Author Topic: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built  (Read 5916 times)

Jon Bon

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So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« on: December 19, 2017, 07:22:59 AM »
Ok So neither of my cars will fit in my garage. Lots of blame to go around here, but I want to solve the problem and move forward. Due to a list of factors my garage floor is too high above the alley. The apron is very short and very steep. My cars bottom out before they can make it into the garage. I put a few 2x12 and plywood to lift it up a few inches and I was able to get it in, but its NOT a long term solution.

So here is my plan. Put a notch in the existing concrete (so the concrete is thick enough to withstand a car tire) Then extend the ramp further.  I dont really want to throw down gravel or cold patch or anything else that will look like crap. So I def want to fix it on some level with concrete. Please give me your thoughts. I attached what I think it would look like.





zolotiyeruki

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2017, 07:51:33 AM »
Is that a cross-section of the apron in your picture?  Yeah, you'll need to re-do the apron to ease that entrance.

lthenderson

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2017, 08:03:04 AM »
I dont really want to throw down gravel or cold patch or anything else that will look like crap. So I def want to fix it on some level with concrete.

Based on these comments, I would rent a jackhammer and tear out old ramp before pouring new ramp. The problem with that notch is that if you get freezing weather, water will quickly seep into that notch and blow the concrete chunk above it off. The only way to really prevent this is to make a vertical cut all the way through the thickness of the ramp and butt the new slab up next to it. Of course whenever you have two slabs next to each other, you also have to worry about relative movement between the slabs usually due to freezing (and sometimes abnormally dry) weather. To prevent this, one needs to drill into old slab and pin the new slab to it. Lots of work compared to just tearing it out and repouring it properly.

ncornilsen

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2017, 08:10:15 AM »
If you have a nice clear seam to cut the old ramp out entirely, I think you'll save yourself some time.

Can you post some pics of the area?

Fishindude

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2017, 08:34:16 AM »
Like others I would completely remove the existing apron, then re-grade and compact the earth so that you have a uniform thickness new concrete apron, 5" or 6" thickness will be adequate for automobiles.   If you do it like your sketch you are likely to get undesirable cracking at the thin point.

Jon Bon

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2017, 12:58:51 PM »
All,

Thanks for the info.

Ok so I was thinking I would cut about 1/3 of the current apron and then re-pour with concrete. to flatten out the slope and extend the apron.

I can do that by hand at a total cost <$200 bucks.

Yes/No/Maybe?




lthenderson

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2017, 03:42:52 PM »
Yes that is possible but with caveats. First, if you live where ground heave occurs, it needs to be pinned to the remaining 2/3rds of the original ramp. Also, I'm assuming that the new pad would be sufficiently thick at all points to support a vehicle.

ChpBstrd

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2017, 01:54:16 PM »
Is it possible to sneak a few truckloads of dirt/gravel into the alley, raising the whole alley a few inches across a wide area? It doesn't look paved.

Sibley

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #8 on: December 21, 2017, 03:01:55 PM »
Is it possible to sneak a few truckloads of dirt/gravel into the alley, raising the whole alley a few inches across a wide area? It doesn't look paved.

That is not necessarily a good idea long term, even if it's possible to do. My backyard was raised several inches at some point in the past, and it has caused various problems for house, garage, and yardwork.

EricEng

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2017, 03:53:26 PM »
Have you considered a curb ramp for the driveway? 
http://www.newpaloaltohouse.com/2013/07/a-quick-and-easy-driveway-apron-thumbs.html
http://www.bridjit.com/

About 1/3 of the houses in my neighborhood do this due to steep driveway curbs (for drainage).

Jon Bon

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #10 on: December 22, 2017, 06:51:50 AM »
Is it possible to sneak a few truckloads of dirt/gravel into the alley, raising the whole alley a few inches across a wide area? It doesn't look paved.

I kind of love this idea... just for the stick it to the man factor! Yes calling that alley 'paved' is uh a stretch. It was paved, but its also been patched about 1000 times so its pretty much crap. I repaving of the alley would really help me actually and it needs it badly but I highly doubt its on my city's to do list.

Sure I could do that, but that would be just yards and yards of material, there are much easier cheaper options.

Jon Bon

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #11 on: December 22, 2017, 06:52:45 AM »
Have you considered a curb ramp for the driveway? 
http://www.newpaloaltohouse.com/2013/07/a-quick-and-easy-driveway-apron-thumbs.html
http://www.bridjit.com/

About 1/3 of the houses in my neighborhood do this due to steep driveway curbs (for drainage).

This also look like a decent option, but man they are not cheap for what they are! For the price I could probably rip out and replace the entire ramp. But yeah it would probably work.


Sonoma912

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #12 on: December 22, 2017, 02:25:57 PM »
How about adding a lift kit to your car?

Papa bear

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #13 on: December 22, 2017, 02:42:46 PM »
How about adding a lift kit to your car?

+1. Can't do much more damage to that minivan, jonbon.


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Jon Bon

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #14 on: December 22, 2017, 02:49:48 PM »
How about adding a lift kit to your car?

Honestly I thought about that as well, how hard and how expensive is it to do?

Does it hurt the handing and MPG of the car?

Granted I got in an accident with my minivan literally yesterday so it might be getting replaced (which another minivan)


ChpBstrd

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #15 on: December 22, 2017, 10:18:39 PM »
How about adding a lift kit to your car?

Honestly I thought about that as well, how hard and how expensive is it to do?

Does it hurt the handing and MPG of the car?

Granted I got in an accident with my minivan literally yesterday so it might be getting replaced (which another minivan)

There are coil spring spacers you can buy at AutoZone, etc. for a few bucks. Lift the car. Insert spacer. Lower car.

Drawbacks will include a rougher ride due to firmer suspension and a slightly higher rollover risk. Probably mpg takes a tiny hit. Neither outweighs scraping bottom every time.

It's not likely but you also might check if your van can take a taller tire. That might add a half inch.

Jon Bon

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #16 on: December 23, 2017, 07:11:41 AM »
How about adding a lift kit to your car?

Honestly I thought about that as well, how hard and how expensive is it to do?

Does it hurt the handing and MPG of the car?

Granted I got in an accident with my minivan literally yesterday so it might be getting replaced (which another minivan)

There are coil spring spacers you can buy at AutoZone, etc. for a few bucks. Lift the car. Insert spacer. Lower car.

Drawbacks will include a rougher ride due to firmer suspension and a slightly higher rollover risk. Probably mpg takes a tiny hit. Neither outweighs scraping bottom every time.

It's not likely but you also might check if your van can take a taller tire. That might add a half inch.

OK the spacers looked affordable but the process to install it looks to be major pain in the ass. Pull tires, tie rods, drop the axel, compress the spring. All of these things I dont know how to do!

I am a handy guy, I'm sure I can do it. I just dont want to have to buy special tools that I dont have. It might be something I do in addition to changing out the apron.  Thanks for the idea though, glad to know people have done it.


ChpBstrd

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #17 on: December 25, 2017, 09:16:44 AM »
How about adding a lift kit to your car?

Honestly I thought about that as well, how hard and how expensive is it to do?

Does it hurt the handing and MPG of the car?

Granted I got in an accident with my minivan literally yesterday so it might be getting replaced (which another minivan)

There are coil spring spacers you can buy at AutoZone, etc. for a few bucks. Lift the car. Insert spacer. Lower car.

Drawbacks will include a rougher ride due to firmer suspension and a slightly higher rollover risk. Probably mpg takes a tiny hit. Neither outweighs scraping bottom every time.

It's not likely but you also might check if your van can take a taller tire. That might add a half inch.

OK the spacers looked affordable but the process to install it looks to be major pain in the ass. Pull tires, tie rods, drop the axel, compress the spring. All of these things I dont know how to do!

I am a handy guy, I'm sure I can do it. I just dont want to have to buy special tools that I dont have. It might be something I do in addition to changing out the apron.  Thanks for the idea though, glad to know people have done it.
My understanding is that you can get some lift - not Jeep Jamboree or anything, but some - just by jacking the car and bolting/jamming/wedging the spacers in place between the layers of the springs. Maybe there's a variety of such products. Never had to do it myself.

DangleStash

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Re: So My Car Won't Fit In The Garage I Just Built
« Reply #18 on: January 04, 2018, 01:39:24 PM »
Please don't do the spacer lift.  Trust me, it's not worth the problems it can/most likely will cause.  I would just tweak the ramp.  You could potentially even just dump a ton of crushed stone on/along it if you really wanted to build it up on the cheap.  That would be very temporary though, long-term I would just do another ramp.

 

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