Bay Window Heights to fit in my garage

[piggy]

Hi Guys,
I am new here, having just joined but have been a VW fan for years. I am looking to get a camper over the next few months and am researching as much as I can. One of the main things I need to consider is whether I can get it into my garage which is restricted in height as you drive in by the up and over door. With the door open the height from the ground is 73 inches / 1.85m (in new money)...

According to some figures I have found a westfalia pop top would come in at 80 in and a standard tin top at 76.4 in.

Can anyone confirm whether these figures are correct? And also whether I would be able to lower a pop top enough to get it in the garage. IF anyone has any heights of their buses lowered I would be interested to know what height they are and what lowering set up you are running.

Thanks in advance,

James

James

 

[Grazy]

Welcome to the site James , if your van is slammed as per your buselecta picture it should go in a standard garage , my van is low and height is 72" at the middle with no roofrack , and 78" with roofrack Hope this helps mate

 

[piggy]

Thanks Grazy,
How much is your bus lowered? Is it a tin top.

Sorry for all the questions...

 

[Grazy]

No worries son if you dont ask you will never know , My van is lowered by about 8 - 9 inches all round and its a panel van with a roofrack , hence the 2 heights i gave you , Lots of guys on here with lowered vans of all types , dormobile , devon , and westfalia , sure some of them have garages .
arty0010:

 

[faux]

My bus is a Westy pop top, it sits about the same as Grazy's bus and we have gone down the same route (King and link pin + dropped spindles).

My bus is 1.88m give or take 1cm. I could go lower by changing the tyre profile or by notching the chassis by an inch to drop down further, but I like the way it sits.

Mine will fit in my garage but I had to change the up and over door.

Jon

 

[piggy]

Thanks Jon / Grazy,
It sounds like I'll be able to get a tin top in with ease then, but with a pop top I will probably need to lower it and then take some air out of the tyres to get it in the garage/or having some small garage storage wheels!!.

Out of interest Jon, how low is your westy running compared to standard ( I am guessing it is equivalent height to Grazy's Van?...and do you have smaller wheel/tyre radius..??

Cheers,

 

[faux]

Pretty similar drop to Grazy's, 8" ish.

I'm running 175/55/15's on the front and 185/65/15's on the rear, a fair bit smaller than stock on the front.

In my last garage I hinged the og door on the side and it was fine.

 

[piggy]

Thanks Jon,
Do you have any images of your bus so I can see how low it is?

Thanks again,

James

 

[AxlFoley]

One thing to remember also is that depending on how your door closes you may not be able to close it, I got my van in easily, but had to let the tyres down to shut the door and make sure the van was right at the back of the garage. i have since lowerd it so it fits in fine

 

[Guest]

My Devon is totally stock, tyres and height. At the moment (including the poptop) in the devon manual its height is measured at 6' 9" or 81 inches.

I had to lift my garage door 9" and fit new doors, i have drop spindles and a weedeater to fit yet 8)

 

[piggy]

Thanks for all the info guys.

It sounds like if I get a pop top it will have to be lowered then... and then maybe by letting some air out of the tyres I should be able to get it in!!

 

[lard]

Interesting read - my garage is 80'' and with any luck I'll be getting a stock westie to try and fit in it! - I'm thinking it might be a bit of a squeeze at the moment :shock:

 

[rockandrollcamper]

Something else to consider (I didnt) is the room needed to pull the door down. I have to have the van right up against the back wall and it still catches slightly - not a problem at the mo cos its getting fresh paint and waiting to be lowered but its something to consider.

Mine is a garador up which I reckon probably one of the worst up and over types becaus it doesnt swing out much If you get me? Great for if a car is parked up close on the drive because it doesnt interfere but it does when you have a 1.8m high brick in the garage.

Think a roller will be on the cards!

 

[piggy]

Luckily I think I am ok in terms of garage depth, as I will be able to get the van far enough back to close the door.

It's just the height that might be an issue! Nothing that can't be fixed though.

 

[faux]

Thanks Jon,
Do you have any images of your bus so I can see how low it is?

Thanks again,

James

Here's mine, go to the end of the thread to see it at the height it is now:

http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2589" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[piggy]

Thanks Jon,
Awesome bus by the way....

I would be very interested in having a chat sometime about your thoughts/experience on lowering your bus and what costs I would be expecting outlay to do the work....(I would be doing the work myself.)

Cheers,

James

 

[uber cool]

I'm not too far from you, so if you like your welcome to come round and have a look whats involved with lowering etc. Mines lowered on a red 9 kit by myself.

This is about a 4" drop total , inc running on lower profile tyres

 

[faux]

Thanks Jon,
Awesome bus by the way....

I would be very interested in having a chat sometime about your thoughts/experience on lowering your bus and what costs I would be expecting outlay to do the work....(I would be doing the work myself.)

Cheers,

James

Any time Fella

 

[rustydiver]

Have just sorted out my garage to get the van in.
Lowerd the van about 3 inches on the splines at the rear and by getting some adjusters fitted on the beam.

Changed the garage door from

to

Got rid of the old metal doors and fitted soe heavy duty wooden ones from a company of the net called Joinery 3, i would recomend them.
http://www.joinery3.co.uk/

Dont have much play above the van left

Must remenber not to put any more air in the tyres

 

[piggy]

Thanks for the pictures and help guys.

rusty,
Is your van a tin top? I assumed it was from being a converted van but couldn't work it out from the pictures.

uber cool,
I would really appreciate popping over at some time convenient, where are you in Lancashire? I'm realtively close to J18 of the M6.

Jon,
I've Pm'd my number to you. Would be great to have a chat at some point when you have a free minute or so..

Thanks again,

James