Community Forums

Sheriffbubba · 02-28-2016, 11:41 AM

Sure wish I had a Blue Beacon anywhere near me.... None in the State of Washington.😡

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hdzcar · 02-28-2016, 01:56 PM

I would question what cleaners they use. Might be strong enough to strip any wax you have on the paint. I would rather have a dirty motorhome home than risk that.

capnj · 02-28-2016, 04:09 PM

As posted by stumpnc , be careful which lane you pull in. Can't say for other Blue Beacons ,but the one on I-10 in San Antonio has about 6 lanes. Only 2 far right lanes are for both RVs & trucks. Have seen fivers & travel trailers go through also.

Tireman1 · 03-03-2016, 05:14 PM

Tried a number of Blue Beacons and none will use my soap and brushes. I'm concerned their chemicals will remove my wax. I look for privately owned truck washes around truck stops as they will gladly use my brushes and soap.

Electra 225 · 03-03-2016, 08:02 PM

I've heard great things about Blue Beacon in the places we've been so far. However, I'm concerned by not only what kind of chemicals are used, but more importantly to me no brushes!

That's the first thing Newmar tells you NOT to use unless you want to scratch the hell out of your clear coat. I think that would apply to any coach's finish then for sure. I only use the lambs wool washing pads. But with those, you have to be really careful you don't get the tiniest grain of sand in the wool pad. Then you'll still scratch the hell out of your finish.

I'd like to hear what you think about this aspect. You folks out there who are pleased with Blue Beacon must not be getting scratches, so what do the actually use?? Are the wool pads a farce?

Thanks to the OP for bringing this up, been wondering myself....

W.D.

Rich-n-Linda · 03-03-2016, 08:19 PM

All the Blue Beacons I've been to have used brushes. They soak the coach, soap it up well with the wands and then use the brushes to get all the dirt. Rinse and then Rain-X. No big deal.

If a brush will scratch the clear coat, it must be a very soft clear. We don't have any scratches in ours. With clear coat you don't really need wax. It will shine nicely without it. I haven't used wax for years and I'm very pleased with how our coach looks.

CampDaven · 03-03-2016, 08:34 PM

How can a soft brush be too harsh?
BB has been great for me. My paint must not be the delicate type.

Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

Electra 225 · 03-03-2016, 08:42 PM

Yeah heck I don't know. I've always wondered what is truth, fiction, myth, or hype as I haven't tried everything myself. I've just went by a manufacturer's strict recommendations and stuck to it.

I have it in my plans to try Blue Beacon, and I'm still listening to the rest of you about brushes, wool pads, harmless or harmful chemicals/soap, etc.

Keep talkin' please

Regards.
W.D.

CampDaven · 03-03-2016, 08:58 PM

Truckers are picky about their cabs. If BB was detrimental to truck finishes, they wouldn't last long

Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

vtwinwilly · 03-03-2016, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electra 225

I've heard great things about Blue Beacon in the places we've been so far. However, I'm concerned by not only what kind of chemicals are used, but more importantly to me no brushes!

That's the first thing Newmar tells you NOT to use unless you want to scratch the hell out of your clear coat. I think that would apply to any coach's finish then for sure. I only use the lambs wool washing pads. But with those, you have to be really careful you don't get the tiniest grain of sand in the wool pad. Then you'll still scratch the hell out of your finish.

I'd like to hear what you think about this aspect. You folks out there who are pleased with Blue Beacon must not be getting scratches, so what do the actually use?? Are the wool pads a farce?

Thanks to the OP for bringing this up, been wondering myself....

W.D.

Blue Beacon does use brushes. And pretty rough looking brushes at that. If you are one who is very careful with your paint, Blue Beacon won't be for you.

Blue Beacon washes mostly big rig trucks. Most big rig trucks are painted with Imron or some equivalent. It is tough as nails. Much tougher than the automotive base coat/clear coats used on RVs. The brushes are less damaging to those paints, but not so gentle on your motorhome.

Just my musings. Your milage may vary.

SpaceNorman · 03-03-2016, 10:58 PM

I've been used one Blue Beacon while traveling ... but regularly use a truck wash that is only a couple miles from home (especially when the temps make washing it myself a miserable task). Pricing is roughly the same as BB - as is the technique they use for washing. A half dozen guys in waders and rain coats with long handled brushes, medium pressure hoses and some movable scaffold. They do a decent job in a relatively short period of time.

I stick to just the basic wash ... I'm primarily concerned with getting the road grime off after a long trip. Wheels and extras can wait till the weather breaks and so I can do that myself. Once a year - I take a weekend, corner my two young adult sons - and hand wax the beast. Seems like even with a 3-4 "truck washes" on it - the water is still beading up pretty good when I give it the "pre-hand wax" wash.

The last trip to the local truck wash ... it was $45 for the plain wash .... I handed 'em $60 with my $15 in change going into the communal tip jar next to the register. Everybody seemed happy.

hdzcar · 03-04-2016, 05:32 AM

This is right off BB's website.
(Upon customer request only, we will use our exclusive citrushine™ product, which is a mild citric acid solution; safe for all paint, aluminum and chrome finishes. We can also use our exclusive brightener product on your aluminum wheels, but again we do so only at customer request.)
RV Benefits

Betr2Trvl · 03-04-2016, 05:45 AM

Blue Beacon is just like any other car wash.

You pay them money.

They spray who knows what stuff on your vehicle. Something like "citrus shine" is a degreaser so it is going to remove your wax, for instance, no matter what they say.

Whatever touches your paint has not cleaned since it touched the last vehicle, or last 100 vehicles. If you let them dry your car, it's even worse, since it really wasn't cleaned properly to begin with, the towels (proably dirty to begin with) just drive grit into your clear coat. So your paint gets scratched to one degree or another, but it is "cleaner" than before when you leave, so most people are happily on their way.

No one but me washes my cars or my RV......

petrel · 03-04-2016, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electra 225

Yeah heck I don't know. I've always wondered what is truth, fiction, myth, or hype as I haven't tried everything myself. I've just went by a manufacturer's strict recommendations and stuck to it.

I have it in my plans to try Blue Beacon, and I'm still listening to the rest of you about brushes, wool pads, harmless or harmful chemicals/soap, etc.

Keep talkin' please

Regards.
W.D.

I've maintained boats and RVs for years. I have an extensive collection of washing mitts. My two cents:

Side by side, a clean mitt may be less abrasive than an ultra soft truck brush. However, in my book, the new ultra soft bristle "truck brushes" available in commercial supply establishments are the best compromise going. Not because they are "milder" than lambswool or a reggae mitt, but because they are less apt to hold grit, you are less apt to press as hard on them, and they are easier to keep rinsed.

The minute you take a swipe on a dirty vehicle with a mitt, it becomes a piece of sand paper. If you don't rinse that mitt thoroughly and frequently, you reintroduce the grit to the surface. A very soft brush allows the grit to remain mobile and not be repeatedly pressed against the surface being washed. The brush also rinses more easily.