Tractor Trailer question

[Joe's Detail]

Anyone ever washed a tractor trailer....a guy asked me today how much i would charge to wash it (He wants it washed weekly) Im definitely up for it. Any suggestions, i guess its about 20 ft long.

[TrueDetailer]

I've detailed a few. Truck Stops start at $65 and go up depending on the size of the rig.

[Coastal Eddie]

Originally Posted by Joe's Detail

Anyone ever washed a tractor trailer....a guy asked me today how much i would charge to wash it (He wants it washed weekly) Im definitely up for it. Any suggestions, i guess its about 20 ft long.

If he wants it washed weekly that sweetens the deal.

Without seeing the units I'd only be guessing, so is it a 10 or 6 wheel tractor, and is the trailer 27' long? Or is it a 20' Bobtail? You gonna pressure wash it, or do it by hand?

Either way, if you're gonna wash it weekly, the first wash will be the hardest, and it'll get lots easier after that. Suggesting a price is hard unless I know specifically what you're washing, and bear in mind that prices are different in geographical areas.

[Joe's Detail]

Originally Posted by Coastal Eddie

If he wants it washed weekly that sweetens the deal.

Without seeing the units I'd only be guessing, so is it a 10 or 6 wheel tractor, and is the trailer 27' long? Or is it a 20' Bobtail? You gonna pressure wash it, or do it by hand?

Either way, if you're gonna wash it weekly, the first wash will be the hardest, and it'll get lots easier after that. Suggesting a price is hard unless I know specifically what you're washing, and bear in mind that prices are different in geographical areas.

not sure off the top of my head....ill try posting a pic here shortly

[vcallaway]

You pretty much have to use a pressure washer. You need to get the frame rails, axles etc...

A lot of truck have polished wheels and tanks. You have to be carefull about what kind of soap you use. A lot of the guys that wash trucks use a high alkaline soap to cut the grease and oils, but will dull the aluminum.

I worked for a trucking company for years. We had several guys that would come to the yard on weekends and wash trucks. The prices ran from $50 to $75 per truck. A lot depended on how many trucks at once were washed.

Normal car wash soaps will not clean a tractor. Hand washing is also not a very good idea. Way too many contaminates and each truck would take hours.

One of the best guys we had used tide laundry soap mixed with some water for the soap feed on the pressure washer. He would use that on the frames, then switch to a mild car soap for the cabs and polished areas.

Only a few of the drivers would wax or polish anything. Takes too long.

[cwcad]

It would be nice to see pictures. Most, not all line haul trucks that I work with are 260 or more. But we do not do city driving. Things to take into consideration is the amount of extras that are on the rails. How many tool boxes does the truck have? The size of the fuel tanks is another consideration. How many? one? two ? One hundred gallans? Four hundred gallan total. Does it have an headache rack. Chrome pipes for exhaust. Painted front bumper. Just how much of it is chrome?

I wash a 280 in. wheel base construction truck once a year usually during the fourth of July weekend holiday. It is an all pressure wash on the rails, brake adjusters, rear ends, all ten wheels, drive lines (to the back of cab) the cab, hood, and fender wells of the front wheels. No engine wash or transmission cleaning at all. There is no brushing done(although it is needed) and it takes me 30 to 45 minutes to do the job.. I am soaked to the gills. I also am dirtier as heck.

In DC terms this would be a pre-wash. I would think that it would be a three hour ordeal if everything needed to be wiped down then a sealant added on the the cab.(Is this cab asleeper cab or day cab?) It would also take time to do ten wheels and tires. Those alone would be an hour. That would be a fair to middlin job at that.

If they are getting 65 dollars to wash a truck and the owner is happy, that owner is probably does not have high expectations.