Once upon a time I left the weight distribution hitch installed on my 2012 F250 crew cab short bed and entered an automated car wash. This particular car wash had some sort of gate that came down behind the vehicle. This gate struck my hitch and bent/jammed and the car wash failed to function. So now I'm a bit leery of automated car washes.
I'm also weak when it comes to washing vehicles in the cold.
My truck needs a washing badly but I don't want to suffer any car wash damage.
The other day I drove into a brushless car wash just to see if the wheels would fit between the guide rails of the wash. They were close, but fit between. So I thought I'd go ahead and give it a try, however, the credit card reader didn't appear to be working and I had no cash, so I moved on.
So before I try this again, does anybody have any experience using a brushless car wash to clean their dually? Bad idea?

Thanks.

 

Don't have a dually, but all a brushless car wash does is separate you from your money.

 

Personally, I would never take a dually through a car wash. If you really need it washed and you can’t do it yourself, I would try to find one of those hand wash places where you pay a group of people to wash it for you.

 

While I agree with this to an extent, I'm in WI and its just not possible to wash myself in the driveway, in the Winter. I have a Wash Card at a local brushless car wash that does a fairly good job of washing the truck, and includes an undercarriage flush. The blow dryer function is another story. When you have no options to get salt off, it's better than leaving the truck dirty.

I get the truck home in my garage, turn the heat on, wait for the ice to melt and microfiber it off. It'll never be as clean as hand washing, but my vehicles with also never be in a "light touch" car wash.

 

Approaching 22 years of having a dually as my daily driver, I don't even attempt automated/track-pull washes. Most dealers and many body shops offer washing and detailing at reasonable rates in my area, so if the truck really needs a cleaning, that's where I go. (I live in an apartment complex, so I can't wash outside at home or have mobile services come.)

 

You can also try truck washes like Blue Beacon, I believe they only charge $15-$20 for a pickup wash. Downside is you would have to dry it, unless they offer that service now.

 

I delivered a few campers to Wisconsin and Illinois during the snow storm last week. My ruby red truck was pretty much white and quite crusty. Once I got home I did hit a car wash booth with a spray wand and got the worst of it off, but I also want to get the underneath sprayed off.
I thought about stopping at one of those truck washing places, but didn't figure they would be set up for small trucks or would be way too expensive.
A heated garage would be the berries!

 

They frown upon washing yourself in the driveway around here too....

 

But the neighbor babe enjoys it...

 

I just hit the car wash and put in some coins and do it myself.


Spraying fluid film before the cold weather hits on the underside helps a lot.

 

The truck wash (otr trucks) wash pickups. Blue beacon is good.

 

www my my long box crew fits through a few touch less washes here, but they never do a very good job. The better option is a credit card and spray it off, then hand brush with soap dispensing the whole time, and make sure the brush is in good shape. Then I air dry on way home and wipe down if necessary. If I am able to get home and it's clean, and dry then I wipe down with so repay wax.

I get why you want touch less it's a helluva workout.

We have two car washes that do this as well, but it's expensive, but they do a good job, inside wipe down and vacuum, clean the matts, and hand wash the whole truck.

Mike

 

I haven't measured it myself but my local wash just doesn't look wide or tall enough for the 450.

 

If you have a garage, Look up “Optimum No Rinse”. It’s a rinseless car wash. All you need is a 5 Gallon bucket and some microfiber towels and a mitt. I’ve been using it for years on all our cars, even in winter and the cars look great. Never had an issue.

 

have had my truck one year and NEVER ran thur a car wash, I pay to have it hand wash I will tell you they do a EXCELLENT job it looks like the day I drove her home. the wheel wells look new!