The truck mounted hot water extraction machine is the Monster of carpet cleaning machines. These machines, in one form or another have been around for over 30 years. These machines are touted as the very best commercial carpet cleaning machines on the market today. These large, complex machines are capable of deep cleaning, more thorough cleaning then most portable machines on the market and they also provide for faster drying of the carpets. At least that is what the manufacturers and sales reps say. In reality, advances in portable machines have leveled the playing field in this area.
Basically speaking, truck mounts come in two versions. There is a “slide-in” type which as the name indicates, slides into a van and is self powered by it’s own engine. This type of machine’s advantages are: It’s flexibility in the type and age of the vehicle used, it is easy to transfer from one vehicle to another, and has slightly lower gas consumption. The disadvantages are: It consumes more cargo space, is more complex to operate, and has higher maintenance requirements and the power plant can be less reliable then your standard van’s engine.
The second version is the Van Powered type. This machine type is powered by the engine of the vehicle itself. This is accomplished with a power transfer shaft that is belt-driven and extends from the front of the engine, back into the interior of the vehicle where it drives the machine components. An electric clutch similar to that used on the vehicle’s air conditioning, controls the on/off function of the unit. This type of machine’s advantages are: It is very compact, consumes less interior space, requires less maintenance, is simpler to operate, and is more reliable. The disadvantages are: It has rigid requirements regarding type and age of vehicle, is more difficult to transfer to another vehicle, and has higher gas consumption.
You can purchase these machines or systems new or used. In fact, you can find many being sold “used” on a regular basis on eBay and other outlets on the web. My question for you is “what does this indicate to you as far as their “real” usefulness?”
Doc has been working in various areas of home maintenance for over 40 years now. He has business start-up guides for the carpet cleaning, power washing and house painting businesses and more. Learn to be profitable working a "real" business from your home.
