Ultra precision parking

[gsea]

I've got a rather tight parking situation in my garage. I've got a 20'8" truck and a 20'10.5" garage. It fits, but obviously will requires some precision.

So far I've look at:
1. Overhead laser (depends a lot on the vehicle cant/angle each time)
2. Stoplight Style sensor (can't be set that close)
3. Wheel Chalk-style bumpers (easiest, but annoying when using the space for projects)
4. Very soft/no marring bumper on wall to rest against and stop there.

GJ usually surprises me with creative solutions so I thought I'd see if anyone had any other ideas?

 

[Slowgsr]

Hang a tenis ball from the ceiling. As soon as it touched your windshield your good

 

[gsea]

I've seen a lot of people do that. I wonder, however if that is precise enough to avoid overshooting an inch.

Its is a 12ft ceiling and the tennis ball would end up hanging right in front of a storage closet door. Might be a bit in the way, but a good idea nonetheless. Might try a variation.

 

[Sanddancer]

Parking sensors? Not sure whether they can be adjusted for such a small distance.

What about one of those flexi poles with flags on top they put on the corners of oversize vehicles and the back of kids bikes in the 70s? Plant one an inch from the wall, centre of the parking spot and you'll see the flag wave as your bumper contacts the pole. If it's on the centreline you'd have to be coming in totally cockeyed to hit the wall before the flag.

 

[rlitman]

I've seen a lot of people do that. I wonder, however if that is precise enough to avoid overshooting an inch.

The tennis ball, yeah, the driver, doubtful.

 

[bluestripe67]

My garage is two cars deep. No precision required, but I use the tennis ball method. Simple, and no cost.

 

[gsea]

The tennis ball, yeah, the driver, doubtful.

Thanks for the vote of confidence

Ideally I'd like it to be reliably consistent... (read: idiot proof) as I won't always be the one parking it. Perhaps I'll have to make that a policy!

 

[koondog]

I am much more low tech. I use a block of wood on the floor in front of the tire. It even works for my wife.

 

[bczygan]

Add a bump out.

 

[soj]

I am much more low tech. I use a block of wood on the floor in front of the tire. It even works for my wife.

^^ This ^^

I would use something thin (1/4" ply or hardboard) and attach a 2X4 as long as the tire is wide, maybe a little wider so you don't have to hit it exactly centered. Make the 1/4" base long enough to fit against the wall so it doesn't move when the tire hits it. Once you have it positioned where you want it, use a marker to outline the corners on the floor, now you can move it out of the way when needed and always be able to put it back in the exact right spot.

That is the basic model. The deluxe version would extend the 1/4" base to just beyond the rear of the tire, put a 3/4" thick X 2' wide X tire width (+ a little) "warning bar". This lets you know when you are close, you will feel the tire go over it and know you are in place against the stop bar.

Works for me, and for my wife.
jp

 

[venturesomerite]

For my 56 ford, which has only inches to space where I keep it, I found a 2"x4"x16" chuck of steel. Rolled the car most of the way there, neutral rolled it to where I was happy, and put the block under the tire. You could do a similar thing. (one for each tire too if you want)

It has never moved on me because of the weight, unlike wood, which has moved on me. I added a chalk outline too, so I could check on it every so often when moving the car.

 

[Journaler]

I am much more low tech. I use a block of wood on the floor in front of the tire. It even works for my wife.

I used an old brake rotor the same way. I switched it up by putting a reflective pole marker on the rotor, with a tennis ball impaled on it the marker.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I use an old fishing rod mounted just in front of the wall. It is not in the way at all and easy to tell when it moves.

 

[Off-Street Parking]

I am much more low tech. I use a block of wood on the floor in front of the tire. It even works for my wife.

The "drive until you hit something" approach might not be the best here... With only an inch and a quarter to spare, you're within the range where tire deflection limits your parking precision... Just too close for comfort in my opinion...

Add a bump out.

I'll second this.

 

[soj]

The "drive until you hit something" approach might not be the best here... With only an inch and a quarter to spare, you're within the range where tire deflection limits your parking precision... Just too close for comfort in my opinion...:

Thus the reason for the "warning bar" in my deluxe bump stop in post #10.
jp

 

[RVDan]

I have a 2x4 glued to the floor. If it's in the way I can remove it in a hurry.

 

[jay8s]

2X6 on the floor with a painted yellow outline on it so I can remove it and replace it easily. I also have put a reflective pole, like we have out for the snow now, to find left and right. It is mounted on the shelving next to the car and is just long enough to hit the wing mirror to get me over far enough. Once I get the garage back together I will take a pic.

 

[Rookie2]

I've tried to stand or hang a piece of blue board on my van parked in front then sneek up on it till it moves. PITA

 

[mnoeltne]

I glued a parking stop to the floor for my wife. I think I originally got a pair of them at HF, but a quick search of their site didn't show anything so I linked the ones from Amazon.

Worked fine overall. You can use a couple of plastic anchors and screws to mount them even better if you want to. Combines the warning and then bump stop mentioned above. You CAN over run these if you're going to fast!

 

[dogdas]

I had a block wall covered with drywall but I put up a piece of rubber and when I touched it I knew I was all the way in. I had only 1" of clearance from the roll up door strong back to my rear bumper.

 

[36truck]

Put a piece of 1/2 plywood on the wall. That way you can just touch the wall without hurting it. I also like the block of wood bolted to the floor.

 

[Slupie]

I use a 2x4 x 18" long. It's enough to stop the car and give me and the wife piece of mind that we pulled in far enough to close the garage doors. I also took a sharpie and drew the outline on the floor so it goes back in the same spot after it gets kicked to the side when doing something in the garage. I tried fixing it to the floor but it became a tripping hazard and was always in the way.

 

[rsanter]

Put a padded board on hinges mounted to the wall.
A couple springs and a switch and a light will tell you when you touch the padded board and light a light

Bob

 

[Garageguy65]

I used an old brake rotor the same way. I switched it up by putting a reflective pole marker on the rotor, with a tennis ball impaled on it the marker.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Journaled has a great idea...I was just going to suggest this.. Another variation is to attach a block of wood to the wall lower than the bumper, with a fiberglass driveway marker drilled into it, tennis ball on top to see it move.. That way you are not kicking a rotor around in tight spots.


Second thought? Drywall is cheap.

 

[nti06]

Rotary lift has that plate that goes on the floor to help you park cars in a shop. There is also those Milton driveway bells that ding when you roll over the hose.

 

[rslaback]

Personally I hate stops on the floor as I always trip on them when the vehicle is out.

I'm envisioning a piece of plywood 2 foot wide or so, hanging off a 3/4" piece of wood mounted across the studs. Wire in a momentary switch to just touch the back of the plywood that goes to a light bulb. Pull in and watch the light as your license plate creeps to the wood switch paddle.

I've never thought the laser and stoplight type stop controls were as precise as you need.

 

[pablo94sc]

I had a similar situation with my truck and being able to fully open the man door in the front of the bay. Tennis ball works wonders, but I may still be off because of the curve of the windshield and being over an inch to either side can really throw you off. My suggestion, tennis ball to get to you close, then a bumper on the wall in case you over shoot a hair.

 

[taumac]

Here's I idea I came up with few years back. I use my sensors for my garage door opener. I set them to height of my bumper and once the bumper isn't breaking the beam the light on the sensor lights up or stops flashing. This method also keeps you from accidentally closing the door on a vehicle.

Other method uses parking stops like everyone else has mentioned only thing I'll add is that I'll drill 2 holes in the stop and floor and insert rods so stop can be easily removed and put back in same spot if needed.

 

[guspech750]

I simply used a 2x4 for my wife's car so she doesn't bump the wall. But I've also made marks on the concrete where the 2x4 needs to be so I have no problems moving the board when I need to.


Sent from The White House on taxpayers dimes.

 

[Steevo]

Put a padded board on hinges mounted to the wall.
A couple springs and a switch and a light will tell you when you touch the padded board and light a light

Bob

I was thinking along the same lines, and draw your power from the garage door opener light, so that it will only light up your parking sensor light when the GDO light is on.

 

[dave89iroc]

wood block on floor, but attach it to a sheet of plywood, so you can just lift the sheet when you need a clear floor, and just lay it back down once finished

 

[kellymc]

ultrasonic sensor, arduino and big LED light, code the arduino to flash the light based on distance and then solid light when you are in the right spot, turn the light off after a set period of time.

 

[ford33]

Block of wood on the floor. Mark the corner outline with a felt tip marker so you can remove and replace it.

 

[CSRPenFab]

I park two rather large SUVs (VW Touareg and Toyo Highlander) in a 2 car garage. The ceiling mounted laser works perfectly for about $20. I simply pull in until the red dot is lined up with the edge of my dash, easy peasy and no tripping over stops on floor or dealing with hanging tennis balls. The unit installs in about 5 minutes and simply plugs in to the same outlet as my GDO.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F6F99G/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Jaguar Fan]

Hang a tenis ball from the ceiling. As soon as it touched your windshield your good

This. ^^^

 

[gsea]

Here's I idea I came up with few years back. I use my sensors for my garage door opener. I set them to height of my bumper and once the bumper isn't breaking the beam the light on the sensor lights up or stops flashing. This method also keeps you from accidentally closing the door on a vehicle.

I thought about this as well, as it isn't so much that I need to be an inch from the front wall as much as I need to just clear the garage door. I figured I could just run another led from the sensor led and position it in the front wall where I could see it. Stop as soon as it lights back up meaning the truck is. I longer breaking the plane. Trouble is I have two vehicles of different heights so I'd need to add an extra set of sensors. From what I've read so far, that's not as simple as it sounds.

 

[gsea]

ultrasonic sensor, arduino and big LED light, code the arduino to flash the light based on distance and then solid light when you are in the right spot, turn the light off after a set period of time.

Sounds so easy when you put it that way

I've looked at ultra sonic sensors, but haven't found one that seems to be able to dial down to 1" with enough accuracy to be useful.

 

[Rt jam]

I will bring a fresh idea that I've been doing for over 10 years but it will not work with automatic transmissions that need the key removed.

My Mustang and my Civic are both manual transmissions. Even though I do not leave the key in the either car, I do park them in neutral without handbrake in my flat floor garage. Not only can I easily adjust their position by a little push but I can adjust it again later without having to get in the car.

 

[dave*99]

I've seen a mirror mounted on front wall at a downward angle. The driver can then see the bumper and wall.

 

[AndrewDouglasBird]

My father has a 1929 Mercedes replica car that he parts in an old truck box (like a uhaul). Across the front of the garage is a board covered in thick carpet. Parking is as simple as slowly creeping forward until you run into the wall. Basically just gently take your foot off the brake and let the automatic transmission roll you forward. Then he just puts the car in park and lets the car roll back slightly so it isn't touching the wall.