Above 1200 Sq/FT DFB's Garage

[D.F.B]

Over the last few days, I've been attempting to revive a selection of towels that had become increasingly hydrophobic. I started by soaking overnight in hot water with Rags to Riches, then cycled through the washing machine with an extra rinse and spin, followed by drying on low heat. For now, I've done this to the following towels -

4x TRC Gauntlet 24x60 (Drying)
10x TRC Gauntlet 12x12 (Wheels)
4x Microfiber Madness Chipmunk Jr. 16x16 (Drying)
12x TRC Dry Me A River 16x4 (Glass)
2x TRC Dry Me A River 20x40 (Door Jambs)
9x TRC FTW 16x16 (Glass, Drying)

There is nothing worse than a hydrophobic towel, it just pushes liquid around and around, increasing the working time and contacting the paint more than you should need. In my case, there are two causes for this -

- Using SiO2 drying aids and glass cleaners
- A change in laundry detergent.

The obvious action here would be to stop using drying aids, at least ones with SiO2 or wax. However, the drying aid process is one of the tasks I truly enjoy, so I do my best to manage the situation.

In the past, I've noted that as long as you prevent the towels from drying out and get them into the wash ASAP, you'll reduce the likelihood of them become hydrophobic. And I still stand by that advice, leaving towels in an open pile for days or weeks is a one-way ticket to Hydrophobic City. But it's clear that the laundry detergent plays a role too. Moving onto a cheaper detergent didn't really save me any money. In the end, its actually been a waste of time and money.

Thankfully, it would appear I've managed to revive them. The drying towels are back to nearly new, easily soaking up water and spreading the drying aid. The glass towels are much better too, again absorbing moisture rather than moving it around.

So, I got lucky on this one. The retail cost of that collection of towels above comes in at about $715 AUD. Buying the cheaper detergent to save $50 risked a $700+ collection of towels.

I will also say this, sometimes the apparent "hype" is justified, as in Rags to Riches is THE BEST microfiber detergent on the market.

 

[moab11]

Thanks for the follow up on R2R, and glad to hear it worked to bring your towels back. I'll keep it stocked going forward as well.

Your post about Touch On is also timely, as I was going to ask what you would recommend for a wash and wax style product after using Touchless as a pre wash. It seems like Touch On can work as a wash, but maybe not recommended? Would there be another product that you would recommend?

 

[D.F.B]

Thanks for the follow up on R2R, and glad to hear it worked to bring your towels back. I'll keep it stocked going forward as well.

Your post about Touch On is also timely, as I was going to ask what you would recommend for a wash and wax style product after using Touchless as a pre wash. It seems like Touch On can work as a wash, but maybe not recommended? Would there be another product that you would recommend?

From what I've noticed, there are two types these soaps.

Type 1 - these back off the "protection" to be a better soap (cleaning, lubrication, suds). KCx CES, KCx Nano Magic, Ethos Ceramic Shampoo.

Type 2 - these go the other direction, upping the "protection" at the expense of being a soap. This includes Carpro HydrO2 Foam, Bilt Hamber Touch-On, Gyeon Bathe+.

So you need to decide what you want and need from the soap. The best balance I've found is KCx CES, but again you need to make sure you aren't trying to bite off more than it can chew. If you want something foaming, I also like Ethos Ceramic Shampoo, but the before and after isn't as pronounced.

 

[D.F.B]

Walkies this afternoon in our favourite spot. With all the rain earlier in the week, the river has breached the banks and has begun flooding into the valleys. The walking track also doubles as a levy bank, with a separate path below that is now flooded out in spots. The bird life seems to be enjoying it though.

 

[moab11]

Thanks DFB, that gives me a few good options to check out.

 

[D.F.B]

I don't know the exact moment, but since I was a kid, I've been obsessed with small engines. Lawn mowers, leaf blowers, grass trimmers, chainsaws — if it's got a small engine, I'm in. Pinpointing my Stihl obsession is easier: I used to watch in awe as our neighbour cut firewood with his Stihl chainsaw, and ever since, I wanted one of my own.

As fate would have it, I eventually inherited that chainsaw..............two weeks after I had bought my first "real" chainsaw.



I started my own lawn mowing business at 15. My parents bought me a lawnmower and trimmer for consecutive birthdays. My dad bought me a leaf blower, which I worked off by mowing the lawns at his office — that leaf blower was my first Stihl product, and I still have it.

As the business grew, so did my collection of Stihl tools, out of necessity, but if I'm honest, buying tools was a dream come true. Apart from a couple of deviations, I've stayed a Stihl customer ever since: blowers, hedge trimmers, multi-tools, grass trimmers, shears, pole saws, and best of all, my own Stihl chainsaws — four of them, actually. Some don't even have a small engine, but I'm happy to compromise where it makes sense.



In 2026, Stihl celebrates 100 years in business, and they've been running several promotions to mark it. The most visible is the Centennial Edition MS 500i chainsaw — a special edition with bespoke finishes, unique graphics and limited availability. To get one, you had to enter a ballot and be prepared to fork out $3,500 for a chainsaw you'd realistically never cut wood with (the fact it comes with a custom display stand says it all). I want one.









Stihl also ran a promotion called Australia's Biggest STIHL Fan:

"We're looking for Australia's biggest STIHL fan on INSTAGRAM! Think you're STIHL's #1 supporter? Now's your chance to prove it. Share your STIHL story, your favourite tool, your tattoos, or show us your STIHL collection for a chance to be featured as part of our 100-year celebrations."

I'm decent at telling a story and run a reasonable Instagram account, so I threw my hat in the ring. First prize was the Centennial MS 500i, second was a bundle of AP pro-grade battery tools, third a selection of AK battery tools, and fourth an assortment of AS battery tools. The global prize was a trip to Germany (thanks, but no thanks).









Knowing my level of Stihl obsession is modest compared to some, I entered the competition with zero expectations. I had actually forgotten about it. Then last Friday, I spotted on Instagram that I'd won 4th place! Not the Centennial chainsaw I had been hoping for, but I’m not complaining.

The fourth prize was called the Camping & Home Bundle, which included the BGA 30 Blower (kit), PS1 Power Bank, RCA 20 Pressure Washer (skin), KOA 20 inflator (kit), and SEA 20 vacuum (skin). All up, $1015 worth of tools.






To quote a successful businessman – “support the businesses that helps support yours”. I buy tools out of both need and want. I buy Stihl because they make great products that have helped build my business and allowed me to make an income from it. Over the years, I would plug the brand on social media, recommend their products to others, gave them plenty of free advertising. I never asked nor expected anything out of that. So, as much as anything, I’m just happy to have caught Stihl’s attention.

Collection of the prize is being organized by my local Stihl dealer, which I have a great relationship with. I’ll be sure to do my usual thing with these new toys tools.

 

[Tactile]

Nice work...

 

[littlebean]

congratulations, now when can we expect the in depth reviews of your winnings to drop.....

 

[Geoff289]

Congrats. Seems very well deserved to me.

 

[moab11]

Congrats on the free new toys!
I must say I have no real need for an MS500i, but reading your posts makes it tough to hold off some days.

 

[D.F.B]

Congrats on the free new toys!
I must say I have no real need for an MS500i, but reading your posts makes it tough to hold off some days.

I'll need to drop a couple of trees in at some stage in the next year, working on something BIG, a lifelong goal. I can't wait to put that saw to good use, its such a hotrod!

 

[zanyad]

Congrats!

 

[D.F.B]

Picked up a new garden client at the end of May. No mowing, just general gardening work. It's a large sweeping garden that backs onto bushland and the river, which I worry about come spring and summer as the snake population wakes up. There is also a large flowing creek bed and pond, of which the surrounding garden had been smothered in weeds and took two visits to get on top of. I also cut back three overgrown Yucca's.

This week, the client wanted a heavy reduction on an overgrown Oleander. Well-established, this specimen was at least 5-metres in height and had a lot of thick branches, some approaching 4- to 5-inches in diameter. Overall, I brought it back down to about 2-metres, the idea to stimulate fresh growth and have it flowering where the customer could see it.

I'm so glad I bought a pole saw last year, it makes jobs like this so much easier and safer (I hate ladders).



Now that I've gotten on top of the big stuff, it should just be a matter of maintaining it. To give you an idea of how much work the garden has required, I've taken away 10 heavily stacked loads of green waste to the tip at $25 a pop.

Who needs a trailer........................

 

[moab11]

Having a work truck like that would be so handy a lot of the time. Modern full size trucks are cumbersome for simple jobs like this and probably can't hold as much.

 

[D.F.B]

Having a work truck like that would be so handy a lot of the time. Modern full size trucks are cumbersome for simple jobs like this and probably can't hold as much.

The height and depth of a pickup tub makes them hard to work out of. They are also too small, so people end up towing a trailer to carry their tools. Just doesn't make logical sense to me. But then my povo base model Ranger doesn't have an ego inflator function, which matters to 95% of pickup buyers.

 

[moab11]

I drive a full size truck (crew cab, 6.5ft bed. Wish I could get a half ton with an 8ft bed) because I needed a do everything vehicle and need the towing ability of a truck.
The 80% of the time I don't need it though, I wish I had a smaller vehicle. Something like your ranger would be great, but I don't think we could get them with trays before, and all the new midsize trucks are almost as big and just as expensive as full size trucks.

 

[D.F.B]

This is one of those things I didn't know how to search for because I didn't know its name. When I finally landed on it through a vague chain of Google searches, I discovered others didn't know the name either. The product in question is called a Bettix 'Bettamix' — a twin-chambered chemical bottle that makes dosing quick and accurate by eliminating the need for a measuring cup.

I've used these for years, mostly in horticulture, where they're common for dosing insecticides and herbicides. They're also handy for mixing 2-stroke oil — not having to carry a separate measuring container eliminates the mess (and the hassle of finding a way to clean it out) on the job.



This style of bottle is sold under a variety of different brand names, along with a range of designs and capacities. I prefer this particular 1-litre version, mainly for the metric measurements — it makes mixing fuel to a 50:1 ratio easy, at 100ml to 5 litres of fuel. Surprisingly, it's Australian-made, too.

10 X 1L Plastic Twin Chamber Bottle & Tamper Evident Cap Chemical Bottle Food | eBay Australia

Over time, the squeeze and release of the bottle causes them to crack, so I buy these in bulk and replace them as needed for herbicide, mixing oil, and detailing supplies. I then buy the chemical itself in larger bulk quantities and refill the smaller 1-litre bottle as it's used.



This may or may not be news to you, but if you've ever wondered, now you know what a Bettix Bottle is.

 

[hewey]

Congrats on the Stihl win!

 

[D.F.B]

Briggs & Stratton DOV / Vanguard

Back in the late 2000s, I was shopping for a new mower for my business. After a series of Victas and a dud Honda riddled with problems and far too heavy, I wanted to give Masport a try. I also decided to switch from aluminium to steel for the deck construction, primarily because stamped steel is lighter than cast aluminium.



The models in question were the 600ST and 750ST from the silver Platinum series, pared-back mulch-and-catch units with a 19-inch cut and I/C engines. In the end, I went for the 750ST with the big-block 850. I was coming from an older 190cc Briggs Quantum XTS60 and an 187cc Honda GSV190, so I really didn’t want to go backwards on capacity. Sadly, that mower lasted less than 12 months — the supposed "heavy-duty steel chassis" ended up with flogged-out axle mountings, rendering it fit only for the scrap pile. The engine, on the other hand, got repurposed. I learnt a lesson with that mower: never buy a steel chassis for commercial use, and always get the biggest engine possible.



Going back to that choice between the 600ST and 750ST, the main difference was the engine, both of which were brand designs. The first being the one I went with, the 190cc Briggs & Stratton 850-Series OHV I/C, which effectively replaced the Intek Edge. The second, which the salesman seemed very interested in, was the totally new and different 161cc Briggs & Stratton 750 DOV I/C. Being Industrial Commercial (I/C) engines, both had a cast iron bore for longevity. While I went for the bigger option, I was still curious about that new DOV engine. A few years later, I bought a Victa Mustang with the DOV engine.







DOV stands for Direct Overhead Valve. This wasn't the usual pushrod OHV design, instead it used lever arms that were operated by a single lobe camshaft. Briggs made lofty claims of improved performance, increased efficiency, lower oil consumption, lower operating temperatures, 10% less vibration, and 60% less high frequency noise. Some came with a primer, while others had the ReadyStart automatic choke, the first Briggs to get that system. This engine was initially sold with a cast iron bore and marketed under the I/C banner, but an alloy bore and a smaller 140cc version came later, as well the InStart system.

A period brochure I collected at the time –

On paper, this all-new engine sounded like a breakthrough for Briggs & Stratton. Keep in mind that their bread-and-butter lawn mower engines, the L-Head side valve, could trace their roots back to the 1960s. And yet...

I hated this engine. The smaller 161cc capacity just couldn't match the power and torque of the 190cc 850-Series. Power was around 5.0hp with 10.8 Nm of torque for the DOV, and 6.5hp and 11.5 Nm for the 850. In heavy cutting conditions, the DOV would bog down and run out of puff long before the 850. I also found as the engine laboured, it tended to make more noise, a clattery sound that didn't really live up to the claims of lower noise.



The thing I never understood about the DOV was its role within the range. It lacked balls to be a commercial option, and the price premium it carried over other Briggs engines didn't really suit the cost-conscious domestic market. Then Briggs replaced the L-Head engines with their new small-block conventional OHV E-Series, which was a completely different design to the DOV and came in similar 140cc and 163cc sizes. So what purpose did the DOV serve? It was too expensive for the homeowner market, and too weak for commercial use.

Clearly Briggs struggled to find homes for the DOV, so in the mid 2010's they rebranded it as a Vanguard. While the regular DOV remained in production, the Vanguard DOV was based on the 161cc version with a cast iron bore and presumably intended as an alternative to the Honda GXV160. Compared to "real" Vanguard's, which were improvements over the regular Briggs (or totally different), the Vanguard DOV was exactly the same as the regular DOV, just with a different top cover and fan shroud, an all-black design, muffler cover and gold badging.





In Victa's case, which were still owned by Briggs & Stratton at the time, they replaced or supplemented their commercial models with the Vanguard. That included the Commercial 19 and 21 models, the Mulchmaster, and MasterCut 600. Victa also designed a snorkel adaptor for the air filter cover, the only modern Briggs to get a snorkel. At one point, they sold it alongside the GXV160 and the last of the Powertorque engines.







Can you spot the mistake with this image?



And yet, despite the name change, the Vanguard suffered the same drawbacks as the regular DOV. Gutless, noisy and prone to valvetrain failures. I've never been a Honda diehard, but the similar capacity Honda GXV160 felt stronger and smoother..........if not quieter. Again, the DOV and Vanguard just didn't have the balls, no matter what market it was aimed at.

From what I can see, the DOV and Vanguard were discontinued late last year, early this year. Overall, the valvetrain looked innovative, but in reality, didn't really do anything over and above a traditional OHV setup. And it's silly product decisions like the DOV that most likely contributed to their bankruptcy a few years ago........spending money on stuff that didn't serve a defined purpose. And yet, look at Honda and they only make a handful of different engines, instead of countless different variations on a theme that aren't fully supported in the market.

If you’ve read this far, well done! If you’ve scrolled this far, well this is where the interesting part is, well interesting to me at least…………….

The following information is from an ex-Briggs & Stratton Australia employee who kindly took the time to answer a couple of questions regarding the DOV engine and Briggs manufacturing in recent years.

“The DOV was launched to dealers around 2010, believe it or not, they were/are made in China. The first of the small verticals to be made there. At the time everything from the 148 cc L heads up was made in the USA. Early examples even had Torch brand spark plugs. It was the first appearance of the Ready Start system and started easier than anything else B&S had at the time. The air filter housing and element were both huge improvements over the old Intek 55. The 850 series (made in USA) was released shortly after.”



In regard to the Vanguard branding –

“We really wanted Vanguard on the 850 commercial engine but, of the two engines, it was only the I/C version of the DOV that met the very strict requirements to wear the Vanguard name. Other upgrades were made to the piston and rings from memory. Emissions killed the snorkel, and from memory EU V standards killed the I/C and Vanguard versions. Emissions also affects where the word ‘commercial’ can be used so the 850 commercial engine ended up as the 850 PXi series.”



In regard to manufacturing locations –

“Pre-covid, the small vertical engines for Australia (excluding DOV) were all made in the USA, that includes all Classic, Sprint, Quattro, and Quantum L-head engines, as well as the new E, EX, and EXi 140cc, 150cc, 163cc OHV engines. Manufacturing began in China around 2020 and the local Victa business chose to continue sourcing from the USA at this stage as the price difference was negligible. However, supply chain challenges during covid (and chapter 11) blew out the lead times from US plants to over a year for some engine models and left Victa with the choice of Chinese built engines, or no engines. At that point, Victa started using Chinese built engines. That stabilised somewhat and as of the sale to Roy Gripske & Sons, it was a dual source model for vertical shaft engines under 190cc. Meaning on the day you might get a Chinese one or an American one.

Quality was, for all intents and purposes, identical. The 190-223cc 850 & 1000 series on commercial mowers and small ride-ons are all still made in the USA though. Incidentally, most of the ‘global’ parts they reference are less important ones like blower housings. Internals and castings were mostly US produced even if assembled in China.”



In regard to OEM parts –

“Whenever people would try to save a couple of bucks on aftermarket parts I always went back to the time I had a customer DOV on a Masport that was dusted. Looking at the filter element, a small section of the paper hadn’t bonded with the foam gasket in production. It was a genuine filter so I approved a brand-new engine straight away, no further questions. Nobody’s perfect and the fact the filter was genuine meant the customer got a new engine. If an aftermarket filter had done the same thing they’d have been SOL.”





So there you go, the failure that was the DOV and DOV Vanguard engines. A waste of resources that no doubt contributed to the chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2020.

 

[D.F.B]

It lives!





Sunny winter days are perfect for driving, and today I got both V8s out — the Mustang and XR8, back-to-back. Despite sharing engine architecture, they're completely different animals. The Mustang loves to rev, spinning happily to 7500 rpm with a hard-edged induction note. The supercharged XR8 is all about effortless torque — at any speed, in any gear, it wafts on a wave of torque, backed by equal parts induction, exhaust, and supercharger wail. So much fun. The XR8 is the reason I've never bothered looking into superchargers for either of my Mustangs — I already have a supercharged Coyote.

 

[ajohno]

Nice.

 

[D.F.B]

Well, it got the better of me. I managed to track down a set of blue and red Snappy Grip handles. The black ones will be repurposed elsewhere.







A small change, but having them match the decal, gamma seal, and bucket dolly makes quite a difference.

 

[littlebean]

better

 

[zanyad]

better

 

[D.F.B]

I bought this Stihl HSA56 back in November 2018.



Up until that point, I had been running petrol-powered tools across the board. With how you handle a hedge trimmer, it puts a lot of strain through your shoulders, upper back and neck. Compared to my old HS45, this battery machine is lighter and less fatiguing to use. And that's before you consider the noise banging away at ear level, and the smokey exhaust fumes.



I have to say, it's been nice not having to maintain an engine, feeding it a charged battery is all it needs. Maintenance wise, I have sharpened the blades a number of times, and made sure the gearbox has been greased. However, after the last sharpening I found it just wasn't cutting nicely, so I ordered a set of OEM blades from my Stihl dealer.

Part Number - 4521-710-6000





Fitment is relatively easy as long as you keep track of what goes where at the business end (the gearbox and camshaft), and making sure you don't lose the spacers that help keep everything together but still allowing the blades to oscillate. The aluminium backbone, tip protector, and hardware all carry over. It's also quite a messy job with all of the grease inside the gearbox, which I clean out and repack with Stihl Multi-Lube.

Stihl - 0781-120-1109

















After it was all back together, I applied some Gel-Lube to the new blades and gave it a quick test on the front hedge. Apart from being sharper, it's now running much smoother and quieter. Gel-Lube isn't what I'd normally recommend but I'm out of the natural Lanolin, which does a great job and much better than WD-40.





Ready for work again.

 

[D.F.B]

Got the Ranger and Mustang washed this week. Tyres cleaned with Brake Buster, wheels and body with Carpro Reset.

On the Ranger, after the wash I decided to apply Reload 2.0 to the paint and plastic trims. I feel like this product gets a bad wrap, but the latest formula is easier to apply and has exceptional gloss and slickness. I continued the Carpro theme inside by using InnerQD for the wipe down. InnerQD was my favourite interior QD for quite a while, but I mostly grab ADS Pilot these days as I prefer the scent and how is behaves under the towel. For the glass, I went with P&S Reflect, a product that I really like. I then wiped the wheels down with Amplify, dressed the tyres with OG TD.

For the Mustang, after blow drying with the EGO, I went with a very light go over with ADS Amplify, which was also used on the door jambs, engine bay, exhaust tips and wheels. Glass got the Reflect treatment, interior wiped down with a damp towel. The final job was a fresh layer of OG TD.





Two clean cars, and my little boy.

 

[littlebean]

Two clean cars, and my little boy.

who looks like he's thinking 'can we go for a drive now???)

 

[jon72vega]

He's a cute little guy!

 

[D.F.B]

P&S Release Vacuum Aid

As if the detailing world needed another product category, P&S has gone and created one anyway — the vacuum aid. I know, do we really need such a product? My answer to that is another question: who here hates vacuuming carpet as much as I do? Probably my least favourite detailing task. We've all been there, slaving away trying to remove sand, grass, twigs, leaves, pet hair — it burns time and certainly doesn't reward you the way polishing paint or dressing tyres does.









And so, the vacuum aid is designed to make that tedious task a little bit easier. Now, this product won't be for everyone — probably not for those of you who already stay on top of your interiors. But for the professional regularly dealing with kid carriers, trashed interiors, or that truly horrible excuse for carpet some Japanese and Korean car companies use, P&S Release is for you.



Release didn't start out as its own product — it began life as an off-label trick using P&S Paint Gloss, of all things. I first came across this in an interior how-to video from The Rag Company, presented by Sydni Brae Gwinn, a P&S brand ambassador at the time. Her method was misting the carpets with Paint Gloss before vacuuming, something she called a "vacuum aid." The static and friction dropped away, the vacuum attachment moved more freely across the carpet, and whatever was gripping the debris in the fibres finally let go. You also got a nice scent and a slightly richer-looking finish out of it, as a bonus.

I tried it myself and walked away genuinely surprised. It's not a magic fix — you're still doing the work — but the static reduction was real, and the whole process felt noticeably less of a fight.

By early 2025, that off-label trick had evolved into something official — P&S, with Sydni's input, released Release: a dedicated vacuum aid built specifically for carpets and fabrics rather than paint. It carries the same anti-static DNA as Paint Gloss, refined into anti-static agents and friction modifiers that help debris "release" from the fibres for smoother, easier vacuuming, plus an odour neutraliser that actually removes smells instead of masking them. That last part is where it properly breaks from its Paint Gloss origins and earns its place as its own product.

Using Release is dead simple: mist it lightly over the carpet section by section, give it a few moments to dwell (P&S's recommendation for full effect), then vacuum as normal. The difference is immediate — the attachment glides across treated carpet noticeably easier than untreated, and it leaves behind a clean, neutral "fresh" scent, nothing fancy, just inoffensive.

One thing worth flagging: this isn't a shampoo or cleaning agent, just a complementary step for the vacuum stage. If the carpet needs an actual clean, follow up with something like Carpet Bomber or Koch Chemie Pol Star.



Release isn't a 100% solution for tricky vacuuming situations — you still have to put in the hard work to get there. Tools like compressed air and dedicated pet-hair brushes still have a role to play alongside it, working as a team rather than a single fix. But together, they make the process a little easier, and for a task this universally disliked, that's worth paying for.

 

[Cdubu52]

DFB, I have seen where using glass cleaner can offer similar results. Spray on the carpet before the vacuum step. I think its basically the same concept, and one less product to buy.

 

[D.F.B]

At the moment, we are deep into winter with frosty mornings and a cold chill setting in mid-afternoons. But, it's predicted to be an early spring this year, which means grass will be growing again soon. I don't do a lot of mowing in winter, so the machinery gets a little rest from the hard slog through the warm season.

I generally do a comprehensive refresh on my main mower before the grass takes off, ensuring its up for the work ahead of it. At the moment, the blades will last a little longer, so I'll probably delay that major service until late September. But in the meantime, I decided to inspect the valve clearance on the engine.

I bought this mower on the very first day of my long-service-leave in October 2024. The mower was bought brand new by the seller's father, and despite being 10 years old, it had done very little work. I can easily say that I've put more work under its wheels in two years than the original buyer did in 10.





When I opened up the valve cover of the Mulchmaster and Intek-powered Supercut last year, both were in need of valve lash adjustments after power of work behind them. Considering its lack of use up until me, I knew the valves would never have been inspected. With the recoil and trim cover removed to provide better access, I removed the valve cover and measured the lash. Both were still well within spec, so I left them alone.





The longest part of the job was removing the old gasket, of which had baked onto the valve cover and had to be removed in chunks with a razor blade and gasket scraper. I had replacements in stock, so no biggie. I much prefer using a gasket than RTV, especially on valve covers that are thin and easily warped when attempting to remove from the engine. Honda, are you reading this?

Briggs & Stratton: 796480
Lisle 81810 Carbide Scraper





When I was removing the recoil, I noticed one of the three nuts was missing, and one was loose. After rummaging through my bin of NOS hardware, I ended up finding a suitable replacement in my Stihl hardware assortment, which comes in handy for moments like this...............as they say, "fail to prepare, prepare to fail".





In the next month or so, I do the full tune up; blades, oil change, air filter, fuel filter and spark plug.

 

[D.F.B]

I recently published an article on the rinse-less washes I reach for most often, plus a wildcard no one talks about. Those products include Optimum No Rinse (and a mention of the Opti-Coat version), ADS Hero, and P&S Absolute. The wildcard being Gyeon Eco Wash.



Gyeon Eco Wash is a rinse-less/waterless wash concentrate that contains SiO2 for added gloss and slickness. That SiO2 element puts it in the same camp as products like ADS Hero, though in practice Eco Wash sits closer to something like Carpro ECH2O — by that I mean it leans more toward waterless washing and detail-spray duty than the outright cleaning power some rinse-less washes can offer. That doesn't make Eco Wash a dud, you just need to be mindful of its capabilities and match it to what you actually need.

After publishing that article, a follower reached out with a suggestion about Eco Wash. Mixed at 1:15 to 1:20, it makes an excellent drying aid and light-duty interior cleaner. So, after washing the Ranger today, I gave it a go as my drying aid.





In this case, I mixed Eco Wash at 1:15 — 30ml of product to 470ml of demineralised water. At that dilution, and including the cost of the water, a 500ml bottle works out to $1.67. For reference, a 473ml bottle of ADS Amplify is $35.95 + shipping. In practice, I wouldn't say Eco Wash is as slick as Amplify, but it flashes off nicely and leaves a decently slick, glossy finish. It works fine on paint, glass, and trim, and like ECH2O, adds a bit of richness to black plastics.

I haven't tried it on interior surfaces myself, but contrary to what you might expect, I'm told it doesn't leave a glossy finish there — instead it leaves a clean, rich finish, which is generally what you want on interior trims.

The idea that rinse-less concentrates are multi-purpose products definitely holds up. That said, you do give up something when using them outside their core role. As a drying aid, I'd personally say you leave 10–20% on the table when it comes to slickness, gloss, and towel feel. A dedicated product will always be more targeted.

 

[ajohno]

I serviced my mowers last week. Gave them all a good wash and wax. Has been really cold here this week in the minus. Bring on spring.

 

[D.F.B]

Went down to the local auto store today to restock on Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Detailer, which will feature in an upcoming article. I love that product, it's only one minor change away from being perfect, and an Aussie distributor that doesn't over price it.



On surface level, it may appear that I'm a brand snob, and you wouldn't be far off that assumption. But that doesn't mean I don't see value in "mainstream" brands. All four shown above are top-tier products, Meguiar's included.

 

[D.F.B]

If you've followed me for a while, you'll know detailing tyres is my thing. You could have the shiniest car in the neighbourhood, but without clean tyres, you basically undo all your hard work. The same goes for exhaust tips. The key to this is regular cleaning and the occasional hard reset.

The regular cleaning bit is easy — something like Brake Buster or Wise Guy with a firm brush at each wash will do what I need. The hard reset is a little more involved and is only an occasional thing, done to properly deep clean and provide a fresh slate to work with. The reset product is usually Stoner's Tarminator, mineral spirits, or more recently, Koch-Chemie Eulex. These essentially dissolve anything remaining after a traditional scrub with a tyre cleaner, leaving a completely bare rubber surface to apply a fresh layer of dressing to.

There are three benefits to this process -

- It eliminates wasting time with repeated scrub and rinse cycles
- Is a crucial prep stage before applying long term tyre sealants such as Ghost, Darkside or Q2 Tire
- Produces a more consistent dressed tyre











Last week, a follower made an odd suggestion for this process, a product that is freely available at the local hardware store. De-Solv-it is typically found in the cleaning isle, so not necessarily intended for car cleaning.

"The De-Solv-it Multi-Purpose Cleaner is a concentrated solution with 100% active ingredients from natural citrus base. It is designed to safely and effectively remove tough grease, grime, sticky residues and dirt while smelling wonderfully fresh.

Fast and effective in removing sticky labels, tapes, gum, crayon and general cleaning of stains."

De-Solv-it Multi-Purpose Cleaner 500ml
De-Solv-it - Bunnings Australia



Being citrus-based, De-Solv-it smells and acts like CarPro TarX, which also contains citrus oil. So the concept of using De-Solv-it is no different to using Tarminator or Eulex — with that in mind, I grabbed a bottle and gave it a try.

Before starting, I'd given the tyres a scrub with Bilt Hamber Surfex, then dried them using the blower. I then went ahead as with Tarminator or Eulex, spraying De-Solv-it into a towel and rubbing the sidewall. I'm told you can also use it on wet tyres with a sponge. The end result was similar to those harsher chemicals, but it evaporates a little slower, which increases the working time.





While the Surfex left the tyres looking clean, the De-Solv-it took that to another level. I then followed with Gyeon Tire Express. The tyres look glossy here, but that's more so how they reflect back at the camera under my garage lights.





Eulex and Tarminator are more expensive and harder to find, only available from one retailer each in Australia. Price wise, it's a no brainer -

Koch Chemie Eulex - $37.40 / $3.74 per 100ml (only available in 1-litre bottles)
Stoner Tarminator - $19.95 / $7.05 per 100g (only available in 283g aerosol)

De-Solv-it is available in multiple sizes -

125ml - $5.53 ($4.42 per 100ml)
300ml - $11.99 ($4.00 per 100ml)
750ml - $19.99 ($2.67 per 100ml)
4-litre - $59.99 ($1.50 per 100ml)

De-Solv-it doesn't stink out the garage either, Eulex and Tarminator are extremely strong and would be quite nasty in a confined space. I'm also told De-Solv-it is nowhere near as aggressive as Eulex, Tarminator and mineral spirits.

With thanks to Jack from Urbanity Premium Detailing for the tip -

Home | Urbanity Premium Detailing

 

[D.F.B]

The Rag Company Ultra H2O Foam Cannon

Disclaimer – This isn’t a sponsored review, I purchased this foam cannon at full retail with my own money.

From the moment it was unveiled at SEMA at the end of 2025, TRC's Ultra H2O range caught my attention. The lineup covers a short gun, a 21-inch wand, a foam cannon, and rubber-shrouded nozzles — finally, someone was putting some thought into pressure washer accessories beyond colour, trim and flashy packaging. It's worth noting these are ground-up new products, not adapted or rebadged generic items from a contract manufacturer. Yes, they're made in China, but to a full TRC specification. These tools also aren't the best money can buy — that was never the goal. They were always intended to be accessible, value-driven items that anyone can buy and enjoy.

After nine months of teasing, the Ultra H2O range went on sale this week across all TRC distributors. That's worth praising — new releases this big often take months, sometimes years, to reach us in Australia, so well done TRC for coordinating a fast rollout. The launch also coincided with a massive media push, with countless detailing influencers across YouTube and Instagram given early access to create content. Clearly, TRC have a lot riding on this product line.

Ultra H2O

Shop premium microfiber towels and car detailing supplies from The Rag Company — trusted by pros since 1999. Free shipping over $115.

theragcompany.com

Out of the whole Ultra H2O lineup, it's the foam cannon I want to focus on. I'm already heavily invested in Mosmatic gear, so the rest of the range holds less pull for me — but the foam cannon is where most of TRC's innovation went, which is why I thought it'd make a great addition to my lineup. That, and I've had some annoyances with MTM foam cannons that really should have been addressed by now.



The MTM Benchmark -

I've been using the MTM PF22-Series foam cannon since 2020, namely the 22.2 model with the wide base bottle. The 22.2 update solved the biggest issue with the original PF22 — the tendency to tip over when half full — but kept the narrow bottle opening. In 2023, MTM launched an update that unofficially created the 22.3. This introduced a wide-mouth bottle for quicker filling and easier attachment to the foam cannon body, and it could be retrofitted to existing MTM foam cannons, or any foam cannon with a narrow thread. I updated all three of my foam cannons, including an older non-MTM unit.



That update solved my main complaint with what is otherwise an excellent foam cannon. Yes, it's a premium-priced option, but the quality is excellent, and it runs through less solution per application than my other foam cannon. One issue remains though, and I know I'm not the only one it annoys.............

Like all foam cannons, the fan angle can be adjusted from a wide fan to a pinpoint shot. Why anyone would want a pinpoint shot out of a foam cannon is anyone's guess. You can also change the fan output from vertical to horizontal. Both adjustments are made by twisting the plastic outlet collars. The horizontal/vertical adjustment has a pronounced detent, but the fan angle is free to move in one fluid motion, back and forth. So every time you put the foam cannon down, the angle drifts, meaning you have to readjust it almost every time to squeeze the trigger. Annoying doesn't begin to describe it.



My old foam cannon has none of these issues — the fan angle adjustment is fluid, but far stiffer, so it doesn't need constant readjustment. That foam cannon cost me $99 in 2015. The MTMs are at least $170 AUD now. Why is the supposedly premium product so compromised? Since certain YouTubers blew up MTM and made them a household name within the detailing community, MTM have just sat on their hands and let the competition not only catch up, but overtake them.

And so, along comes The Rag Company with a desire to make something affordable and innovative. Because these H2O products are ground-up designs, TRC had the freedom to fix a variety of quirks baked into the legacy brands, while focusing on car detailing specifically, rather than treating it as one slice of a much bigger pie.



The New Benchmark?

As mentioned earlier, TRC had the ability to make genuine improvements to these accessories and therefore improve the user experience. Think rubberized touch points, integrated nozzle holders, a trigger lock, and push-on quick-connect fittings. The foam cannon, though, solves my gripes with the MTM, which is why it became the focus of my attention.

For the Ultra H2O foam cannon, TRC has added click-style detents for the fan angle adjustment. I've yet to put this feature to the test, but THIS is what lured me to the H2O. The same click detent also applies to the foam adjustment knob on top of the foam cannon body, and to the horizontal/vertical adjustment — both feel more defined than on the MTM.

The Ultra H2O also includes:

- Stainless steel construction for long-term durability
- Wide-mouth HDPE bottle with quarter-turn lid (same as the PF22.3)
- Weighted pick-up tube for 360-degree spraying (same as the PF22.3)
- Easy-to-read measurement system
- Rebuildable when required
- 1.1mm and 1.25mm orifices
- ¼-inch plug connection fitting
- Replaceable lid O-ring

Each foam cannon ships in cleanly designed packaging, be that the visual presentation of the graphics, or how the cannon body and bottle are surrounded by foam padding. It's a nice touch on what is a significantly cheaper alternative to the premium-priced MTM.



























The foam cannon comes with two nozzle orifices — 1.1mm for low-flow pressure washers, and 1.25mm for high-flow units, which is pre-installed. You will need to torque down the supplied ¼-inch plug before use.



The bottle is sturdy and embossed with both the TRC logo and a clear measurement scale — the MTM's is poor in that department. Note how it doesn't have a clear bottle; that's a good thing, because clear plastic tends to crack under very little force. So while it may not be as trendy, this is the more durable choice. The flexible pick-up tube is accompanied by a weighted filter, meaning you can spray right down to the very last drop of liquid. The foam cannon body is fully stainless steel, although most of it is shrouded in plastic. I feel the plastic parts look and feel a little cheap — but that's basically my only complaint at this stage.

That's the overview. At first glance, this is a well-presented, good-looking foam cannon. If the functional improvements hold up in use, this Ultra H2O foam cannon could very well be the best you can currently buy.

 

[D.F.B]

Ultra H2O Foam Cannon – First Use

Following on from my first look at the Ultra H2O range, it's time to put the foam cannon to work. Before any getting started, there's a short setup checklist worth running through — nozzle orifice, inlet plug, pickup hose — so that's where we'll start before getting into how it performed on its first outing.

Pre-flight Checks

Before using the Ultra H2O Foam Cannon for the first time, it's important to ensure you have the correct orifice fitted. The unit ships with the 1.25mm orifice pre-installed. This larger nozzle is for high-flow pressure washers. If you have a low-flow pressure washer, you'll need to swap that out for the supplied 1.1mm orifice to avoid over-amping the machine. To do this, remove the lightly pre-installed ¼-inch inlet plug, then unscrew and remove the nozzle from the foam cannon body. You can then install the smaller version, tightening till firm (don't go hulk on it).



The ¼-inch plug itself doesn't require Teflon tape — sealing is provided by a small O-ring on the plug itself. Tighten the plug with a 15mm wrench, and like the nozzle, don't overdo it or you'll distort the washer or risk stripping the threads. Finally, install the inlet hose, which simply pushes onto the barbed fitting on the underside of the lid.

From there, the foam cannon is ready for action.

The Rag Company have all of this covered in their setup video:

Let it Snow!

For today, I paired the new Ultra H2O foam cannon with NV Snow. As you'll see in the video, I don't get too accurate when measuring pH-neutral soaps — probably not the correct way of doing things, but that's how I fly. If this were an alkaline soap, I'd highly recommend measuring it out properly.

My pressure washer is a Kranzle KHD10, which does about 1500 psi and 10+ litres per minute (2.64+ GPM). That means the larger 1.25mm orifice was left in place, although I made sure it was properly seated. I'm also running an OG-Spec Mosmatic short gun with recessed live swivel.



With the foam dial maxed out, that combination produced thick, shaving-cream foam. I suspect you could ratchet the dial back a few clicks and still get excellent foam quality while slowing down soap consumption. And with those detents on the fan adjustment, I could set it and forget it — no adjustments needed on the fly. Problem solved in that department.

As it stands, I still want to play around with it using different soaps and foam settings. But overall, this is an excellent foam cannon. It's clear a lot of thought went into this product, which I'll expand on in a future post.

 

[D.F.B]

Ultra H2O vs MTM PF22.3 – What’s Different, What’s Better?

As a naturally analytical person, I love a good head-to-head comparison. Having used MTM foam cannons for six years now, I was keen to see how this new TRC foam cannon stacked up against what I'd call my former benchmark.

Now, I say former in relation to the MTM because the PF22.3 isn't the clear-cut leader of foam cannons that it once was. Six years ago? It certainly was. That doesn't mean it's not an excellent foam cannon — I'll continue to use the two I have, and still believe it sits within the top tier. It's just that there are sooo many competitors on the market these days, from the cheap Amazon ****, through the mid-tier likes of ADS and Active, up to the high-end Griot's Garage and crazy-expensive Mosmatic.



Bottle -
Both bottles share a similar wide-mouth design, and also the overall form factor. Both use HDPE plastic for durability, crack resistance and chemical resistance. Both have 1000ml capacities.

MTM PF22.3 – The 22.3 update signaled a new wide-mouth bottle for quicker, easier filling. The non-threaded connection to the cannon body also makes attachment quicker and easier. The measurement scale is poorly executed and hard to read.

Ultra H2O – This is made with thicker plastic and features a wider opening. Attachment to the cannon body is via a ¼-turn movement, same as the MTM. The measurement scale is larger, with more pronounced embossing, both making it considerably easier to judge liquid level. I also love the large, embossed Rag Company logo.





Bottle to Cannon Connection -
Both foam cannons use a similar plastic base plate design that does away with a threaded connection to the bottle, replaced with a locking-tab arrangement.

MTM PF22.3 – In order to avoid completely redesigning the PF22.2, MTM created a separate base plate that threads onto the foam cannon body in the same way it wound onto the original bottle. All PF22.3s ship with this pre-installed, but you can buy it as a retrofit for older cannons.

Ultra H2O – While the base plate concept is the same, the H2O is far better integrated and actually lowers the centre of gravity to improve stability when nearing empty. TRC also included vertical grip ridges for a non-slip hold. Finally, the H2O has a slightly more positive engagement with the locking tabs on the bottle.







Cannon Body -
Strip away the plastic trim, and most foam cannons follow a similar layout and construction.

MTM PF22.3 – Nickel-plated brass body made from a single-piece casting. Plastic shrouding for adjustment points only.

Ultra H2O – Full stainless-steel body, with full plastic shrouding and adjustment controls. Considering the lower purchase price, full stainless is a pleasant surprise. The Ultra H2O logo is featured on the plastic shrouding.





Adjustments -
Both share the same adjustment points, but the execution and function are very different.

MTM PF22.3 – The dial to control foam quality is stiff and vague in adjustment, lacking obvious detents. Fan angle has a smooth, fluid range of adjustment, but is easily altered when picking up or setting down the cannon. The fan orientation adjustment is better, but still lacks clear detents.

Ultra H2O – This is where the TRC foam cannon excels. All adjustment points feature well-defined detents with a noticeable click. The fan angle remains seated in place, meaning constant adjustment isn't needed.



Pickup Tube -
Both read the same on paper, but the MTM has a thicker, heavier tube.

MTM PF22.3 – Clear, flexible silicone tube with a weighted, stainless-steel, chemical-resistant filter. Hose measures ¼-inch in width and 9 inches in length.

Ultra H2O – Clear, flexible silicone tube with a weighted filter made from plastic and stainless steel. The tube itself is 6.5 inches long, but made from a thinner material than the MTM's.





Weight -
Weight is an important metric for me when shopping for lawn and garden tools — less weight means less fatigue with extended use. Realistically, you aren't using a foam cannon enough for fatigue to become a real issue, but it's still an interesting number to compare. For the full numbers, I filled to the 1000ml mark.

MTM PF22.3 – 0.5kg (cannon body) / 1.7kg (assembled, full)

Ultra H2O – 0.4kg (cannon body) / 1.6kg (assembled, full)



Price -
This is an interesting one — at the moment, most retailers have the MTM on sale, from around $170 down to $140. This is either a price adjustment due to increased competition, or a new model is on the way. I've used the MTM's RRP here, to keep the comparison fair since the Ultra H2O is still selling at full retail. Either way, there's a $30 to $50 difference between TRC and MTM.

MTM PF22.3 – $169.95 AUD ($118.80 USD)
Ultra H2O – $139.95 AUD ($69.00 USD)



Service & Spare Parts -
This is where the extra cost pays off, the availability of spare parts and repair kits, meaning these are not a disposable proposition.

MTM PF22.3 – Rebuildable and serviceable via rebuild kit. Additional bottles, adaptor lids, pickup tube and weighted filter are also available.

Ultra H2O – Designed to be rebuildable and serviceable via a rebuild kit, though the kit isn't available yet. Additional bottles would likely follow down the track as well.



Performance / Usage Notes -
No surprise here — both the MTM and TRC make foam from soapy water. Only minor differences are immediately obvious.

MTM PF22.3 – One of the key differences of the PF22-series foam cannons has been their efficiency — producing excellent foam with less consumption of the soap solution. Build and material quality is superior, something I notice but may not be as obvious to others. Namely, nicer plastics, and a thicker sealing O-ring. Is the MTM worth the additional $30 to $50 premium? Not sure, to be honest.



Ultra H2O – I'd say this foam cannon offers a wider range of adjustment in terms of foam thickness. Fully open, the H2O is a notch or two above the MTM, meaning it would be the choice if outright shaving-cream foam is your priority. The positive detents for spray angle are a clear advantage over the MTM. I also much prefer the click detents of the foam adjustment dial. Both mean you don't bump the settings while in use, which improves the overall experience.



Final Thoughts -

So, should you buy the Ultra H2O over the MTM PF22.3? For most people, yes. It's $30 to $50 cheaper, matches or beats the MTM in nearly every category covered above, and fixes the one issue that's bothered me about MTM foam cannons for years — the fan angle no longer drifts every time you set it down.

Where the MTM still holds ground is in the small stuff: slightly better soap efficiency, nicer plastics, a thicker sealing O-ring. It also has a proven parts ecosystem behind it, while the Ultra H2O's rebuild kit isn't available yet, so long-term serviceability remains unproven.



My two MTMs aren't going anywhere. But if I were buying a foam cannon today, the Ultra H2O is well and truly in the hunt. TRC set out to build something accessible without cutting the corners that actually matter — and on this evidence, they've done exactly that.