Washing my tractor. Any pressure washer experts?

[Doughknob]

Most high end pressure washers are gravity feed. I’ve seen plenty of them that even when using a water hose connection still use a gravity tank to feed the pump. As long as the hose is big enough and not a 50’ long dollar store garden hose I think you’ll be fine. One of the big diameter commercial water hoses thats short with no kinks or curls would easily flow 4gpm at low pressure.

Exactly. Hose diameter and length (the shorter the less pressure drop) are all that are needed from your tank. NO “pressure feed” needed OP.

 

[Code54]

It depends on the pressure washer PUMP. I run a belt drive high-end pressure washer and it is rated to gravity feed, most of the belt drives are. If it is a normal direct-drive home Depot/SAMS/Lowes/Tractor Supply type it most likely is turning at a much higher RPM and not made to gravity feed. I believe they normally want about 20psi min. input pressure.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I've got 13 hrs on it now but it looks like 30.

I need to get it washed, I don't have water on site, I'm working on getting something set up but don't want to half hazardly damage my equipment cause I took chances.

I've been doing a lot of research online, in my opinion people do alot of things that maybe they can get away with for a while.

I have a 275 gallon ibc tote, I also have a fairly high dollar 4gpm pressure washer.

Some people say if I elevate the ibc tote I can feed washer off gravity........ I am not confident that doing this will not eventually burn out my pressure washer pump.

I know there is a gpm number I need to consider but there is a second number that is important as well and I think that is pressure at the pump.

If I need to buy a small pump for the tote ( cause I decide not to elevate it) than I'm ok with that but I don't know what size pump I can minimally get away with.

Can anyone here shed some light?

We had two 1000 gallon tanks on a GN trailer and pressure washed in the oil field for years.

 

[DaBear3428]

The only washing my tractors get are when they get caught out in the rain. No trailer queens here, but they are parked inside out of the sun.

i'm with you but i washed my tractor after the first few days and applied spray on wax as well as armorall to slow the paint / plastic fade and tire dressing to the sidewalls to slow the uv damage. I just power washed it to remove any dirt and then doused it with the sprayons then let it dry. not really for looks but is slows the rust and uv damage.