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This solved my wife's parking-by-brail, but it takes a bit of engineering to set up. The unit senses motion, so the laser will fire just by walking around the garage under normal 120 Vac power. I used a "Y" on the garage door opener light bulb socket ... thus, the laser is powered only when the door is opened/closed and the lamp timer on the garage door opener is energized. Put a screw in socket for laser power in one side & light bulb in the other.
The mounting must be fit by trial and error. Try to get the laser to come on and track up the hood to a convenient point. In my case it was the windshield washer nozzle. A 'training period' follows to have wife learn to track the laser light as she pulls in, adjusting as necessary to hit the aimpoint, then stop. Good luck with that part.
I bought a couple of these right after our house was built. We have Chamberlain door openers so they just connect to their opener motor (no additional wiring).
Park cars where you want them, adjust the lasers to the middle of the dash (or someplace else) and watch for position when driving into the garage. My better half has always had difficulty parking a car in the garage for some reason – now there’s no excuse.
I had those whiz bang lasers in my garage but every time I walked around they fired off and I thought the SWAT team was targeting me...in the trash they went...
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink
I had those whiz bang lasers in my garage but every time I walked around they fired off and I thought the SWAT team was targeting me...in the trash they went...
MOST of us don't have to worry about the SWAT team coming after us Frankie - maybe you're an exception?
I had those whiz bang lasers in my garage but every time I walked around they fired off and I thought the SWAT team was targeting me...in the trash they went...
The lasers work, and can be easily understood by non techy types of the other gender IF you pick and set a convenient aiming point on the car - crease line on the hood, etc. Hopefully this is needed just for driving in forwards, forget backing in...........
For a low tech solution a tennis ball hanging down along side the car - like set to just rub along side the driver's window - works too.
Hopefully backing out in a straight line is not a problem.............
Last edited by tuxnharley; 09-01-2015 at 02:33 PM.
I have laser sites on all my weaponry so when those red beams hit me in the garage I have the brief thought that the 'ole lady got into the gun safe and has finally had enough of my BS
But I do understand the OP's problem...after I put the 4 post lift in driving the '61 backwards on to the lift for storage without a right hand mirror was spooky. Then, when I got the '63, between the split window, coupe blind spot and also no right hand mirror it got downright terrifying. I finally figured out some 'landmarks' for doing the deed with both cars that gets me within inches of where I want to be. I have to back in with hood forward on the lift so the garage door doesn't whack a convertible too or the coup's rear when I raise it..its that close.
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Frankie, that sounds like perfect justification for a larger garage. Or would that cause the better half to get out those laser sights?
Our 2-car garage has "stuff" in one half and my '66 Chevy truck project in the other so no "in use" vehicles go in there anyway. And our other place we bought from our son, but he asked if he could keep his 300ZX in the garage there while he and his wife lived in NYC for a year or two. I said yes. They are starting year 4!
Stereotypes abound - the reality is that I don't know how well my wife can pull in and out of the garage, because for 20 years of marriage, she never saw a running vehicle in the garage. The restored "66 L79 has been in there since Nov of 2014.
To maximize the drivers' door opening space for both cars, one will be backed in (Vette) and one will come in frontwards (Mustang) with both cars hugging the door frame on the passenger side.
Given the severe astigmatism in my right eye (yields poor depth perception) I'm likely to be the one with the problem. The laser approach is interesting, especially since it would be a new toy for a while.
Since I promised the wife that her new Mustang would be in the garage before the snow flies, I'm on a mission to clean out and re-arrange MY STUFF.
The garage is tight so cars have to come in very close to the edge of the door, and the Vette will need to be backed in.
Has anyone seen, or used a guide system that can be bolted to the floor, sort of like a car wash guide rail, but kinder to tires?
Since the Vette needs to be backed in, think the least costly method would be to widen the door and opening now (if it can be)..........less costly than having to repair the damge to both the car and the door opening later on.........
Either that or always have someone you trust, guide you as you back in.
If you have room enough to open the driver's door on both cars once inside the garage then back the vette in so that the driver's door is next to the garage door jamb...that way you can use the LH mirror to start backing in and then just glance left to complete the maneuver; have wifey pull the Mustang in forward on the opposite side and she will be able to see exactly how close she is to the door jamb. Put some of those rubber bumper guard rails on the interior garage walls where the drivers' doors will open.
[QUOTE=After38Years;1590394403]Since I promised the wife that her new Mustang would be in the garage before the snow flies, I'm on a mission to clean out and re-arrange MY STUFF.
The garage is tight so cars have to come in very close to the edge of the door, and the Vette will need to be backed in.
Has anyone seen, or used a guide system that can be bolted to the floor, sort of like a car wash guide rail, but kinder to tires?[/QUOTE]
Hmmm - well, maybe we should go back to the OP's original question....
Yes, I have seen that done in a "do it yourself" method using long (12') parallel 2x4s laid on their side, and fastened to a slab floor with either masonry bolts or a Ramset. You locate it and space it to meet your specific needs, you can feel it when the tire wants to climb over it, and it won't damage the tire.
Sometimes simple easy things work well!
Last edited by tuxnharley; 09-01-2015 at 09:26 PM.
Reason: clarification
If you have room enough to open the driver's door on both cars once inside the garage.. .
That's my problem. It's a standard two car garage door, but the distance from the door frame to the inside walls is only 22 inches and there is shelving on the walls that I'd like to keep. Maybe when I was in my 20's I could maneuver that, but not so much now.
In cleaning out all the junk in my garage, I also noticed that most items are a lot heavier now than when I bought them decades ago..
I had that same issue in my townhouse in Wash DC...SUPPOSEDLY a two car garage - what a laugh -- maybe a Smart Car and golf cart count as two cars in the builder's book.
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Originally Posted by Frankie the Fink
I have laser sites on all my weaponry so when those red beams hit me in the garage I have the brief thought that the 'ole lady got into the gun safe and has finally had enough of my BS
But I do understand the OP's problem...after I put the 4 post lift in driving the '61 backwards on to the lift for storage without a right hand mirror was spooky. Then, when I got the '63, between the split window, coupe blind spot and also no right hand mirror it got downright terrifying. I finally figured out some 'landmarks' for doing the deed with both cars that gets me within inches of where I want to be. I have to back in with hood forward on the lift so the garage door doesn't whack a convertible too or the coup's rear when I raise it..its that close.
for me, figuring out some "landmarks" made the most sense. I've got to check three or four "landmarks" while backing in, w/only about an inch and a half "play". Its pretty hard to keep all three "landmarks" w/in tolerance, but, I've found if I go at a snail's pace, and never goose the gas going over the garage door threshold, and checking all sides twice before moving even another inch, I'm able to make it. This has worked for me for over 30 years.
Get a set of the low jack wheel jack, I pull my cars in then use these and you can push it where you want, release them pull the next car in. I bought the cheap ones off ebay, sent them back, bought the nice ones with the storage rack and very happy, The "I can go a little more got me lots of little marks on cars. I have a 44x28 garage 7 cars, zero turn, golf cart. they are pricey bit I wish i bought them a long time ago.
Who is having a problem getting the car in the garage? The wife with her new Mustang or you with your old Corvette? Crying out loud, which one of you should have your drivers license revoked, since one of you can't park a car? What did the both of you do 30-40 years ago, have your parents park your cars? Maybe you are 90 years old now and have lost all of your motor skills, then I apologize.
My wife (68) and myself (70) can park our respective cars, her 99 Mustang GT 5 spd and my 67 Corvette in our 2 car garage w/o hitting each other or giving any door dings without any outside aides. When winter arrives, our cars go into another location storage and we can still park our 2014 Malibu and 2015 Impala in the same garage w/o hitting each other or getting door dings.
Sad what this world has come to when we can't park our cars w/o some outside aid. Sounds like the solution would be to give up your drivers license to the DMV.
Rant off
Rick
P.S. We parked 17 cars in this 5 bay garage w/o incident.
09-01-2015, 11:55 AM
Parking Guides - Tight Garage
for me, figuring out some "landmarks" made the most sense. I've got to check three or four "landmarks" while backing in, w/only about an inch and a half "play". Its pretty hard to keep all three "landmarks" w/in tolerance, but, I've found if I go at a snail's pace, and never goose the gas going over the garage door threshold, and checking all sides twice before moving even another inch, I'm able to make it. This has worked for me for over 30 years.
