T350 too low for my driveway?

[girlracer]

I pick up my T350 next week ( hi Andy!)... I also move into my new house on Monday, and will become the proud owner of an off-street parking space. It's not really a driveway, more like a patch of gravel, but it's big enough for a car and that's what matters. The road has a bit of a dip at the edges, and that leads to the dipped kerb, and then there is a bit of a rise up to my parking space. Reversing out is therefore bound to be a problem in terms of scraping the car's underside. Anyone got any suggestions on how to lessen the dip, or get past it without grounding the car?

[anita]

Hiya...yes same issue with tamora....you can't go up the drive forwards so have to reverse up very slowly....seems to work....assume it will for yours if it has the same clearance??

[girlracer]

anita said:

Hiya...yes same issue with tamora....you can't go up the drive forwards so have to reverse up very slowly....seems to work....assume it will for yours if it has the same clearance??

thanks Anita! I think the clearance is about the same. I'll give reversing a try. Does it grind on the way out though (driving forwards)?

[Alf Essex]

girlracer said:

anita said: Hiya...yes same issue with tamora....you can't go up the drive forwards so have to reverse up very slowly....seems to work....assume it will for yours if it has the same clearance?? thanks Anita! I think the clearance is about the same. I'll give reversing a try. Does it grind on the way out though (driving forwards)?

If you go in/reverse out at an angle 45deg this lessens the grounding. Works on my Tuscan S anyway...

Alan.

[anita]

girlracer said:

anita said: Hiya...yes same issue with tamora....you can't go up the drive forwards so have to reverse up very slowly....seems to work....assume it will for yours if it has the same clearance?? thanks Anita! I think the clearance is about the same. I'll give reversing a try. Does it grind on the way out though (driving forwards)?

No as you're basically doing the same....by reversing it in, you avoid the front catching and same in reverse...

Bit of a wuss I know but for 1st time, got bf to check I was ok (only got it on Sat and very protective!!)

It is a bit of an arse (and the neighbour has problems with his S2000) so we are looking at other solutions...piece of wood to decrease the angle or re-tarmacing...but you need to be careful re what you own vs. what council owns...you can't go digging up the council property but maybe we could sue the buggers for it?!!

[GI Jnr]

Alf Essex said:

If you go in/reverse out at an angle 45deg this lessens the grounding. Works on my Tuscan S anyway... Alan.

This is what I do Sally. Approach the corner at a really shallow angle, get one wheel on the driveway to raise the nose and then lock it to get it on your driveway. Viola!

The hard part is doing it again in reverse...

Tuan

[anita]

GI Jnr said:

Alf Essex said: If you go in/reverse out at an angle 45deg this lessens the grounding. Works on my Tuscan S anyway... Alan. This is what I do Sally. Approach the corner at a really shallow angle, get one wheel on the driveway to raise the nose and then lock it to get it on your driveway. Viola! The hard part is doing it again in reverse... Tuan

Mmmm...worth a go too....!

[maddog[uk]]

Ok I face the same dilemma. 1959 garage condemned as it has asbestos so we need to pull it down. Now the planning permission for the new one is dragging on and the car is on order so I am loosing sleep. We also live on a steeply cambered road and all the angles are very odd with the pavement out of whack and the garage also down a steep slope.

So I contacted TVR and they have been helping me out! The have very kindly supplied me with an arrival and departure angle drawing of a Tamora fully loaded with 2 people and empty. If anyone wants a copy email me offline as they say I can freely distribute it. May be you can persuade them to do do the same for a t350 its just they don’t have much time for this kind of request so I had to be patient for 1 week but I am so pleased and extremely grateful.

The other thing is that TVR said this is very normal. Two blocks of wood normally do the trick to get over anything!

Regards

Simon


>> Edited by maddog[uk] on Wednesday 3rd March 22:52

[girlracer]

GI Jnr said:

This is what I do Sally. Approach the corner at a really shallow angle, get one wheel on the driveway to raise the nose and then lock it to get it on your driveway. Viola! The hard part is doing it again in reverse... Tuan

Thanks Tuan... I think! You will have to come over and show me how it's done.

My problem is that the car goes down into a dip (from the road to the kerb dip) before it has to go back up (to the parking space). Me thinks a piece of wood is in order.

[aaandy]

The block of wood sound a good temporary fix, have seen this used a few times before.

You'll have to bring it down to the Ace Cafe after you have picked it up, was only one T350 last time so would be good to see a few more. There is a meet this Friday but that sounds like it will be a bit too soon for you. But still come down, usually a very good turn out.

Andy.

[girlracer]

aaandy said:

There is a meet this Friday but that sounds like it will be a bit too soon for you. But still come down, usually a very good turn out. Andy.

Thanks, but I'm moving house on Monday - can do nothing except pack boxes this weekend! Next time though for sure!

>> Edited by girlracer on Wednesday 3rd March 23:16

[TSS]

I had a similar problem on my drive. There was no way a Tuscan would go on. The solution was to spend 12 weekends and 3 days off work taking up the old drive with a pneumatic drill, digging out 2 skip loads of earth and rubble (done by hand but still managed to puncture a gas pipe), re-laying a 4 inch thick concrete base and then re-paving it. Very hard work but it was definitely worth it - and it saves going to the gym!

[gaston]

Got many speed humps round where you live.....?

[jigs]

Best solution is to reverse in and drive out - it's how you're meant to join the highway according to the Highway Code.

I'm surprised how many owners of expensive TVRs don't have garages for them - do your insurance companies not complain or load your premiums?

[GI Jnr]

It's my highly effective speed bump technique, perfected on the mammoth ones around here.

girlracer said:

My problem is that the car goes down into a dip (from the road to the kerb dip)

Approach the kerb almost parallel to the pavement, and turn into the kerb at a narrow enough angle for the NS wheel to drop into the dip and then raise up onto the driveway.

girlracer said:

before it has to go back up (to the parking space).

When the NS wheel is on the upwards curve, lock it and turn in.

girlracer said:

Me thinks a piece of wood is in order.

I would get some wood as well though, just in case I'm talking complete b*ll*cks!

Tuan

[maddog[uk]]

I made a little template that simulates a Tamora and I have discovered the camber on our road is indeed to steep too get up without serious grinding! So anyone get any suggestions. I was thinking a very simple 30cm wide 3cm high plank might do the trick to just get it over the first 30cms. Either that or fabricate something. I may be able to persuade the council to allow our vehicle crossing to be at the same angle of the camber which means I can get over it but I am not holding any hope!

>> Edited by maddog[uk] on Saturday 6th March 17:48