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Getting the car out! (And back in)

Tbonedog

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Aug 18, 2015
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So here is my dilemma. My project car is currently not running. Any time I need to move it out of my garage I need to recruit the help of my wife. It is pretty inconvenient. Driveway is just a little too steep. I'm trying to think of an inexpensive way to get the car out and back in safely, by myself. I'd like to set up some type of winch system, but the only ones with cordless remotes are 12v. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!


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58Yeoman

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Central IL
I was going to do the same thing, as my driveway is too steep for one person. Get a 12v winch and mount it, then use a 12v battery with charger. I think they also make 120v winches.
 

Schurkey

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The Seasonally Frozen Wastelands
Get the car running.





Thousands of years ago, I worked in a dealership that moved cars around with battery-powered pushers. They looked kind of like an electric snow-blower with no auger--there was a rubber-padded cradle that would align with the rear bumper instead.

I shove cars around with my pickup truck, using a large automotive tire as a cushion. Ideally, you find a way to rope or otherwise secure the tire to the pickup bumper, although in a pinch a helper can hold the thing in place as you approach the vehicle to be pushed.

I have a friend who uses those wire-rope "come-alongs" to ratchet vehicles onto his trailer, and around his property by tying the end of the come-along to a tree. Takes forever.
 

gregtwojeeps

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Ky
Cable winch mounted on my workbench pulled my heavy 79 Ford in my avatar, as needed.

My drive in front was not steep though.
 
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Tbonedog

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Cable winch mounted on my workbench pulled my heavy 79 Ford in my avatar, as needed.

My drive in front was not steep though.



Does the front end swing much as you crank it in?


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theoldwizard1

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SE MI
Here is what I did.

Make about a 2-4" hole in the floor at the back off the garage, deep enough to go all the way though. (Air hammer works great. Wear eye protection.) Use a shop vac to get all of the chips and some of the dirt out.

Get a "lifting eye" (NOT an eye screw or an bolt ! A lifting eye is forged !!) and a matching coupler and a bolt long enough so that the bolt and the coupler will be near flush with the surrounding floor.

Mix up some Quikrete Anchoring Cement. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS and fill the hole !!

Grease the threaded portion of the lifting eye and then thread it into one side of the coupler and the bolt into the other side. Carefully place this into the anchoring cement. Let sit at least over night, 24 hours is better.

Now you have a point to connect a cheap come-a-long to carefully roll your project in and out. A cheap boat winch works well, but you have to figure out something to mount it to.

Capture.JPG

HF Boat winch
 

SALIV8

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Dec 11, 2008
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chicago and s/w michigan
I had my chassis guy make me a floor plate that I anchored to the floor, that would accept my trailer winch (12v). This way I can use the winch on my trailer, or in the garage to pull my car in. works awesome. I just use a dedicated 12v battery for this winch and keep it charged.
 

gregtwojeeps

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Does the front end swing much as you crank it in?


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Nope. It was bolted through my workbench with 1/2 in. machine bolts, never moved while cranking. In the pic above, I had it loose so I could get it out of my way as I was painting my truck. My workbench top though, was made of 2 x 6"s with a 3/8 in. thick plate steel on top and the whole bench lag screwed (1/2") to 16" o.c. wall studs. .
 
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Git

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May 18, 2008
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S Cal
I have a post tension slab so I couldn't drill into the slab itself. BUT I was able to drill into the vertical face where the slab steps up for the house. (Got lucky - this was center of my double door - there is a chase for the dryer vent and some wiring that sticks out into the garage) A couple of bolts and and angle bracket for reinforcement from Home Depot. 12v winch makes easy work of it
 

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Tbonedog

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I have a post tension slab so I couldn't drill into the slab itself. BUT I was able to drill into the vertical face where the slab steps up for the house. (Got lucky - this was center of my double door - there is a chase for the dryer vent and some wiring that sticks out into the garage) A couple of bolts and and angle bracket for reinforcement from Home Depot. 12v winch makes easy work of it



How do you attach the winch?


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matt_i

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Mar 14, 2008
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SE Michigan
if copying that design, that's where I would employ epoxied anchors...wedge anchors would either crack or bust a big chunk out at just the wrong time.

It would be time consuming but healthy to have one of those body-shop frame-pulling anchor-chain pots that get embedded in the concrete slab. Saw out a square, break it out, dowel the edges, and pour a new slab to match with the anchor pot in it.

I suppose theoretically it could also be epoxied into a round hole but one would have to find (rent, borrow) the correct core drilling bit. Seems a little smooth on the OD though!

11538.gif


Then a short length of chain and a grab hook to your favorite puller (I'd consider a strap-based boat winch), and off you go.
 
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Git

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How do you attach the winch?


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My winch is kind of like this one. It's just a cheapo and does not get used very often

It has a triangular shaped hole to fit over a trailer ball (it also has a mounting plate). I just clip the D ring to the hole

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000COTKDM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

That Warn Pullzall looks nice - but I didn't want to spend that kind of money at the time. I will add it to my Amazon list in case
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043OV0IA/?tag=atomicindus08-20
 

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Tbonedog

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Thanks for all the info everyone. I've got some good ideas here. The one issue I'm still having is when I pull the car in I need something that will allow me to be near the steering wheel. Otherwise the front end of the car will swing. I have to have the car backed into the garage to be able to work on it.


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StingRay

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Jan 26, 2006
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Saskatoon,SK. Canada
Some years back in similar circumstances I used a forged eye bolt in a concrete anchor in my garage floor with a block and tackle. The kiss principle. Cheap too.
 

CN Spots

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Apr 21, 2016
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NW Mississippi
I used a car mounted tow bar on mine for a while. Pulled it with the truck. Left the bar on the vehicle in the stowed position.
faq081_3.jpg
 

-Brent-

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Dec 23, 2009
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Utah
A winch/pulley system is fairly easy and there's plenty of info out there. I certainly know your frustration.

A cheap solution is using a plate that mounts to the receiver of a vehicle for pushing. Still, you need an extra person to help navigate.

trailor-mover.jpg


Simple enough to fab and they can be done in a variety of ways. The shop that was next to the old place I rented had an old tire bolted to the steel plate. They also had a D-ring welded to the plate for pulling.

I used it to drag and push a couple junk vehicles we used for parts. Took a little getting used to but a neat item if you have a truck. Especially if you have access to some scrap steel.
 

marksport

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Joined
Aug 31, 2014
Messages
23
in some of my cases the motor didn't run but everything was still in the car. I put one of the remote push button switch and put it in gear (manual transmission) and used the starter to drive the car in or out.

fullsize_6493.jpg
 
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