Foam Rubber

[Bren]

I managed to scrape the paint from the front near-side wheel arch while parking in my very narrow garage this evening and have decided that its time to finally do something about the problem. I am thinking of sticking some foam rubber to the wall in question but have no idea where I can get some. I need a piece about 6 foot long by 3/4 foot wide and about 2 inches thick. Any ideas where I can get such an item and also how can I stick it to the bricks of the garage wall? Or is there a better idea?

TIA

Bren

[Chris Oates]

foam rubber = expensive old conveyor belt = cheap & resiliant (yellow pages)

[James Hart]

Carpet (with optional underlay to give a bit more padding) possibly free. Another option might be to put strips along the floor to guide the wheels, that way you can be sure you won't get any closer to the wall than you want.

[Andy Dingley]

Big steel bars at tyre level. Cheap electrical conduit is adequate, and comes with fastenings.

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

[PoP]

The carpet protection idea suggested by someone else is good.

Depending on how you approach the area which causes you a problem it might also be worth considering sticking a small mirror on the end wall, so that as you drive into the garage you can see how close the gap is getting.

PoP

[nightjar]

I have used a plank of softish wood, with deeply recessed screws. A much more expensive solution is purpose-made rubber fender material, from industrial suppliers, like Key Industrial Equipment.

My latest car has overcome the problem by having an ultrasonic range indicator front and rear (and to the sides at both ends). However, before that, I hung a radio-linked CCTV camera on the wall, at bumper height, and used a small monitor, which I could bring into the car while I parked, to watch how far away I was from the wall.

Colin Bignell

[Terry D]

After you've negotiated your cars into your respective garages, how do you open the door to get out? or do you have to climb out through the hatchback. :-) Actually the width of a standard single garage is silly - surely an extra couple of feet wouldn't cost must more at the time of building. I've never being able to put my car in the garage in 20 years.

Terry D.

[Simon]

Ooooowww Carpet burns ..... ;-)

[Simon]

Despite what some have said, foam isn't expensive (if you buy it from the right place) ...... a closed cell foam would probably be best. Try here;

look for plastazote ..... if the wall surface is ok .. then just use contact adhesive to stick it to some board and screw the board to the wall, that way you can take it off again, incase you ever need to, and won't leave a mess. or go here; see if you can find a supplier closer to you.

[CRB]

I found that an appropriately positioned non-distorting mirror enabled me easily to manoeuvre within one inch of the wall.

CRB

[Ziggur]

I am using foam insulation tube (for 22mm water pipes) vertically tacked to battens on the wall.

Bound them with white tape stripes for better visibility in the gloom.

[nightjar]

That's why it is always the nearside that gets hit. Not only is it the more difficult to judge, but you also need to get it as close to the wall as possible, to leave room to get out.

Colin Bignell

[The Natural Philosopher]

In my case there are pillars that are narrower than the walls.

As long as the wing mirros clear these, there is room to slie out.

Damage occurs to door edgins, but a sheet of fiber board propped against the wall...