Here’s a self-contained mobile brush-wash system that’s said to cut trailer washing cost and time while wasting "virtually no water." No more offsite commercial facilities or onsite washing bays, says JIM Mfg. Its Vader I 5000 Series is claimed to be the only self-contained, mobile unit that reclaims and recycles water.

The company says it actually reclaims 99.9% of the water that normally would fall onto the ground, reusing that water for the next wash. Clean water is always used for rinsing. That makes it a solution to environmental restrictions affecting washing due to water runoff.

JIM says as many as 20 trailers can be washed using on a single tank of water.  At only 6-8 minutes per trailer, and very little chemical use, one shop manager is reported to estimate "about a 75% savings compared to paying a mechanic $15-$20 per hour to move trailers in and out of a wash bay over several days."

The Vader uses a shielded brush action to remove road film, soot and chemical deposits, which non-brush washes can leave behind, the company says.

The mobile system comes with a wand with a reel-up hose so the owner can detail the rims, mud flaps, and other hard-to-reach areas. It can be used by any employee who can operate a forklift. With four-wheel steering, it can "turn on a dime."

The Vader can be bought directly from the factory. Several are already in Canadian use, the company reports.