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steve prince

  • Posts: 240
what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« on: December 18, 2013, 06:50:34 pm »
Hi folks
In the new year i will be looking to buy my first truck mount, being new to this what should i be looking out for when viewing  ???

Many thanks
Steve

maxcampbell

  • Posts: 256
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2013, 07:57:48 pm »
I've only got experience of liquid cooled ones, but from that experience, and from what others say about air cooled, I'd definitely go for liquid cooled again. They're quieter and run at lower revs, and should therefore last longer.

Average is about 600 engine hrs per year, so one with low hours for the age.

It should reach temperature (i.e. about 210 / 220 deg F - they're all american) within about 10 minutes of startup, and with water flowing through a tool.

Brendan (chem2clean)

  • Posts: 958
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2013, 08:24:35 pm »
Hey Steve,what kind of tm you looking for,entrance level are a beast.

Brendan (chem2clean)

  • Posts: 958
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2013, 08:55:36 pm »
Steve,guy selling tm and equipment on this site

steve prince

  • Posts: 240
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2013, 09:29:49 pm »
I've seen the 1 for sale but is it a reliable model as this is all new

Brendan (chem2clean)

  • Posts: 958
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2013, 09:40:06 pm »
sorry steve,dont know the machine...someone here will for sure

Craigp

  • Posts: 1272
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2013, 09:49:44 pm »
The one Nathan Cooper is selling?

Looks a good buy to me, you'll need to be quick I think.

Simon Gerrard

  • Posts: 4405
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2013, 10:02:00 pm »
Don't choose a machine on the basis of what you can afford but on what your business needs, not just today, but in the immediate future. A TM will transform your business so will move you forward very quickly but only if you choose wisely.

Simon

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11382
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2013, 10:22:42 pm »
Neil bought one I think it was a steam way he could see the value of it and went on to get a hydramaster and he's tighter than me!

Simon while you are on (I know I've asked you this before) can you recommend a retractable hose reel and what did you do to modify it?

Shaun

petermaybury

  • Posts: 89
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2013, 10:54:42 pm »
It is a bit like buying a car many of the models out there have proved to be unreliable,
some more complicated than they need be.  Some are incredibly reliable, there is no short answer. I bought my 1st one 3rd hand and knew the person that had it from new. The second owner did not look after it and the first service cost me over £1000. Every thing has it day and you have to ask why somebody wants to sell it in the first place. People do have bad luck and misfortune so there are always bargains to be had, but that is the risk buying 2nd hand. The truckmount world is not that big and somebody always knows somebody who knows someone and suppliers know where most of their machines are.
If you have not got any experience of truckmounts spend some time working with somebody who uses one and is conversant with how they work and knows how to look after them. Many owners are not mechanically minded and just pay people to maintain them. but many of us are far away from service centres and so want to know how to look their after their income source.
It is also better to ask specific questions like make and model as I am too busy to look for who is selling what where etc.
Truckmount is the way to go, but buying the wrong machine can be costly. A good option for the inexperienced is to buy a machine on lease, you have a guarantee, a reliable machine, and somebody who knows the machine inside out on the end of the phone and that is often invaluable. My second machine was leased and if was one of the best decisions that I made. another option is to buy a 2 nd hand machine off a supplier,
you will still get a warrantee and the help at the end of the phone. My machine is so reliable I very rarely speak to hydramaster but they have been faultless with service even when I had not bought the 1st machine direct from them.

Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com


Peter

Simon Gerrard

  • Posts: 4405
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2013, 08:14:15 am »
Neil bought one I think it was a steam way he could see the value of it and went on to get a hydramaster and he's tighter than me!

Simon while you are on (I know I've asked you this before) can you recommend a retractable hose reel and what did you do to modify it?

Shaun

Shaun,
We get retractable compressed air reels and take off the hose and chuck it and remove the spring from inside it and you've got a 100 foo live reel.

Simon

David Ware

  • Posts: 300
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #11 on: December 19, 2013, 08:31:54 am »
Buy a Hydramaster TM, you will get help and assistance thats what you will need.
David

mark shannon

  • Posts: 961
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #12 on: December 19, 2013, 09:35:59 am »
My HM 318 has given me 5 years uninterrupted service few niggles but nothing that has lost me a days work. Touch wood.

nathan cooper

  • Posts: 11
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #13 on: December 19, 2013, 10:46:11 am »
hi ,
 well from my own experience please check out any truckmount probably just like test driving a car , make sure you can actually try it out on some c/c as when I bought mine the bloke quickly showed me it spraying water but only for a minute , try it out for at least half an hour to make sure you get & keep hot water , pressure stays constant , engine runs sweet , vacuum stays constant , what I found when I quickly saw it working then tried it probably when got home that the machine needed a full service , descaling , thermostat replacing , heat transfer fixing , all water filters cleaning , new vacuum seal , totall loss of water after 5 minutes and the list went on to cost me a small fortune.
  so all I can recommend is please see it actually carpet cleaning not in some-one's drive / yard as there are so many things that can be hidden and if you need any more advice please contact me as would not like to see any-one caught like I was
  regards
   nathan

Paul Clapham

  • Posts: 250
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2013, 04:15:50 pm »
@ Mark Shannon , can you let me know which van you have set up  your HM318 in , thinking of buying one next year but not sure which van to use for it.

cheers

Paul.
This is the season for fine wine, and drunken friends, enjoy this moment, for this moment is your life.

Shaun_Ashmore

  • Posts: 11382
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #15 on: December 19, 2013, 05:26:41 pm »
Simon could you do a link to one? Ebay?

Thanks

Shaun

Richard Cole

  • Posts: 783
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #16 on: December 19, 2013, 06:29:13 pm »
Steve you could look at this company not too far from you http://www.used-truckmounts.co.uk/
former carpet cleaner, now retired!

Paul Moss

  • Posts: 2296
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #17 on: December 19, 2013, 06:46:17 pm »
Steve you could look at this company not too far from you http://www.used-truckmounts.co.uk/

I bought my last one from GP, I can highly reccomend them.

steve prince

  • Posts: 240
Re: what to look for when buying 2nd hand truck mount
« Reply #18 on: December 19, 2013, 06:56:11 pm »
I've been speaking to Ian at gp cleaners and I'm going down in the new year for a demo!
If anybody is willing to let me join them for a day with there truck mount then that would be great  ;D

Steve