# Thinking if buying a trailer jetter



## Plumbtastic1

Am seriously considering purchasing a new trailer jetter. My question to you fine gentlemen (I use this term loosely, kidding) is how to market for it. I know they can make a ton of money, I am just nervous that I won't have enough work to keep it busy.

from the long lost app


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## Redwood

I highly recommend...


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## Plumbtastic1

I live within an hour of USJ. That's the Jetter I'm thinking of getting. I just a don't need to add debt to the business that's not going to pay for itself and then some! I have seen and used their equip and think they have some high quality stuff. The only reserve I have is getting the Jetter plenty of work. 

That being said, I don't hear of anyone that owned one that isn't working 3-5 days a week minimum.

from the long lost app


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## Drain Pro

US Jetting is the best out there, IMO. Great machine, great people. Give me a PM and I'd be happy to get into the details with you.


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## gear junkie

Plumbtastic1 said:


> I live within an hour of USJ. That's the Jetter I'm thinking of getting. I just a don't need to add debt to the business that's not going to pay for itself and then some! I have seen and used their equip and think they have some high quality stuff. The only reserve I have is getting the Jetter plenty of work.
> 
> That being said, I don't hear of anyone that owned one that isn't working 3-5 days a week minimum.
> 
> from the long lost app


There's another member here who got some amazing deals on equipment because the seller was upside down because of the jetter purchase. I'd only buy if you have the work for it and routinely work in 8" and bigger pipe or deal with alot of grease or long runs.


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## Redwood

If you take the Better Jetter Course and after paying attention in the marketing and business portion look at your business needs, your present customer base and their needs, and the needs of potential customers that are not served in your area, then think that the machine purchase is justified, then buy it and be prepared to see how much you underestimated....


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## dhal22

Plumbtastic1 said:


> I live within an hour of USJ. That's the Jetter I'm thinking of getting. I just a don't need to add debt to the business that's not going to pay for itself and then some! I have seen and used their equip and think they have some high quality stuff. The only reserve I have is getting the Jetter plenty of work.
> 
> That being said, I don't hear of anyone that owned one that isn't working 3-5 days a week minimum.
> 
> from the long lost app



I live within 10 minutes of US Jet and bought a Mongoose. Awesome machine. Compare everything, I did.


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## theplungerman

If you buy it the customers will call. 
How many used (fairly) jetters are for sale? 
It's nice to hear USJ is getting props. A good company. 
I wanted a fully functional remote system. USJ was only offering water on off and no engine throttle, or was it no control of the hose reel. They weren't offering all these, per the remote,, the water on off, throttle up down, reel in out. 
I went Mongoose. After some major obsessing and research. 
I'm coming up on 140 hours after a year and it starts up and works perfectly every time. 

Mongoose has great after sales support.


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## dhal22

theplungerman said:


> If you buy it the customers will call.
> How many used (fairly) jetters are for sale?
> It's nice to hear USJ is getting props. A good company.
> I wanted a fully functional remote system. USJ was only offering water on off and no engine throttle, or was it no control of the hose reel. They weren't offering all these, per the remote,, the water on off, throttle up down, reel in out.
> I went Mongoose. After some major obsessing and research.
> I'm coming up on 140 hours after a year and it starts up and works perfectly every time.
> 
> Mongoose has great after sales support.


Great point. The Mongoose remote works so far away I can't even hear the Caterpillar engine running. Water on/off, engine rpms up/down, hose reel payout/retrieve, engine off/on. How can you jet without all of those controls? Check reviews on the US Jet remote and the differences are easily evident.

David


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## Drain Pro

Actually no Dhal. The remote that I have is the new style and it works just fine. Water on/off, pressure up/down, engine on/off, emergency stop. I don't need a remote to operate the reel. Distance is fine. Like I said before, I extensively researched jetters including a mongoose demo. Only difference between mongoose and US Jetting is an overpriced machine.


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## Unclog1776

What makes you want a Jetter? Do you currently sub out a lot of jetting work? What size lines do you want to be able to do?


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## Plumbtastic1

Unclog1776 said:


> What makes you want a Jetter? Do you currently sub out a lot of jetting work? What size lines do you want to be able to do?


 I sub 1-2 jobs a month to Jetter. I typically do residential and roots are heavy out here. I think I can get much more work if I marketed to commercial in my area. As far as size of pipe- 4-6 is what I run into mostly. But I hate having to say "we don't" if someone calls about a larger line.

from the long lost app


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## plungerboy

I said this before and I will say it again. Buy a jetter you can grow into rather than out of. 

I would recommend 4k & 18 gpm. If you want to do smaller jet jobs buy another reel. 

I agree with a remote. I have one and wouldn't work with out it. I sometimes wish I did have reel out but I'm okay with out it.


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## Plumbtastic1

plungerboy said:


> I said this before and I will say it again. Buy a jetter you can grow into rather than out of. I would recommend 4k & 18 gpm. If you want to do smaller jet jobs buy another reel. I agree with a remote. I have one and wouldn't work with out it. I sometimes wish I did have reel out but I'm okay with out it.


 nice rig plungerboy! Are those your underwear in the back? Anyway, they're nice too. Haha. Thanks for the input.

from the long lost app


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## Unclog1776

You will finish your mainline root jobs way faster. A camera is a must IMO to use a Jetter against roots


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## dhal22

Drain Pro said:


> Actually no Dhal. The remote that I have is the new style and it works just fine. Water on/off, pressure up/down, engine on/off, emergency stop. I don't need a remote to operate the reel. Distance is fine. Like I said before, I extensively researched jetters including a mongoose demo. Only difference between mongoose and US Jetting is an overpriced machine.


I thought the prices were very close over all but the Caterpillar engine made it a much easier decision.

David


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## plungerboy

dhal22 said:


> The Caterpillar engine made it a much easier decision.
> 
> David



Why did the Cat motor make your decision easier? Was it for local service or something else? I thought Cat got out of the diesel motor business? I thought Cat was now having Perkins make there motors.


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## Drain Pro

plungerboy said:


> Why did the Cat motor make your decision easier? Was it for local service or something else? I thought Cat got out of the diesel motor business? I thought Cat was now having Perkins make there motors.


 I heard the same thing from several reliable sources. They all claim it's not a genuine CAT. Made by someone else and painted yellow. Not sure if it's true or not but these guys would know better than me. Two of the three are diesel mechanics. The third is a guy at US Jetting. It's strange that three unrelated guys all say the same thing. On the other hand, a friend of mine owns two U.S. jetters. Both have many hours on them. The Hatz's still purr.


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## theplungerman

I think the Mongoose looks better,,, the reel pivots like butter ,,, 
That cat engine story? I heard about that from a USJ salesman,, and u know salesman always tell the truth. 
Just 1 to 2 jobs a month will cover u our payment. 
Quit being a wuss and buy one already. Smile. 
It's the best move I've ever made.


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## dhal22

Why would Caterpillar sub out their work? Aren't they completely union? Cat is the king of diesel engines. Yes, I have local service. Mongoose comes and picks it up. Maybe the salesmen are telling a story/lie because they don't offer Caterpillar.

Here is the link of my engine. What a beauty......

http://www.cat.com/en_US/products/n...-lesser-regulated-non-regulated/18391931.html

David


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## dhal22

I was a power boat owner for years. My twin Mercruiser 350's powered cabin cruiser would have doubled in price if I had opted for Cat diesel engines. And that was letting them keep the gas burners. Compare a John Deere or Case backhoe to Caterpillar, the Cat blows them away in power. The same with skid steers, excavators and dozers, I've driven them all.

David


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## bulldozer

David. I have to disagree with you on the cat motor being the ultimate motor. I'm a sewer contractor as well as an excavating contractor. Why cat makes a nice machine they are far from superior. I own 22 pieces of equipment and have john deere, komatsu, yanmar, case, volvo and cat. All of them have done me well or caused me headaches. In my opinion there all the same if you take care of them. As far as mongoose they make a nice jetter. So does U.S. jet. I have the Spartan. It comes down to several things when buying a piece of equipment. Budget, service, resale, ease of use, etc. In the end if it makes you money its the best for you.


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## Plumbtastic1

I appreciate all the input. The mongoose rep came by today. It's a very nice machine. I'm going to try and market the services for a month or two to see how much work for it I can sell. In also going to speak with the U.S. Jetting people and get a better look at their machine. If I can sell a few jobs a month for two months straight..... Then The question becomes: what options and what's the budget. I see they range from $35-55k+. I may also look into a used one.... Thanks again for all the great onfo

from the long lost app


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## Redwood

dhal22 said:


> I was a power boat owner for years. My twin Mercruiser 350's powered cabin cruiser would have doubled in price if I had opted for Cat diesel engines. And that was letting them keep the gas burners. Compare a John Deere or Case backhoe to Caterpillar, the Cat blows them away in power. The same with skid steers, excavators and dozers, I've driven them all.
> 
> David


Repowering a small engine on a trailer jetter is hardly the same game as a boat...


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## Drain Pro

Plumbtastic1 said:


> I appreciate all the input. The mongoose rep came by today. It's a very nice machine. I'm going to try and market the services for a month or two to see how much work for it I can sell. In also going to speak with the U.S. Jetting people and get a better look at their machine. If I can sell a few jobs a month for two months straight..... Then The question becomes: what options and what's the budget. I see they range from $35-55k+. I may also look into a used one.... Thanks again for all the great onfo from the long lost app


 Some must have options are a remote control and proper nozzles.


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## Drain Pro

theplungerman said:


> I think the Mongoose looks better,,, the reel pivots like butter ,,, That cat engine story? I heard about that from a USJ salesman,, and u know salesman always tell the truth. Just 1 to 2 jobs a month will cover u our payment. Quit being a wuss and buy one already. Smile. It's the best move I've ever made.


 I agree with you about salesman. Unfortunately I also heard it from two separate diesel mechanics.


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## Unclog1776

Do not buy a Jetter without buying a warthog nozzle!!!!

No matter what machine you make/buy it is an absolute must have for anyone jetting


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## Drain Pro

Unclog1776 said:


> Do not buy a Jetter without buying a warthog nozzle!!!! No matter what machine you make/buy it is an absolute must have for anyone jetting


 Absolutely!


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## theplungerman

Drain Pro said:


> I agree with you about salesman. Unfortunately I also heard it from two separate diesel mechanics.


Point taken. Thanks. That rumour?,,,, I thought about researching but decided I wanted the Mongoose no matter what, so that is that. This might sound dumb to some, but I like the image of a big tough looking engine, than the small petite hatz. 
A very respected diesel mechanic in my neck of the woods gave the Mongoose engine the nod over USJ engine.


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## plungerboy

theplungerman said:


> Point taken. Thanks. That rumour?,,,, I thought about researching but decided I wanted the Mongoose no matter what, so that is that. This might sound dumb to some, but I like the image of a big tough looking engine, than the small petite hatz.
> A very respected diesel mechanic in my neck of the woods gave the Mongoose engine the nod over USJ engine.


Go get it and start making money!


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## gear junkie

Unclog1776 said:


> Do not buy a Jetter without buying a warthog nozzle!!!!
> 
> No matter what machine you make/buy it is an absolute must have for anyone jetting


Agree 100%. I use a root ranger to remove all the roots but the warthog is used to clean and present a nice, clean pipe appearance to the customer. The warthog is also good to push all the cuttings out the way so the root ranger can have room to work.


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## theplungerman

plungerboy said:


> Go get it and start making money!


I already did.


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## dhal22

Redwood said:


> Repowering a small engine on a trailer jetter is hardly the same game as a boat...


I was talking about deciding engine power when buying new. 


David


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## Drain Pro

theplungerman said:


> Point taken. Thanks. That rumour?,,,, I thought about researching but decided I wanted the Mongoose no matter what, so that is that. This might sound dumb to some, but I like the image of a big tough looking engine, than the small petite hatz. A very respected diesel mechanic in my neck of the woods gave the Mongoose engine the nod over USJ engine.


 My "small petite Hatz" purrs at 4000/18. That's all that matters to me.


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## theplungerman

Drain Pro said:


> My "small petite Hatz" purrs at 4000/18. That's all that matters to me.


Awesome, lol,, your right.


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## dhal22

Drain Pro said:


> My "small petite Hatz" purrs at 4000/18. That's all that matters to me.



Indeed, the water has no idea what's pushing it. 

David


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## Redwood

Drain Pro said:


> My "small petite Hatz" purrs at 4000/18. That's all that matters to me.


Zackly...
Makin money all day every day...:thumbup:


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## dhal22

dhal22 said:


> Indeed, the water has no idea what's pushing it.
> 
> David



Having said that, I get great pleasure in owning a Caterpillar engine. Furthermore, a couple of customers have noticed and commented on the engine being Cat. 

David


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## Unclog1776

Really though I mean it's not like a certain brand is going to break down everyday. Buy yourself a Jetter and make some money!!!$$$ no matter what you buy or how you set it up when you see the profit and work generated from having any brand quality Jetter you will be pleased.


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## Unclog1776

I guess what I mean is BUY A JETTER. Get at least a known brand and not some China knock off and you will make some good dough. Then when you are finished counting your money you will know the jetting game and know what to do different the next time you set up a unit


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## theplungerman

Unclog1776 said:


> I guess what I mean is BUY A JETTER. Get at least a known brand and not some China knock off and you will make some good dough. Then when you are finished counting your money you will know the jetting game and know what to do different the next time you set up a unit


If I ever buy another jetter (probably won't,, 55 now) 
I'll get a dedicated 3/8 jumper so don't have to go through 500ft 1/2.
This is a mod I did with John fm epl solutions. 
Watch "trailer mod 1" on YouTube
trailer mod 1: http://youtu.be/tjtWLBzME8k


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## gear junkie

theplungerman said:


> If I ever buy another jetter (probably won't,, 55 now)
> I'll get a dedicated 3/8 jumper so don't have to go through 500ft 1/2.
> This is a mod I did with John fm epl solutions.
> Watch "trailer mod 1" on YouTube
> trailer mod 1: http://youtu.be/tjtWLBzME8k


No BS that's a slick setup! You got your OEM look. John does great work.


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## theplungerman

Does anyone have a cool ideas to add on to your typical jetter other than the norm.


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## Drain Pro

theplungerman said:


> If I ever buy another jetter (probably won't,, 55 now) I'll get a dedicated 3/8 jumper so don't have to go through 500ft 1/2. This is a mod I did with John fm epl solutions. Watch "trailer mod 1" on YouTube trailer mod 1: http://youtu.be/tjtWLBzME8k


 That's a sweet setup! How many hours on your unit? It looks spotless


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## theplungerman

Drain Pro said:


> That's a sweet setup! How many hours on your unit? It looks spotless


Thanks
I just washed her,, 
I might have hit 140 today


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## theplungerman

Playing with my new gopro and showing off my jetter. 
Watch "Mongoose 184" on YouTube
Mongoose 184: http://youtu.be/z74IPyPBNx0


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## gear junkie

I gotta get a gopro. good stuff right there. How long is your setup time....from the time you pull up, to the time you got water coming out the nozzle? The mongoose is definitely an impressive jetter


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## theplungerman

Thanks,, set up? 10 min if I hurried,,, A couple factors determine this,, water supply, entry point, etc. This job another plumber called me,, his friends house was plugged and he specifically asked for a jetter w no camera work..


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## gear junkie

So outta curiousity, why use the 1/2" instead of the new 3/8 setup?


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## theplungerman

gear junkie said:


> So outta curiousity, why use the 1/2" instead of the new 3/8 setup?


I'll use the 1/2 first when comfortable,,,,, when I know I won't get stuck or blow it all over


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## Redwood

theplungerman said:


> I'll use the 1/2 first when comfortable,,,,, when I know I won't get stuck or blow it all over


And "Time is Money." :laughing:

Although I sometimes feel a little guilty charging our minimum 2 hour charge and watching the line clear in 2 minutes of jetting... :laughing::no:

Pretend to work it a little more, then camera inspect the line to be sure it's good...:thumbup:


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## theplungerman

Give them all a close look and don't be afraid to spend a little more.


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## stecar

Have my jetter a year now and only used it 4 times. I am busy just not with it. Wish it was out at least once a week.


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## SchmitzPlumbing

stecar said:


> Have my jetter a year now and only used it 4 times. I am busy just not with it. Wish it was out at least once a week.


everyone on here says buy a camera, buy a jetter, they will pay for themselves in a year. it is not always that easy and thats why i dont have either one yet....


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## Drain Pro

SchmitzPlumbing said:


> everyone on here says buy a camera, buy a jetter, they will pay for themselves in a year. it is not always that easy and thats why i dont have either one yet....


 The way I looked at it, I can't sell a service for equipment I don't have. Camera paid for itself in 8 months, Jetter is doing just as well.


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## plbgbiz

SchmitzPlumbing said:


> everyone on here says buy a camera, buy a jetter, they will pay for themselves in a year. it is not always that easy and thats why i dont have either one yet....


Things are always easier in word than in deed.

I was in my 20th year of business when I got my jetter. While there is some truth to the "build it and the will come" philosophy, not every good business purchase is good for the business. Timing and priorities must be considered.

Could I have done it sooner? I suppose, but my focus and priorities were elsewhere. Eventually the jetter rose to the top of the list. And it did so because the opportunity for it to provide a worthwhile ROI was in place as well. I had a single job on the books that was waiting for the jetter to arrive. The invoice for that one job was over half the price of the jetter. Since there are other expenses on every job every day, it technically did not pay for half the jetter, but it did make a difference.

Jetters do not pay for themselves any more than a camera or excellent employee does. They all have to be marketed, sold, managed, and positioned properly for them to pay dividends. You are correct to inject a bit of realism to the purchase. 

I, and many others have made money with hydrojetting. On the other hand, I never lost a dime on money I kept in my pocket.


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## plungerboy

SchmitzPlumbing said:


> everyone on here says buy a camera, buy a jetter, they will pay for themselves in a year. it is not always that easy and thats why i dont have either one yet....


I though the same thing at first. Then I looked at how much we paid our Jetter sub and how many snake jobs we had in 12 months time and it was a no brainer for us. Ours was paid for in 10 months. 

Even if you only converted a small amount of snake jobs to jet jobs. Once you have a tool you will find ways to use/sell it. It's hard to sell a tool you don't Own. Add up the lost time waiting for your Jetter guy to show up. 

Are you a plumbing company that once in a while snakes some drains or are you a plumbing & drain cleaning company. Some guys don't like poopy water. Haha. 

We take the jet on all our main sewer snake jobs and sure enough everyone asks what's that hydro thing behind your truck. Then I explain the difference and it sells itself. Then I sometimes hit them up with the rootx treatment. 

I love the profit margins on jetting, a little fuel & a little labor & a 2 hour minimum = big profits. 

I prefer to drag a 1/2" hose and a remote down or up a flight of stairs than my spartan 2001.

I think if you reevaluated your Business you could make the jetter work for you. 

To each his own. Some guys think Jetters are dumb and you should buy an excavator and "really" fix the problem. I am not interested in another truck, trailer, excavator, 3 more insurance payments. 

That's my 2 cents.


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## gear junkie

SchmitzPlumbing said:


> everyone on here says buy a camera, buy a jetter, they will pay for themselves in a year. it is not always that easy and thats why i dont have either one yet....


No one says you have buy a 50k jetter. Do a little elbow grease and make your own jetter setup for root cutting up to 6" for around $3500. Get your name out there for jetting and THEN upsize.

My jetter I made myself, stays on the van and gets the job done. 4.5 gpm 3000 psi. What's the difference between my jetter and a bigger trailer jetter when in a residential lateral under 120'? They're faster and that's it. Not even they do a better job....they're just faster.


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## dhal22

SchmitzPlumbing said:


> everyone on here says buy a camera, buy a jetter, they will pay for themselves in a year. it is not always that easy and thats why i dont have either one yet....


Of course it's not that easy. I bought mine in my 16th year of business and live in a large market city (Atlanta). I subbed my jetting for years (as it came to me), however deciding to buy one meant I had to market it. So with a large market, repeat customers, referrals, advertising and luck my $48,000 jetter paid for itself this month (9 months after it was delivered).

Storm drain cleaning is a business all on it's own and only available to jetter owners. Restaurant grease lines are a jetter only business as well. 

David


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## bulldozer

stecar said:


> Have my jetter a year now and only used it 4 times. I am busy just not with it. Wish it was out at least once a week.


That is crazy to have an expensive piece of equipment like that not working daily! Heres our story, We didn't even do sewer cleaning up until two years ago. We were a trenchless company and subbed all of our cleaning out. We mostly used a small company to jet for us but started to turn into a real nightmare. Never showed when he was supposed to, prices all over the board, And the topper was when he would jet for us he would tell the homeowner to call him as he could give them a better deal! So we went out bought a Spartan 2001 and a few smaller machines, A Spartan Warrior sewer jet, and a couple of cameras. I will never look back! our jet goes out 4-5 times a day 6 days a week. We don't battle for the emergency calls but have a program called a sewer-tune-up. We will jet your line, camera your sewer, and give you a written condition report. The homeowners get a great proactive service and we get to grow are customer base and not have to work in backed up sewers. People are happy to pay if they are educated the money they will save from having a back up. Find a nich, exploit it, and run with it. I have to shout out to Drain Pro,Unclog, Gear junkie, Mr. Biz, Plungerboy, sewerratz, shoot n plumber,redwood, and all the other guys and gals on here that help me grow my business from such a diverse group. We may not all agree on equipment but then it wouldn't be any fun!


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## dhal22

gear junkie said:


> No one says you have buy a 50k jetter. Do a little elbow grease and make your own jetter setup for root cutting up to 6" for around $3500. Get your name out there for jetting and THEN upsize.
> 
> My jetter I made myself, stays on the van and gets the job done. 4.5 gpm 3000 psi. What's the difference between my jetter and a bigger trailer jetter when in a residential lateral under 120'? They're faster and that's it. Not even they do a better job....they're just faster.



Nothing wrong at all with starting small but there's a lot more than the big one's just being faster. I did 3 jobs today, 1st was a 6" root infested clay pipe, even with the warthog at 3000+psi it took a while to clear the problem. The job was on the back side of the house, just walk around the house pulling the hose while controlling it with the remote

2nd job switched to 1/4" hose and cleared a kitchen area of grease.

3rd job was 3 hrs of jetting 18" storm drains, too much for a cart jetter.

A big jetter can down size but a cart jetter can't upsize. With a trailer jetter all you need is a hose and a remote. No unloading/loading or dragging a cart around.

Having said that, there are times I wish I had a cart jetter for inside or littler jobs.

No offense I hope with my opinions..................

David


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## SchmitzPlumbing

all are great posts and i was going to bring up the question to try to get those posts. for me as a oms, i love the idea of having a jetter and the more i read/see from you guys, the more i want one. wants and needs. i dont think that there are many jetter guys arond my area, but i am busy enough without one. if i were to hire my first employee, ..........


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## Unclog1776

bulldozer said:


> That is crazy to have an expensive piece of equipment like that not working daily! Heres our story, We didn't even do sewer cleaning up until two years ago. We were a trenchless company and subbed all of our cleaning out. We mostly used a small company to jet for us but started to turn into a real nightmare. Never showed when he was supposed to, prices all over the board, And the topper was when he would jet for us he would tell the homeowner to call him as he could give them a better deal! So we went out bought a Spartan 2001 and a few smaller machines, A Spartan Warrior sewer jet, and a couple of cameras. I will never look back! our jet goes out 4-5 times a day 6 days a week. We don't battle for the emergency calls but have a program called a sewer-tune-up. We will jet your line, camera your sewer, and give you a written condition report. The homeowners get a great proactive service and we get to grow are customer base and not have to work in backed up sewers. People are happy to pay if they are educated the money they will save from having a back up. Find a nich, exploit it, and run with it. I have to shout out to Drain Pro,Unclog, Gear junkie, Mr. Biz, Plungerboy, sewerratz, shoot n plumber,redwood, and all the other guys and gals on here that help me grow my business from such a diverse group. We may not all agree on equipment but then it wouldn't be any fun!


Forgive my ignorance but isn't jetting a crucial part in trench less.


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## dhal22

trench less as in trench less pipe replacement.


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## bulldozer

Jetting is a part of re-lining. Majority of our work was and still is pipe bursting. We do a fair share of lining but in the last several years our municipal and commercial bursting work has swelled. Like everyone on here one man shops to franchises we try to invest in equipment and marketing that gives us a high return. Jetting was a small part of our process and thats why we subbed it out. I have learned quality control is usually best when you do it in house. We directional drill, jet, reline, pipe patch, pipe burst, open cut. But we don't do any plumbing of any kind. We leave that to the experts.


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## dhal22

bulldozer said:


> Jetting is a part of re-lining. Majority of our work was and still is pipe bursting. We do a fair share of lining but in the last several years our municipal and commercial bursting work has swelled. Like everyone on here one man shops to franchises we try to invest in equipment and marketing that gives us a high return. Jetting was a small part of our process and thats why we subbed it out. I have learned quality control is usually best when you do it in house. We directional drill, jet, reline, pipe patch, pipe burst, open cut. But we don't do any plumbing of any kind. We leave that to the experts.



Nice summary and well written.

David


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## gear junkie

dhal22 said:


> Nothing wrong at all with starting small but there's a lot more than the big one's just being faster. I did 3 jobs today, 1st was a 6" root infested clay pipe, even with the warthog at *3000+psi *it took a while to clear the problem. The job was on the back side of the house, just walk around the house pulling the hose while controlling it with the remote
> 
> 2nd job switched to 1/4" hose and cleared a kitchen area of grease.
> 
> 3rd job was 3 hrs of jetting 18" storm drains, too much for a cart jetter.
> 
> A big jetter can down size but a cart jetter can't upsize. With a trailer jetter all you need is a hose and a remote. No unloading/loading or dragging a cart around.
> 
> Having said that, there are times I wish I had a cart jetter for inside or littler jobs.
> 
> No offense I hope with my opinions..................
> 
> David


Why are you at only 3000 psi? I thought you have a 4018? Is your warthog drilled correctly?


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## theplungerman

maybe he was figuring in his pressure loss


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## gear junkie

I had a heck of a job today. 6" clay out to 125' with roots almost the entire way. Made a video like last time....took me 48 minutes to clean 125' of clay. Here's a few pics of the roots I had to deal with. Not one single crack in the clay which surprised me considering the way the roots were growing in. Just seemed like the lateral has never been properly cleaned.

Went through 3 bends and the root ranger pulled it the whole way very easily. This work wasn't for a home sale so I didn't use the warthog to clean the pipe as well as I usually do.

My bigger jetter should be complete in the second week of november and can't wait. I'll go with the warthog first....clear the sludge and muck. Then use the root ranger to hit the specific areas.


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## dhal22

gear junkie said:


> Why are you at only 3000 psi? I thought you have a 4018? Is your warthog drilled correctly?


That was a guess. Hit the engine button on the remote a couple of times and 4000 psi is there.


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## Plumbtastic1

gear junkie said:


> I had a heck of a job today. 6" clay out to 125' with roots almost the entire way. Made a video like last time....took me 48 minutes to clean 125' of clay. Here's a few pics of the roots I had to deal with. Not one single crack in the clay which surprised me considering the way the roots were growing in. Just seemed like the lateral has never been properly cleaned. Went through 3 bends and the root ranger pulled it the whole way very easily. This work wasn't for a home sale so I didn't use the warthog to clean the pipe as well as I usually do. My bigger jetter should be complete in the second week of november and can't wait. I'll go with the warthog first....clear the sludge and muck. Then use the root ranger to hit the specific areas.


 did you do that with a cart jetter. I seem to remember you made a cart Jetter. If so that's pretty impressive.

from the long lost app


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## gear junkie

Yup...that's my cart jetter that does that. 4.5 gpm 3000 psi.


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## Unclog1776

Might be picking up a used mongoose late next week. "Fingers crossed"


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## Drain Pro

Unclog1776 said:


> Might be picking up a used mongoose late next week. "Fingers crossed"


Pics!! I need pics!!!


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## Unclog1776

Looked at the quote today. It's 35k comes with a warthog

It's a 2011. Approx 500 hours on the unit. Seems like it was used frequently always makes me wonder why someone let it go


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## gear junkie

35k used?! What do those things go for brand new?


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## Drain Pro

Unclog1776 said:


> Looked at the quote today. It's 35k comes with a warthog It's a 2011. Approx 500 hours on the unit. Seems like it was used frequently always makes me wonder why someone let it go


Looks great but.....you could prob get a brand new US Jet for around 40. Does this Mongoose have a remote?


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## Unclog1776

Yes has remote. I think they are about 50 new


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## Drain Pro

Unclog1776 said:


> Yes has remote. I think they are about 50 new


 I found Mongoose to be about 10 grand higher than US Jetting. At least that was the case for the machine and options that I wanted. No real difference in quality, IMO.


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## Unclog1776

I'm not saying these machines are worth that kinda money if you know you can take care of it and make it last. No matter what if your employees use the equipment it's going to get ****ed up. I flip when I hear a Jetter pump go dry, or see a hose kinked or rolled up all ****ty like on the reel. Even a 20k unit can have payments as low as one hour of jetting time and you can have them paid off before too much damage is done to them.


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## gear junkie

Drain Pro said:


> I found Mongoose to be about 10 grand higher than US Jetting. At least that was the case for the machine and options that I wanted. No real difference in quality, IMO.


What a weird coincidence! A Lexus is about 10 grand higher then a Toyota but they both have 4 wheels, doors, an engine, get you from point A and back. They will both do 80mph on the highway with no problem. I smell a conspiracy lol


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## Drain Pro

gear junkie said:


> What a weird coincidence! A Lexus is about 10 grand higher then a Toyota but they both have 4 wheels, doors, an engine, get you from point A and back. They will both do 80mph on the highway with no problem. I smell a conspiracy lol


Did you read the part where I wrote about no difference in quality?


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## theplungerman

There's a big difference between a Lexus and a Toyota. And you find this out when you drive it. Better suspension, brakes, leather, radio etc. 
The reel on the Mongoose compared to a US jet isn't close. The Mongoose remote is top notch,, works every time. 
Mongoose isn't a company (JUST) charging more for a jetter than us, they make a better jetter, and that costs more. 
They both do 4k 18gpm, that's a given. So if you don't care about a nicer ride. Buy a us. But if your like me and want the best. You'll get that with Mongoose.


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## Drain Pro

theplungerman said:


> There's a big difference between a Lexus and a Toyota. And you find this out when you drive it. Better suspension, brakes, leather, radio etc. The reel on the Mongoose compared to a US jet isn't close. The Mongoose remote is top notch,, works every time. Mongoose isn't a company (JUST) charging more for a jetter than us, they make a better jetter, and that costs more. They both do 4k 18gpm, that's a given. So if you don't care about a nicer ride. Buy a us. But if your like me and want the best. You'll get that with Mongoose.


 I respectfully disagree. Mongoose is not any better. My remote is top notch, works every time. The reels are virtually identical. When I went over the Mongoose machine, it looked like a clone of the U.S. Jetting machine. So I'm like you, I want the best and I got the best. I just didn't fall for the Mongoose salesman's BS pitch and I saved 10 grand. So IMO, they are both Lexus except one is marked up more than the other.


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## Unclog1776

I have nothing to back this up with but the salesman told me mongoose frames are stronger and hold up better to be hauled full


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## theplungerman

Drain Pro said:


> I respectfully disagree. Mongoose is not any better. My remote is top notch, works every time. The reels are virtually identical. When I went over the Mongoose machine, it looked like a clone of the U.S. Jetting machine. So I'm like you, I want the best and I got the best. I just didn't fall for the Mongoose salesman's BS pitch and I saved 10 grand. So IMO, they are both Lexus except one is marked up more than the other.


OK,, it's on bro, salesman bs pitch? Lol
I don't have time to formulate the proper rebuttal right now. But stay tuned,,, your going down, lol.


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## Unclog1776

Will mongoose build custom like US jet will?


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## Drain Pro

Unclog1776 said:


> Will mongoose build custom like US jet will?


They couldn't for me.


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## Drain Pro

Unclog1776 said:


> Will mongoose build custom like US jet will?


If you're interested in the whole process I went through with Mongoose and US Jetting I'd be happy to through it with you. It's a bit of a long story so PM me if you want to hear it.


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## Drain Pro

theplungerman said:


> OK,, it's on bro, salesman bs pitch? Lol I don't have time to formulate the proper rebuttal right now. But stay tuned,,, your going down, lol.


Bring it on old man.... Lol


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## Unclog1776

This is making my head hurt. I think I'm going to buy another big brute. Better call john...


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## gear junkie

Unclog1776 said:


> I have nothing to back this up with but the salesman told me mongoose frames are stronger and hold up better to be hauled full


When I was at the flow expo I looked at both Mongoose and the US Jetter jetters. The frames were way different but the Mongoose was way beefier. Here's another big difference and I know this sounds stupid......magic markers. When I looked at the mongoose, every bolt had a mark from a magic marker. Talking to the sales rep they explained that every bolt or anything tightened gets a mark to verify it's been tightened properly.....quality control. 

I never saw this on the US Jetter and no BS....the floor model had some loose bolts on the remote box and trailer tongue. No marks on any bolts. No sense of QC at all.

I would be curious to hear Dhal take on this. He's in the same town as US jetter and still went with Mongoose.


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## gear junkie

Unclog1776 said:


> This is making my head hurt. I think I'm going to buy another big brute. Better call john...


Great idea, join the 2 together and there's your 18gpm at 4000 psi! Save mucho mula!


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## dhal22

Gear Junkie, I like your phrase; the Mongoose is way beefier. And I agree with the paint pen marker on every bolt. Immediately I noticed that. My mantra is double check, triple check, quadruple check and then check again. The grease nipples, someone took the time to bring them front and center for easy access. Even the extra positions on the reel swivel base stood out. I've said it before but the Caterpillar engine was a huge factor. If you're going to go all out in quality then the engine is part of the effort. You are not going to skimp on quality then mount the best engine made on top of it. The Cat engine makes a quality statement on it's own.

The Mongoose remote is a serious tool. It could probably fall off the jetter while speeding down the highway, bounce into a river, you could retrieve it and still control the jetter which could be miles away by then. It is a very well made heavy duty device.

I looked at both and spent more on the Mongoose. I compare it to my tamp. About 15 yrs ago I looked at $3300 Wacker tamps and $1500 no name tamps. My Wacker still starts immediately and purrs like a kitten after all these years. Look on jobsites at the cheap tamps as the operator yanks and yanks and yanks on the pull cord trying to start it. Buy the best and reap the benefits down the road.

David


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## 1manshow

Unclog1776 said:


> This is making my head hurt. I think I'm going to buy another big brute. Better call john...


nothing wrong with a big brute , very nice carts . I almost went with that unit . especially for the cost you lay out . your ROI is relitivly quick . at this stage of my jetting career that plays a big factor in purchasing equipment .


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## Unclog1776

gear junkie said:


> Great idea, join the 2 together and there's your 18gpm at 4000 psi! Save mucho mula!


I'm toying with the idea of buying the skid version and mounting it inside a one ton van. Would be stored in heated shop and a much more winter friendly set up


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## theplungerman

Drain Pro said:


> Bring it on old man.... Lol


Haha,, there both great machines,, mines just greater. 
Look at gear and dahl's posts for more info. 
When I first got my jetter I waxed it front to back and top to bottom. Every single inch of it is first class. They cut no corners whatsoever. They had a chance here and there to go plastic or thinner metal. Strong as can be everywhere. The reel is bam city baby. And all the bolts being marked as confirmed tightened properly says much. 
Mongoose, a sub division of Sewer Company of America is a first class organization. They make the big daddy stuff for municipalities. Have been around for 70 years. About 10 ish years ago they branched out and started Mongoose. 
There a smart company and know what price point they need to be to be competitive ,, while at the same time pushing the limits for a quality machine,,, and still being able to compete with us Jett and Harben. There is no smoke and mirrors going on,, or an inflated price,,, the only reason why it costs more,,, it's an all around better machine. Not buy a long shot, but a shot.


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## theplungerman

Unclog1776 said:


> This is making my head hurt. I think I'm going to buy another big brute. Better call john...


Lol
It's funny to me cuz I can relate.


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## Drain Pro

theplungerman said:


> Haha,, there both great machines,, mines just greater. Look at gear and dahl's posts for more info. When I first got my jetter I waxed it front to back and top to bottom. Every single inch of it is first class. They cut no corners whatsoever. They had a chance here and there to go plastic or thinner metal. Strong as can be everywhere. The reel is bam city baby. And all the bolts being marked as confirmed tightened properly says much. Mongoose, a sub division of Sewer Company of America is a first class organization. They make the big daddy stuff for municipalities. Have been around for 70 years. About 10 ish years ago they branched out and started Mongoose. There a smart company and know what price point they need to be to be competitive ,, while at the same time pushing the limits for a quality machine,,, and still being able to compete with us Jett and Harben. There is no smoke and mirrors going on,, or an inflated price,,, the only reason why it costs more,,, it's an all around better machine. Not buy a long shot, but a shot.


Like I said in an earlier post, I disagree. When I look at my machine I'm always impressed at the build quality. No shortcuts on mine either. No, my bolts aren't marked, I'll give you that. I spent several hours with the Mongoose machine here when they demo'd it and I went over it as closely as I could. Looked the same as the two US Jetters that were in the same garage with it. It seems like we're both satisfied customers and in the end that's all that matters.


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## Unclog1776

Placed an order with JNW earlier today. Got the big brute skid version with 100 gallon tank. Going to set it up inside a 1 ton van. Ordered another warthog and RR as well. 

Just starting to get excited can't wait to have two of these on the road


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## Shoot'N'Plumber

Unclog1776 said:


> This is making my head hurt. I think I'm going to buy another big brute. Better call john...


Can I have yur old one?


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## Unclog1776

Lol no way man I need em both


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## Shoot'N'Plumber

Unclog1776 said:


> Lol no way man I need em both


C'mon man! Nobody needs two big brute's....Nobody! Yur just being greedy


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## Unclog1776

I'm excited. Have had many of days where I could have kept two machines busy. Also we started a new program where people get a post card one year after root removal that offers a free camera check up. Going to give us a better insight on how fast roots actually grow plus gives you facetime with the customer. 

I got the works. Warthog and RR. remote reel, foot pedal, heavy duty swivels, 100 gallon tank. Will be nice having it all enclosed in a van. I'll post some pics as i put it together this winter


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## Drain Pro

I really like those guys at JNW.


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## Unclog1776

Drain Pro said:


> I really like those guys at JNW.


John is always a pleasure to deal with. They make financing very easy. Sure I could pay cash for it but who wants to drop 15k when you could pay 350 or so a month. I make double payments every chance I get. This thing gets fired up at least 3 times a day and my minimum charge covers the payment and then some.


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## theplungerman

Drain Pro said:


> Like I said in an earlier post, I disagree. When I look at my machine I'm always impressed at the build quality. No shortcuts on mine either. No, my bolts aren't marked, I'll give you that. I spent several hours with the Mongoose machine here when they demo'd it and I went over it as closely as I could. Looked the same as the two US Jetters that were in the same garage with it. It seems like we're both satisfied customers and in the end that's all that matters.


Well said. You come off like a mature man. Thanks for taking the high road.. Smile


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## theplungerman

Drain Pro said:


> I really like those guys at JNW.


Ditto,, John and Steve are awesome. When they learned I got the mongoose,, they emailed me and congratulated me..... 
they are here to stay.


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## Plumbtastic1

dhal22 said:


> Gear Junkie, I like your phrase; the Mongoose is way beefier. And I agree with the paint pen marker on every bolt. Immediately I noticed that. My mantra is double check, triple check, quadruple check and then check again. The grease nipples, someone took the time to bring them front and center for easy access. Even the extra positions on the reel swivel base stood out. I've said it before but the Caterpillar engine was a huge factor. If you're going to go all out in quality then the engine is part of the effort. You are not going to skimp on quality then mount the best engine made on top of it. The Cat engine makes a quality statement on it's own. The Mongoose remote is a serious tool. It could probably fall off the jetter while speeding down the highway, bounce into a river, you could retrieve it and still control the jetter which could be miles away by then. It is a very well made heavy duty device. I looked at both and spent more on the Mongoose. I compare it to my tamp. About 15 yrs ago I looked at $3300 Wacker tamps and $1500 no name tamps. My Wacker still starts immediately and purrs like a kitten after all these years. Look on jobsites at the cheap tamps as the operator yanks and yanks and yanks on the pull cord trying to start it. Buy the best and reap the benefits down the road. David


 quality counts!!!

from the long lost app


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## Drain Pro

theplungerman said:


> Ditto,, John and Steve are awesome. When they learned I got the mongoose,, they emailed me and congratulated me..... they are here to stay.


They are here to stay. I'm looking forward to what they'll bring to the market in coming years. Competition is a good thing.


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## Drain Pro

theplungerman said:


> Well said. You come off like a mature man. Thanks for taking the high road.. Smile


Thanks for the compliment. In the end we're all here to help one another. It's never a bad thing to exchange ideas, even if we disagree.


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## Redwood

The important thing is that you get a machine that has some sack to it...
Then running out and git r done...


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## dhal22

Drain Pro said:


> Like I said in an earlier post, I disagree. When I look at my machine I'm always impressed at the build quality. No shortcuts on mine either. No, my bolts aren't marked, I'll give you that. I spent several hours with the Mongoose machine here when they demo'd it and I went over it as closely as I could. Looked the same as the two US Jetters that were in the same garage with it. It seems like we're both satisfied customers and in the end that's all that matters.


I haven't had a chance to respond as I was jetting yesterday. :thumbup1: But I agree, we both love our machines and they both make us money. 2 jobs yesterday pushed me over $8000 for the month. I let my employees do the plumbing these days as I'm having too much fun jetting.


David


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## plungerboy

Just made $2200.00 this morning with my crappy,half a$$ remote, lose bolted Spartan Warrior Jetter.

A day jetting is a good day no matter what Jetter you have.


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## bulldozer

plungerboy said:


> Just made $2200.00 this morning with my crappy,half a$$ remote, lose bolted Spartan Warrior Jetter.
> 
> A day jetting is a good day no matter what Jetter you have.


And like sand in the hour glass the search for the best jetter continues! Next week stay tuned for the better jetter olympics


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## Shoot'N'Plumber

bulldozer said:


> And like sand in the hour glass the search for the best jetter continues! Next week stay tuned for the better jetter olympics


Now everyone knows Gear Junkie and I have the best jetter! It does everything we ask it to do, they're light, portable, cheap and have paid for themselves 10 -20times over. BOOOOM! MIND BOMB! BTW if anyone is looking at getting rid of of they're trailer jetter let me know, I may know someone who needs one :whistling2:I'm (I mean they're) looking fer the best....either a mongoose or us jet


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## Unclog1776

I'm considering selling a 1984 Myers ram jet. 2000psi @ 35 gpm

It's an 8" and above only machine. You could use it on 6" if you run upstream. Comes with a warthog. Needs brake work


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## bulldozer

Unclog1776 said:


> I'm considering selling a 1984 Myers ram jet. 2000psi @ 35 gpm
> 
> It's an 8" and above only machine. You could use it on 6" if you run upstream. Comes with a warthog. Needs brake work


Pm me! I'm looking for a mainline
Machine for our lining crew.


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## bulldozer

Getting bored with all this jetter talk. Let talk about what you need when you can't jet it. 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdSKE8HjIjY&feature=youtu.be


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## Shoot'N'Plumber

Unclog1776 said:


> I'm considering selling a 1984 Myers ram jet. 2000psi @ 35 gpm
> 
> It's an 8" and above only machine. You could use it on 6" if you run upstream. Comes with a warthog. Needs brake work


That big white beast! That's a nice rig but in all reality, if I upgrade it would be to a big brute, that way I can just throw it in my trailer and have everything. I need a good compliment of pressure 3500-4000 and a little more volume.


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## Unclog1776

bulldozer said:


> Pm me! I'm looking for a mainline Machine for our lining crew.


Pm sent


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