Maintenance Required!

Had a problem with my IBA last weekend (of course!). Spray bar (Superior Side Trac 700) was stopping under high pressure at the passenger front corner of the car and failed to travel across the front. PLC showed "wash arm in/out error". Reset machine, reset breaker inside electrical box inside gantry. Looked in my manual to determine which prox switch governs the spray bar in/out movement. Found it, boomed the wash carriage out, climbed a ladder and had a look. What I discovered was the 4 wheels that the carriage assembly roll on are quite worn out, at least one appearing conical! I can take the carriage assembly and move it side to side; not good! What is happening, I think, is that when the wash carriage travels out away from the gantry, the prox loses its target near the end of carriage travel due to the slop in the carriage assembly/worn wheels.

Today I'll order 4 new wheels. Installing them will be a chore for 2 guys! I'll be sure to take some pictures! For now I adjusted the prox in a little so even as the target shifts away from the prox, it's still picking it up and continuing across the front of vehicles.

I don't have a sidetrac, but just adjusting the prox in should get you by for a long time unless the rollers are just so far worn you can see it wondering.

Oh, it's wandering. I can't see it when the wash is in operation; is that what you mean?

I ordered the wheels and I think I'll just change em when they arrive.

If you can't see the slop when it's going and it's working by just adjusting the prox, it's probably ok. The 4000 rolls on hard plastic rollers that wear more if you don't keep the tires inflated to the proper/same tire pressure on each side. Sometimes when I change a tire, I have to adjust the prox a bit I guess because every tire tracks maybe a little differently down the rail.

After 3 months of nothing but trouble, I just replaced wheels and springs on my SideTrac 700. When adjusting the prox switch I noticed too much play in the boom, even with new wheels. Installed 2 "L" shaped brackets and greased them so they prevent torque in the boom arm. Machine has not had the problem in a month.