What if one got this instead of air suspension?

[e-FTW]

Imagine if you will: your Model S scrapes ever so slightly right in the middle of the car, while cresting the top of the ramp to get into your garage?
And what if you have a cement bump stop that is a hair too high and scrapes just a bit?

The standard solution is to just get the air suspension and be done with it. Or is it?

Can't you just set some of these down in the right spot inside your garage to elevate the front wheels at the right time?

I don't know if it will definitely work, but I'll take a shot when I get the car!
Am sure some of you guys have. Care to share? I did not find anything in this forum with a few pointed searches.

(Sorry for the click-bait title)

 

[Hank42]

Imagine if you will: your Model S scrapes ever so slightly right in the middle of the car, while cresting the top of the ramp to get into your garage?
And what if you have a cement bump stop that is a hair too high and scrapes just a bit?

The standard solution is to just get the air suspension and be done with it. Or is it?

Can't you just set some of these down in the right spot inside your garage to elevate the front wheels at the right time?

I don't know if it will definitely work, but I'll take a shot when I get the car!
Am sure some of you guys have. Care to share? I did not find anything in this forum with a few pointed searches.

(Sorry for the click-bait title)

Sounds like a good idea, and it will probably work - might need to use a few of them and build a sort of ramp before the bump.

Also, might help for people WITH air-suspension as there have been a number of posts that indicate the car lowers itself after exiting the vehicle, leaving it resting on the bump!

 

[e-FTW]

Also, might help for people WITH air-suspension as there have been a number of posts that indicate the car lowers itself after exiting the vehicle, leaving it resting on the bump!

Really? Interesting.

 

[mknox]

Really? Interesting.

A lot of people have reported that the air suspension "settles" when it sits, but I haven't experienced it in 2.5 years and near 60,000 miles. I also make a habit of never leaving my car's nose or tail hanging over curbs, parking bumpers and such.

 

[RAW84]

Solution may work for home, but for me, the ability to rise comes in handy when I'm out and about going into various driveways and such.

A lot of people have reported that the air suspension "settles" when it sits, but I haven't experienced it in 2.5 years and near 60,000 miles. I also make a habit of never leaving my car's nose or tail hanging over curbs, parking bumpers and such.

I have only noticed this happen once in the 9 months I've had mine. Not long after getting out after giving a couple guys a first ride in a Tesla, we were standing next to the car and saw the car lower itself. I try to never leave it hanging over obstructions too, so I probably wouldn't notice if it had settled while I left the vast majority of times.

 

[mknox]

I have only noticed this happen once in the 9 months I've had mine. Not long after getting out after giving a couple guys a first ride in a Tesla, we were standing next to the car and saw the car lower itself.

Yes, I've seen that if a lot of passengers get out or I remove a heavy load. But I hear the system come on and adjust the car back to the proper height because it rises when the load is removed. The scenario I was referring to is when the car sits for a long time and gradually settles due to (I assume) a small air leak in the system.

 

[RAW84]

Yes, I've seen that if a lot of passengers get out or I remove a heavy load. But I hear the system come on and adjust the car back to the proper height because it rises when the load is removed. The scenario I was referring to is when the car sits for a long time and gradually settles due to (I assume) a small air leak in the system.

Oh ok, ya, I've never noticed that, and probably never will even if it does happen

 

[Gizmotoy]

A lot of people have reported that the air suspension "settles" when it sits, but I haven't experienced it in 2.5 years and near 60,000 miles. I also make a habit of never leaving my car's nose or tail hanging over curbs, parking bumpers and such.

It's a thing that's pretty widely reported, including a number of trustworthy members, but seems to happen infrequently. If it were more common there'd be tons of complaints. I kind of wonder if it has to do with auto-leveling rather than settling. In other words, you pull in and you're fine, but then the car levels itself and is suddenly resting on the curb. Perhaps because the parking spot is on an incline, higher in the front? Seems plausible, but I have coils and can't test.

 

[Cyclone]

Yes, I've seen that if a lot of passengers get out or I remove a heavy load. But I hear the system come on and adjust the car back to the proper height because it rises when the load is removed.

This I experience almost every day, even when I'm the only person in the car. Both in my garage and at work. But perhaps my weight is enough to cause the car to auto-level about 4-5 minutes after putting it into park.

The scenario I was referring to is when the car sits for a long time and gradually settles due to (I assume) a small air leak in the system.

This I have thankfully not experienced, even when leaving my car alone for 7+ days in my garage. However, maybe I just wasn't watching closely enough to notice is raise back up when the car "comes to life"?

 

[mknox]

It's a thing that's pretty widely reported, including a number of trustworthy members, but seems to happen infrequently. If it were more common there'd be tons of complaints. I kind of wonder if it has to do with auto-leveling rather than settling. In other words, you pull in and you're fine, but then the car levels itself and is suddenly resting on the curb. Perhaps because the parking spot is on an incline, higher in the front? Seems plausible, but I have coils and can't test.

Agree. I wasn't trying to disparage others who have reported the problem. I have had air leaks and "settling" on at least one past car, but so far (knock on wood) not with my Model S.

I don't believe the settling "problem" has to do with auto leveling after you park. Here's why: Presumably, the car is at the correct height, but when passengers and cargo get out, the car goes up and then, a few minutes later, the system lowers it back to the correct height. People have reported parking with the nose clearing a parking curb, but come back to find the car has settled and is resting on the curb, causing scrapes when they back out. Probably just waiting before putting the car in reverse would allow the system enough time to re-adjust the height.

 

[Gizmotoy]

I don't believe the settling "problem" has to do with auto leveling after you park. Here's why: Presumably, the car is at the correct height, but when passengers and cargo get out, the car goes up and then, a few minutes later, the system lowers it back to the correct height. People have reported parking with the nose clearing a parking curb, but come back to find the car has settled and is resting on the curb, causing scrapes when they back out. Probably just waiting before putting the car in reverse would allow the system enough time to re-adjust the height.

The bolded part could occur before the car has leveled the vehicle. It actually takes a pretty long time for the car to level. So I was thinking perhaps after you've pulled into the spot and over the curb the vehicle levels itself onto the curb. Were you to try to back out, then, it would scrape.

Just a theory, though. Certainly a slow leak makes as much or more sense.

 

[mknox]

The bolded part could occur before the car has leveled the vehicle. It actually takes a pretty long time for the car to level. So I was thinking perhaps after you've pulled into the spot and over the curb the vehicle levels itself onto the curb. Were you to try to back out, then, it would scrape.

I was thinking the car would be at the "proper" height clearing the curb as you pull in, then rise as the passengers get out only to return back to the original curb clearing "proper" height. It seems for the car to go lower than the original, presumably proper height while the car is parked would indicate some sort of problem. But sure, I'd bet there are a number of scenarios possible.

 

[Gizmotoy]

I was thinking the car would be at the "proper" height clearing the curb as you pull in, then rise as the passengers get out only to return back to the original curb clearing "proper" height. It seems for the car to go lower than the original, presumably proper height while the car is parked would indicate some sort of problem. But sure, I'd bet there are a number of scenarios possible.

I was picturing something like this super-fancy graphic:

In the top image the vehicle approaches the parking spot from level ground, and pulls into a spot that's at a slight incline. It clears the curb at this time, but begins adjusting the height to keep the vehicle level. In the second image the vehicle has been leveled, but this resulted in the front end of the vehicle resting on the curb. The car may go up and down as people enter/exit the vehicle, but it's actually the leveling that caused the curb issue.

Seems plausible, but who knows.

 

[mknox]

I was picturing something like this super-fancy graphic:

Interesting. I wonder if it does that? I had just assumed it kept all 4 corners at the same height off the ground regardless of any incline it's sitting on. I rarely park on an incline like that, but will have to check next time I do. That would certainly explain it.

 

[e-FTW]

Getting back to my OP, I wondered if you had suggestions on what to get?
Rubber, plastic, wood?

 

[2fast2]

Yes (thanks for stealing back your own thread) I suggest rubber "stall mat" from TSC.
I don't know if you have TSC (Tractor Supply Co) in your area, but there will be some farm supply store somewhere. TSC sells this high density rubber mat, which you can buy inexpensively, and cut with a utility knife into pieces suitable for your application. My sister and BIL use this to level their RV when they travel. It is strong enough to hold up to repeated use under a Mercedes Sprinter RV on gravel, so it'll work great for your application.
You probably just need a strip (if anything) to run over with the front tires at the point where you'd almost scrape, long enough to ease you through the transition, then you could drive off to pavement again as you enter your garage.
Probably will set you back $15. Thats about $2485 cheaper than air suspension!

 

[e-FTW]

Probably will set you back $15. Thats about $2485 cheaper than air suspension!

Ha! Fair point!
I assume this is what you were talking about? RB Rubber Multi-Mat Rolled Rubber, 3/8 in. Thick, Sold by the Foot - For Life Out Here
I like it, looks perfect! A bit of a drive to get it (Petaluma), but then again, the Bay Area is not known for their agricultural supply stores.
Yes, the key is having some thickness to it, and this one in 3/8 is about perfect I believe. May need to stack a second smaller piece for the crucial point. Looks like my first road trip may be to Tractor Supply Co.

 

[e-FTW]

Ha! Fair point!
I assume this is what you were talking about? RB Rubber Multi-Mat Rolled Rubber, 3/8 in. Thick, Sold by the Foot - For Life Out Here
I like it, looks perfect! A bit of a drive to get it (Petaluma), but then again, the Bay Area is not known for their agricultural supply stores.
Yes, the key is having some thickness to it, and this one in 3/8 is about perfect I believe. May need to stack a second smaller piece for the crucial point. Looks like my first road trip may be to Tractor Supply Co.

I wonder how they fare in compression. Would the weight of the car flatten it out a bit, taking away from the thickness I need to raise the car?

 

[2fast2]

I wonder how they fare in compression. Would the weight of the car flatten it out a bit, taking away from the thickness I need to raise the car?

Sorry, just saw your question. The mat won't compress to any appreciable amount. If you end up needing multiple layers, consider using some rubber cement to glue the layers together, and "step" the transition so your car more easily goes up onto the ramp you're creating. It doesn't compress under a big RV enough to matter, certainly 1000 lbs (per tire) won't compress it.

 

[e-FTW]

Sorry, just saw your question. The mat won't compress to any appreciable amount. If you end up needing multiple layers, consider using some rubber cement to glue the layers together, and "step" the transition so your car more easily goes up onto the ramp you're creating. It doesn't compress under a big RV enough to matter, certainly 1000 lbs (per tire) won't compress it.

Awesome, thanks!