# General Wire



## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

I'm curious as to why General Wire machines have a bad reputation? I'm thinking about my next truck and in the interest of saving room, I'd love a drum machine that could run 1/2" cable through 3/4" cable. The Speedrooter 92 can. That would eliminate one machine on my truck. As much as I love my DM175, it's heavy and can't run 1/2" cable. I may never make the switch but I'm always interested in listening to guys with different experiences than my own. BTW, sectionals are not an option around here. If they were, I'd buy a K60 tomorrow. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

Drain Pro said:


> I'm curious as to why General Wire machines have a bad reputation?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Do they? I've had alotta success with my top hat.


----------



## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

GREENPLUM said:


> Do they? I've had alotta success with my top hat.



From the research I've done online, revisiting old posts on various forums, people seem to have a good bit of negative opinions on General. I'm a good judge of drain machines and at face value, the Speedrooter looks fine. Maybe there's more than meets the eye and I'm missing something. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Limited experience with General as they are rental machines around here
and I have on occasion got them unstuck. Wasn't happy with their open 
reels and retrievers.

The main problem I have had and all the suppliers is that there 


CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS


----------



## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

fixitright said:


> Limited experience with General as they are rental machines around here
> 
> and I have on occasion got them unstuck. Wasn't happy with their open
> 
> ...



The rentals appear to be a lower level of quality. The larger sewer machines appear to have the main features of machines that I would deem to be professional. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## cable or root (Oct 7, 2015)

Don't you have a duracable dm150? Or was that somone else? It can run 1/2, 3/8, and 1/4. I've used a speed rooter 91 with 5/8 a few times. It's a pretty nice machine.


----------



## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

cable or root said:


> Don't you have a duracable dm150? Or was that somone else? It can run 1/2, 3/8, and 1/4. I've used a speed rooter 91 with 5/8 a few times. It's a pretty nice machine.



I do. I run 5/16", 13/32", and 1/2" with the DM150. It's a great machine but I can do without it if I can find a good mainline machine that can run 1/2"-3/4". I would then get another DM138 with a 5/16" drum and maybe a 3/8" drum. That would save a little room in my truck as I'm planning on having another full sized jet installed in the next truck. Plus that DM175 is getting heavier as I get older. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I own several Speedrooters 91/92's. The 91 is 10 years old(?) and is only down while I wait to find time to undo the backlashed cable. It has cleared 100's and 100's of pipes. Not too little, not too big, it is a great machine. We have 2 or 3 92's and they are used regularly with no issues.


----------



## Plumbducky (Jun 12, 2010)

I have a 91. I used to love it, till I got my K60.

Have not even put the 91 on the truck since getting the K60.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


----------



## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

dhal22 said:


> I own several Speedrooters 91/92's. The 91 is 10 years old(?) and is only down while I wait to find time to undo the backlashed cable. It has cleared 100's and 100's of pipes. Not too little, not too big, it is a great machine. We have 2 or 3 92's and they are used regularly with no issues.



How easy is it to swap drums?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I don't know. I have 1 Speedrooter with a severely backlashed cable abandoned at the moment as I have no time to service it. If I need more than 100' I bring in the jetter.

I need to order a replacement and get that one back online though. I may have an answer here soon.


----------



## JimmyMac (Nov 4, 2015)

Thats all we have are speedrooters(6-8 of them), we beat the absolute heck out of them. Everything is repairable, we have many parts in case they do break etc... The drums are fairly easy to change, 5 minute process...Never had a problem with customer support, recently bought parts for a 20+ year old T3 rooter, very helpful and still able to purchase the old parts for the old unit. I looked at the cost of the ridgids when we bought new machines at year end and could buy 2 speedrooters for all but the cost of 1 ridgid drum machine. For what we do sectionals are out of the question...


----------



## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

Although I don't use general, I worked for a company that had some of them and there was one machine that had some issues and Marty at General took care of the machine and even upgraded the motor at no cost.


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

JimmyMac said:


> Thats all we have are speedrooters(6-8 of them), we beat the absolute heck out of them. Everything is repairable, we have many parts in case they do break etc... The drums are fairly easy to change, 5 minute process...Never had a problem with customer support, recently bought parts for a 20+ year old T3 rooter, very helpful and still able to purchase the old parts for the old unit. I looked at the cost of the ridgids when we bought new machines at year end and could buy 2 speedrooters for all but the cost of 1 ridgid drum machine. For what we do sectionals are out of the question...


I always wonder why they are looked down on. Ours have performed well on 100's and 100's (1000's?) of jobs.


----------



## sierra2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

I've had a mini rooter XP that took everything I threw it in for the past 13 years. About one week ago a strange noise started coming from the motor so I purchased a Gorlitz go50 to replace it, but only because Gorlitz is really close to me.


----------



## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

I'm going to play with the Speedrooter at the WWETT show and make my decision then. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

