Gladiator through a car wash? Experiences?

[cb4017]

The Colorado ZR2 I traded for my JTM could not be run through a car wash because the blower would dent the roof., really. I only hand washed it.

Now, being in my 70s, there are times I just don't have the energy or desire to hand wash a vehicle and need a quick clean.

For folks that regularly run their JT through a car wash, any problems?

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[ArcticDreadnought]

My only problems were some slight leakage when the front end down afterward. The runoff from the roof would pour forward and end up going down my B pillar and into my back seat footwells.

Got a full kit of seal reinforcements and door seal noodle reinforcements from jeepleakfixed.com. Money well spent. Hasnt leaked a darn bit since.

As another Mojave owner, your hood is going to outlast the apocalypse. The only real other problem spots are behind the door handles and the rear of the door hinges and such. Most auto car washes blast down and back, not down and behind. If I need a quick de-mucking, I go through one, but if I'm taking my time and cleaning cleaning it, I have a local place that is still the old style stall and high pressure washers and handheld directional airblade dryers.

Are your auto washes the connected-to-gas-station kind, or are they the chain specialty places like Cyber Express or Sudzy Salmon (Alaska, what can you do?)

 

[cb4017]

Neither. The one I would use is independent. Go through the tunnel or full service detail. Depends on how much you want to spend.

 

[DylanM]

Only issue is it's loud as hell when the brushes are going over the hardtop, like sitting inside a drum.

 

[White Eagle]

Its ok for knocking a lot of the dirt off but it doesn’t clean well in all areas.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

I use a touchless since the brushes can’t get in the corners very well. Sometimes it comes out clean, sometimes it doesn’t.

 

[ALT2870]

No problems with a soft top. Depending on how dirty it is there is a dealer that has a public one with brushes that I actually trust since they run their new cars through it. Used it use it all the time until they jacked up their prices. (Was $10 for the "best" one now it's like $15-17.)

 

[Labswine]

I routinely run my Overland (ordered 5/19, delivered 7/19) through the car wash.

There's two I use...one just for a quick rinse as it's cheap (like $13) and the other when it's really dirty (read, covered in salt from miles and miles of salted roads) which is more expensive ($40-45 depending on what I want) but, they hand dry it afterwards so that any residual dirt that gets missed, gets wiped off.

I also run it through in the summer when I have my BestTop Sunrunner top in and absolutely zero issues with roof leakages.

Yeah, the cheap one you ride through and yes, it sounds like you're inside a drum. The expensive one, you drop it at the entrance (they vacuum the inside first...if you pay an extra $5) then meet it at the end where they towel it off...including cleaning the windows inside.

 

[Rusty PW]

Its ok for knocking a lot of the dirt off but it doesn’t clean well in all areas.

Same here. There is 2 that I run mine through. The one at Sheetz at $16.00 does a better job than Tidal Wave at $26.00. The Sheetz one is closed down right now. They torn down the whole place and are rebuilding. I only run my vehicles through in the winter to get the salt off.

 

[Gvsukids]

For folks that regularly run their JT through a car wash, any problems?

Nope.

 

[SaiintNick]

I run mine through a touchless every so often, but mostly just use regular high pressure spray. Living in the desert has been awesome for keeping vehicle clean. Yes it gets dusty, but in 18K miles I have never used a brush or sponge. I would never use brushes anyway. I have had leaking at door sill, but I think it's because of my door sill covers. I have armorlite flooring so I don't care.

 

[Reddout99]

I run mine through Russel Speeders, they are now the only ones that has a wide enough track to fit my tires through. I used to run it through a touchless but someone with wide tires must have jacked up their track and now they won't let me go through anymore. There is another drive through I tried here that move you along on a belt so no issues with tires fitting, but the job wasn't too good even by drive-thru standards. None of them really get it clean as I like, but works during the winter months, like others, to keep the salt & brine at bay. If really bad, I take to a self-wash place where I can really get underneath to spray.
I run them through during the winter months without issues. I do bring my own towel to dry off what the blowers do not get all the way off.

 

[Dilly’S Willy]

Try to avoid non-touchless washes. Rednecks and ignorant dicks will drive their trucks through these with mud/rocks and they get stuck in the brushes, even though there's signs telling them not to.

My 21 Willys goes through a local chain here, Delta Sonic, and that's only because there isn't much options here and I enjoy the included detailing and discounts with the membership. I've rarely had door seals leak, but not yet since they corrected their crappy warranty repairs from the previous owner. I DO hear my stock antenna being dragged over by the hanging pads/"brushes" and it contacts the top of the door frame I think, making a loud metallic TAP in only one part of the tunnel wash.

I also have not had any negative contact with a carwash device with my truck. If you're having issues with the machines physically contacting your vehicle, the business/facility needs to shutdown the carwash and relocate that blower/device to not contact your (or any other) vehicles.

@cb4017 You need to talk to the general manager, not assistant manager, about this "machine interference" in the carwash and how it's physically hitting your truck and they need to correct the issue. If there's a dent/scratch, take pics under different lighting to show the damage, then show them the pictures and tell them they fix their mistake and pay for the damages...or "see you in small claims court for criminal negligence and property damage".

I'm not one for courts, but sometimes people don't learn without "authority persuasion".

 

[BCB]

Like most everyone else, I run through a Touchless wash in the winter to get the salt off and rinse the undercarriage from Wisconsin winter road yuck. No leak issues (only factory seals) and no air dryer issues. As noted in other posts, the wash does a fair job but not great.

 

[Sandman 4x4]

I have a subscription to a brand new car wash called Mr. Car Wash, a very soft touch with micro fiber in their spinning barrel cleaners, and top line washes include ceramic protectant just before rinse and blow/buff/exit. Unlimited at $38.00/mo. The only leaks we have are below the arm rests in the front doors, when the heavy pressure side sprayers get through the door seals at the hinge area, that spray on our calves. That’s all! With unbelievably powerful vacuums, with clean drying microfiber towels and high pressure air hoses to dry all the nooks and crannies all over.

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