# Touchless car wash with plow on?



## sk187 (Dec 7, 2006)

Has anyone gone in a touchless carwash with a plow on? The kind you just park in and it sprays off your truck, not the tracked kind.

I have a f350 with vplow and 2 yard salter and am getting sick of dragging out my power washer all the time in this weather.


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## CityGuy (Dec 19, 2008)

never tried it. I would think the sensors would to pick up on the plow. JMO


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

I'd go for it as long as Youre not too high


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## Flawless440 (Dec 6, 2010)

No signs posted not to... Do it, i have thought about it as well.. My truck long bed, crew cab... Thinking its to long


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

I was more concerned about width with mine, it has the semi style West Coast mirrors that don't fold in... haven't tried yet for that reason.


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## fireball (Jan 9, 2000)

the vision of the brush ripping your mirror off and beating the plow to death with it


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## Whiffyspark (Dec 23, 2009)

fireball;1713371 said:


> the vision of the brush ripping your mirror off and beating the plow to death with it


You need a touch less one lol


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## WIPensFan (Jan 31, 2009)

The ones here at the Mobile gas stations will hit the mirrors on my truck if I don't fold them in. I tried to leave the drivers side out and it touches it. I wanted to see if they could stay in place because when folded in they don't get cleaned. I would suggest you don't do it.


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## allseasons87 (Nov 29, 2011)

We tried it once. Crew cab, long box, & vbox. The arm hit the back of the vbox motor cover, and re started the machine. No damage but if it's a longer truck ide say no


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## coldcoffee (Jul 17, 2008)

I once took by buddies 1 ton dump through one. The gas station attendant gave me a free pass w/ fill up and insisted that I would fit and it would be fine. Well, it didn't fit and went horribly wrong.


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

coldcoffee;1713419 said:


> I once took by buddies 1 ton dump through one. The gas station attendant gave me a free pass w/ fill up and insisted that I would fit and it would be fine. *Well, it didn't fit and went horribly wrong*.


OK, I'll bite. What happened? The use of the word "horribly" leads us to believe it was a "catastrophic" event that took place.


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## dieselboy01 (Jan 18, 2011)

We have a station in town that says a plow can go through and V plows must be in scoop.


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## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

I've always wanted to try this too.


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## 99f250superduty (Jan 5, 2014)

I've thought about it after plowing all night but never did it.


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

I've done it, reg cab straight blade, didn't do that well on the plow


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## Kevin_NJ (Jul 24, 2003)

Anyone ever go to one of the big rig truck washes at a truck stop?
Like this..... 
http://www.bluebeacon.com


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## Landgreen (Sep 8, 2007)

ALC-GregH;1713438 said:


> OK, I'll bite. What happened? The use of the word "horribly" leads us to believe it was a "catastrophic" event that took place.


X 2.

I dont remember the last time we washed our trucks. Always too cold.

I remember leaving a car wash once with a frozen glaze of soap over the entire truck. Too chilly for a wash.


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## ironjet (May 26, 2003)

i used to go just pull in the manual wash bays( the ones with the scrub brush and water guns hanging on the walls)
wash with the soap setting -which seemed like it was heated , then rinse with the hot wax.
if you're quick you can get the whole truck with one cycle


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## Rick547 (Oct 9, 2009)

ironjet;1713823 said:


> i used to go just pull in the manual wash bays( the ones with the scrub brush and water guns hanging on the walls)
> wash with the soap setting -which seemed like it was heated , then rinse with the hot wax.
> if you're quick you can get the whole truck with one cycle


Video tape it the next time and post it. I would like to see that.


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## sk187 (Dec 7, 2006)

Thanks for all the input, I am mainly trying to get under the truck and the plow.
My power washer is not very easy to get under the truck.

There is also a touch-less car wash on my way home............

The truck I want to wash is in my signature picture(and a few more like it not pictured).


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## coldcoffee (Jul 17, 2008)

ALC-GregH;1713438 said:


> OK, I'll bite. What happened? The use of the word "horribly" leads us to believe it was a "catastrophic" event that took place.


I only made it about half way inside & then it started raining glass. It was loud, really loud. I got out to look and apparently the cab protector caught the lip of the garage door, which was an all glass door.

It was a busy station and just figured that there was no way that nobody had noticed or heard the crash. I waited for a minute, but nobody came out to look.
I then walked over to an office window where there was a woman inside working at a desk. She had a bunch of monitors in front of her and I could see the truck in one of the monitors right in front of her. I knocked on the window and she was like "what do you need, I'm kind of busy".

Fast forward...she finally came out to see what my concern was and then saw what had happened. She screamed "OMG...did you do that?" I just said, "yea I'm sorry, what can I do to help".

She instructed all of the other cars behind me to back out, all did except for one guy. The guy started cussing me out and was really determined to get his free car wash. She blocked the entrance because after I got out of the way, he proceeded to drive back in anyway, stating he was going through.
She said "this guys nut's, please help me close the door". I did, and as we were both hanging from it (it was a little tweaked), he started cussing at me and then at the woman, we almost got into a fight. I went after him and he kept backing up away from me cussing up a storm, but eventually left.

She said that she had no idea what to do here, so I just wrote down my contact info, gave it to her and then left.

The wash was closed for at least 3-4 months. I never heard anything from them in that time frame and sort of forgot about it.

One day I get a phone call saying "hi, this is so-and-so manager from xxx fuel station. You hit our door and I just want to know what you plan on doing about it". Mostly because of the time laps, I was sure it was my friend using one of his prank phone voices, so I decided to have some fun w/ him instead and I started mocking him on the phone and I couldn't stop laughing. I already had a few similar phone calls from people that I knew.

It turned out to be a real phone call w/ the actual manager. I realized this from the dead silence on the other end. I couldn't even imagine what he was thinking at that point because of how I was treating him on the phone. I finally told him the attendant gave me a pass and told me to go through. He didn't know what to say other than "I'll get back to you".

I never heard from them again.


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## allagashpm (Sep 29, 2012)

The touchless bays around here are unattended but they all say no plows. Seems like tght quarters though.


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## MisterG (Dec 5, 2007)

I used to manage a location with a touch free wash. It likely won't work as the sensors on the machine will not read the vehicle properly. I saw people try and it failed every time.


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## onsight (Sep 13, 2007)

dieselboy01;1713521 said:


> We have a station in town that says a plow can go through and V plows must be in scoop.


Which station is that? They want the plow scooped forward - not v-ed back?


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## rob_cook2001 (Nov 15, 2008)

I don't know about a plow truck.. but I have driven my s650 through a touchless when it was 10° out. Worked surprisingly well!


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## Kevin_NJ (Jul 24, 2003)

k1768;1713612 said:


> Anyone ever go to one of the big rig truck washes at a truck stop?
> Like this.....
> http://www.bluebeacon.com


So I went to one of these last night. I would not say it was cheap or fast, but they did a good job. Hot water pressure washers to spray and soap up, then brushes on broom poles to scrub. They scrubbed entire truck and front/back of blade and the mounts. The rinse cycle is achieved by unleashing a monsoon worth of water from sprinklers mounted in the ceiling. The best part and biggest selling part for me is the undercarriage wash/treatment.

Previously I would use one of the self serve wash bays which left me almost as wet as the truck and slipping on ice the whole time; and did not give benefit of the undercarriage cleaning.

My only regret is not thinking of going to one of these 6+ years ago when my truck was new.


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## dieselboy01 (Jan 18, 2011)

onsight;1714620 said:


> Which station is that? They want the plow scooped forward - not v-ed back?


Johnny's Petroleum in Muskego. Here is there sign.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

dieselboy01;1726255 said:


> Johnny's Petroleum in Muskego. Here is there sign.


I think if I was making that sign I would have worded it alot differently, this leaves room for confusion. I assume by elevated they mean the plow up (not putting the truck up on ramps or something lol)... and by cupped, to me that would mean in the scoop position--but why would you want that instead of with the wings tucked as far back as possible to the truck?

At least they are acknowledging that plow guys want to use the bay, and how... but probably a simplistic picture would have been a better idea.


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## TJS (Oct 22, 2003)

My truck is too high for touchless.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

Wish they would post what the maximum vehicle dimensions would be...


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## dieselboy01 (Jan 18, 2011)

I think with the plowing being "cupped" it would wash the front of the truck better.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

dieselboy01;1726746 said:


> I think with the plowing being "cupped" it would wash the front of the truck better.


Wouldn't it be more prone to being caught by the moving wash arm and hoses etc?


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## dieselboy01 (Jan 18, 2011)

derekbroerse;1727161 said:


> Wouldn't it be more prone to being caught by the moving wash arm and hoses etc?


If the wash bay is long enough and the sensors all work I don't think it would get hung up on the plow.

We will have to see if Onsite can run through it with his plow and give us a report.


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## SnowCollc (Oct 11, 2021)

An update for old thread ->


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## Avalanche 2500 (Dec 31, 2015)

your pass. plow headlight is out or someone's ??


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## SnowCollc (Oct 11, 2021)

Avalanche 2500 said:


> your pass. plow headlight is out or someone's ??


This was someone else's


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

SnowCollc said:


> An update for old thread ->


I left a lighted hitch step in my truck and it sheared the wire clean off (the company did warn me so it was really my fault.) I can't believe they let a plow go through that.


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

How is that touchless?


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

BossPlow2010 said:


> How is that touchless?


Reminds me of hula dancers.... they're always touchless.


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## cjames808 (Dec 18, 2015)

Only go in them during a storm to keep your rig looking the best. I read that here before.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Even the self sprays dont want us here ...


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## m_ice (Aug 12, 2012)

Mr.Markus said:


> Even the self sprays dont want us here ...
> View attachment 225393


No snow mobile washing...nazis


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Dont wash you muddy vehicles is my favorite....

In their defence there are contractors with pick ups that haul loads to the dump shovel them out and then spray wash all the nails and crap out in their bays. Its pretty bad.
They have a laundromat too and had to have special washers just for horse blankets cause no one could use the washers they all stunk like horse.


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