Parking in a small garage.

[withac]

Okay, I’ve got an older house so my garage bays are small. I’ve been parking the ‘Ho in the larger bay and leaving the truck out. Now that winter is coming I’d like to put them both in. I can slowly let the truck kiss the front wall of the larger bay and it doesn’t hurt anything but the ‘Ho is different. I’ve got literally inches in front and back and if it bumps it won’t hit the bumper like the truck but it’ll hit the bow tie. I tried to find something in Auto Zone and Checker online but don’t even know what to look for. Couldn’t a guy get a larg pressure activated switch, hook it to a small light, and pad the switch so just touching it won’t mar the bow tie but would turn on the light? I’m sure something like this already exists but like I said, I don’t know what it would be called so I don’t know what to look for. I suppose you could also build it with an electric eye.

Waddy ya’ll think?

 

[bahollis]

Lo-tech approach

Just get some string, and a tennis ball. Park your Hoe where it needs to be and then drop the ball from the ceiling until it rests on your windshield.

Very lo-tech, but very effective.

BH

 

[Stargazer]

I bought one of those laser parking aids for about $15 and mounted it on my ceiling.

Kinda like this: http://www.autoanything.com/garage-accessories/69A1322A0A0.aspx

I aimed it at a spot on the dash so I can see when I'm getting close to where I should stop.

Works great but I also have some blocks that will stop the wheels if I go too far. I also saw in the auto section of a local department store these plastic bump strips that you can mount on a wall to prevent damage if you touch it. They were about $12.

 

[RenegadeTahoe]

LOL... just don't go too far... to get my '96 K1500 ext. Z71 into the garage, I thought I could just pop up on the lip... low and behold the front of my truck was just a LITTLE longer than the lip... hehehe... put a good-size hole in the wall...

 

[withac]

Thanks guys. I did the tennis ball trick when I parked the Bonneville in there. With the curve of the windshield it would throw me off if I was two or three inches to one side or the other. I have litterally maybe two inches in front and back with the 'Ho so might mean the difference between a busted grill or not. If it would bump the bumper I'd just ease into the wall like I do the truck but there is shelving in front and it would hit the grill. With that tight of a fit if I don't figure something out it will mean getting in and out to check several times as I ease it forward inch by inch.

 

[Gordo]

tennis ball sounds good or maybe some chucks or whatever the rubber things are called that you put on the tires to keep your car from going front or back

 

[boostaholic]

I used to keep a piece of wood on the floor to tell me when to stop, I just don't drive too far forward now. Long piece of wood on the floor and a tennis ball should work.

 

[Rivieraracing]

If you are going to use a piece of wood or something for your wheels to stop on in the garage, be sure you find a good way to secure it down so it will not move on you. My dad did something like that but didn't secure it to not move, well someone moved it a little and when my dad came home and parked............bam!!! You guessed it, his system at that point failed, talk about ticked!!

 

[withac]

Thanks guys. There's a problem with my idea for a pressure switch. If I put a piece of foam rubber on it for cushion, when the grill gets wet it will freeze to the foam and tear the button apart when I back out. Like I said, the tolerance is so close I don't trust the tennis ball. I did figure out something that might work. I'm going to try and find one of those photo cells the small businesses and doctors offices use on their front doors that set off a door bell when you walk through. I could wire a light onto it instead of the buzzer and mount it in front so the light comes on when I pull in far enough, or mount it at the back end, that way the light would turn on when I pulled in and stay on as I move forward. When the light goes off I know I'm far enough for the garage door to close.

 

[Stargazer]

Hmmm, no one else likes that Laser guide? I find it works really well without any fuss.

 

[withac]

Hmmm, no one else likes that Laser guide? I find it works really well without any fuss.

To be honest, I hadn't had the time to follow the link. Looks promising.

Thanks.

 

[bahollis]

Tennis ball trick...

...use the ball, but have it installed to hang & hit the windshield on your rear view mirror stem. If you pull up to the ball and align it to the stem you'll always be in the same position. I have a small garage too, but not like you're describing. I have at least 18" on front & back. I do have to auto-fold my mirrors to get in though!

The problem with any of the high-tech options is eventually it will fail. Batteries die, dust settles on laser housing lenses... etc.

Maybe just knock out the drywall from the inside of the garage. That'll give you a few more inches of play. :smash: just kidding of course.

BH

 

[withac]

...use the ball, but have it installed to hang & hit the windshield on your rear view mirror stem. If you pull up to the ball and align it to the stem you'll always be in the same position. I have a small garage too, but not like you're describing. I have at least 18" on front & back. I do have to auto-fold my mirrors to get in though!

The problem with any of the high-tech options is eventually it will fail. Batteries die, dust settles on laser housing lenses... etc.

Maybe just knock out the drywall from the inside of the garage. That'll give you a few more inches of play. :smash: just kidding of course.

BH

You joke about the dry wall but let me tell you...When I bought this house we remodeled the kitchen. I took the old kitchen cabinets out and put them in the garage in front of where the 'Ho will park. I have maybe two inches clearance in front after removing the drawers, door panels, and taking my jig saw to carve out some of the shelving and verticle divider, that's how tight of a fit this will be. If we didn't have serious winters around here I wouldn't worry about it. Sometimes the obvious doesn't dawn on me. When I hung the tennis ball before I hung it from one of the ceiling joists (the garage isn't finished) so that didn't let me adjust it sideways, hence the problems of the car being to one side a little or the other. All I need to do is put a cross piece between the joists then I could locate the tennis ball right above the mirror like you said. For that matter, the laser pin point would work the same. Where you are looking for the light to hit a point on the dash you'd know if it wasn't working, there'd be no thinking you were safe when you weren't like some of the other electronic devices.

Thanks guys.

 

[Stargazer]

I was at the mall today and saw a new thing that I had never seen before. It was an electronic stop sign on a 4ft antenna and stand that would flash as soon as you touched it. Just did a quick search and found this that was similar:

http://www.2shopper.com/Park_N_Place_Stoplight_p/hbt7710.htm

 

[withac]

I was at the mall today and saw a new thing that I had never seen before. It was an electronic stop sign on a 4ft antenna and stand that would flash as soon as you touched it. Just did a quick search and found this that was similar:

http://www.2shopper.com/Park_N_Place_Stoplight_p/hbt7710.htm

I actually saw that too when I was surfing for parking assistants. If I had a roomier garage I'd go for it but my bumper actually tucks under the cupboard in front of it in order to fit, that being the case, I wouldn't be able to have the stop sign far enough forward. I'm leaning toward the ol' tennis ball trick or the laser light.

 

[withac]

I went old school with the tennis ball. Wasn't kiddin' 'bout the tight fit.

 

[Rivieraracing]

No kidding you have a tight fit, I would feel nervous every time I parked in there!!