Wheel washing assembly for an automated carwash and method of operating the wheel washing assembly

A method of washing wheels of a vehicle, which comprises the steps of:

• providing a wheel washing assembly containing:
• a pendulum assembly pivotably supported on a machine frame;
• and
• two washing manifolds, including a first washing manifold and a second washing manifold, attached to the pendulum assembly, each of said washing manifolds having a nozzle assembly for ejecting water at the wheel to be washed, the first washing manifold having a roller assembly;
• moving the vehicle through the wheel washing assembly with one of the wheels engaging and pushing the roller assembly, beginning at a start position, causing an automatic tracking of two of the wheels by the first and second washing manifolds, respectively;
• ejecting water at the two wheels being tracked by the first and second washing manifolds;
• driving over the roller assembly at an end position;
• and
• subsequently pivoting the first and second washing manifolds back to the start position via the pendulum assembly.