Anyone know if a Thule rack with a fairing will go through a car wash? Just the load bars and fairing, no attachments. I know car washes are normally bad but when its 15-25 degrees out, I was thinking a touchless car wash would work just to get the salt off. I have added the Thule rack and now unsure what type of car wash, if any, will work.
Thule rack and car wash?
- Thread starter lbrunner
- Start date
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It is such a pain to wash the vehicles in this weather. A friend has a drain in the floor of his garage. I should look into that when I build my detached garage this spring. Just checked and the car wash I get gas at all the time has the foam type shredded curtain that goes over the top of the truck with a back and forth motion and spinning side foam wheels. My luck and it will rip off that ridiculously expensive plastic fairing.
Thanks for the advise. I'll try a touch-less wash if I get lazy! I figured someone here has this rack and tried a car wash.
Thanks for the advise. I'll try a touch-less wash if I get lazy! I figured someone here has this rack and tried a car wash.
lbrunner,
I just came back from Lake Tahoe this weekend. I have the factory roof rack & crossbars & added the Yakima FatCat6. I had (2) boards on top this weekend. My 4Runner was so grimey...I wanted to find a Touchless Car Wash. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find one...but I would have went through it w/o a heartbeat, because it's Touchless. I saw several w/ the old traditional brush & HELL NO am I going to run through that.
I just came back from Lake Tahoe this weekend. I have the factory roof rack & crossbars & added the Yakima FatCat6. I had (2) boards on top this weekend. My 4Runner was so grimey...I wanted to find a Touchless Car Wash. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find one...but I would have went through it w/o a heartbeat, because it's Touchless. I saw several w/ the old traditional brush & HELL NO am I going to run through that.
Just go to one of those coin-opt self Pressure Washer placed & wash away all the crap. As for drying...just go for a cruise afterwards.
After using a garden hose for so long & my buddy Uneek got a Pressure Washer...I finally got one after my first time offroading which had mud too.
Paying $10 in quarters at a coin-opt place is getting expensive. Other than the Pressure Washer gun...I recently got the Angle Attachment. This way you don't have to squat down to get underneath the vehicle.
The non touchless washes causes swirls on your clearcoat and your windshield....if you care.
Seems to me that even with a car wash, one needs to remove their full size spare and hose down that area after going through salted/sanded roads. A lot can get gunked there causing rust. Two weeks ago, I crawled under there and sprayed down rust areas with some Krylon antirust...just before the snowstorms.
MikesToy
Banned
Plus you get the leftover grime and grease from the cars/trucks ahead of you. lol
charlier180
New member
I use a touch less car wash on my 4Runner in the winter.
Before using one, I would watch a few vehicles of different heights and widths go through the one you intend to use.
Look and see if the top and side units that contain the water jets are at a fixed height and width or if they are variable.
If they are variable in nature you should find out how they vary their distance (ie do they use sensors).
If they do use sensors, what is the likelihood that the sensors will detect the variations in the height and width of your rack and not bang into it?
If the brush less car wash you will use has a fixed distance unit then you just need to make sure it will clear your rack.
MikesToy
Banned
Just go to those DIY car washes. Works better than the underbody spray crap.
What kind of pressure is coming out of those wands?
Uneek
Super Moderator
Electrics vary between 1500-2000 psi. Gas are upper 2000s to 4000 psi, maybe even higher.
If you're using a higher pressure washer, hold the wand/nozzle further back from the paint. Always use a fan spray pattern and not a needle/jet pattern.
Good idea DC. I always overlook the spare tire area. Been lucky, no flats in 9 years of owning a 4runner. Thats kind of crazy now that I think about it!
I really need to lower the tire to clean that area and lube the crank mechanism.
I think I'm going to stick with the car wash wand. The only touch less I found seems to leave a ton of soap suds on the rear tail gate area.
I have so little time these days with a 3 year old running around. I usually would wash my cars in a heated fire department bay or rescue bay but that takes more time than I have lately. Thats what got me thinking about automatic car washes. The pressure washer is a good idea also. Might get one after the garage is built.
Thanks for the replies and ideas everyone!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
I really need to lower the tire to clean that area and lube the crank mechanism.
I think I'm going to stick with the car wash wand. The only touch less I found seems to leave a ton of soap suds on the rear tail gate area.
I have so little time these days with a 3 year old running around. I usually would wash my cars in a heated fire department bay or rescue bay but that takes more time than I have lately. Thats what got me thinking about automatic car washes. The pressure washer is a good idea also. Might get one after the garage is built.
Thanks for the replies and ideas everyone!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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couldn't agree with you more on that.
I have a Thule Rack on my t4r and have been through the brush, and brushless washes in the winter with no problems. My paint has no swirl marks, and my rack is just fine. I've had my runner for 5 years now and have gone through a good amount of the car wasshes. Thule makes good sturdy stuff you should have no problem.
