Cars coasting

[sudsurfer]

Has anyone had any issues with cars coasting? that is a roller pushes the car and a car goes forward 2 to 3 feet and then the roller has to take time to catch up. what causes this and what have you done to prevent it.

 

[robert roman]

Drifting forward may have several causes.

If enough weld points between skid plate and frame are broken, the weight of vehicle will cause plate to bend or bow creating a temporary downward slope and vehicle speeds up slightly getting ahead of roller.

Conveyor line operating speed may be just set too high.

If the concrete is fresh, the pitch of the floor may be incorrect.

Power pack pressure regulator could be bad.

Chain may be binding somehow (i.e. roller hanging up at trap door, tension device) followed by quick release leading to herky-jerky motion or drifting effect.

It’s a tough issue to resolve without being there.

 

[Washmee]

Many cars made today come with low rolling resistance tires. Hondas in particular roll very easily. How old is the concrete and conveyor at your wash? Is this happening on every car?

 

[Earl Weiss]

Solution is called a "Ladder" A Ladder is formed by using 1x1 angel mounted in a ladder shape 6" to 1' apart in the problem area. Some would make it with angle forming the sides and mount to concrete floor. This can wear the floor. Better to put diamond plate down and weld the horizontal pieces to the plate mount plate to floor. I think years ago Sonny's may have sold a pre made one, but if you have a local welding shop saving shipping cost is worth having them do it.

 

[BBE]

We have this issue with some vehicles as well, in particular we have 1 or 2 newer jeep suv's that I do a double take and check to make sure they aren't in drive everytime a roller pushes them. We call it a "loose neutral" around here

 

[twerkinatthecarwash]

EVERY so often we have a car that just does it naturally, its almost always an SUV or Minivan, something that is pretty top heavy on the middle to back side.

Also, the vast majority of the time this happens its because the customer was holding their brakes until they feel the roller hit their wheel, then they let go, it creates a kind of boost forward from the roller.

If we get a "loose neutral" where its really bad EVERY time the roller hits the wheel then we have them jump a single roller so their back tire is between two rollers. That way throughout the wash they just bounce between the rollers instead of getting ahead of their wash.

 

[sudsurfer]

Thanks for all the info. Have been open 4 years and does not happen all the time. Thought about the "ladder" idea, but our customers already complain about the hump {entry trap door}when they enter the wash.

 

[Mbalboni]

Is your tire tape sucken in concrete or bolted level? Our old style wash cars would blow by the cta's at entry because cars built momentum up on tape switch. Blast ahead, three feet.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Thanks for all the info. Have been open 4 years and does not happen all the time. Thought about the "ladder" idea, but our customers already complain about the hump {entry trap door}when they enter the wash.

If your floor is super smooth you could lay down some 24" wide diamond plate, in 8 foot lengths to slightly increase the rolling resistance.

 

[sudsurfer]

If your floor is super smooth you could lay down some 24" wide diamond plate, in 8 foot lengths to slightly increase the rolling resistance.

That's what we are going to try. And I did sink my tape switch in the ground. Really helped.