Too low

Author
Discussion

davidf

Original Poster:

111 posts

263 months

Sunday 7th July 2002
quotequote all
Hi all,
My new (to me) 350i has a bit of a problem. When I drive it in and out of my garage it bottoms out on the concrete ramp . I am renting a tool to grind down the concrete next week. Unfortunately the bit that catches on the way out might not be so easy to fix. So I was wondering, what would be involved in raising the car by an inch or so. Would it ruin anything, am I nuts to even think about it? It would make my life so much easier. If it would be a lot of money I'd probably end up making a make shift ramp to smooth the transition. But if it was just a little tweak...
Ideas anyone?

JMorgan

36,010 posts

285 months

Sunday 7th July 2002
quotequote all
Mine just grazes the floor on the way in and out. The drive is on a slope and the bib spoiler catches. Few blocks of wood in the right spot just lift the bib spoiler enough to clear the rubbing bit. Easy option.

davidf

Original Poster:

111 posts

263 months

Sunday 7th July 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Mine just grazes the floor on the way in and out. The drive is on a slope and the bib spoiler catches. Few blocks of wood in the right spot just lift the bib spoiler enough to clear the rubbing bit. Easy option.


My garage is shared with other residents, so custom bumps to get me over the scrape zone are out. Fortunately visitors often scrape, so nobody seems to mind me going at it with heavy grinding machinery.

JMorgan

36,010 posts

285 months

Sunday 7th July 2002
quotequote all
They are just a couple of planks that I lift back up and put away.

danny hoffman

1,617 posts

263 months

Sunday 7th July 2002
quotequote all
Which bit actually scrapes the floor? Also have you tried reversing in - it might help.

davidf

Original Poster:

111 posts

263 months

Sunday 7th July 2002
quotequote all
It is the lovely stainless steel exhaust (the box bit in the middle) that scrapes. The front spoiler does slightly too, but I'm more concerned about the exhaust.

Wedg1e

26,807 posts

266 months

Monday 8th July 2002
quotequote all
Aye, my box gets a good rubbing too. And as for the car... ;-)
Seriously, if I reverse down the drive to have the car pointing the right way on exiting the aircraft hangar (sorry, garage, just lke to gloat ;-)then she bottoms out at the apex of the drive.
If go in forwards (ooer, fnar fnar etc.) then alles in ordnung. Just the crucial distance from the lowest spot to the centre of the wheelbase I guess.
The silencer on my car is actually not level with respect to the chassis, so perhaps a bit of clouting, I mean realigning, might rectify the situation.
Any of the foregoing help? Thought not.

W.

JMorgan

36,010 posts

285 months

Monday 8th July 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Aye, my box gets a good rubbing too. And as for the car... ;-)
Seriously, if I reverse down the drive to have the car pointing the right way on exiting the aircraft hangar (sorry, garage, just lke to gloat ;-)then she bottoms out at the apex of the drive.
If go in forwards (ooer, fnar fnar etc.) then alles in ordnung. Just the crucial distance from the lowest spot to the centre of the wheelbase I guess.
The silencer on my car is actually not level with respect to the chassis, so perhaps a bit of clouting, I mean realigning, might rectify the situation.
Any of the foregoing help? Thought not.

W.



Viz reader I assume?

pedestrian

1,244 posts

267 months

Monday 8th July 2002
quotequote all
i. Modify driveway to accept exhaust topology.
ii. Move house.
iii. Change car.
iv. Live with louder exhaust.
v. Rent a garage somewhere else (convenient) and use the (new tennants) rent from yours to pay for it...

danny hoffman

1,617 posts

263 months

Monday 8th July 2002
quotequote all
The centre box is the lowest part of my 350i also. I have wired a thick aluminium plate under the entire lenght of the box to protect it.

Since I did this about a 2 years ago it has become loose twice (both times when I under estimated the size of a speed hump), the second time was at speed and so hard I thought I had lost my lovely new stainless system.

But all was well, the centre box isn't even dented and when I do hear the odd scrape now, at least I know I will probably get away with it. I have folded the ends of the plate to form a sort of ramp at either end so it just rides over anything.

BTW I am taking the wedge through the tunnel in a couple of weeks - will I have any clearance problems?

Danny

wedg1e

26,807 posts

266 months

Monday 8th July 2002
quotequote all
JMorgan:
I have been known to browse through the Viz on occasion; d'ye wanna mek summat ofit like though but? Ah'll get me mutha on yer... or me sisters, the fat slags. :-)

Danny:
Channel Tunnel trains are excellent things, probably designed by a Frenchman. No big steps, gaps, lumps or bumps anywhere. You could take Mr. Heath's 520 with its carpet sweeping spoilers through without any trouble!

Ian