Multi-storey car park sweepers: height, width, turning space

Where a road sweeper cannot drive in — narrow footpaths, entrances, halls and corners — a walk-behind brush sweeper does the job. Below we go through the dimensions that matter, and what the data sheets say about them.

Height: under 2 metres

A multi-storey car park rarely has the same headroom everywhere. Beams, ventilation ducts, sprinkler pipes and signs hang lower than the deck itself, and it is the lowest point on the whole route that counts — not the height at the entrance.

The compact machines differ so little in height that it rarely sets them apart from each other. It does set them apart from the larger machines:

• C202 — 1985 mm overall height. Bucher states that it stays under 2 metres even with a roof-mounted wander hose, and that it can get into multi-storey car parks and under bus shelters
• CityCat VR17e — 1990 mm
• CityCat V20e and the diesel version V20 — 1999 mm. Bucher states that they are under 2 metres with retractable and fold-down warning lights, so they can get into multi-storey car parks and other tight spaces
• For comparison: CityCat VR50 and VR50e — 2500 mm

Width: gates, ramps and passages

The machine width decides where the machine can get through, the cleaning width how much it covers per pass. In a multi-storey car park you need both: narrow enough for the gate, wide enough for the driving lane between the rows.

• VR17e — 1200 mm wide and 3368 mm long. The sweeping width can be adjusted from 1200 to 2400 mm, i.e. right down to the machine's own width in narrow sections
• V20 and V20e — 1300 mm wide. Cleaning width 2100 mm, and 2700 mm with a third front brush
• C202 — 1315 mm wide and 4270 mm long, with a maximum cleaning width of 3120 mm
• For comparison: the VR50 is 1798 mm wide

Turning space: check which dimension is stated

Bucher states turning space both kerb to kerb and wall to wall. The first dimension follows the wheel track. The second includes the bodywork that swings out beyond the wheels — and that is what counts between columns and walls.

• C202 with four-wheel steering (option) — turning radius 2110 mm kerb to kerb and 3265 mm wall to wall. With two-wheel steering 2610 and 3510 mm
• VR17e with four-wheel steering — turning diameter 4370 mm kerb to kerb and 5490 mm wall to wall, which Bucher describes as best in class. With two-wheel steering 5820 and 7170 mm. Note that Bucher gives a diameter for the VR17e and a radius for the C202: half of 4370 mm is 2185 mm, compared with 2110 mm for the C202
• V20 and V20e — articulated steering. The suction mouth always points in the direction of travel and the rear section follows the front section's track, so no dirty strips are left behind on bends

Columns, corners and edges

A multi-storey car park is full of things to hit and corners the brushes cannot reach. These are worth looking for in the data sheets:

• The C202 has independent, collision-damped brush arms, and can have a wander hose with 3.7 m reach as an option
• The VR17e has the side brushes directly in front of the front axle, so the driver can see them and the material is picked up before it passes under the vehicle
• The V20e can have a third front brush, which makes it possible to sweep at two levels and reach hard-to-access places
• Indoors, the drivetrain also matters: the V20e is stated as having no local emissions and the VR17e as zero-emission, while the C202 and V20 have diesel engines

Footpaths and places with no vehicle access

Where a road sweeper cannot get in, the walk-behind brush sweepers from GS are suitable:

• GS 0900R Elektro — electric radial brush sweeper with 90 cm working width, developed for cleaning in enclosed spaces. It is very manoeuvrable and reaches corners and edges
• GS 0850 — 85 cm working width, with both forward and reverse gears. Useful where there is no room to turn
• GS 1010 — 101 cm working width. GS states that it is well suited to large areas such as car parks

When you contact us

Bring this information, and we can pick out the models that will actually get round:

• The lowest point on the route, measured under beams, pipes and signs
• The width of the narrowest gate, ramp or passage
• The space between columns and walls where the machine has to turn
• Whether sweeping will be indoors, outdoors or both, and what kind of surface it is
• Where the machine will be emptied, and how far away that is
• Whether the work has to be done while cars are parked