BAK Tonneau Cover Safe For Automatic Car Wash?

Question:

Will this cover for a Tundra 2014 hold up through a car wash.

asked by: Daryl P

Expert Reply:

While BAK says it is possible to take their covers through a car wash as long as the cover is closed and secure, there are some important things to keep in mind that might help you to protect your investment while simultaneously enjoying the convenience of an automatic wash for your truck.

Car washes with spinning brushes should be avoided while the Tonneau cover is on. You don't want it to be damaged by the abrasions that might occur from a rolling brush that's simply too abrasive for your soft-topped cover. There's also a possibility that the side brushes can come into contact hard enough with the clamps to dislodge the rail, which is definitely something you want to avoid.

A "Touch-Free" Car Wash will be the best automatic car wash experience for your 2014 Toyota Tundra with the BAK Tonneau cover applied. Since nothing is physically touching the cover's tops and sides, there's simply nothing to worry about. The sensors built in to the wash will gauge the size and contours of your Tundra for a customized cleaning experience without you lifting a finger.

Also, if you're going to apply any wax automatically or by hand, make sure you do that without the cover on. It's not designed to perform well with wax applied to it. There are protective products out there that are specifically designed to guard the top of your cover's fabric, and they'll do a much better job than wax.

And when you don't need the convenience of that automatic touch free wash, remember, a good hand wash is really the best bet for protecting your Tonneau cover.

expert reply by: Aaron A