# Karcher K4 Gun Thread



## bigbruiser (Apr 16, 2016)

Seen this question asked many times so though putting the info in one thread may help.
After looking on how to turn my K4 into something a bit better month by month while cash permitted and with help of Steel Ghost & Rob.

Here is K4 with her new kit on









The Sutter gun in its variance









The gun with a lance and 40 degree nozzle









Parts list Nov 2017

22MM MALE x 3/8 BSP MALE 
Quick Release 11.6mm 1/4"Male B.S.P 
Angled Lance Extension Compact Quick Release 
ST1100 SWIVEL sutter gun 
Karcher Pressure Washer Quick Release Socket 
Heavy duty 15m rubber pressure washer hose

Make sure when you buy the nozzle set the correct size is 0.3 for Karcher K4
Hope that helps some of you

Edit: As requested to keep things neat i purchased everything through eBay, i did't link prices as some things have already gone up in price and both sellers were a bit pain but all good in the end
Edit: More bits arrived updated thread

Well mrs postie just came and i purchased a cheap Chinese adaptor thing weeks ago and as most of will have a snow foam gun and has allowed me to do this:

Take of the black plastic Karcher adaptor and:

















Now if you fancy a shortened lance with the convenience of the quick adaptor and without the cost BigAl got you covered 










Some of the variation you could use :









PS: No i dont sell or make any profit from the gear this is all SteelGhost's fault and im easily influenced lol.


----------



## Paul04 (Jul 26, 2013)

Good stuff. Can you adjust the thread to add where you purchased from please?


----------



## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

To quote myself...



steelghost said:


> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PRESSURE...AILINGWORLD-/182692303936?hash=item2a894f5440 - Suttner trigger gun with stainless swivel
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-3-8-P...Set-200-Bar-/330738035552?hash=item4d0185eb60 - QR for the hose & gun
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-M22-...Karcher-etc-/331937556926?hash=item4d490529be - allows female side of QR to join to an M22 hose termination
> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-3-8-...Karcher-etc-/330690417763?hash=item4cfeaf5463 - 3/8 BSP male to male - joins male side of QR to the swivel
> ...


Glad to see you got all the parts in the end BB 

After all that - the acid test, does it work well and do what you want?


----------



## Forsh (Jun 13, 2014)

That looks proper!

I see the gun has a swivel, one thing that I think would be most useful to me would be a swivel adaptor to allow the hose to rotate at either the gun or the pressure washer

Has anyone seen one with Karcher quick release compatability?


----------



## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

Forsh said:


> That looks proper!
> 
> I see the gun has a swivel, one thing that I think would be most useful to me would be a swivel adaptor to allow the hose to rotate at either the gun or the pressure washer
> 
> Has anyone seen one with Karcher quick release compatability?


Danger, Will Robinson! I'm giving you fair warning now that this is the thin end of the wedge, the Zymol panel pot of pressure washer parts, if you will 

I've spent more time on eBay and supplier sites for this sort of gear than I care to think about, and I've never come across such a thing, unless Karcher themselves do one 

The thing about the connections on these machines is that they're designed to let you hook the thing up easily and quickly straight out of the box (and to be as cheap to manufacture as possible!) However if you want to do something a little different (like add a swivel) things very quickly get awkward. Let's say you buy a swivel with standard connections, eg 3/8" BSP or M22; you'd need an adapter to allow the plug on the end of the hose to connect to the back of the swivel. Then on the other side of the swivel, you'd need another plug, to connect into your gun. And the odds are that the swivel and the plug adapter might not have the same fittings, so you might need _another_ adapter in between those two.

So now, even though you have a swivel, you also have potentially 20cm of adaptors hanging off the bottom of your gun. All that mechanical strain is not going to be good for the little plug that finally does go into your gun, and you stand a good chance of it starting leaking before too long.

So overall if you're thinking of doing this, I'd suggest something like the OP has done - upgrade the gun to one with a swivel, get a separate lance with interchangeable nozzles, and if applicable, get the right QR for your snowfoam lance. Then you can just have a single adapter for the Karcher hose plug. If you ever decide to upgrade your hose, you can dispense with that and go to "proper" quick connects. This all then has the advantage that your high quality gun, lance, hose, etc are independent of whatever PW you have, and you only need to change the adaptor at the machine end, if needs be.


----------



## bigbruiser (Apr 16, 2016)

steelghost said:


> After all that - the acid test, does it work well and do what you want?


Well i did my 1st test and fitting leaked a little, Taped them all up and made sure there were tight leaked stopped.

Next problem was the K4 was still pulsing when the trigger was not pressed not as bad as the last gun but every 15 seconds, changed the hozelock adapter from the K4 to the hose pipe and it sorted now however it 1c here so and the car is clean so no play date today:thumb:


----------



## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

bigbruiser said:


> Well i did my 1st test and fitting leaked a little, Taped them all up and made sure there were tight leaked stopped.
> 
> Next problem was the K4 was still pulsing when the trigger was not pressed not as bad as the last gun but every 15 seconds, changed the hozelock adapter from the K4 to the hose pipe and it sorted now however it 1c here so and the car is clean so no play date today:thumb:


Yep with all these things I always find I need to use a good bit of teflon tape and then nip them up with a spanner, then it's all good.

Glad it all worked out in the end :thumb:


----------



## Cleanfoam (Apr 28, 2017)

I'm glad I found this thread - been thinking of doing something similar to mine but wasn't quite sure the best way to go about it. This forum never ceases to amaze me - who knew there were so many creative ways to empty my bank account :thumb:


----------



## Forsh (Jun 13, 2014)

Bigbruiser: Sorry for the potential hijack but hope my question is a little relevant :wave:

Cheers for the comprehensive reply SG! :thumb:

I reckon you're right with the build up unless, as you say, Karcher do one,
I think there would be far less issue with the hose kinking if it were allowed to rotate


----------



## Forsh (Jun 13, 2014)

Forsh said:


> Bigbruiser: Sorry for the potential hijack but hope my question is a little relevant :wave:
> 
> Cheers for the comprehensive reply SG! :thumb:
> 
> ...


it's a start but at the price I think I'll manage...

http://www.karchercenteraquaspray.c...trigger-gun-with-hose-m22-x-1-5-64014120.html


----------



## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

Forsh said:


> it's a start but at the price I think I'll manage...
> 
> http://www.karchercenteraquaspray.c...trigger-gun-with-hose-m22-x-1-5-64014120.html


I assume that goes on the machine end of the hose then?


----------



## bigbruiser (Apr 16, 2016)

steelghost said:


> So now, even though you have a swivel, you also have potentially 20cm of adaptors hanging off the bottom of your gun. All that mechanical strain is not going to be good for the little plug that finally does go into your gun, and you stand a good chance of it starting leaking before too long.
> be.


This is very evident when your using the gun i might add, as it is in my pic it feels weighty but not restrictive and more length with connectors would counter productive i think.


----------



## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

bigbruiser said:


> This is very evident when your using the gun i might add, as it is in my pic it feels weighty but not restrictive and more length with connectors would counter productive i think.


The thing is, the big metal threads on yours and similar guns can take the strain no bother. Possibly not so much with the small probe connection in the stock Karcher gun!


----------



## bigbruiser (Apr 16, 2016)

1st post updated to keep things clean as the postie just been


----------



## Rob D 88 (May 24, 2016)

Good stuff Bruiser.

Looks brilliant. Hopefully get mine Christmas and I will post a thread too.

P.S Don't blame me, blame SteelGhost!


----------



## DMcG (Oct 25, 2012)

Would you recommend the K4? Think my 3.5 is on the way out, keeps pulsing and I can’t find a cause. It has served me well so have been looking at a refurbed K4 from the outlet store online.


----------



## bigbruiser (Apr 16, 2016)

DMcG said:


> Would you recommend the K4? Think my 3.5 is on the way out, keeps pulsing and I can't find a cause. It has served me well so have been looking at a refurbed K4 from the outlet store online.


Yeah i for under £150 i think there great machines, some people recommend Nilfisk because they believe that it's superior, truth is at the £150-£250 mark any of the big brands will do the job, just try get a bargin:thumb:


----------



## DMcG (Oct 25, 2012)

bigbruiser said:


> Yeah i for under £150 i think there great machines, some people recommend Nilfisk because they believe that it's superior, truth is at the £150-£250 mark any of the big brands will do the job, just try get a bargin:thumb:


Thanks I'm pretty sure I'll be sticking with Karcher - this has lasted well just annoying it's giving up before Xmas. My snow foam lance is Karcher fit as well


----------



## manmaths31 (Nov 30, 2017)

This looks great and is the kind of setup I would like - the main benefit being if/when my K2 packs in the gun/hose etc can be transferred to a new pump. 

Thanks for the pics and links


----------



## Rob D 88 (May 24, 2016)

Bruiser was it difficult to remove the standard Karcher hose from the back of the machine to attach the new high pressure hose?

Is it just like a quick release the same as the gun? I forget to check mine when I have it out, I have had a glance before and it didn't look like something that just pops out.

I will take a better look next weekend.

Thanks 
Rob


----------



## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

Page 14 of this PDF suggests it's some sort of quick connect?


----------



## Forsh (Jun 13, 2014)

I can confirm my K4 Compact has the same quick release on both ends of the hose and can go either way round


----------



## Rob D 88 (May 24, 2016)

steelghost said:


> Page 14 of this PDF suggests it's some sort of quick connect?


Yes it does, SG thanks. Mine is a full control but should be the same.



Forsh said:


> I can confirm my K4 Compact has the same quick release on both ends of the hose and can go either way round


Thanks Forsh! :thumb:


----------



## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

Is this it? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KARCHER-...X-22MM-MALE-/202048261093?hash=item2f0b03cbe5

If so them this is what you'd need to adapt a standard M22 hose to such a machine - indeed it looks to be what Chris Donaldson used to adapt his longer hose.


----------



## Rob D 88 (May 24, 2016)

steelghost said:


> Is this it? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KARCHER-...X-22MM-MALE-/202048261093?hash=item2f0b03cbe5
> 
> If so them this is what you'd need to adapt a standard M22 hose to such a machine - indeed it looks to be what Chris Donaldson used to adapt his longer hose.


Yeah this it the same as the part that goes in the spray gun. I just have not inspected it closely enough at the other end!

I am sure it is but will check the weekend!


----------



## bigbruiser (Apr 16, 2016)

Rob D 88 said:


> Bruiser was it difficult to remove the standard Karcher hose from the back of the machine to attach the new high pressure hose?
> 
> Is it just like a quick release the same as the gun? I forget to check mine when I have it out, I have had a glance before and it didn't look like something that just pops out.
> 
> ...


Sorry pal been at work, yes both ends of the hose are the same mate. The one that goes into the machine goes into a kind of socket which is secured with a split pin 30 second job:thumb:


----------



## Rob D 88 (May 24, 2016)

bigbruiser said:


> Sorry pal been at work, yes both ends of the hose are the same mate. The one that goes into the machine goes into a kind of socket which is secured with a split pin 30 second job:thumb:


Sweet, thanks mate! I didn't think it was a push button release like the gun!

Cheers
Rob

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk


----------



## AS_BO (Sep 29, 2013)

All of this kit looks awesome, the short gun especially! What sort of benefits do you get having the different lances/guns? 

This may sound like a retarded question but I have a K4 full control myself and have always felt the vario lance thing was a bit lacking, the machine has plenty power so will these attachments help?


----------



## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

So - I've never owned a Karcher PW so I can't comment directly, but I did have a play with a demo one (pretty sure it was a K4) they had setup in the summer a couple of years back in our local B&Q. The performance seemed fine (they had some grubby slabs from the building materials yard set up so you could blast the muck off) but the lance and hose felt like a toy compared to eg the setup that BB has got.

*So benefit #1 - it's all much more robust than the stock items*

Secondly, by getting your own gun you can choose the setup you want, suited to the jobs you need to do. Having a gun that uses standard fittings (typically, 3/8" BSP female inlet and 1/4" BSP female outlet) gives you access to the universe of different parts out there. Extensions, angled lances, all possible forms of nozzle, really robust quick connects wherever you need them, etc etc. It also makes it easier to upgrade the hose if applicable - you don't need to buy Karcher specific adapters at the gun end, you just connect it up.

This then gives you a setup (hose, gun, lances etc) that is independent of your machine. If you change machine, you might need a new adapter to join the hose to the machine but other than that, no need to change the setup. This matters if you've paid a fair few quid for a nice 15m rubber and steel wire hose, maybe a reel, etc. 
*
Benefit #2 - customisation to fit your purposes, including upgrading hoses independently of the machine.*

Finally, you'll have seen that most of these setups involve interchangeable nozzles in different colours. These correspond to different fan jet angles; rather than reduce the power of the machine by reducing the pressure from the _pump_, you can simply spread the _maximum _power of the machine over a _wider area_. This reduces the intensity of the jet in any given area, but enables you to, for example, rinse a greater area at a time, rather than simply rinsing the same area you could before but at a reduced pressure. And because the water is not being deflected through a variable lance mechanism, but simply passing through a nozzle, you're getting the best performance from the machine at that particular jet angle.

*Benefit #3 - maximising the performance from your particular machine*

(The tradeoff is any given pressure washer needs a specific nozzle size (different from angle) to work effectively, so if you change machine you _may _need a new set of nozzles. However, they go for ~£12 a set so it's not a major issue).


----------



## AS_BO (Sep 29, 2013)

Thanks steelghost, incredibly detailed answer!! That covers everything I need to know, best start looking at those links!


----------



## bigbruiser (Apr 16, 2016)

One thing that really took me aback was after the snow foam i used the white nozzle and cleared the bonnet in 1 pass as the water fans out with less pressure for the rinse.

Also it nice once clean to run an open hose over the car to sheet water off never did with karcher as i could be asked turn the water off unplug the hose from the PW turn the water back on....the stubby gun with no nozzle is close to open end hose....a the little things lol


----------



## V8JB (Dec 16, 2018)

Thanks for this thread. I've been looking at this...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0743D3PF7/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=A3MZ8M26MK95FQ&psc=1

Notice they do 2 versions, one M22 and one quick connect.

I don't think the quick connect here is the same to a karcher quick connect?

Any idea how I could convert the karcher quick connect to this?

Trying to do as cheap as possible. Ideally looking for a K4 with 15/20m hose and a piece of kit similar to posted above. Becoming quite the task !!


----------

