sapphire 370 vs steamaction nike

[GeneMiller]

i have a friend getting ready to buy a new machine . he is pretty much sold on the steamaction. he has to drive 2 days to get there and they will buy his old machine (15yrs) and install the new one for 18,000. i think he is crazy and should buy local. we have 3 dealers very close with plenty of choices. i don't know anything about steam action.

gene

 

[ACE]

18,000.00 for a Nike? No way, the Nike is the bare bones 33 blower model. The do make some mid size and monster huge units. I don’t know much about them myself. I think he makes good enough machines but he is in and out of the business and a bit of a BS artist. For $18,000.00 + the value of a trade in I would find something really simple to work on or more brand name that the local guys know how to work on.

 

[Mikey P]

Mike makes good sense with his advice.

 

[GeneMiller]

the model he is looking at has a 47 roots blower so maybe i named it wrong . sorry. i agree he should stick close but i think the bs artist sold him over the phone. i did mention he had been in and out of business but that didn't sway him.

it is the nike 3547
gene

 

[Ron Werner]

for 18K I'd be looking at the C4. Just north of you as well.

 

[John Olson]

No two machines are the same. He will get a post warranty...once he passes the post at the end of the drive way no more warranty....He will either get a machine that will run forever or he'll get one that will make him wish he was dead.

 

[Desk Jockey]

If I were his friend I'd talk him into the Sapphire.

Local service is a big plus but I would think there is a huge gap in the engineering between the two units.

 

[Ryan]

There is a lot of bad said about Steam Action on the forums here, so I sure there is some truth too it.

I own a Steam Action Nike, and love it. However I would have never paid the new price for it. I bought it off a retired guy for almost nothing, it had been maintained perfectly and had 300 hours on it. Paid about 30% of the new price for it. If your friend likes the plus points Steam Action has and wants something built like a tank with all stainless steel construction check out Larry Cobbs "Dynachem" line.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Ryan you're right I shouldn't be so harsh, there plenty of people out there that really like their units.

However in my opinion I'd still go with the Sapphire it's local and should it need service or repair it's hard to beat vs talking to someone over the phone.

 

[ACE]

If I was going to plop down 18G I would go for a direct drive. That’s assuming I newish van to plop it into. There are a few small companies that make great TM’s but I would expect to pay less then 18G for an off brand machine. If nothing else, the brand name machines hold their resale value better and local suppliers like John Olsen won’t make fun of you.

 

[John Olson]

LOL I would never.....wait yes I would..... there is nothing wrong with a John Sales machine as long as you know what your getting and accept what ever happens without whining

 

[steve g]

John Olson" data-source="" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

there is nothing wrong with a John Sales machine as long as you know what your getting and accept what ever happens without whining

that right there is the quote of the month, only applied to a bunch of other machines as well.

 

[Ryan]

I don't have a local disty so I guess I overlook the convenience of one. So far I have done all the maintenance on my Steam Action tm. It is fairly simple to work on, the wiring looks like a nightmare though! :shock: I'm just praying nothing ever goes wrong with its electrical components.

I would show him these units before he drops 18k into a Steam Action. I have never used them personally so I'm just going on what I've read about them. They look to be in the same class as the Steam Action machines though, minus a lot of hype and electrical crap.

http://cobbcarpet.com/hondatruckmount.html

http://cobbcarpet.com/dc534.html

http://cobbcarpet.com/dc538.html

 

[GeneMiller]

he did end up buying the ss454. I was wondering why they don't call it a 545 and turn the blower at it's max. that's a lot of extra air for the dual wanding going to waste.

gene

 

[Lee Stockwell]

The Sapphire machine was the better choice. Those who were at MF and saw the disassembled machine put together know why.

That one machine had more "common sense" innovations than I've ever seen before.

 

[Captain Morgan]

To generate more heat from the blower perhaps? I wasn't at the fest so I'm not in the know...

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Oh yeah...

The first diverter put in the right place. It will never fail. High pressure finned copper tubing for maximum thermal transfer. Complete hx inside the all ss water box. Low backpressure blower exhaust thru the same unit.

 

[Bill Bruders]

he did end up buying the ss454. I was wondering why they don't call it a 545 and turn the blower at it's max. that's a lot of extra air for the dual wanding going to waste.

gene

Hi Gene
I guess us old guys may have dated ourselves when naming the 454. When we decided to use the Briggs "Big Block" and went through the naming process many of us were reminded that during our youth the Chevy Big Block 454 was a very dominant engine thus the name. Its not because we aren't turning the blower at its most efficient level.

 

[GeneMiller]

Thanks Bill
I'm sure my friend will get many happy years of service from it. He is very excited about it and it's a huge jump in power and performance.
The machine he has now is held together with bubble gum and baling wire. No it's not one of Nicks.

Gene

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Hey don't make fun of engineering wire.

 

[dgardner]

The machine he has now is held together with bubble gum and baling wire. No it's not one of Nicks.

Premium truckmounts use stainless steel bailing wire!

 

[Bob Savage]

Hi Gene
I guess us old guys may have dated ourselves when naming the 454. When we decided to use the Briggs "Big Block" and went through the naming process many of us were reminded that during our youth the Chevy Big Block 454 was a very dominant engine thus the name. Its not because we aren't turning the blower at its most efficient level.

I must be older than you then Bill, cause we were more into the D stroked 327 Z-28 302 motor. You couldn't beat it for rev's in the '68 Camaro. It rocked.

Also owned a few 427 Chevy big blocks, but they had a tendency to want to leak oil - But what torque.

Those were the days though.

Thanks again for your hospitality at Miket6Fest.