Cleaning the bugs off the nose

[porthole]

After almost 2400 miles of traveling I was not looking forward to cleaning the front of the Cyclone. Plenty of plastered on bugs and they got to bake in the 100 degree weather, with almost no rain.

Fortunately the trip down to Nashville was fairly bug free.

Anyway, I like to wash the trailer during a light rain or after rain to help soften things up. No dice this time, have had almost no rain for over a month.

Anyway I tried some "Roll Off" this time. Many marinas use this on the hulls before power washing.

Anyway - it worked really good, softened the bugs up enough so that the came off fairly easy with a brush. The little that remained came off with a power washer.

I use the power washer for rinsing as our water pressure is too low.

Roll Off
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=10104&subdeptNum=10379&classNum=10381

or

http://www.amazon.com/Bell-32oz-Ama..._1?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1280696508&sr=8-1

If you order this online you may have to pay Haz Mat fees for UPS, so it may end up being cheaper going to a local boat supply store.

 

[Recovered from 25-May-2010]

Bounce dryer sheets work real well!

 

[Recovered from 25-May-2010]

This won't help your situation but I tried treating the cap of our new BC with Rejex...gave it three coats before our last trip. I must say...I am sold! Bugs came off really easy! Having had to "sandblast" them off our other rig I appreciate the Rejex difference.

 

[DW_Gray]

This is a great post. Thank you. After nearly 13,000 miles of towing the last 10 months it's been a pain keeping the nose clean.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

If someone would only come up with a "Force Field". You know, like Star Trek, "Shields up Worf!" That way the bugs would never hit the cap. OK, back to reality.

 

[porthole]

This is a great post. Thank you. After nearly 13,000 miles of towing the last 10 months it's been a pain keeping the nose clean.

Dave - have you tried any of the truck washes?

Curious as to whether or not you can pull a trailer through, get it cleaned, and have no damage.

 

[MC9]

The last stop before pulling into our winter site in AZ is the truck wash. Doing it for years. Beats a bunch of fat kids stomping around on my roof at the park.

 

[iforget]

Bounce dryer sheets work real well!

I think a little more info is needed to understand using said "Bounce Sheet"

 

[iforget]

If someone would only come up with a "Force Field". You know, like Star Trek, "Shields up Worf!" That way the bugs would never hit the cap. OK, back to reality.

Now you are thinking.. I was wondering why thier wasnt a cover like our Bike Buddies use to keep the bugs off their front Fairings..

Duane thought I was so funny when I suggested "WE" put several coats of RainX on to try,. The humor was I wouldnt be part of the "WE".

But then I suggested hiring a few hard working kids we know..

 

[iforget]

The last stop before pulling into our winter site in AZ is the truck wash. Doing it for years. Beats a bunch of fat kids stomping around on my roof at the park.

I have heard of a couple of East Coasters who do this as well in the truck washes. When we got our unit weighed at our closest stop on our way to the PA Rally. We never looked
to see if there is a wash.

Yep

Great post mr.C

 

[hoefler]

Wet the surface and start wiping. It will foam up a little, let it sit there little bit while yo goto some other bugs, come back to it and they literaly wipe off. When it quits foaming, get a new one. I use 4-5 sheets when I do mine after a 3000 mile trip.

 

[truknutt]

Sounds line a very fine version of the old Brillo pad.

 

[MJordan]

Hello:
What are you using?
I can't follow the thread to kow who is talkng about what.

 

[jayc]

I use a product called Streak-X. It works really well but it will take the wax off, so when I use it, I have to rewax the front cap.

 

[Chainsaw]

I use dish soap and a long handled brush, just did it and it took 10 minutes, the entire nose was completely covered.

 

[dbylinski]

Deb, there may be a truck wash closer to you up around Edison or Rahway where the trucking industry is huge. If not, the closest one to us is the Flying J at Exit 2C off Southbound 295. It is very close to the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

We too were skeptical about the drier sheets. We're sold now as we used them last weekend and the bugs came right off. Just wet the drier sheet, rub on the bug and pop a top on a brew cause you're done. Just be sure to wash the area afterwards because it will leave a streak if you don't. We waxed after drying and the front cap is beautiful, except for the caulk filled hole of course. We'll get that fixed after the season is over!

 

[porthole]

Just back from a 1500 mile round trip to Elkhart and picked up a bug or 2 - even had a huge dragon fly get knocked for a loop from the truck mirror and get plastered into my right shoulder

I'll try the bounce sheet to see how it works, but that is an awfully big cap to "hand wash".

If it works -great - if not I have a new 1 gallon jug of "Roll Off" ready to go!

 

[cableman]

Has anyony tried the rain-x, That sounds lie a good idea. The way the rain rolls off the bugs just might skid right off.