Apparatus Washing Suggestions & Products

[Rescue101]

Otto Zachow and William Besserdich were the first persons to patent an operable, functioning front drive/steerable ball drive axle, somewhere abouts 1907 I think???? They partnered up and formed the Badger Automobile Company, which later became.......(drumroll please....)

The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company!!!!!!!! Long before Mo-Pile or Jeep was thought of!!!!!!!!!

Marmon harrington and a few others popped up somewhere in that past era. Having had to recover a few of those plastic M0jeep POS I hold a PARTICULAR fondness for their LACK of VISION. T.C.

[FWDbuff]

No prob Gonz, I just take a LOT of satisfaction in bring to Chrysler/Jeeps attention that while they TOUT themselves as being the KING of off road and the ORIGINATOR of 4 wheeling

Otto Zachow and William Besserdich were the first persons to patent an operable, functioning front drive/steerable ball drive axle, somewhere abouts 1907 I think???? They partnered up and formed the Badger Automobile Company, which later became.......(drumroll please....)

The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company!!!!!!!! Long before Mo-Pile or Jeep was thought of!!!!!!!!!

[Rescue101]

Like Mine?

Well YOURS is a tad overweight for what I'm describing but YEAH,it DOES have proper tow attachments. T.c.

[FWDbuff]

When you gonna get a REAL 4WD? With TOW hooks? Hehe T.C,.

Like Mine?

[Rescue101]

Well, Tim... I don't go off road (not intentionally and I hate going on a dirt road.. clean car fanatic that I am....) so... I 'd rather spend the money on stuff for the Mustang!

No prob Gonz, I just take a LOT of satisfaction in bring to Chrysler/Jeeps attention that while they TOUT themselves as being the KING of off road and the ORIGINATOR of 4 wheeling they are the ONLY Domestic producer of these vehicles that DO NOT put a tow hook/tow eye ANYWHERE you can FIND it when it is stuck. Guess the Dipschits that designed 'em NEVER ventured off the Freeway. T.C.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

When you gonna get a REAL 4WD? With TOW hooks? Hehe T.C,.

Well, Tim... I don't go off road (not intentionally and I hate going on a dirt road.. clean car fanatic that I am....) so... I 'd rather spend the money on stuff for the Mustang!

[Rescue101]

The paintwork needs to be protected. Some people think that clearcoat eliminates the need for waxing/sealing.. but clearcoat is paint without any pigments. Not waxing a rig that costs anywhere from $400K to $1 Million doesn't make any sense at all.

Here's a pic of my Jeep taken this fall... it is 10 years old and still looks new thanks to regular detailing...

When you gonna get a REAL 4WD? With TOW hooks? Hehe T.C,.

[mrpita]

The paintwork needs to be protected. Some people think that clearcoat eliminates the need for waxing/sealing.. but clearcoat is paint without any pigments. Not waxing a rig that costs anywhere from $400K to $1 Million doesn't make any sense at all.

See my above comment:

It would be nice to have a piece worthy of such attention but reality is much different here.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Not a problem for us as we don't wax...

The paintwork needs to be protected. Some people think that clearcoat eliminates the need for waxing/sealing.. but clearcoat is paint without any pigments. Not waxing a rig that costs anywhere from $400K to $1 Million doesn't make any sense at all.

Here's a pic of my Jeep taken this fall... it is 10 years old and still looks new thanks to regular detailing...

[WoodbridgeFFII]

Apparatus Washing!

Any fire departments that clean there trucks on there front appron have any problems with the D.E.P., rules & regs saying that ( Only Rain Down The Drain ) ?

[backsteprescue]

At the paid job, the first due pieces at each house get washed every morning.

At the volunteer house (a combo dept), the Engine and Medic Unit (which are staffed by the full time personnel) get washed every morning. Every truck in the station gets washed once a week and completely detailed top to bottom - inside and out once a month. After a run though, it is a written SOP for the volunteers that the truck must be at the least rinsed down and dried after a response in inclement weather or anytime the truck got dirty.

Another vote for invisible glass.... the stuff is great.

During the monthly detail the trucks are supposed to be waxed.

[Aerialguy11]

Thanks to everyone for their responses todate and greatly appreciated as it seems in some of the larger paid FD's that the apparatus aren't being cared for as well.

I'd appreciate if I could get anyone from say FDNY, Chicago, Boston, LA etc. provide me with their FD's policy on taking care of the apparatus.

Thanks

[mrpita]

Dish washing soap, dawn, joy etc., cuts the wax off the apparatus body.

Not a problem for us as we don't wax...

[CaptOldTimer]

Like FireMech1 said, "A normal car wash soap with long handled soft brushes are used. Cold water only." or sometimes we just use plain dawn/joy/etc., whatever is available.

In theory every platoon does it on their first daywork (every other day) but some platoons are better/more consistent than others. In general it will be done at least once a week. We do not wash on days of rain or freezing weather; in winter trucks washed on as needed basis (ie., when you can "write" in the dirt it's time...) but we try to avoid getting the apparatus floor wet or the apron for icing conditions.

We don't or at most rarely bother with drying/waxing/tire shine/etc. as inevitably just washing it gets interrupted by a call. It would be nice to have a piece worthy of such attention but reality is much different here. Have tire shined as a joke because the piece was such a turd.

Dish washing soap, dawn, joy etc., cuts the wax off the apparatus body.

[mrpita]

Like FireMech1 said, "A normal car wash soap with long handled soft brushes are used. Cold water only." or sometimes we just use plain dawn/joy/etc., whatever is available.

In theory every platoon does it on their first daywork (every other day) but some platoons are better/more consistent than others. In general it will be done at least once a week. We do not wash on days of rain or freezing weather; in winter trucks washed on as needed basis (ie., when you can "write" in the dirt it's time...) but we try to avoid getting the apparatus floor wet or the apron for icing conditions.

We don't or at most rarely bother with drying/waxing/tire shine/etc. as inevitably just washing it gets interrupted by a call. It would be nice to have a piece worthy of such attention but reality is much different here. Have tire shined as a joke because the piece was such a turd.