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Karcher underbody/chassis cleaner

82K views 42 replies 26 participants last post by  Neil_M 
#1 ·
Hi all , I hope Christmas was canny for you all. I'm looking to unload some dosh on a karcher underbody cleaner
I've looked for a post about this but can't find one so I was wondering if anyone has one and their thoughts.

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#2 ·
#3 ·
Have one for a couple of years and it does a good job.
Of course the best method would be put it on a four poster lift and clean the underside, but the Karcher does a decent job.
I use it regular during winter and spring, and my garage always complimenting on how clean it is underneath.
Only it doesn’t reach in to of the wings, you have to do that with a lance.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for replies. The price of these kits are 50 quid now so I thought I'd just order one. There are some mixed opinions as to how well this works but the way I see it is its got to be better than just leaving the underside and not trying to clean it at all

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#16 ·
Same here too - bought it and used it once - too much faff.

But.. I then bought the Karcher Vario Power Jet adjustable angle nozzle and its really superb for wheel arches and underneath. You get full, adjustable, swivelable power through a stubby nozzle - I can really recommend it.

https://www.kaercher.com/uk/accessory/mini-vp160-vario-power-jet-26432540.html

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#18 ·
It takes virtually seconds to set up.
If you don’t have a smooth drive it’s a bit more difficult to move it, but it cleans well.
If you use it regular it becomes easier and easier as the dirt is not caked on.
I seldom use the foamer that comes with it, I normally only rinse.

It’s fantastic to clean under the sills as I never seem to get them clean with a stubby or angled lance and still get a mitt full of muck when I grab under the sill.
After the Karcher it’s clean and safe to “grab”

Yes it is a fancy patio cleaner upside down, however because you can adjust the height it’s effective for our whole fleet high for the 4x4 and lowest for the Lexus.
 
#22 ·
You quoted "too much faff" and asked for an explanation, so it appeared that you didn't understand the phrase.

However, for the sake of clarity, I believe that the Karcher underchassis cleaner is too time consuming to set up, for the results that it gives and have now switched to using the Vario Power Jet to achieve the same end result.



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#25 ·
Well I think the opposit of what you have just said. The vario lance thing is hard to keep off the ground or it'll be worn away in a crack. You have to be in a stooped position which kills my back. I'm sure the underbody cleaner is going to be easier to use and control and probably a better job

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#30 ·
It's ultimately your choice I can only comment with regard to my own experience.
It sounds like you have not tried either but if you feel the underbody cleaner will suit you best then there will be no argument here..
Either is a compromise compared to getting it up in the air and being able to see what you are doing properly.
I should add I am not a fan of washing the underside of cars. I only do it if the vehicle is made difficult to work on by an oil leak or grease etc getting where it is best avoided or people insist and accept that it is inevitable that some water will get into the body cavities.

If I want to do the best job then I put the car on the outside ramp and clean it there. It is the best way of getting it really clean but with any of these things it is best to avoid getting water and chemicals into the body.

I also have both the wheeled chassis cleaner and the flex head for working on the floor and that is why I made the comment that the flex head is better used with something to protect it as it touches the ground. I fixed it to an easily replaced half of a hard plastic ball so it slides easily across the ground.
I find the flex head also cleans more thoroughly because the nozzle can be tilted slightly backwards and get to the reverse sides which the chassis cleaner misses. It can also be rocked side to side instead of having to be moved backwards and forwards in order to reposition it under the vehicle.

If you use lance extensions then I find any back bending is minimised unless the vehicle is very low to the ground. I generally leave the screw collars loose so that there is a curve in the lance.
With very low vehicles the chassis cleaner may not fit underneath either.
 
#27 ·
This is from a review I did back in 2013.

Bought one of these at the weekend and have to say, I am pleased with result, really glad I own a Karcher! There are some jets included in the set, they differ depending on the Karcher series you own so you fit / change them before use if required. I used CG NoTouch for the foaming part, simply because I had some to use up. During use, I reduced the lance to one extension, made it easier to move around, especially if space is limited. A useful tip is to connect your lance upside down, doing this lets you get closer to the ground as the hose point skywards. Helpful for low cars!

I used the wax included although I do not think it will add much value, it is the rinsing I believe will make the difference. 250 ml of wax application supplied, used around 1/4. The underneath looked pretty clean after the treatment, I went on to wash the rest of the car and just as I got to the drying point, hailstones pelted me :(.

I would fully recommed this product, it is great. :D

This picture is the foam from the No Touch, it had dripped off a lot by this point. It was about 60/40 NT/water, I will use stronger concentration next time or probably should try the product in the set.



Now, since then I have had mixed views on it.

It is a very solid and good piece of equipment. The negative is that as it only sprays upwards, it only cleans the down facing parts of the car. So the tops of arms and the exhaust do not get cleaned very well. I noticed that when I changed a control arm. However it cleans the areas it reaches extremely well.

If your car is low, park half on the kerb and you can easily fit the cleaner under the car (if you have an area to do that without causing problems).

I would say get one if you do not like using a lance, it is better than nothing. I use it in conjunction with a lance to reach all areas which is better than a lance alone :thumb:
 
#31 ·
My partner has just got rid of her vw tiguan which she absolutely loved. The reason for this was a bearing had collapsed on the centre driveshaft and both rear calipers need replacement.I put the car on ramps and crawled underneath to have a look. Whilst crawling under I noticed a spot of caked on mud just behind the back wheel between the plastic arch liner and the chassis. I knocked the mud off and to my surprise it was absolutely red rotten. I checked the other side and it was exactly the same.
A mix of mud/muck and road salt and the constant wetting and drying out had perished this spot severely. So on top of the repairs it probably would have needed some welding in the next couple of years.
If I'd knew this was happening to the underside I would have cleaned these areas regularly and may have prevented the rust for a while longer .
This is the reason for wanting a chassis cleaner. I know it's not going to stop the rot but at least I'll have tried.
I try to maintain the paint so why not try to preserve the chassis and underbody.

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#32 · (Edited)
Careful removal of build up in places where it can collect can stop some of the rot and is a perfectly sensible thing to do.
It is always best in my experience to look for the areas where this can happen and deal with them regularly rather than carpet bombing the whole underside under pressure where you can force water into places it cannot be removed from and cause the very problem you are trying to avoid.
I would argue that careful washing with a hose and strategic corrosion prevention is better than continually soaking the complete underside under pressure with something that is not necessarily able to specifically target the areas you wish to address.
If you wash a car with the chassis cleaner and then get underneath and check you will see how much it misses and how ineffective it is at dealing with ledges and crevices where grot can collect.
 
#37 ·
I use a 90 degree adapter in my arches and under the sills but I would worry about using one of these devices simply because you cannot see what you are doing. There is a real possibility of, at best, getting water into a cavity you don't want to get water into and at worst, blasting something sensitive. Also if there is already any corrosion there that you can't see or aren't aware of, hitting it with a high pressure water jet is surely not going to help matters.

If you wash a car with the chassis cleaner and then get underneath and check you will see how much it misses and how ineffective it is at dealing with ledges and crevices where grot can collect.
Not sure if that is typo or not but what a fantastic word grot is! I shall be shamelessly appropriating it frequently. Thank you.
 
#33 ·
I got one of these few years back in a bundle deal and found it good when I used it. Actually forgot about having it and found it in the shed last week so must try it out again. My only worry at the time was what product to use after cleaning to give a bit of protection.
 
#39 ·
Used this again today.



It's an impressive bit of kit. Just about goes under my Abarth 595 on the lowest setting but easily goes under the wife's C-HR a few notches up.

It has a mini upward facing snow foam nozzle with a reservoir which I use a combined heavy cleaner with an industrial wax.

Works a treat. Great for this time of year.

Cheers,

Simon
 
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