Lifting the car up a little?
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From: Jane Galt on 2 Apr 2010 00:43 One of us is handicapped and I'm just getting old. There are times when I pull up next to a curb in downtown Denver and the Corolla ( either the 93 or 2002 which are both about the same height off the ground, I think ) winds up with the bottom of the door frame only a few inches ( it seems ) above the sidewalk that I'm stepping out onto ( or coming back in from ). That means I practically gotta bend my knees up like one of them cossack dancers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmskmfM5hx8 But I digress... What do they call those things that can lift the car a few inches higher off the ground ( lifters? ), and do they cost a lot? I'm imagining the shocks & springs stay the same and they just extend the height of everything? -- Jane Galt "There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." -- Ayn Rand
From: Ray O on 2 Apr 2010 14:41 "Jane Galt" <Jane_G(a)gulch.xyz> wrote in message news:Xns9D4DE732C722JaneGgulchxyz(a)216.196.97.142... > One of us is handicapped and I'm just getting old. > > There are times when I pull up next to a curb in downtown Denver and the > Corolla ( either the 93 or 2002 which are both about the same height off > the ground, I think ) winds up with the bottom of the door frame only a > few > inches ( it seems ) above the sidewalk that I'm stepping out onto ( or > coming back in from ). That means I practically gotta bend my knees up > like > one of them cossack dancers. > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmskmfM5hx8 > > But I digress... > > What do they call those things that can lift the car a few inches higher > off the ground ( lifters? ), and do they cost a lot? > > I'm imagining the shocks & springs stay the same and they just extend the > height of everything? > > > > -- > Jane Galt > An auto body can be lifted several different ways, but they all have a negative effect on driveline wear, handling, ride comfort, fuel economy, and/or appearance. Usually, the effect is on all of the above. A vehicle that is laden with passengers and/or payload will ride lower, so stiffer springs may help but at the cost of ride comfort. Raising the body can put extra wear on CV joints, sway bar bushings, stretch brake lines and ABS wiring. Bottom line, raising the body is possible, but expect to pay several thousand dollars to do it right. If you are often stepping on to curbs in an urban environment, a vehicle that sits a little higher like a Rav4 or Highlander can offer easier egress an ingress, as can a vehicle with a height adjustable suspension like some Lexus LS and Audi Allroad vehicles. The nice feature of the Lexus and Audi systems is that they automatically lower at higher speeds and raise back up at low speeds so there is no effect on aerodynamics. -- Ray O (correct punctuation to reply)
From: Jeff Strickland on 2 Apr 2010 20:27 "Jane Galt" <Jane_G(a)gulch.xyz> wrote in message news:Xns9D4DE732C722JaneGgulchxyz(a)216.196.97.142... > One of us is handicapped and I'm just getting old. > > There are times when I pull up next to a curb in downtown Denver and the > Corolla ( either the 93 or 2002 which are both about the same height off > the ground, I think ) winds up with the bottom of the door frame only a > few > inches ( it seems ) above the sidewalk that I'm stepping out onto ( or > coming back in from ). That means I practically gotta bend my knees up > like > one of them cossack dancers. > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmskmfM5hx8 > > But I digress... > > What do they call those things that can lift the car a few inches higher > off the ground ( lifters? ), and do they cost a lot? > > I'm imagining the shocks & springs stay the same and they just extend the > height of everything? > It's far easier and cheaper just to park a few inches further from the curb. At you age, they should give you a little slack ... Indeed, they should give you a reward for not grinding the curb down. You're allowed to be off the curb 18 inches, surely you can muster up the courage to miss the curb by a foot so that you have room to get out of the car. I'm gonna go over here and mind my own business now that I've offended the geriatrics.
From: Jane Galt on 2 Apr 2010 22:21 "Ray O" <rokigawa(a)NOSPAMtristarassociates.com> wrote : > > "Jane Galt" <Jane_G(a)gulch.xyz> wrote in message > news:Xns9D4DE732C722JaneGgulchxyz(a)216.196.97.142... >> One of us is handicapped and I'm just getting old. >> >> There are times when I pull up next to a curb in downtown Denver and >> the Corolla ( either the 93 or 2002 which are both about the same >> height off the ground, I think ) winds up with the bottom of the door >> frame only a few >> inches ( it seems ) above the sidewalk that I'm stepping out onto ( or >> coming back in from ). That means I practically gotta bend my knees up >> like >> one of them cossack dancers. >> >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmskmfM5hx8 >> >> But I digress... >> >> What do they call those things that can lift the car a few inches >> higher off the ground ( lifters? ), and do they cost a lot? >> >> I'm imagining the shocks & springs stay the same and they just extend >> the height of everything? >> >> >> >> -- >> Jane Galt >> > > An auto body can be lifted several different ways, but they all have a > negative effect on driveline wear, handling, ride comfort, fuel economy, > and/or appearance. Usually, the effect is on all of the above. A > vehicle that is laden with passengers and/or payload will ride lower, so > stiffer springs may help but at the cost of ride comfort. Raising the > body can put extra wear on CV joints, sway bar bushings, stretch brake > lines and ABS wiring. Bottom line, raising the body is possible, but > expect to pay several thousand dollars to do it right. Ick. > If you are often stepping on to curbs in an urban environment, a vehicle > that sits a little higher like a Rav4 or Highlander can offer easier > egress an ingress, as can a vehicle with a height adjustable suspension > like some Lexus LS and Audi Allroad vehicles. The nice feature of the > Lexus and Audi systems is that they automatically lower at higher speeds > and raise back up at low speeds so there is no effect on aerodynamics. But at what cost? -- Jane Galt "There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." -- Ayn Rand
From: Jane Galt on 2 Apr 2010 22:26
"Jeff Strickland" <crwlrjeff(a)yahoo.com> wrote : > > It's far easier and cheaper just to park a few inches further from the > curb. LOL You havent been here after a nice snow, when there's 4" of dirty water next to the curb. > At you age, they should give you a little slack ... Indeed, they > should give you a reward for not grinding the curb down. You're allowed > to be off the curb 18 inches, surely you can muster up the courage to > miss the curb by a foot so that you have room to get out of the car. If I parked 18" away, the car would be in the lane of traffic, getting hit. There's about a 6" space at most, before that happens. > I'm gonna go over here and mind my own business now that I've offended > the geriatrics. Remember, I still had 7 years martial arts experience, started at age 50. ;-) -- Jane Galt "There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide." -- Ayn Rand |