As requested. See attached. One from the side, one from the drivers seat. Even works well at night as the head lights light the wall up enough to make the mirror usable.
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Low-tech Tesla tennis ball
- Thread starter CharleyBC
- Start date
As requested. See attached. One from the side, one from the drivers seat. Even works well at night as the head lights light the wall up enough to make the mirror usable.
lynnpt2001
Cookie Monster MX & M3
Here’s my super simple solution. High quality duct tape on the garage floor. Simply pull in with your backup camera on. The first silver strip is a warning and the red strip is saying it’s time to stop now. It’s basically the tennis ball trick except on the floor and much less obtrusive!
I always back into my garage (in the Model 3, with ICE vehicles I always drive in front first). I use the backup camera when I back in. I use the passenger side mirror to get as close as possible (without touching) to my workbench and stop when I the floor marking hits the bottom edge of the screen. Perfect every time. Now I do have a tennis ball on the other half of the garage to tell me when to stop my truck when parking. I have the Charging plug hanging from the ceiling right above the charging port on the Model 3 (although off to the side by 4 inches). Pull down to plug in, and unplug and push up when done.
Exscite
Member
FMinMI
Member
Except when it is windy outside and you open the door and its blowing around
. That is a big problem here in Michigan especially in the winter months the way my garage faces.After trying a number of things, I went with a 2 foot wide treated 2x4 on top of a 2x6 with two 1/2 inch diameter, 8 inch long stainless steel rods that fit nicely into holes drilled into the floor and flush with the top of the 2x4. Made the concrete holes one size larger so I can remove them (and of course the wood stopper) at any time. I thought of getting even fancier by having tapered rails on both sides to make sure the car was always in the same spot but I am good at pulling it in and keeping it parallel to the wall. Never had an issue driving over it because of the height.
And before you ask, by putting a 2x4 on top of the 2x6 with it slightly staggered it helps 'cup' the tire to stop it without 'jamming'. Had originally tried using a 4x4 but would have a 'thud thud thud' when first starting out in the morning if I pulled the car in too fast.
Along with a low tech tennis ball I also use a scrap piece of 2x6 as a stop for the left front wheel (my wife has a tendency to drive to far into the tennis ball). It is 12 to 15" long and I made a couple of magic marker marks on the floor to locate it. It is heavy enough the car doesn't move it but easy to move out of the way when I am working in the garage and don't want to trip on it.
Yeah, the white duct tape is easy and great for backing a car into the garage. I have a strip in the back that I use to stop when the strip is at the bottom of the backup camera view. I used a broomstick to “find” the right place to tape down the backup strip. I put the car where I wanted it in the garage and move the broomstick until I could just see it on the backup camera video view. Then I taped white duct tape across that spot.
I have a device attached to my garage door opener called a “Genie control module”. It has two lasers (for two cars) attached to the ceiling on pivoting mounts. The control module activates the lasers for about a minute whenever the garage door motor moves. The pivoting mounts for the lasers makes this essentially an infinitely adjustable solution.
You just adjust the laser to point to a specific point on the car when you’re parked in the desired position. I have mine adjusted so it shines through the windshield and touches the little ridge line just above the model 3 air vent. The same applies for my other car which isn’t a Tesla (yet).
This is the best parking solution I have ever seen. It has been used for 4 different cars now and works flawlessly.
Now the bad news... It was already installed when I bought the house so I don’t know where it came from. I have searched online previously with no success. There are other similar products out there but they are usually battery powered and activated by a motion sensor instead of the garage door motor. I suspect the motion sensor would be more inconsistent but I haven’t tried one of those. They also don’t usually have a long wire to remotely mount the lasers. The ones I’ve seen have the sensor and lasers all in a single unit which would limit your adjustability.
Let’s just say this...it’s so good, I expect that specific unit will be traveling with me to my next house whenever that time comes.
If anyone finds something similar out there, I’d like to know about it.
Can you share a picture?Except when it is windy outside and you open the door and its blowing around
After trying a number of things, I went with a 2 foot wide treated 2x4 on top of a 2x6 with two 1/2 inch diameter, 8 inch long stainless steel rods that fit nicely into holes drilled into the floor and flush with the top of the 2x4. Made the concrete holes one size larger so I can remove them (and of course the wood stopper) at any time. I thought of getting even fancier by having tapered rails on both sides to make sure the car was always in the same spot but I am good at pulling it in and keeping it parallel to the wall. Never had an issue driving over it because of the height.
And before you ask, by putting a 2x4 on top of the 2x6 with it slightly staggered it helps 'cup' the tire to stop it without 'jamming'. Had originally tried using a 4x4 but would have a 'thud thud thud' when first starting out in the morning if I pulled the car in too fast.
scottf200
Well-Known Member
This is a perfect solution. I put a Y adapter in the garage door opener light socket and a 120v screw in plug adapter to plug the parking device in (other part of why for orig bulb). Open the garage door and the laser light turns on.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F6F99G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
WilliamG
Hinge Fanatic
Personally, I'd never trust a laser because it could get jolted, vibration could move it etc etc. Plus, it still relies on your eyes to determine when to stop.
I feel like there's still no better solution than this, if you have a plug in front of the car, - which it appears you do.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079VX8RJ8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I mean come on - it tells you TO THE INCH, how far you are away from the wall! And it's the only one I've seen that does this, so I actually bought a backup just in case it craps out (which thus far it has not).
FMinMI
Member
Sure. And as you can see, I have used this 'stopper' for multiple cars as evident with the patched holes in the concrete and the multiple holes in the board
Must be 10 years old now...BTW, I ended up switching to stainless after the original steel pins corroded after the first winter (lots of salt on the roads in MI) and seized into the concrete.
BluestarE3
Active Member
Not when the tolerances for clearance are mere inches, there are confusing "obstacles" in or around the path, the driveway is inclined too steeply, there's a lip between the driveway and garage floor, etc.
FMinMI
Member
It is much easier and faster to drive the car in and be done versus stopping it, getting out, opening up an app, then standing there while I try to 'drive' it in to the precise depth (hoping I lined it up correctly/straight), especially when it is 5F outside and snow is blowing into the garage
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