can't make it down my new driveway :(
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: McKinney, TX
^ha! i had this happen in june in a stretch limo. i was best man in a wedding and the moron driver got us stuck coming out of a parking lot. everyone but the bride had to get out. luckily the reduced weight was enough for him to back up. that's a horrendous noise...a frame gouging into the concrete.
Originally Posted by Suretu
Here's a ghetto sketch of the situation. It's not even close to scale.
The first problem is that there's a slight uphill slope to the sidewalk, and the city says we can't change the sidewalk.
So as soon as the front wheel gets over the top threshold, the body bottoms out.
We've added a concrete "ramp" for a ways, but it's not as easy as it looks to get the ramp to proper height to allow clearance at all points, but not be so high that it'll affect the garage ingress!
The first problem is that there's a slight uphill slope to the sidewalk, and the city says we can't change the sidewalk.
So as soon as the front wheel gets over the top threshold, the body bottoms out.
We've added a concrete "ramp" for a ways, but it's not as easy as it looks to get the ramp to proper height to allow clearance at all points, but not be so high that it'll affect the garage ingress!
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Joined: May 2003
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From: Cherry Hill, NJ
Originally Posted by engiNERD350Z
Figure out where it scrapes at the bottom of your car and add a metal reinforcement plate at that location on your car. Make sure you make it easily replaceable.
i think you need to rent a garage or get a new car maybe a sti? they have some clearance.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: West Coast
We had to redesign several driveways for some house up in Desert Hot springs, the driveways looked like that picture above, they had to tear the concrete and put grade breaks in order to make it work. San Diego County has a standard detail for it.. The slope of the sidewalk has to be 2% slope max (sloping towards the street) you can not touch this because of ADA standards (handicap standards). When I get to work tomorrow ill scan the detail and post it..
My family runs a Civil Engineering Bussiness so if you can provide topography and distance from the sidewalk to your garage I can design the driveway for you no charge...
My family runs a Civil Engineering Bussiness so if you can provide topography and distance from the sidewalk to your garage I can design the driveway for you no charge...
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Mountain View, CA
Sorry, I haven't gotten back to this thread in a few days. Damn work! I appreciate all (ok, some 
) of the feedback!
Since escrow can't close until this is resolved, the seller has become highly motivated
They've just engaged an engineer who supposedly does this sort of thing all the time. They're going to rip out the driveway tomorrow and redo it early next week.
I'll see if I can grab and pictures and/or measurements before then - I don't actually live near the new property (which is one of the reasons I'm moving there!), so it's hard to just swing by for this sort of thing =)
) of the feedback!Since escrow can't close until this is resolved, the seller has become highly motivated
They've just engaged an engineer who supposedly does this sort of thing all the time. They're going to rip out the driveway tomorrow and redo it early next week.
I'll see if I can grab and pictures and/or measurements before then - I don't actually live near the new property (which is one of the reasons I'm moving there!), so it's hard to just swing by for this sort of thing =)
GREAT !!!!!! Lots of severe grades are a product of a poor initial, or I should say focked up initial survey and grade layout. As the property goes through its completion, it becomes worse and worse----An accumlative error, by then, It is too late.
Just a couple 10ths can turn into 2 feet.
Just a couple 10ths can turn into 2 feet.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 271
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From: ca
Originally Posted by NismoZ350
I agree. How cool would it be to come home with a normal/slightly lowered Z, stop at the base of your driveway, hit a botton to raise it, then cruise on up.
Problem with the kit: i was told only 2 exist in the US, one for my friends G35 (its the gray g35 that was in sports compact) and the other is my friends supra.
$5000 for this kit
I believe it was feature in sports compact car on the Tein civic Si.
Expensive option but very cool, it was ordered through Rob @ Z Car Garage in San Jose