I've actually seen that happen with an F150 at a car wash. Ripped the antenna mount out of the quarter panel, but it was left hanging by the coax from the truck. I watched as the truck's owner was arguing with the car wash attendants.
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Some antenna car wash gore seen on Reddit
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gtaman
TACSAT
My F250 has to be hand washed. Won’t fit thru the automatic. There is a touchiness that I go thru that fits large trucks. I have a half wave in the roof so I have to take it off if it isn’t being hand washed.
W8HDU
Member
I always take off the antenna before going in, as a preventative measure. But my truck has trailer mirrors, and even with them pulled in, the car wash got the passenger mirror. $429.99 GM OEM, plus $100 dealer install.
What the car wash gets pissy about is ball hitches. If you have one on, they will pull the pin and hand the hitch to you until you come out the other side. I guess it could cause a problem with the rotating brushes, but....
What the car wash gets pissy about is ball hitches. If you have one on, they will pull the pin and hand the hitch to you until you come out the other side. I guess it could cause a problem with the rotating brushes, but....
90% of TXDPS tahoes in my area are missing the whip of their nmo antenna. All of them have blue wave passes in the window
rixdafix
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Back in the mid 80's I worked at a car wash. Local police always ran their cars through. I forgot to manually lift the dryer to clear his light bar on one particularly busy day. The dryer hooked the light bar and punched the two rear legs right through the roof, mangling the light bar in the process.
I was at the other end collecting wads of cash wondering why he was blipping his siren...
I was at the other end collecting wads of cash wondering why he was blipping his siren...
CanesFan95
Analog already is interoperable.
I drive an F-150 and always remove all antennas before a car wash.
slowmover
Active Member
It’s never occurred to me not to do so. That’s why there are some comical posts in this thread. Where’s the benefit of not so doing?
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Project25_MASTR
Millennial Graying OBT Guy
I've never seen an F150 do that. Ram's are notorious for it though.
In 1994 a particular car wash chain in central Texas had three customer's brand new 1994 Dodge Ram trucks factory AM/FM antennas get wrapped up in the brushes, ripped out of the fender and the coax proceeded to "can open" the fender in the period of three days at three different locations. It's been policy ever since to remove antenna of a Ram before sending it into the tunnel. Other designs weren't as important but if they were hand tight, they would be removed as well.
For anyone unaware, 1994 was the year Dodge went from a square body with a more traditional AM/FM mount to the low, fender mounted design on the "Walker Texas Ranger" body style. Ram still puts them there today.
In 1994 a particular car wash chain in central Texas had three customer's brand new 1994 Dodge Ram trucks factory AM/FM antennas get wrapped up in the brushes, ripped out of the fender and the coax proceeded to "can open" the fender in the period of three days at three different locations. It's been policy ever since to remove antenna of a Ram before sending it into the tunnel. Other designs weren't as important but if they were hand tight, they would be removed as well.
For anyone unaware, 1994 was the year Dodge went from a square body with a more traditional AM/FM mount to the low, fender mounted design on the "Walker Texas Ranger" body style. Ram still puts them there today.
FFPM571
Member
not sure where you are from but that only happens in little counties in the middle of nowhere
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
In all my years, I've only seen this happen once. The ball was missing off the end of a long whip. It got stuck under an expansion joint in an underground parking garage and popped the NMO mount out of the hole.
While we know it's a possibility, as shown in the photo, it's not a widespread issue.
- S**t happens. Could happen in a parking garage, car wash or in an area with a lot of trees.
- Some people are not very smart and will do stupid things, like using a drive through car wash with a whip attached.
- A mag mount getting knocked off the roof will do a heck of a lot of damage, too.
- I've had aluminum body trucks for years and never had an issue like this. I've never seen one of our vehicles at work have this happen. I've run my truck up and down a lot of access roads and low parking garages.
- I ran my aluminum body F-350 through a low parking garage and bent the spring back with zero damage to the truck.
The only photo I've ever seen of this happening is the same photo in the original post. I'm sure there is more if I went looking for them, but I won't. This isn't a big issue, and I'm sure there are those that will try to use it as yet another justification for doing a half assed install.
While we know it's a possibility, as shown in the photo, it's not a widespread issue.
- S**t happens. Could happen in a parking garage, car wash or in an area with a lot of trees.
- Some people are not very smart and will do stupid things, like using a drive through car wash with a whip attached.
- A mag mount getting knocked off the roof will do a heck of a lot of damage, too.
- I've had aluminum body trucks for years and never had an issue like this. I've never seen one of our vehicles at work have this happen. I've run my truck up and down a lot of access roads and low parking garages.
- I ran my aluminum body F-350 through a low parking garage and bent the spring back with zero damage to the truck.
The only photo I've ever seen of this happening is the same photo in the original post. I'm sure there is more if I went looking for them, but I won't. This isn't a big issue, and I'm sure there are those that will try to use it as yet another justification for doing a half assed install.
Yep, spot on.
I keep NMO caps in my center console for this reason. Takes literally seconds to remove the antennas and cap them off. I replace them when I am vacuuming out the inside. It also gives me a chance to inspect the NMO mounts to make sure they are nice and shiny.
Yep, me too!
xlr8
Member
For these exact reasons, I keep a 10' piece of para cord in the glove box of my F-150 that I tie a loose loop up near the ball of my stock AM/FM antenna. I open the passenger window and pull the cord to bend the AM/FM antenna down slightly so it doesn't catch on parking garages. Works well! I hate narrow parking spaces and low clearance parking garages!
K5MPH
Member
If you have any radio antennas on your car/truck remove them before you drive in the car wash,Hello Michael long time no hear .......
KB0VWG
Member
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- Apr 9, 2006
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I saw an Ohio Trooper going through the car wash at a Sheetz one night. He was easy to see as the whole side of the wash is glass. The urge to run over and press my ass to the glass was overwhelming.
Whenever I buy a new car I make sure the AM/FM antenna is imbedded in the rear window glass. Now of course the Sirius/XM antenna is just a nub on the top, so that's never been an issue.
G7RUX
Active Member
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No, it's a result of people being too lazy to (a) remove the unscrewable antenna before washing and (b) wash by hand and hose...Is that one of those New World Order, Green trucks made out of recycled beer cans?
I'm betting this wasn't a factory antenna. Probably one of those solid bullet antennas and a thief , no other damage on the truck other than a whole that looks like it was opened up with a dull can opener? Something isn't setting right with me.
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