H3 Brush Guard and carwashes?

[Ipedog]

Hello All -

Well, It appears that Santa is going to bring me my present early! A White H3 Adventure with rocker protection, removable U shaped steps, undercarage protection, and a sunroof. (Not to mention black roof rails, XM 6 Disc, and the headrest DVDs! )

Ok, heres the question. I had planned on getting the OEM brush guard... BUT... I am a bit worried about going through the carwash. Here in the Great White North automated carwashes are a necessity, that is unless you want the road salt to eat your truck...

So, to those of you with brush guards. How does the carwash treat you? Any snags, tugs, bends, yanks, or unexpected removals? (Saw this happen to a Defender 90 roof rack once! )

Please let me know. The truck is due to the dealer in the first week of December and I want to have everything lined up before it arrives. Any and all feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks Much!

[Ipedog]

Hello All -

Well, It appears that Santa is going to bring me my present early! A White H3 Adventure with rocker protection, removable U shaped steps, undercarage protection, and a sunroof. (Not to mention black roof rails, XM 6 Disc, and the headrest DVDs! )

Ok, heres the question. I had planned on getting the OEM brush guard... BUT... I am a bit worried about going through the carwash. Here in the Great White North automated carwashes are a necessity, that is unless you want the road salt to eat your truck...

So, to those of you with brush guards. How does the carwash treat you? Any snags, tugs, bends, yanks, or unexpected removals? (Saw this happen to a Defender 90 roof rack once! )

Please let me know. The truck is due to the dealer in the first week of December and I want to have everything lined up before it arrives. Any and all feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks Much!

[HummerJim]

I had one tangle with a car wash and my brush guard, but no damage was done to the guard or the H3, the Halima spinning brush in the car wash on the other hand, was pulled out of its mounts.

[f5fstop]

GM proving grounds in Milford MI, has many different car washe configurations to make sure their vehicles can go through a car wash with no harm to the vehicle. In addition to testing the base vehicle, all GM authorized accessories are also tested for washes (as well as crash worthiness).
The front brush guard is rounded, and should go through ok. I have not needed to take mine through, but when the hose freezes into a block of ice, and the salt is spread out in quantities that turns everything white, I will take mine through a car wash.
Lucky for me, my neighbor's brother owns a few car washes, and he has assured me many times, that they have run all types of Hummers (H1-H3) with no problems through his car washes. Just make sure to fold in the mirrors, and make sure the sunroof is closed.

(I will say something on the H3 forum that I never dared to say on the Vette Forum, I have even run Vettes through a car wash, and guess what; it didn't leak or get destroyed. Only when needed, and when too damn cold to wash at a quarter wash, but I did it, and it survived. )

[HummBebe]

I have owned now, 3 Black vehicles, and all I can say is, touchless car washes only.

If your truck is that dirty, hand wash it. It is safer, and it will be a higher quality finished product

[Sewie]

I've taken mine through several times. Never had a problem.

And after spending the better part of Sat. afternoon hand washing it (damn playa mud ), I'll be going back again.

[RazM]

Definitely go with touchless, but still be careful.

I've had a bad experience with a touchless, the arm that goes around and sprays the vehicle locked up and knocked my passenger mirror forward, breaking it.

If you can, find a wash that has nothing coming even close to your truck, or always flip your mirrors in.

[HummBebe]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sewie:
I've taken mine through several times. Never had a problem.

And after spending the better part of Sat. afternoon hand washing it (damn playa mud ), I'll be going back again. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You are just now washing your truck??? What? Do you have a "special occasion" coming up

[GEORGIAH3]

I have only taken mine through one automated soft cloth car wash since June...I was hesitant going in, so when the water and washing began I was literally up moving around in the front and back trying to make sure nothing was touching my exterior except the "SOFT CLOTH" ...When I exited the car wash...I got out and did a once over the entire vehicle and observed that my metal license plate cover was broken across the bottom and that my State License plate was bent upward at the left corner ...Needless to say I then looked frantically over my truck to ensure that the 6 inch piece missing from the license plate cover had not been wrapped up in the "Soft Cloth" that cleansed my vehicle ...But to my surprise my truck was fine except my poor cover ...I am assuming because of how the tag is free standing off the bumper that it was just caught up somehow ...Never will try that again though I rather continue to pay the $45 to the professionals...

[Sewie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by HummBebe:
You are just now washing your truck??? What? Do you have a "special occasion" coming up </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, I kinda liked it all muddy.

[Ipedog]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm glad to hear that the brush guard can make it through a carqash without problems.

[blackh3]

I took mine through a drive through last week and I found a long scratch down the hood.
I went back to talk to them and they buffed it out.

[UNOMYFLO]

Last time i had mine in for service I noticed a guy going inot the back for my liscense plate???

I asked him what was up and he said there car washer was so powerful thye have to remove the plated and antennas or they leave the planet..

He siad the plate would completely fold up and antennas would break completely off.

I hand wash only no matter how cold (use hot water) My big problem with the automated cloth washers and the no touches are this.

the cloth has to be filtly, so car after car has to have grit scrubbed into it. The no touch does juts that doent touch it and to be honest the cleaning isnt there when it dries still dirty.

shoot mcguiers suggests to use 1 bucket for the soap and one to rince the wash sponge with to keep from re-introducing grit back onto the vehicle....I too have black and it is a bitch to keep clean real hard. It will hairline scratch easily from the tineist of dust /dirt.

I love the black though wouldnt trade it for any other color just my taste.

UNO