new pressure washer from northern tool

[SkyPup]

I repack the steering head bearings on all four of my motorcycles yearly when I change the front suspension oil, good safe insurance (and I don't powerwash the steering head either).

 

[_RaT_]

It was not the pressure so much that you lacked but the volume. If pressure was what you were lacking, then my paint sprayer at 3500 PSI should work beautifully but at 3/4 GPM, it makes a lousy washer. Try a machine at 2500 PSI with 4 GPM and try a machine with 3500 PSI at 2.5 GPM. I know which one you will pick. Unless your washing is very specific, I find for general purpose washing, buy the most GPM you can get and then PSI. Landa has a very nice 9HP Honda with 2700 PSI but a nice 4.2 GPM. Its costly but part of that reason is it is a belt drive. The belt drives are considerably more rugged and thus the cost reflects that.

 

[6or7dazeaweek]

Rat: After reading your post, I wondered if I posted incorrectly about the HP of my pressure washer. Went out to the garage & it's buried...so I located the manuals and mine is the 11HP model. Sorry to hear you've had so much trouble with the CAT pump. Mine is awesome and like another member said...you better have a good grip on the handle before pulling the trigger. Being that I'm in a cold climate, I always drained the pump at the end of the season to avoid freezup in the garage.

I use mine for cleaning concrete, does a great job on pressure treated wood (just keep the nozzle in motion). I also use it in the Spring to completely hose down the undercarriage of my truck as well as the plow. Salt does a number on vehicles. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Jon

 

[_RaT_]

They really are wonderful tools. I have found that knowing which nozzle to pick can do wonders. For concrete cleaning, I typically use the yellow or green nozzle. For stuff under the hood or on my tractor, much of the time I use the white nozzle with some exceptions. The red nozzle cleans out the leaves from my flower beds, lawn etc and "rakes" them into a pile. I use use it from quite a distance. Anything close can get damaged.