Need advice from experts!

Anyone out there have a 50-60 ft conveyor that is successful?

Does it wash as good as a 100ft?

I have limted experience with conveyors. I do have one rehab we did that actually is in 70 ft building, but the first fifteen feet was for loading so we only have about 55 ft of equipment.

As far as cleaning, we have a single set of exit end wraps, a single mitter curtain, tire brush/rocker combo, a grill brush, and a top omni and two wheel spinners. I think it cleans well for such a small package, offering comparable results to much larger packages run at much higher chain speeds. we run at about 65 cph.

In my opinion, ir you run the chain speed slow enough, you can get very good results with a short conveyor. You have to be willing to let the chemistry play a bigger role in cleaning, though. All peronal theory here, but it seems to me that slower chain speed equals more contact time and more time for wraps to get back in place after they move off the car around the front and mirrors. They also have plenty of contact time with the rear of the vehicle. If you are comfortable with a top brush, it seems that would be a better solution than a single mitter curtain. If I redid mine( and had the ceiling height) I would install a top brush in lieu of a curtain, and have a second set of wraps instead of the grill brush. Not sure I'm convinced the top omni offers much benefit, I would possibly drop it, too or move it towards the front.

No way a 50' is going to wash as well as 100' if both are filled out with equipment.

There is a big improvement between 50' to 60' - and then a bigger improvement 60' to 70'.

Take Greg's example above showing a 70' footer with 55' of equipment, if we cut that down to a 50' we now have room for only 35' of equipment – ie: if you are front wheel pull you could get by with 10’ for loading (space to pull on and space for entry eyes) and 5’ after the dryer at the exit your 50’ conveyor now has room for only 35’ of equipment.

Can a 50' be successful - of course - but it probably a story of location. If the sight is good enough many things can work.

What is your limitation lot size or cost?
If it is lot size and the site a great location, a 50’ conveyor may work.

If it is just cost, you may want to look at a in-bay automatic - they have distinct advantages over a 50' conveyor.

In bays lend themselves to better up sales of extra services - they can be unattended for 24 hour operation - and set up correctly they may clean better as programming can be customized to the car wash location needs.

My personal cut-off point for a retail conveyor operation would be 65-70 feet.
eeds.

riptwentythree,

We have a 6/1 glass building with an autec soft clothe machine. Later on down the road if traffic count picks up in this area (we are in front of a super walmart in a small 10,000 pop. town) would you think about putting a front wheel pull conveyor and equipment in. The building length is 65'.

Things to consider:

Will lot size allow you to extend the entrance or exit or both outside of the building, so that you could possibly have an 85’ (perhaps 15’ on the entrance and 5' on the exit - this would allow you to have 65' of equipment in the building)?

Every little bit helps if you can only do 5’ - “do it”. Install the longest conveyor you lot will allow. You can always add equipment in the tunnel but adding conveyor length later is usually not practical. The initial cost between a 65' and 85' conveyor is not that significant.

As Greg stated in an above post a 70’ conveyor can produce quality cars at a moderate chain speed.

What is the possibility of competition?

If you have a 65' and a 140' big operation moves in , you lose.

You have done a great job on you sign and on site marketing!

Yes we could probably add 15-20 ft. No I really doubt competition would come in. It is a small town with three touchless automatics and several self serve bays. For the size of the town there are too many carwashes. The wash down the road from ours has been for sale for a while now. No takers yet and the price is not bad. It is a two automatic PDQ and 4 self serve bays. I just think the conveyor would really set us apart from the rest of the competition. It has not been an easy site. We have actually been struggling for the past 2 and 1/2 years. Would you put a surface mount front pull conveyor or tear up the concrete and put an in ground conveyor in?

I would definitely tear up the concrete and put in a in ground conveyor. Surface conveyors are a nightmare.

The real strength of a conveyor operation (especially an express exterior) is that you can really crank it up on those great days.

In bays, self service, and even full service washes cannot do this the way and exterior can -

Think about it – if you had a 80’ conveyor and had that beautiful day after a week of rain you can wash 80 cars per hour for 12 hours, that’s over 900 cars. Or it rains all morning, then the sun comes out and you can still wash 400 -500 cars that day.

The caveat is to be ready, focus on customers and process those cars.

The conveyor is heart of the system do it right.