Water Truck Pump Selector
Choosing which water truck pump you need can be a complicated process. We want to make it EASY.
Go through these 4 simple steps below and we'll tell you which of our pumps will work for you.
1. Rotation Direction: Clockwise or Counterclockwise?
First, determine which direction your pump should rotate.
PTO driven pumps run by an automatic transmission will generally rotate in a clockwise direction, manual transmissions will rotate counter-clockwise with the exception of certain Ford transmissions.
For best results, we highly recommend you check the rotation of the PTO itself as shown in the video below. The PTO rotation will always oppose the rotation of the pump. Hydraulic motors should be treated the same as a PTO.
2. Power Source: PTO or Hydraulic Motor?
Next, how are you planning to drive the pump?
Will you be using a PTO shaft connected to your truck's transmission, or a dedicated hydraulic motor?
3. Seal Type: Mechanical Seal or Rope Seal?
Then, decide what kind of seal type you would like to use.
- If repairing a pump in the field is a priority for you, Rope Seal is the way to go. Rope Seal pumps use graphite infused rope packing inserts that can be replaced when necessary without disassembling the pump. However, this seal is designed to leak a small amount of water for cooling and lubrication purposes.
- If water leaks are a problem for you then you will want to go with a Mechanical Seal pump. These cannot be serviced in the field and repairing the seal will require removing the shaft from the bearing frame and impeller.
4. Connection Type: Grooved, Threaded, or Flanged?
Finally, the pump needs to connect to the rest of the plumbing in your truck.
- Grooved connections use a rubber seal and clamp to connect.
- Threaded connections generally require welding pipe fittings onto existing plumbing.
- Flanged connections are bolted together and sealed with a gasket.