| Author | Message | ||
     Jamie (Rover_puppy) New Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 21 Registered: 05-2003 |
I have been putting off installation of my safety devices adventure rack because once it is installed, I will not be able to get my rover into my garage. I will have the rack installed this week and will only use it a few times a year (to carry very lightweight items), and would prefer NOT to keep it on my rover. From what I understand, once it is installed, it can be unbolted and taken off? Since lift, 16" wheels, and mud tires, I just barely clear my 84" garage door opening (as long as I remember to close the sunroofs). This leaves zero room for getting roof rack into garage. I have been wondering if the following idea might work?? (please don't laugh too hard at my idea). I was thinking that perhaps some kind of pully system could be rigged on garage ceiling to hold rack when not on rover - like people use for hard tops? Then I could lower (or raise) roof rack to and from the top of rover. If this could be rigged up, I am thinking that I would be able to put it on and off all by myself? I am wondering if letting air out of tires would give me enough clearance to get rover in and out of garage (with roof rack ON) by letting air out of tires? I just went out and measured my wheels and tires, they measure 31" with air in the tires. Is this a totally ridiculous idea, or could this work?? Thanks, Jamie | ||
| Blue (Blue) Senior Member Username: Blue Post Number: 60 Registered: 04-2003 |
pulley system sounds great, but of course you won't be able to drive out of your garage once the lid is on. Measure your sidewall height and see if airing down will drop you enough inches to clear the header. You have to leave a little pressure in your tires though - if you roll with your rims straight on the rubber, you may ruin the tires. Do you have any large neighbors? Pile em in and you'll drop a couple inches on the suspension too. Or just bang the header out, raise it up a foot, and get a new garage door. -Blue, facing the same issue, shopping for a new house, first thing I ask the realtors is "How high is the garage door?" They think I'm nuts. | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 326 Registered: 03-2002 |
after pulling as many trim pieces as possible off my garage facia, i was able to get 86" of clearance. i don't know what your door looks like, but you might see, as blue suggests, what can be done to the garage. i have the lrna adventure rack, 3" ome, and 265/75's and with a little angle grinding on the rack and prybaring to the garage, rover has a happy home inside. | ||
| Reed Cotton (Reedcotton) Member Username: Reedcotton Post Number: 185 Registered: 01-2003 |
Building a car port might also be an option, and in some cases cheaper than making the garage door higher. Of course because of all the junk, Motorcycles, wood stove, assorted heavy things, that are "stored" in the car port I can't get to the garage in my Morgan, let alone the Disco. My garage is pretty low as it is, I think I would have to air-down without the rack. Further on Blues idea, if you have a Tall large neighbor, you might enlist his help seasonally in putting the rack in its place. -Reed | ||
| Greg French (Gregfrench) Senior Member Username: Gregfrench Post Number: 475 Registered: 11-2002 |
Am I the only one picturing the Pea Green Family Truckster from "Vacation" backing out of the garage? | ||
| Blue (Blue) Senior Member Username: Blue Post Number: 63 Registered: 04-2003 |
nope | ||
| Reed Cotton (Reedcotton) Member Username: Reedcotton Post Number: 188 Registered: 01-2003 |
Certainly one way to get rid of all that unneccessary camping gear. | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 327 Registered: 03-2002 |
i worked in collage as a mechanic for a bicycle shop. you would not believe how many people drive into their garages with a bike on the roof. actually, the drive partially into the garage with a bike on the roof. one guy drove his fiero in like that. instead of it taking the bike off the rack, or the rack off the roof, it took the roof off the car. when it was all said and done, he had a new convertable and in his drive was a bike on a rack on a roof. he started using a different bike shop soon after telling us that story. it is hard to look at a man the same way when you are on the floor laughing. | ||
| Jim Reynolds (4x4xfar) Member Username: 4x4xfar Post Number: 44 Registered: 05-2003 |
I hate to confess but I ripped the dry cleaner awning off the building. It only took one time, now with the adventure and a high truck I am extra careful. Jamie the rack will scare the rain gutters so take that into your formula also. -Jim | ||
| Kennith P. Whichard III (Kennith) Senior Member Username: Kennith Post Number: 360 Registered: 05-2002 |
Hmmm... Perhaps a fold out awning support mounted above the garage. Fold it out, drive up to it and mount the roof rack to that. Then just fold it up on to the roof. OK, stupid idea, I know, who wants a roof rack on their roof, but maybe it might spark someone's imagination. Cheers, Kennith | ||
| Jason McCombs (Jasonmc) Member Username: Jasonmc Post Number: 64 Registered: 06-2003 |
what of you bought one of those car port tent structures and then rigged up attachment points that you could hang the roof rack off of it. then you could drive the truck under the structure and attach or unattach it. also has anyone ever considered a "quick release" rack attachement? I am thinking maybe you could take the gutter mounts and have them modified so that they would be removed from the rack arms and then fitted with an attachment point or some way of sleaving the rack to the gutter mounts and then through bolting the two. this way the gutter mounts would stay on the truck full time, that way you don't have to mount and unmount them each time and screw up your gutter rails. this is just an idea. maybe im crazy. if you don't get what im saying email me. | ||
| Andrew Clarke (Aclarke) Senior Member Username: Aclarke Post Number: 351 Registered: 10-2002 |
Are you saying you're actually considering airing down and up your tires EVERY time you park your truck?!? It must not be your daily driver ... it seems much easier to put on a roof rack 3x per year than adjust the tires regularly! I had a similar situation with my friend's garage. I had a fully loaded truck from a cross-country trek and drove into his garage and unpacked. The next morning I couldn't get out of the garage without airing down the tires and putting 3 other people and a trunk full of stuff into the vehicle. | ||
| Aaron Richardet (Draaronr) Member Username: Draaronr Post Number: 194 Registered: 09-2002 |
Park outside. Its a rover not a ferrari. The weather wont hurt it anymore than the trails. There solved your problem, now put it one once and leave it. | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) New Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 22 Registered: 05-2003 |
I am laughing so hard I can barely type. Who or what is the pea green family truckster? Andrew, to answer your question - no this would not be everyday. My idea is to leave the roof rack high up on the ceiling with pully mount. I would only air down tires to attach or detach roof rack. Glad at least that I am not the only one thinking of garage vs roof racks. My neighborhood has some pretty strict truck and recreational vehicle rules. However, I don't know that anyone has ever put those rules to the test. For sure, carports or tent structures would never fly in my neighborhood. Thanks for the input and the giggles, someone please tell me about pea green family. Michael, that bicycle story was priceless. I was laughing so hard I had to stop twice so I could finish reading it. Thanks! Jamie | ||
| Rick Neff (Lostinboston) New Member Username: Lostinboston Post Number: 5 Registered: 06-2003 |
Its not hard to install/uninstall. I remove it every fall and put it back on every spring. all i need is someone to help me drop it on top of my car which takes about 1 minute. The pully idea is good for storing it though. I also heard of someone who lowered their roof rack, but then their isnt enough clearance for the sunroof. | ||
| Greg Hirst (Gregh) Senior Member Username: Gregh Post Number: 253 Registered: 10-2002 |
I've been wondering the same thing about a roof rack and fitting in my garage. I decided I'd buy a car cover from AB(granted it won't fit right with rack) and park next to the garage on an RV slab that is behind a gate. At least the cover will keep the sun/rain damage down and Heinz Guderian (the doberman) will keep the bad people away.  | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 331 Registered: 03-2002 |
sure jamie...cracks me up to this very day too... the family truckster was the station wagon clark w. griswald purchsed to "take the whole tribe across country" in the movie by national lampoon, "vacation." don't admit you have never seen it, but if you have not...check it out. a classic. also i am sure lincoln got their inspiration for the "navigator" from the "truckster." compaire tail lights...almost EXACTLY the same. detroit really sucks ass somedays. good luck, mike | ||
| Greg (Gparrish) Senior Member Username: Gparrish Post Number: 1276 Registered: 04-2002 |
Hey Jamie. I'm assuming that the ceiling of the garage is over 84" tall, if the doorway is that high and you think the roof can suspend over the truck. That being said, and with the unfounded assumption that you own this garage, why not spend a few bucks and have the height of the garage door raised? | ||
| Andrew Maier (Newman) Member Username: Newman Post Number: 50 Registered: 04-2003 |
FYI, "Vacation" is on today. | ||
| DARRELL (Puppywhopper) New Member Username: Puppywhopper Post Number: 32 Registered: 06-2003 |
i cant believe yall have garages..covered and stuff like that...wish i could pamper my stuff and not have to drive ruff roads everyday..er make my own...consider yerself lucky | ||
| Roger Sinasohn (Uncle_roger) New Member Username: Uncle_roger Post Number: 6 Registered: 06-2003 |
A couple of links for you from the Lofty Shelters (http://www.loftyshelters.com/) website (click on tents, then on "useful links" on the left side): Harken Hoister <http://www.hoister.com> Top/Cap EZ Lift <http://www.topcaplift.com> As for the neighborhood rules, from what I've heard, those don't get enforced until someone gets pissed off and complains. Be good to your neighbors. | ||
| Reed Cotton (Reedcotton) Member Username: Reedcotton Post Number: 202 Registered: 01-2003 |
Roger- Some neighbors are born pissed off, and have the local authorities number on their speed dial. You can try appeasment, (usually a bad idea), or makine sure that all the ways you can piss them off are done legally (could be fun). Haven't seen you since the 2nd Urban Safari. Let's have another one. -Reed | ||
| Ron Johnson (Chauner) New Member Username: Chauner Post Number: 26 Registered: 05-2003 |
You would be surprised how many people try to back out of their garages forgetting to open the garage doors. | ||
| Byron Ames (Only1earth) New Member Username: Only1earth Post Number: 1 Registered: 07-2003 |
I have been facing the same dilema with my roof rack. Because my D1 suspension has started to sag a little, I now clear my garage door (with rack on) by less than 1/4 inch. I need to replace the suspension, but then the vehicle won't fit... Anyway, I've done ceiling pulley systems before and they're great if well planned out. As for the garage door, I am working on a strategy to confront my Homeowners Association's strict rules so I can raise my garage door and header up 1 foot [I'm a lawyer, so the fight with the HOA is fun ] Good luck. You can probably overcome any concerns of your neighbors if you decide to go the "enlarge the garage door" route. | ||
| Eric Thatcher (Desertdork) New Member Username: Desertdork Post Number: 9 Registered: 02-2003 |
The rack is alot of work to get on. By the time you get some lights wired etc. | ||
| Jamie (Rover_puppy) New Member Username: Rover_puppy Post Number: 24 Registered: 05-2003 |
I finally put my safety devices adventure rack on. The best part is I did it BY MYSELF!! Well, almost by myself. I had to make two phone calls to my disco expert at discocrazy.org before I even got started. Since I had my rack shipped to the dealership, 2 of the guys helped me get it up there. My tech let me borrow his tools, and had to help me get help getting the last screw in before I tightened all the other screws down. It sure felt good not having to pay to have something put on! (but, I don't think I'll start messing with any mechanical stuff yet). I ordered my rack from Rover Connection, and they told me it would take 10 minutes to install. I figured that meant about 3 hours for me, and finished it in just over 2 hours!! HAPPY about that!! I have disconnected my garage door opener so that I will not drive into my house with rack on - trust me, I WOULD definitely do that! I suppose that now I will find out if anyone objects to my rover living in the driveway? Actually, it is the gazzillion stickers that I have applied that may bring the complaints? There is NO WAY that I will remove any of my stickers. I found that applying stickers is the perfect cure for rover frustrations. UPS delivered my safari snorkel today, so I've just got to find some elephant stickers to plaster on my rover! Thanks for input on my idea and especially for not laughing at it! Jamie | ||
| Blue (Blue) Senior Member Username: Blue Post Number: 66 Registered: 04-2003 |
For those of you with LR Adventure racks, what's your minimum clearance requirement? I'm curious to see what the difference in overall Disco height is with normal Adventure rack vs. the low profile XD rack. I have OME HD springs & OME shocks with new 245/75/16's, and my the overall height from ground to top of driver's side rear of rack is 7'1" or 85" | ||
| Reed Cotton (Reedcotton) Member Username: Reedcotton Post Number: 215 Registered: 01-2003 |
Blue- My '96 with original suspension (HD springs on front for winch) and P235/70R16 104S M+S tires (Michilen but not the Land Rover ones), stands 7-feet even with the Adventure rack on it. Thats with about 100 pounds of tools and recovery gear in back, and a 12l water jug (been running hot lately). About 6" taller with the sand ladders on the rack. -Reed -Reed | ||
| Roger Sinasohn (Uncle_roger) New Member Username: Uncle_roger Post Number: 7 Registered: 06-2003 |
Reed -- Good to hear from you as well! Actually, Daniel and I talked briefly about another Urban Adventure (<http://www.sinasohn.com/urbadv/> for those who haven't heard of it) -- I think it will probably be a go for 2004. | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 343 Registered: 03-2002 |
83.5 inches... '01 ace DII with 3" ome hd kit from ee, 265/75 truxxus, lrna adventure rack, BUT...i trimmed off the upper level on the rack. meaning that my rack is only floor level. i regained 4" by lopping off that upper bit. i did retain it, however and drilled the posts to accept studs so i can bolt it back on if i feel i need the tie down points again. btw, congrats jamie! |
