Steam Cleaner

[Coyote]

Where can you get a steam cleaner and how much would a decent one cost?

[Ghost Lemur]

Most hardware/power tool places will sell them, no idea on what they cost.

[Motu]

Not a steam cleaner - water blaster,from Mitre 10....there's a very good Mitre 10 in Whangarai.

[Coyote]

Not a steam cleaner - water blaster,from Mitre 10....there's a very good Mitre 10 in Whangarai.

Wouldn't a water blaster cause some damage?

[Blakamin]

Most hardware/power tool places will sell them, no idea on what they cost.

98% are just water blasters.... steam cleaners are REAL expensive

[Coyote]

I'll let you know whether what I get is any good or not

[Holy Roller]

Where can you get a steam cleaner and how much would a decent one cost?

I take it that you work on a farm given that you have to clean cow muck of the bike. Hit the boss up for one, any half decent boss would get one as the wash down hose dosen't always get the muck off or just plain bowls the bike over.
Mitre 10 have some on speccial until the 16 Nov
1160Psi $155
1232Psi $298
1600Psi $395
1740Psi $498
1740Psi 7.5 ltrs /min $678 (my old boss got this one worked really well)
1650 Psi Petrol Driven $996
Hope this helps some

[merv]

I have a Karcher waterblaster but would never use it on my bikes - they are just too harsh, the blasters that is. I stick to using the hose and a fair bit of hand job work. You don't want all the shit blowing into your bearings and other places it shouldn't be. Not a smart idea even around an O-ring chain. That's my view anyway.

[laRIKin]

As said there is a big difference between a, steam cleaner and a water blaster.
As the name says one, the real dear one, makes steam or at least, really
hot water.
The common one just pressurises water to a greater presser.

Yes you can do damage with them.
They can have the power to remove graphics, and if aimed at parts of the
bike where you do not what water to go, it will get in there and do damage.
Place's like wheel bearings and steering head bearings etc.

But they can be used safely by just thinking, and pulling the tip back a bit
to drop the presser down when going near the places that are water sensitive.

I use one all the time on my bikes, road and dirt.
And have had no problems.
Just keep the tip at the right distance and the presser will be alright.
Just be careful and they are a great cleaning tool.

[laRIKin]

I would just like to add.

I have found that if you want a real clean bike you still have to get the
bucket and brush's and rags out to get the last bits of dirt etc off.

The pressure washers just get the thick stuff off.
Unfortunately they are not the magic wand that you maybe hoping for.

But they are magic on dirt bikes.

[Antallica]

Not a steam cleaner - water blaster,from Mitre 10....there's a very good Mitre 10 in Whangarai.

Wanker

[James Deuce]

I have a Karcher waterblaster but would never use it on my bikes - they are just too harsh, the blasters that is. I stick to using the hose and a fair bit of hand job work. You don't want all the shit blowing into your bearings and other places it shouldn't be. Not a smart idea even around an O-ring chain. That's my view anyway.

I'm with him. My brother-in-law used to steam clean his farm quad bike and wondered why it needed a new diff and wheel bearings every service. Steam cleaning is just asking for a whole bunch of things to go wrong all at the same time.

E
L
B
O
W

G
R
E
A
S
E

It's unfashionable, but it works.

[What?]

But if you do have a serious use for a steam cleaner, you are going to need no less than 5 grand, and 10 to 12 grand for a good one. As said above, there is a big difference between water blasters and steam cleaners.
Oh, and the good ones tend to want 3 phase power.
Much better to talk nice to a local workshop - many will let you use theirs for $5 a time.

[F5 Dave]

CT12 (or is it 18?) is a secret bestowed on me by a friend who always has serious clean dirtbikes etc. Available from TWL but think I have seen it in M10 & Super Cheap autos which is prob the closest.

This stuff rocks. You end up using bugger all too.

Buy an expensive spray bottle & part cleaner brush so you can get in places & you are set. Just avoid contamination of the brake pads.