Need an alternative for driving up a sidewalk without a ramp

[cantdrv55]

I'm having a flat concrete pad poured off the side of my house to be used as storage of a tent trailer and, occasionally, as a workspace for car projects. I am not, however, getting a sidewalk ramp built. There is an existing sidewalk but to get it cutoff, excavated and re-poured with a ramp will cost me almost as much as the damn parking space. So now I am looking for a way to get up on that parking space besides just driving over the sidewalk.

I have seen makeshift 2X4 ramps and even some steel ramps but none are pretty. Can you suggest an elegant solution besides stop being a cheapskate and just have a concrete ramp built?

[pwd72s]

I've seen lightweight aluminum ramps at stores that cater to pickup owners...just use as needed, easily stored in garage when done.

[JavaBrewer]

Are you looking for something to leave out (good looking)? Anything to cut the curb height in half would work pretty well I'd imagine. A couple paver stones from HD that you can place when needed? In our hood the curbs are rolled so there is no cut for the driveways. Makes it tough for a sports car. The dude down the street has these black rubber mats (possibly the type you see in a gym) that he cut into strips to ease the chin entry on his Dodge Viper .

[cantdrv55]

Yes, it'll be something that I will leave in place. I'll look into paver stones but I think I'll take a drive out to pep Boys and ck out the car ramps.

[slodave]

Curbs don't seem to stop anyone here in Italy. Saw numerous cars today, half on the drub, half off. Both front wheels or just one side. Hey, I'm just saying....

[svandamme]

hmm, i park on the curb any time i feel like it with my 944S
at grandma's place the curb is over 15cm high

just creep up to it at an angle, steering wheel to the right, and turn over as soon as the right wheel is up on the curb... the rear just follows

i don't have really low profile tires, or F1 ride height... just standard 944S ...
i've never really been in to lowering my cars, it's just to much hassle with speed bumps, curbs and going airborne on country roads...

[futuresoptions]

I don't know if this will help you or not, but what I did at my house when I built my storage shed for my tools/ riding mower was to buy several bags of black top patch (Which is cold process asphalt.) and pour them out, shape and then pack the material to where it gave me a ramp to get my riding mower up onto the slab. This is very hearty material, and would look very nice as long as you level the product and shape it nicely be fore you start packing it in.

[stomachmonkey]

Check local zoning before you break the curb.

You might need a permit/variance for it.

Around here it would also get you a property tax increase.

[cantdrv55]

Thanks guys. I think whatever I do will have to be a temporary solution so the black patch asphalt is out. And, breaking the curb will require a permit and a property tax reassessment, I was told. Looks like paver stones or aluminum ramp it'll have to be.

[Z-man]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

Thanks guys. I think whatever I do will have to be a temporary solution so the black patch asphalt is out. And, breaking the curb will require a permit and a property tax reassessment, I was told. Looks like paver stones or aluminum ramp it'll have to be.

When I had to get my car up over a curb when they were re-paving my driveway, I used some round paver stones (about 1 foot in diameter). I just set them up like stairs -- two on top of each other right beside the curb, and 1 single layer infront of it. (Of course a pair of these -- one "stairway" for each side of the car) Had no problems getting my Suburu up and over the "standard" height curbing.

-Z-man.

[snowman]

Just pay the fking price for the ramps. For gods sake you do own a Porsche, or do you?

[cantdrv55]

Yes, I own a Porsche.

[fintstone]

[cantdrv55]

Thanks fint!

[john70t]

There might be ways around the zoning/reassessment as well.
Unmovable property, such as a poured concrete pad, might be considered a "permanent addition", while a cluster of 18in pavers would be "landscaping".

Depends on your situation, of course, and what the final result should be.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by cantdrv55

Thanks fint!

It is easy to make and easy to remove. It will work like a charm. If you have a really high curb, and need more height, put a 2" by 8" by 8' on the bottom. Your car will go over the 2 inch steps (increments) smoothly, just like it is a ramp.

[snowman]

After the electric car program in California was killed, and the EV1s were crushed, GM sold the NIMH patents to Chevron/Texaco, who formed the company "Cobasys". Cobasys sued Panasonic and Toyota (the only other carmaker using NIMHs in an electric car, the RAV 4 EV), and stopped the manufacture of EV sized NIMH batteries.

And its a damn good thing. The NIMH batteries would have produced horrible pollution, impossible to re mediate.

[rammstein]

What if some rambunctious teenagers were to smash out a section of curb one night? Damn meddling teenagers..

[snowman]

Sounds good to me. Go for it.