Flat Belt Conveyors Offer Niche Solutions for Car Wash Safety and Convenience, Increased Car Count, and Reduced Maintenance 

by Tim Fitzpatrick, Mid-Atlantic Sales Manager, Howco, Inc. 

Flat Belt Conveyors have been part of the car wash industry for nearly 20 years, with several versions developed over time. Recent advancements in this evolving technology now offer a safer and more efficient way to move vehicles through wash tunnels. Consequently, Howco is increasingly presenting and quoting flat belt options, particularly for express exterior car washes and detailers. 

The advantages of flat belt conveyors include a smaller minimum area required for loading vehicles. They also reduce difficulty for apprehensive customers and inexperienced employees loading vehicles onto the track.

As vehicles drive onto the flat belt conveyor, all four wheels stay in place and move evenly through the wash. Furthermore, the vehicle doesn’t need to roll in neutral as it does on a traditional track. This prevents anti-collision sensors from engaging the automatic braking system. As a result, there’s no risk of the car jumping the roller or climbing the rail. Flat belt conveyors also allow the car to be in park or neutral, with a foot on the brake if preferred.

Car wash operators incorporating flat belt conveyors find that the benefits include: 

• Flat belts offer ease of use and elevated safety for employees and customers, as: 

• A larger belt footprint without push rollers makes loading easier and quicker, enhancing the customer experience. 

• Drivers no longer must understand and know how to override their vehicles’ constantly changing safety systems, such as automatic braking,  that raise the risk of in-tunnel collisions. 

• Concerns about drivers turning, braking, or shifting out of neutral while on the conveyor are eliminated. 

• Increased car count is realized by loading them closer together for more efficient throughput. 

• Flat belts have fewer moving parts, which reduces malfunctions and failures and results in lower maintenance needs, downtime, and damage claims.  

• Flat belt conveyor technology is constantly improving with advanced polymers, belt depth and width flexibility, and belt customization from some manufacturers.  

• Flat belts can accommodate vehicles with dual real wheels (“dualies”) as well as low-profile sports cars.  

Please contact a Howco representative to determine if a Flat Belt Conveyor system is right for your wash.