Anyone ever use an undercarriage pressure washer on your Lightning?

[RickLightning]

I can't use a pressure washer due to me having a well, however the local car wash has a "undercarriage wash" and I take advantage of that as much as possible.

We have a well, why are you limited on water use?

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[RickLightning]

There is little reason to do a high pressure wash of the underside of the truck. I wouldn't do it. A simple hose nozzle should be enough to wash off anything.

 

[Adventureboy]

Anyone use Fluid Film for undercarriage?

I use it on the retracting running board mechanisms. Needed to keep the salty slush out of them.

 

[lakeguy55]

We have a well, why are you limited on water use?

I was wondering the same. We are on a well and use our pressure washer all the time.

I took the battery cover off of mine for the first time yesterday. I too live on a dirt road and was surprised at how much dust was all over everything in there.

 

[SmoothJ]

We have a well, why are you limited on water use?

I was wondering the same. We are on a well and use our pressure washer all the time.

I took the battery cover off of mine for the first time yesterday. I too live on a dirt road and was surprised at how much dust was all over everything in there.

I am not 100% sure... I know the pump was replaced in ~2019 and the original HO (homeowner) said he was told to not use a pressure washer. That was in ~2021 when I picked up this house.

I should maybe ask the company that put in the pump, but based on the invoice it appeared to be a Franklin 10gpm 1/2hp 230v 3 wire pump... which even using my 4200PSI pressure washer I think its only ~4 GPM.

 

[Lightning Rod]

I used the undercarriage washer on my truck and my girlfriend's car and I must say, it works very well!

I sprayed each vehicle undercarriage very thoroughly, for several minutes. The sprayer tips are perfect for my 3400 psi sprayer and I think will be perfect for removing salt, calcium chloride and dirt that compromise the frame in these harsh Northeast Ohio winters!

 

[Lightning Rod]

I've used this product about once a week for the past month and a half, and this unit works very well. I don't worry about salt promoting rust on the undercarriage anymore.

 

[Jim Lewis]

If an undercarriage pressure washer can hit the bumper sensors, you might want to reconsider. The owner's manual specifically advises not to pressure wash cameras and sensors.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...riat-‘emblem-door’-blew-off.17905/post-359961

 

[Lightning Rod]

If an undercarriage pressure washer can hit the bumper sensors, you might want to reconsider. The owner's manual specifically advises not to pressure wash cameras and sensors.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/threads/passenger-side-lariat-‘emblem-door’-blew-off.17905/post-359961

I appreciate this info. I read that on page 448 of the manual but it doesn't go into detail about it. It says to use warm or cold water and a soft cloth to clean cameras and sensors but it doesn't illustrate how to go about cleaning or where exactly these seniors and cameras are.

The spray nozzles are not really that much pressure. I will research more on how to clean these sensors by hand and find out exactly where they are, but I think I will continue to spray the undercarriage of my truck. I will just take extra precautions in certain locations under there as I spray wash.

Thanks.

 

[Jim Lewis]

It says to use warm or cold water and a soft cloth to clean cameras and sensors but it doesn't illustrate how to go about cleaning or where exactly these seniors and cameras are.

I bought a spray bottle at a Walmart SuperCenter for $1.18 (cleaing aisle in grocery section)

and a roll of 75 tear-off microfiber towels for $14.97 (auto department):

can be washed and reused >50x.

I put distilled water (the bottled water section of your grocery store) in the spray bottle. I vigorously mist the cameras and sensors one at a time, starting with the cleanest and working towards the dirtiest. After spraying a camera or sensor vigorously for several spray squeezes, I just gently blot (not wipe) the water away, removing lots of dirt on the dirtiest cameras or sensors.

On a Lariat ER, there are 5 exterior cameras (frunk hood under Ford emblem, side view mirrors, top rear of cab, top center of tail gate). There six sensors on the front bumper and six sensors on the rear bumper. Below is a picture of the 3 sensors on the left half of my front bumper.

 

[mefly2]

References to pages in the owners manual ... is there a printed manual?

 

[Jim Lewis]

References to pages in the owners manual ... is there a printed manual?

p.448. A link was given in my first post in this thread: https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/threads/passenger-side-lariat-‘emblem-door’-blew-off.17905/post-359961

There is no printed owner's manual that I know of. The manual is ~662 pages long. There's an electronic version in your truck, a web version, and you can download or open a PDF from the web.

An advantage of the electronic version is that rather than relying on a TOC or index, you can search it. I no longer use Adobe Acrobat (too expensive) but one used to be able to do complex Boolean searches on PDF material, e.g., "pressure NEAR sensor," and define what NEAR meant, e.g., how many words separation max.

 

[mefly2]

Must be blind, lots of info but I don't see a link to a manual ... just the thread.

 

[derm]

I've been through multiple high pressure undercarriage washes without any issues

Same here. OBX driving often on the beaches. Local brushless car was has thus feature. No issues.

 

[Lightning Rod]

Same here. OBX driving often on the beaches. Local brushless car was has thus feature. No issues.

Here in Ohio, there is a lot of salt used on the roads in the winter. Many car washes here have the Chassis Bath sprayer for the undercarriage. What I don't like is, these places here uses a system that filters and reuses the same old water over and over to wash the cars. I'd rather use my own equipment and my own water so I know the job is done right and without reused water.

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