Snow brushes?

bob m

bob m

New member
It`s that time of year, so any recommendations for quality snow removal brushes that don`t scratch the car? Any to stay away from?
 
Switches to a snow-joe last year and I`ll say it`s causing less harm than the brushes used to. That said, if it`s touching, it`s scratching :)
M
 
The key is to leave a thin layer of snow on the paint. Even with the best tool you are pushing around grit under the snow.
 
Dan said:
The key is to leave a thin layer of snow on the paint. Even with the best tool you are pushing around grit under the snow.
Click to expand...

THAT. PERIOD.

Unfortunate Reality Check: I can`t help but think, awful as it sounds to me :o that there are certain conditions that simply must be met for a vehicle to remain Autopian despite winter use. Maybe those conditions aren`t in the cards for some folks and you gotta know when to say "oh well.." When I was in that boat I simply used what I thought of as "disposable vehicles" and didn`t worry much about functionally-insignificant cosmetic issues. Nobody IRL notices/cares anyhow, well...except *you* ;) Funny thing was, those "abused and neglected beaters" were often great, did the job, did NOT cause stress, and again...nobody else thought they were abused and neglected; when I sold them the buyers were *always favorably impressed* with the same cosmetics that bugged me.
 
They used to sell the Oxo Twister snow brush here at the PBMG stores, not sure if they do anymore, but you can find it at Amazon (not sure if it`s still legal to post links here). I believe they have a telescoping version now. Not the perfect brush, but it has flagged bristles. But listen to Accumulator and others about the dirt.
 
Dan said:
The key is to leave a thin layer of snow on the paint. Even with the best tool you are pushing around grit under the snow.
Click to expand...

This is correct, other option (Depending on your laws for idleing) heat up the car and then blow off the snow with air (Masterblaster or Leaf blower). The problem I have with leaving a layer on is that it endangers others. I got smashed in the windshield last night because some @$$ did not clean his roof at all. If it`s local it`s one thing but anytime your going over 45mph you owe to the guy behind you to atleast clean off the roof.

Personally the best method is blowoff or push the top layer off, then spray de-icer (Ex.1Z Estau), let it sit for 5 mins then blow it off or push it off. You can also use ONR when you push off the debris to act as not only QD/WW but it also acts as lube to float the debris. Always turn on your defrosters before you scrap stuff off it helps a ton.
 
I have Window scrapers that have Boar`s Hair Brushes opposite the scraper side. The BHB part will pass a CD-test, but only if I test it wet with shampoo solution. Used dry it mars and of course if any dirt gets between it and the paint that dirt will cause marring too. So even when using those on the glass, we have to be *EXTREMELY* careful that we don`t touch the paint.

I will admit that I use the SnoBrum (?sp? I hate those cutesy spellings..) and the SnowJoe on rentals, and maybe on service loaners depending on the vehicle in question.
 
The Driver said:
This is correct, other option (Depending on your laws for idleing) heat up the car and then blow off the snow with air (Masterblaster or Leaf blower). The problem I have with leaving a layer on is that it endangers others. I got smashed in the windshield last night because some @$$ did not clean his roof at all. If it`s local it`s one thing but anytime your going over 45mph you owe to the guy behind you to atleast clean off the roof.
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A good point, but the 1/4 layer left usually slides off as I back out of the driveway anyway (thanks to slick paint!). But even if there is some left, that thin layer isn`t going to do anything to another car except maybe get their windshield dirty. I see plenty of SUVs and big trucks dumping full on mattress sized loads of snow and the cops never do anything.
 
Did not see this mentioned but if not garage or you are leaving it out on snowfall, try to give it a carwash prior...

I know it`s moot point if it will just get road dirty.
But if we are talking snowfall accumulation, the shear weight of a clean panel does wonders as opposed to gritty paint. And or you know how the snow just slides off, due to the incline of the panels and just the heat of the engine. I prefer to have less grit on the panel and the heavy snowfall ontop of the hood.
Neighbors think I`m crazy when I`m washing right before a huge snowfall....
 
5 years ago I bought one of those Snow Joe`s and have yet to use it. Being made from styrofoam I really didn`t like the idea of dragging that across the paint. I would rather take my chances with a brush.
 
The key with the snow joe is you use it to push the snow. It should never touch the paint. The hard part is not sliding the snow all over the car. Its all a best effort operation.
 
Does that Oxo have enough bite ? I literallly live 1/2 mile from the water. If the car if leftoutside during a snowfall, 90% of the time, the snow is wet and heavy. Usually, depending on temps, I could get by by sliding the entire sheet right off, but you need to catch it while the layer ontop of the panel is wet. I do this with caution , only when I know the paint underneath is clean...

If questions or dirty, I just just your typical snowbrush and get down to within reason and leave a layer on.
 
I`ve had exactly *one* type of plastic-bristle brush that didn`t mar paint...and:

-that was only OK on very hard clear and with minimal applied pressure
-maybe one out of every four examples was OK on that hard clear, the others failed the CD-test
-with a little wear even the good ones marred and it was basically impossible to tell when they`d worn that much
-they`ve been out of production since the late `90s (they were sold by TOL)

Every other plastic-bristle brush I`ve ever tested (and that`s not just six or eight) failed the CD-test, well...unless I tweaked the test ("cheated") to make the test invalid anyhow. "Would you use it on the hood of a black Bentley while the owner watched if the owner were a dangerous person?"

For that matter, even the softest BHB will usually mar paint unless it`s softened up by being soaking wet. Test `em dry and it`s just like testing a dry sheepskin wash mitt- FAIL.

But as Dan pointed out...
Dan said:
It should never touch the paint..
Click to expand...
 
If it shouldn`t touch the paint then why waste the money on an overpriced piece of styrofoam.

I guess mine is the SnoBrum that I bought off this site and after it showed up I was just not impressed with what it was made out of and it is overpriced besides. JMO.
 
The SnoBrum does work OK for clearing snow off of stuff other than vehicles, pretty gentle on shingles compared to many Roof Rake materials. I was kinda surprised that it held up OK (well, pretty OK...) to such use, so it`s not like I threw it or the SnowJoe away. They screw onto standard extension poles too. As Christmas gifts go, they weren`t useless (and no, I didn`t say "I`d never use that on my cars!" even though that`s what came to mind upon unwrapping `em).
 
Heh. It`s very rare but today, I was able to just use the blower and blow all the snow off the wifes car this morning.
More often it`s heavy and dense.
 
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