HyperX

I live in an area where the driveways have high curbs. No problem for my minivan or 4runner, but the C6 rubs. I bought some sand bags, that seems to work, but after 2-3 uses, the fiber bags break, and its just a big mess. I intend to cut the driveway in the spring - no one wants to do it now, they say the cold weather may screw up their water cooled machines.

Anyone know if there is someone selling ramps for this specific purpose? Its about a 4 inch high curb (just under 4 inches). Any help would be appreciated!!

xs650

What all drags?

You could build some wood ramps about 18 inches long.

Or use bricks.

Or pour concrete ramps on a piece of plywood so you wouldn't mess up the street.

etc.

HyperX

The two metal pieces that are attached to the frame (if you look under the c6 there are these two metal pieces suspended below the front fiber piece. Sorry that I can't explain it better. You know, pouring concrete may be the way to go. I guess I would need to make some forms out of wood or something. Hmm - I wonder if backing onto the curb is the better way to do it. I may have to give that a test.

sunsetZ51

i bet you could make it up if you angled it when comming up then cutting the wheel. My friend has a lamborghini gallardo and the thing is able to get into an incline driveway.

holdin5aces

We have these rolled gutter/curb combos in Tucson. Our former Firebird scraped its nose and so does the C6. When we pull in/out, we do so at an extreme angle so that one tire is on the driveway the other on the street before being completely out/in. Keeps the nose from scraping.

xs650

That's the first thing to try.

Next would be just laying a couple of pieces of 1xwhatever lumber near the curb. The 1.5 inch lift that gives might be enough.

ufso

Those black struts under the front is the frame for the radiator. You really don't want to damage them. You might try the fire station for sand bags and they may be the heavier burlap type instead of the thin nylon type.

Paul Eggermann

Those black struts are rub bars, not the radiator frame. I have seen small casters that you attach to the bars that will lift the front up when you go over the curb. You can probably find them on
Ecklers or West Coast Corvette.

Paul

ufso

You're mistaken. bangc6, 2 months ago, brought the black radiator frame to our monthly C-6 O.C. GTG and showed it to all of us. It is not a skid bar. Bang it hard enough and you'll really screw up your front end.

Jagcvette

A & A has what appears to be the best devise, they call it the frame savers. Heres their site, about 2/3 down.
https://www.aandacorvette.com/cart/s...sp?MainCatID=5

HyperX

Thanks! This seems like an excellent solution - but they list it for the c5 and they also drill in the frame. I wonder if there is a similar solution where the casters are attached without drilling? This is really a solution I have never thought about. This forum rocks!

vetteman22

why not just cut a couple of 2x4 and lay them down...will raise it maybe high enough to clear the curb.

HyperX

The wheels are too far back for the 2x4s to work. With the sandbags, I have to have them out 1.5 feet so I raise the front end before it comes to the curb. I would have to build a ramp for it to work. Thanks for the suggestion!!

Crush2

Works for me, anyway. My C6's airdam rubs if I come straight in, but if I angle (LF/RF/LR/RR, or just the opposite, depending which way I come home), then straighten up, no prob at all.

And same thing in backing out: cut wheel and angle before hitting the dip or incline.

Vet

When I appoach a raised curb or tall drivway entry, I've found that backing in reduces the amount of air dam rubbing, as opposed to pulling in forward. Of course you still need to be careful as you would not want to scrape anything in the rear.... but the rear does have more clearance that the front. You may want to try backing in, and also try backing in at an angle as well... these two tricks combined will probably give you the most natural clearance.

As for the 2X4s or 2X8s... if they need to be 1.5 out from the curb, then that's where you put them. You can leave them tight up against the curb normally, and then when you are about to pull in, you'll have to get out of your car and line them up like ramps.... then drive up on them and go up your driveway... then put them back flush with the curb so nobody trips or drives over them. This will be a pain in the butt, but might be necesssary until the concrete cutting guys can come.

Or... I've seen some people have asphalt built up in front of tall driveway curbs. Maybe you can get an asphalt guy to come and make a little "ramp" for you. Wouldn't be too expensive either I don't think. But maybe still too cold now for that. (?)

Or... instead of 2X8s, maybe you can get some decorative paving stones that are 1.5" thick or so... you can then just lay them down in the appropriate area in front of your driveway, 1.5 feet from the curb, and it will look sorta "ok"... you can "pave" the whole area needed with such stones so that each stone tends to hold the other in place so they won't move around too much. Sticking out 1.5 feet from the curb will probably not be a nuisance to passing traffic as nobody should be driving along that close to the curbing. Every now and then you'll just have to re-align the stones as they will move around a bit each time you drive over them. I'm just not sure if 1.5" thick paving stones exist, might be more like 2" thick.... go to a brickyard or even Home Depot and check it out. The stones may crack eventually, but it still may be a good temporary solution, will carry you through the winter until a concrete crew can come and make the necessary professional repair. Would look better than sand bags.

Best of luck!

Curtis A. Franz

The low front clearance and the wheels far back are the exact same reason I can't yet drain my oil. But that is another posting.

HyperX

I never even thought about backing in, because I assumed when I pull out again the front end is more angled - but now that I think about it, the front end would be lifted be the front tire a little more. This could be a simple and ultimate solution.

The casters seems reasonable too, as that could solve other issues, I just hate the idea of drilling in the frame.

This forum is really amazing for these suggestions. I must say that I tried the angled approach, and I was able to make it it a few times without rubbing, but its not perfect. Gonna try backing in.

Vet

By the way, if you do rub the air dam a little bit, that's ok. The air dam was made to be rubbed. I rub mine a tiny bit every time I go in and out of my driveway. So don't worry if you rub a little. It even says in the owners manual that this is normal. If your air dam eventually "wears out", it is easy to change.... but it is made to take a lot of "abuse".

Backing in helps reduce rubbing in most cases, but it ultimately depends on the shape of the curb / driveway. You'll have to experiment. Just do it slowly though... just in case. Or when in serious doubt, have someone spot you from outside the car as you slowly move over the curb just to make sure that you are not about to hurt anything.

One friend's driveway... if I drive in forward, the air dam scrapes a decent amount, but if I back in, it does not scrape at all. In fact, backing OUT of that drivway is the worst, as the air dam scrapes pretty badly in the OPPOSITE direction it was designed to scrape... this seems to do the most damage to the air dam (and makes the most noise). So I learned that lesson. Backing into the driveway though makes for a noise-free experience... zero scraping.

I've scraped my air dam quite a few times, the air dam still appears to be in perfect condition... so again, if you hear a little noise now and then, do not be alarmed. The air dam is soft ruber, designed and intended to be scraped.

Wilkey65

If you can, do it right. Remove and repour your driveway approach. You can lay bags or lumber in the gutter for a short time but no forever. You will be happy forever if you do it right.

orca1946