Leaf blower for drying
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,450
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From: MI
Leaf blower for drying
Question for you people that use leaf blowers for drying your car. How long does it take you? Last time I washed my car, I gave it a shot. It worked well for the mirrors and those little spots, but did nothing for the main panels. I looked into the model of leaf blower I have and it blows at 140mph. Most people reference a 200mph blower. Does it make that big of a difference?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: New Port Richey Florida
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 148
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From: Melbourne Florida
Originally Posted by Ruz
Question for you people that use leaf blowers for drying your car. How long does it take you? Last time I washed my car, I gave it a shot. It worked well for the mirrors and those little spots, but did nothing for the main panels. I looked into the model of leaf blower I have and it blows at 140mph. Most people reference a 200mph blower. Does it make that big of a difference?
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 11,065
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From: Central Ma
I know mine is pretty powerful, a gas model backpack. It takes a little longer than expected to do a good job, 15 minutes? I start with the wheels which I think is very important. From there it's the mirrors, then top to bottom. You will learn where the problem weatherstripping parts are that hold water. I feel you need to follow up with some Z6 to help remove some small spotting. That's my method.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 11,065
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From: Central Ma
Originally Posted by clemsondave
1. take the water nozzle off
2. let the water trickle on the car (most will sheet off)
3. leaf blower in all the cracks and most of the panels
4. microfiber towels for the rest
2. let the water trickle on the car (most will sheet off)
3. leaf blower in all the cracks and most of the panels
4. microfiber towels for the rest
Good point about taking the nozzle off of any kind, and letting the water flow off of the entire car. It makes a big difference.
Last edited by steve8; Dec 6, 2006 at 07:32 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,894
Likes: 1
From: Farmingdale NY
St. Jude Donor '06
Mine takes about the same amount of time it would take to dry it with towels, but my hands stay dry, there's less rubbing on the paint, and the leaf blower gets rid of most of the nasty drips from the tail lights and mirrors.
Mine is a Toro rated at 225MPH.
Mine is a Toro rated at 225MPH.
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Brett Foote
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,770
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From: 3rd planet from the sun
I get off as much as I can then dry with a MF towel. The blower does a great job on the hard to get to places ie., mirrors. tail lights, inside rocker panels and door frame, etc .... I even take it to the interior ..... nothing beats a blow job
Last edited by Comfortably Numb; Dec 5, 2006 at 11:50 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,034
Likes: 11
From: Lewes DE
Doing a "complete dry" with a blower will save you little to no time over just doing a nozzle-less rinse + towel dry. I would not recommend trying to do a "complete dry" with the leaf blowerl. If you waste all that time trying to get it "fully dry", you'll allow enough for tiny water spots to form.
Here's what I do
You really want to use a quick detailer anyway when you dry, to get any water spots off, so you might as well be taking off the last few drops of water while you're doing that. The major utility of the blower for me is to get the water out of the tough spots like mirrors, brake calipers, tailpipes --- places where you get the annoying drip if you just tried to use a towel.
Here's what I do
- nozzle-less rinse : takes 80% - 90% of the water off the car
- leaf blower - I first do the tires, wheels, then the car from top down
- I only give the car the quick "once over" to remove most but not all the water.
- then quck squirt of Z6 while final drying with a MF towel
You really want to use a quick detailer anyway when you dry, to get any water spots off, so you might as well be taking off the last few drops of water while you're doing that. The major utility of the blower for me is to get the water out of the tough spots like mirrors, brake calipers, tailpipes --- places where you get the annoying drip if you just tried to use a towel.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,739
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From: New Port Richey Florida
Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts
I get off as much as I can then dry with a MF towel. The blower does a great job on the hard to get to places
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,536
Likes: 10
From: Sault Ste Marie Ontario
Personally I only use it on the mirrors,trim,grill,doorhandles,wipers,do or seams etc. I do not use on the hood,roof etc. I try to blow most of the water out but do not attempt to dry the car with the blower. Sheeting the water off prior works wonders. Good luck 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,897
Likes: 181
From: Menifee (I.E.) CA
I use the blower ($20 at WalMart-110 MPH), but shammy to finish it off. I use Mr. Clean without the soap, I use Zaino's instead. My water is super hard and I would like to use the "no nozzle" method, but I need Mr. Clean to avoid water spotting!
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,074
Likes: 296
From: San Francisco CA
I have the Sears Craftsman leaf dryer rated at 220 MPH and I cannot get the car completely dry so still use microfiber and California water blade if necessary. I can use the blower on it for 10 to 15 minutes and still needs microfiber to finish it off.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 913
Likes: 18
From: Lafayette Hill Pennsylvania
If you are serious about blowing the water off of your car, try the Metro Air Force Blaster. It comes with a 12 foot hose, nice nozzle and about 29000 ft/min. It blows the water off in a few minutes. You then can complete the car with a small towel.
The unit is advertised as a motorcycle dryer but works well on a car.
When you turn it on, you had better hold on!!
It does a great job on the wheels, wheel wells and other areas which a towel simply won't get to. It is a little pricy but in my opinion, was worth it.
The unit is advertised as a motorcycle dryer but works well on a car.
When you turn it on, you had better hold on!!
It does a great job on the wheels, wheel wells and other areas which a towel simply won't get to. It is a little pricy but in my opinion, was worth it.
Last edited by jluke; Dec 14, 2006 at 05:04 PM. Reason: too early for thinking!
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,074
Likes: 296
From: San Francisco CA
If you are serious about blowing the water off of your car, try the Metro Air Force Blaster. It comes with a 12 foot hose, nice nozzle and about 29000 psi. It blows the water off in a few minutes. You then can complete the car with a small towel.
The unit is advertised as a motorcycle dryer but works well on a car.
When you turn it on, you had better hold on!!
It does a great job on the wheels, wheel wells and other areas which a towel simply won't get to. It is a little pricy but in my opinion, was worth it.
The unit is advertised as a motorcycle dryer but works well on a car.
When you turn it on, you had better hold on!!
It does a great job on the wheels, wheel wells and other areas which a towel simply won't get to. It is a little pricy but in my opinion, was worth it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,897
Likes: 181
From: Menifee (I.E.) CA
If you are serious about blowing the water off of your car, try the Metro Air Force Blaster. It comes with a 12 foot hose, nice nozzle and about 29000 psi. It blows the water off in a few minutes. You then can complete the car with a small towel.
The unit is advertised as a motorcycle dryer but works well on a car.
When you turn it on, you had better hold on!!
It does a great job on the wheels, wheel wells and other areas which a towel simply won't get to. It is a little pricy but in my opinion, was worth it.
The unit is advertised as a motorcycle dryer but works well on a car.
When you turn it on, you had better hold on!!
It does a great job on the wheels, wheel wells and other areas which a towel simply won't get to. It is a little pricy but in my opinion, was worth it.
29K would be a death tool...just one mistake is all it would take!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,739
Likes: 0
From: New Port Richey Florida
I would think that not only would it dry the car, but peel the paint at the same time.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Grandville MI
I have a Black '03 Z06 so it really shows any scratches like you all know. Anyway, I wash my car in the morning when it is totally shaded in the driveway to minimize any chances of water spotting. I also use the mister clean with meguiars gold class car wash cut 50-50 with water before adding to the soap reservoir of the mister clean unit. After washing, I rinse with nonfiltered water to remove all of the soap, then I use the filtered rinse of the mister clean unit.
To blow dry, I use the Black and Decker Leaf Hog, and start from the top and work my way down. I dry the car completely in what seems like 15 - 20 minutes. I don't find any water spots at all doing it this way. Doing it in the shade, and using the filtered rinse is probably a big part of my success.
To blow dry, I use the Black and Decker Leaf Hog, and start from the top and work my way down. I dry the car completely in what seems like 15 - 20 minutes. I don't find any water spots at all doing it this way. Doing it in the shade, and using the filtered rinse is probably a big part of my success.
Last edited by Kickin; Dec 15, 2006 at 12:54 PM.