If you get alot of crap under the hood built up, a can of Gunk Engine Degreaser and Cleaner, sprayed on, and left for a half hour to an hour, and blasted off with the #2 tip (yellow on most new pressure washers) will really do a good job. Then let it dry out, and spray it down with some CD-2 Engine Detailer. It shines up the engine bay, and soaks into any remaining film. Then next time you use some Gunk cleaner and pressure wash it, the film comes off, and you can re-coat it witht he CD-2 Engine Detailer, and road film wont stick as easily.
This is what I've done in the past and have not had a moment's trouble. Only cars really succeptible to having high pressure washers cause problems around the engine bay, are older engines that still use a distributor with a cap/rotor. Water could get under the cap and short out the rotor, causing terrible misfire until it dried out, or sometiems the engine just would not start at all. These new engines in our 4Runners are "coil on plug" design, and are totally sealed, so that is no longer a problem.
I did have a good time and I guess well worth it.
I do have an electric pressure washer at home , it works pretty good , but we didn't have the hose box reel out from winter yet. Otherwise I would have used it.
I got the underneath as best I could , BUT I had some cans of the foaming tire cleaner/dressing/protectant. I did the visible ( no running boards or steps on my truck ) undercarriage parts and wheel wells with it and it looks pretty nice . I want to see if it cleans up any better next time with that stuff on it . I get free cans now and then from care care product suppliers , since I do detailing on the side and they always give me test stuff so I thought what the hell , give it a try.
Koz, you actually took your truck through that ? man looks like a souphole....lol
I do have an electric pressure washer at home , it works pretty good , but we didn't have the hose box reel out from winter yet. Otherwise I would have used it.
I got the underneath as best I could , BUT I had some cans of the foaming tire cleaner/dressing/protectant. I did the visible ( no running boards or steps on my truck ) undercarriage parts and wheel wells with it and it looks pretty nice . I want to see if it cleans up any better next time with that stuff on it . I get free cans now and then from care care product suppliers , since I do detailing on the side and they always give me test stuff so I thought what the hell , give it a try.
Koz, you actually took your truck through that ? man looks like a souphole....lol
Uneek
Super Moderator
I use the Karcher underbody spray wand to clean the salt and grime from the under carriage after snowboarding. It works pretty well, but there are still some spots I miss.
My supervisor said spray it down with WD40 or PAM cooking spray before going through mud and it'll make cleaning it easier afterwards. That's what he does for his Honda dirtbike.
My supervisor said spray it down with WD40 or PAM cooking spray before going through mud and it'll make cleaning it easier afterwards. That's what he does for his Honda dirtbike.
truckhigh
New member
Uneek said:
that is a great idea!!!!
I kinda would be scared that the oil would break down some of the seals in the plugs and gaskets. I would also worry if you leave it on there too long(ie hot block /heatsheilds0 it would leave burn stains like a old dirty oilpan. does he just spray it on the body parts. Can you ask him some more questions if you dont mind. I would really like to know and thanks in advance if you have time.
RickC5
New member
In 2001, it rained in Moab for a week just before we got there. Serious mud everywhere, but we still went mtn biking and 4-wheeling.
On our second morning, we got into some serious red clay that was real thick & gummy. Almost impossible to drive in, and the stuff just totally coated the underside of our truck. A couple of inches thick at least.
By the time we got back to town, lots of it had dried to the consistency of concrete. About $15.00 at the do-it-yourself car wash got rid of most of it, but I'm willing to bet there's still some stuck to the underside of that truck today (we sold it in 2004).
All part of the fun of 4-wheeling!
On our second morning, we got into some serious red clay that was real thick & gummy. Almost impossible to drive in, and the stuff just totally coated the underside of our truck. A couple of inches thick at least.
By the time we got back to town, lots of it had dried to the consistency of concrete. About $15.00 at the do-it-yourself car wash got rid of most of it, but I'm willing to bet there's still some stuck to the underside of that truck today (we sold it in 2004).
All part of the fun of 4-wheeling!
dingo
New member
RamThis said:
Thanks for the tip, Ram!
I will look for the CD-2 engine detailer. I am still weary about overspray getting on anything electrical. I think I'm going to go under the truck and cover any visible wires with electrical tape so gunk doesn't build up where it mates with the harness connectors.
atomic punk
New member
wait.... you guys actually wash your rig after wheelin ???!!!
oy-ya-yoy....I've been driving a jeep waaaay too long I guess...
oy-ya-yoy....I've been driving a jeep waaaay too long I guess...
RamThis
New member
Man I'd never get my 4Runner out in the mud, it's way too nice of a vehicle for that LOL. Closest mine will ever see of "off road" will be my parent's roadbase driveway on their 60 acre plot of land. Their driveway is 0.9 miles long from the road to their house on the back of the property lol. I owned a brand new BLACK F-150 about 11 years ago when I was still living out there. I HATED the driveway, because I could detail my truck, and make one trip down the driveway to go cruise town or pick up my GF, and the truck would be covered in dust. I learned to keep a California Car Duster behind the seat, and once I got to the end of the driveway, Id hop out and give it a quick once over, and be good to go!
I did take my Ram out mudding once, did good for a 2wd, never got it stuck. Once on the main road though I couldnt get over about 30MPH because of the amount of red clay and mud on the inside of the rims lol. Took me better part of a solid day to get it cleaned back up, including removing all the wheels and leaving it on stands, cutting out a head hole and arm holes in a big trash bag to wear, and lay on a creeper under the truck and blast it off and scrub it down. I ended up dirtier than my truck once it was said and done!!!
I did take my Ram out mudding once, did good for a 2wd, never got it stuck. Once on the main road though I couldnt get over about 30MPH because of the amount of red clay and mud on the inside of the rims lol. Took me better part of a solid day to get it cleaned back up, including removing all the wheels and leaving it on stands, cutting out a head hole and arm holes in a big trash bag to wear, and lay on a creeper under the truck and blast it off and scrub it down. I ended up dirtier than my truck once it was said and done!!!
