VIP Style Discuss Lexus VIP and Lexus VIP Styled cars.

Driveway survival for the super-low - any tricks?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-19-11, 11:41 AM
  #1  
DaveGS4
Forum Administrator

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
DaveGS4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 31,448
Received 2,143 Likes on 1,307 Posts
Default Driveway survival for the super-low - any tricks?

I know you folks with air can easily raise your rides up for entry / egress, but are there any super-low members on coilovers or springs who have some tricks on getting in & out of your driveway? Anything solid you've built to help with that?

My wife is putting aero on the front of her car (which is already fairly low) and will only have a couple of inches clearance. We're getting a new ramp and bumpers for our enclosed car hauler to get the car into the trailer, but still not quite sure how we're going to get it out of the driveway without ripping the aero off the front.

Driveway has a 4 -5 inch swoopy dip getting out into the street. My old GS would drag unless I angled it coming in /out, and it was just somewhat low, not super-low or slammed.

Any ideas?
Attached Thumbnails Driveway survival for the super-low - any tricks?-driveway.jpg  
Old 01-19-11, 12:54 PM
  #2  
excluesive
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (10)
 
excluesive's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 4,563
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Default

reverse with an angle almost to the point that you are parallel to the curb
Old 01-19-11, 03:23 PM
  #3  
AFryan
Driver School Candidate
 
AFryan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: ca
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

get some wood
Old 01-19-11, 04:48 PM
  #4  
EN_VY
Lexus Champion
 
EN_VY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: TX
Posts: 2,886
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

I'm thinking of getting coilovers, and ditching air, so any input here is appreciated! My driveway is is 2 times worse than that.
Old 01-19-11, 05:00 PM
  #5  
toyotero
Rookie
iTrader: (5)
 
toyotero's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: fl
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

That's like the only driveway hump! Wood does the trick.
Old 01-19-11, 05:16 PM
  #6  
DaveGS4
Forum Administrator

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
DaveGS4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 31,448
Received 2,143 Likes on 1,307 Posts
Default

Thanks all. She'll have a BIG splitter on the bottom, sticking out 3" from the front of the car and running all the way back to the front axle, so we have more than a lip edge to deal with.

You think just a single 2 x 12 (1 1/2" thick, 11 1/4" wide) 6 - 8 feet long would work and hold up? Or possibly a 2 x 10 (1 1/2" thick, 9 1/4" wide) , would want to measure the gap.

Any way to keep it from scooting around? Attacking some fins on the backside with L brackets?
Old 01-19-11, 06:19 PM
  #7  
toyotero
Rookie
iTrader: (5)
 
toyotero's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: fl
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

2x12 should do the trick.
Old 01-19-11, 08:35 PM
  #8  
sgvdd525
Driver
iTrader: (7)
 
sgvdd525's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: California
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

to get into driveways, i hug the left side and angle crazy...
Old 01-19-11, 10:57 PM
  #9  
0x21
Pole Position
iTrader: (17)
 
0x21's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: CA
Posts: 366
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Default

I've tried to wood method before but it got to be annoying after a while since it had to be put in in place each time its usage was neccessary. When i left it there permanently, it kept floating away during the rain because that part of the road is designed to drain the water.
Old 01-20-11, 05:34 AM
  #10  
Schnitz
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (5)
 
Schnitz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: ON, Canada
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Default

No easy way other than taking it slow at an extreme angle.
I have the same sort of thing in front of my driveway. Got tired of it with my Megans and went to air suspension. I'd consider a cup kit if I were you.
I might go back to coilovers but this time with a cup kit myself.
Old 01-20-11, 06:15 AM
  #11  
Vroomin350
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (28)
 
Vroomin350's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: SoFla
Posts: 4,265
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

how much does air usually run for an IS350
Old 01-20-11, 08:39 AM
  #12  
DaveGS4
Forum Administrator

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
DaveGS4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 31,448
Received 2,143 Likes on 1,307 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 0x21
I've tried to wood method before but it got to be annoying after a while since it had to be put in in place each time its usage was neccessary. When i left it there permanently, it kept floating away during the rain because that part of the road is designed to drain the water.
Her car only comes in / out maybe twice a month (one or two weekends a month during spring, summer, fall) so I'd be OK putting it out and picking it up when we pull the car in the trailer.

Originally Posted by Schnitz
No easy way other than taking it slow at an extreme angle.
I have the same sort of thing in front of my driveway. Got tired of it with my Megans and went to air suspension. I'd consider a cup kit if I were you.
I might go back to coilovers but this time with a cup kit myself.
This is on a track car, so no go on air or cup kit (she's got JRZ suspension setup with 900 lb springs, full cage,etc). VIP cars have a similar profile in ride height to what she's going to have on her car - specifically in the front where her aero / splitter, etc are.
Old 01-20-11, 02:23 PM
  #13  
DriftGirl
Lexus Champion
iTrader: (6)
 
DriftGirl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Wa
Posts: 3,397
Received 15 Likes on 10 Posts
Default

your driveway looks like my parents house...I remember that issue allll too well.

Nothing beats a couple pieces of wood throw it on the side of the trailor or in the garage. The car doesnt come out "often", so its not really a hassle to get wood


I took that into consideration when I built my house last year: 3% grade to my garage. It Raised the foundation a couple feet, but thats not a bad thing.
Old 01-20-11, 03:11 PM
  #14  
*Batman*
Lexus Champion
 
*Batman*'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 3,277
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

I would just call out a paving contractor and have them smooth out the driveway. You can't put wood out every time you want to enter the driveway, and leaving it there permanently will result in complaints from the homeowners association.
Old 01-20-11, 03:18 PM
  #15  
DaveGS4
Forum Administrator

Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
 
DaveGS4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 31,448
Received 2,143 Likes on 1,307 Posts
Default

I'd never leave wood sitting out there, especially with the limited usage it would get.

The bump pictured is there for a reason - drainage. The same dip / edge goes all the way around the cul-de-sac I live on and I suspect if I tore it up I'd have an even bigger problem with the homeowner's association.

I'm still thinking it might be smart to have something rubberized or ribs or something on the back of the board for additional support and to keep it in place. I might trace out a couple pieces of wood and attach with L brackets, then plasti-dip em for traction.


Quick Reply: Driveway survival for the super-low - any tricks?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:12 AM.