Side pipe ground clearance

RockBit · #1 (**permalink**) 07-20-2016, 08:09 PM

I am building a garage for my soon to be delivered ERA 427, and also am having my driveway replaced. The new driveway will slope up slightly at the entrance to the garage. I have looked but cannot find the ground clearance of the side pipes halfway between the front and rear wheels. With this clearance I can make sure the transition from driveway into garage is not too abrupt.

Thanks for your help.

kevins2 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-20-2016, 09:39 PM

Hi Chris,

The chassis is lower than the sidepipes. At the center point, my chassis has 5 3/8" clearance.

Kevin

patrickt · #3 (**permalink**) 07-21-2016, 06:15 AM

Chris, if the front of your garage is like a "speed bump," so that you can have your front wheels and rear wheels on the horizontal plane of the driveway, on both sides of the bump, then the real danger you face is the distance from the ground to the bottom of the oil scoop shroud and the distance on your driveway as measured from the oil scoop to the middle of your front wheels, and how wide and tall that speed bump is. If you have a problem, that's where it's going to be if you come "straight in" to your garage.

RockBit · #4 (**permalink**) 07-21-2016, 06:27 AM

Thanks Kevin. I wasn't aware that the side pipes are higher than the chassis. I should be ok as I have calculated the driveway slope assuming there is only four inches of clearance at the midpoint of the car.

Patrick - I don't have the speed bump condition, so I will not have any oil cooler clearance issue when pulling into the garage. Thanks for the thought, though.

You guys have made my day. I think the forms will be set today for the driveway, and I now am confident in the plan.

kevins2 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-21-2016, 07:13 AM

Chris,

You're very welcome. It's hard to take measurements without the car! Other low points are the oil pan and bellhousing, but those are close to 5" and well forward of the center point, so not an issue for you.

Kevin

patrickt · #6 (**permalink**) 07-21-2016, 09:07 AM

And remember, it is not so much the slope of the ground that you have to be concerned about but rather the transition from one slope to another that occurs within the few feet confines of your low point and the wheels. Just think about it, if you have all four wheels on the inclined ramp, it doesn't matter whether that ramp is pointed 65 degrees up in the air.

RockBit · #7 (**permalink**) 07-21-2016, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

And remember, it is not so much the slope of the ground that you have to be concerned about but rather the transition from one slope to another that occurs within the few feet confines of your low point and the wheels. Just think about it, if you have all four wheels on the inclined ramp, it doesn't matter whether that ramp is pointed 65 degrees up in the air.

That's right. I was concerned with the car halfway into the garage. There is an angle change between the driveway and the garage floor. I wanted to make sure that angle change was small enough so nothing would hit at the edge of the garage floor.

The forms are set now and it turns out the angle change is much less severe than I thought it would be, and there will be plenty of clearance under the car.