Garage parking assist ideas

[thinkracing]

We just traded our mini van in for a Yukon XL. This thing is 18 1/2 feet long. I have some of my racing things on her side of the garage, but when in, there is still several feet of remaining space ... but it's tight.

This is my wife's car and I want to provide her some sort of parking assist, so she won't hit my war wagon, but also be in far enough so she can close the garage door.

I was thinking of hanging a tennis ball from the ceiling and when it hits the windshield, she's in. I'm not sure I need to buy one of those stop light contraptions.

Other ideas out there from similar experiences?

 

[rickairmedic]

The old tennis ball on a string is probably the best /cheapest parking assist out there .

Rick

 

[Buckgnarly]

That's funny b/c my Miller 210, service cart, and Exmark mower are all in front of my wife's truck. Tennis ball mounted at HER eye height has worked for 4+ years. Helps her depth as well as windage.

Now for the support column that happened to be right by her door.....I wrapped cardboard around it, hope to "upgrade" to carpet when I can get some scraps.

Wife proofing the garage should be a sub forum....

 

[LEVE]

I'll second the tennis ball.

I have one hanging so the wife knows exactly where to stop the Prius. I thought she'd be angry about me putting it up, but she loveS it and makes it a game to see how close she can come to parking without the ball hitting the windshield. She'll reward herself by turning on the wipers and flinging the ball.

Also, it's the fist place the younger grandkids go.. out to the garage to hit the tennis ball. Who needs toys when you've got a garage!

 

[malibu101]

Now for the support column that happened to be right by her door.....I wrapped cardboard around it, hope to "upgrade" to carpet when I can get some scraps.

I the same problem at another place I lived.
Pipe insulation works real good and does not look bad. I did have to go to a plumbing supply house to get it since the column diameter was larger than the home centers carry.

 

[Gottspd]

Spend $15 and get one of those parking bump things. I have both the racedeck one and the bright yellow kind you see in catalogs. The racedeck one works great for a smaller/lighter car but I needed the larger one for my SUV because I couldn't feel the bump (because they are much lower) on the race deck. I have less than 2"s behind the SUV with the door closed and just enough to fit between the front of the suv and the cabinets in front of it, so precise parking was a must and the yellow mat is absolutely perfect.

 

[neverenoughtools]

The tennis ball on a string has worked flawlessly for me many years !

 

[Todd.Brock]

I used to have this stop light thing that was ultrasonic/radar. They were popular about 10 years ago. The radar thing judged the distance by your bumper. I know that LiftMaster sells lasers that work with the GDO you aim to a particular spot on the dash or wherever. I deal with this issue on a daily basis. I am not crazy about the tennis ball hanging down. Good/cheap in theory, but looking for something different. I have been leaving the SUV in reverse for an extra second to check the reverse camera. That has been handy if you have one in your car.

 

[Wackerjr]

I used to have this stop light thing that was ultrasonic/radar. They were popular about 10 years ago. The radar thing judged the distance by your bumper. I know that LiftMaster sells lasers that work with the GDO you aim to a particular spot on the dash or wherever. I deal with this issue on a daily basis. I am not crazy about the tennis ball hanging down. Good/cheap in theory, but looking for something different. I have been leaving the SUV in reverse for an extra second to check the reverse camera. That has been handy if you have one in your car.

Second the parking lasers, they are cheap and easy to hook up ($35-$40) and hook to your door sensors.....

 

[Jota21]

i didn't want to steal the only tennis ball in the house from the dog, so I used a fishing bobber. Turns out to be much easier to dial in the perfect height.

 

[SuperSocket]

Get those parking lasers, they work great. Also another idea is to take a short 2x4, bolt it to the floor.. or heck even a 4x4 so she wont accidentally run over it unknowingly.

 

[bww_mnm]

this one is my favorite:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EDUUIA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[rwhite692]

The old tennis ball on a string is probably the best /cheapest parking assist out there .

Rick

Yup.

 

[sneezer41]

buy the dog some new [tennis] balls.

My grandparents neighbors did this for their 2 MK III continentals back in the early 70's

kinda failsafe no batteries, no forgetting to turn it on, if someone moves it you know they did

also helps with lateral alignment, put it either right in front of driver or right on the rear view mirror mount

 

[robs400]

My grandfather used to have something similar to what you guys have already stated..only diff being he used a ping pong ball.

 

[bazzateer]

I was thinking of hanging a tennis ball from the ceiling and when it hits the windshield, she's in.

That's the answer.

 

[rickycobra]

The tennis ball works great but is the option of lasers.

 

[ZRX61]

makes it a game to see how close she can come to parking without the ball hitting the windshield. She'll reward herself by turning on the wipers and flinging the ball.

 

[MyKingdom]

Tennis ball works for us.

 

[drmoonshine]

I'll second the tennis ball.

I have one hanging so the wife knows exactly where to stop the Prius. I thought she'd be angry about me putting it up, but she loveS it and makes it a game to see how close she can come to parking without the ball hitting the windshield. She'll reward herself by turning on the wipers and flinging the ball.

Also, it's the fist place the younger grandkids go.. out to the garage to hit the tennis ball. Who needs toys when you've got a garage!

That's all my kids use it for.

 

[crewchief888]

Get those parking lasers, they work great. Also another idea is to take a short 2x4, bolt it to the floor.. or heck even a 4x4 so she wont accidentally run over it unknowingly.

i have a 4x4 on the floor, secured with 2 pieces of rebar.

wife is ok parking, but i really dont trust my stepdaughter sometimes.

i dont want to come home and find a hole the size of my harley in the back of the garage.

i believe i'd be a little upset

 

[Grumpy365]

I am putting a parking lot yellow bumper down on mine.

I am getting the plastic/ fiber ones, although you could use a concrete one like in most parking-lots across america.

(grainger sells them)

 

[Krokodil]

I'm using the good old tennis ball for both our cars. It really helps when your garage is on the short side!

 

[kbs2244]

I use the tennis ball.
But only untill she learns where to line up the right door post on the wall shelves that line that side of the garage.
She is real fussy about "her" shelves and always has the same stuff in the same place.
She can line the door post up with one particular can and never be off by more than 3 inchs.
Then I can get that blasted ball out of the way.

 

[cowboyjosh]

the low tech solutions like the Tennis ball are tried and true and have been in place for years; something else I have seen guys do is to take a piece of pressure treated 2x4 and liquid nail it to the floor so that when the front tire hits that 2x4 she knows to stop. I think I'd rather do the tennis ball trick if it were me though, I don't think I'd like a 2x4 glued to my floor, but thought I'd put it out there as another option.

 

[Tazzman]

I use my tool box, My line of sight while pulling in from the hood to the top drawer.
When I pull in I see the entire box, and drive in as each drawer disappears until the hood lines with the top drawer! Works perfect.

 

[unvago]

I have a Liftmaster laser guide that connects to your door sensors, $20.00 plus shipping.
Works great.

 

[SGKent]

2 cents worth

If you work in the garage a lot you WILL get tired of walking into the tennis ball and tripping over 2x4's. I use masking tape on the floor and just open the door a fraction and look down to align it.

 

[some zilch]

is parking really that difficult?

 

[DaleJR88Fan]

I ordered two of these just this month and I wish I would have gotten them earlier.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CEE62W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Nice to be able to park in the same spot everyday and be able to walk in front of and behind the vehicles. Wife is able to put the minivan in the garage so we can open the back door without worrying about the garage door hitting it on the way up or down if she forgets to close the back door.

The bright color makes it a lot easier to not trip over.