Van height
Submitted: Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:32
ThreadID:
123274
Views:
4769
Replies:
6
FollowUps:
4
This Thread has been Archived
N/A
Hi,
Had a look at the archives to see how high a BT with aircon would be and found that they seem to come in at just under 3 meters. The post was dated 2005 so I was wondering if this is still correct and if other have vans much higher than this? The issue for me is that I am building a carport and want to make sure that it can accomodate a BT in the future.
Kind regards
Reply By: Bushtracker - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 21:25
Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 21:25
Beatit,
This basically correct, but we build them lower as well. Figure 2.7 metres to the top of the wall and 300mm more for airconditioning. However, you can drop that 100mm with a drop suspension, and 200mm more with a split air unit. Both have their own disadvantages and I personally would not do eight for basic reasons of loss of ground clearance on the first and loss of storage and ease of service on the second case...
Now, a word of advice, on something this basic: Boggers to be would be advised to call
Bushtracker or email me at sales@
bushtracker.com, as then you will get the current information on current technology and innovations.... We are continually morphing to higher levels in just about everything...
Regards from the Ranger
AnswerID:
570421
Follow Up By:- Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 21:37
Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 21:37
Thanks Ranger! After I posted this decided to ring - spoke to joshua and he confirmed 3 meters. Decided to let the post ride to see if there was anything taller out there. As you are aware I am only in the early stages of this journey but the possible sale of my neighbour's property has bought forward my carport exercise and the designer has come back with a draft showing me that I will have 3.25 clearance so I thought I would check - better safe than sorry later hey.
So at this stage height is not a problem.
Kind regards
FollowupID:
847099
Reply By: Flipp'n Lorry - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 01:52
Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 01:52
We were told by Tracy at BT never go under anything saying a height lower than 3.2m
Lorraine
AnswerID:
570422
Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 01:58
Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 01:58
He may have said that in relation to driving just to be on the safe side, to allow for clearance in case you are at an angle on approach or something... But that is a bit of overkill..
A straight approach in, allow 50 or 100 mm more over the 3M for the top of the air. Before a new van is loaded, and before the springs settle in, they could go out 50mm over the 3 M, but the van drops about that 50 mm when loaded and springs seat in, back to the 3 M to the top of the air.................. And we give you the 2.7 to top of wall incase it is a lean to sort of carport clearance or something where that outside edge is relative but the middle has more clearance. Regards... Ranger
FollowupID:
847100
Follow Up By: Noosa Fox - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 06:05
Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 06:05
If you are relying on safely going under something that says you only have 50 to 100 mm clearance then you have just got to hope that the person who measured the height did it accurately and that the council haven't come along and put a new hot mix surface on the road.
Paul Swift knows all about low service station covers.
If I was going under something that was that close I would be doing it at a snails pace, as at our daughters home after measuring our van A/C at exactly 3.0 metres, we then measured their carport at 3.1 metres, but when backing under one of the beams we still managed to scrape the A/C on the beam due to the tilting action of the van and car. Service station driveways can easilt cause a problem when the tow vehicle goes through the street gutters.
Brian
FollowupID:
847101
Reply By: Tellem Bugrem - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 05:00
Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 05:00
Hello Beatit,
We built our shed for the BT with the advice from BT that the height was 3.0m. So we built the doorway at 3040mm. However, as we had an uphill approach to a level floor, and, a 90 degree horizontal turn at the same time, we had to increase the clearance to 3090mm. So, I'd suggest a minimum opening height of 3100, and your 3250 will be fine. The width of our door opening is 4.0m.
Cheers..........ROb
AnswerID:
570423
Reply By: Deleted User - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 18:52
Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 18:52
Thanks everyone. I have a level driveway and whilst the street gutter has a dip which will cause the rear of the van to lift, it is about 10 meters from the car port. I have told the designer that he doesn't need to find anymore height.
Hadn't considered service station driveways but will now.
Thanks and kind regards
AnswerID:
570424
Reply By: The paca people - Saturday, Feb 03, 2007 at 03:47
Saturday, Feb 03, 2007 at 03:47
Hi Beatit,
Our purpose-built farm shed has 3.140 metres clear opening under the door top roller track and the concrete floor. Our 18' BT, with roof mounted Dometic aircon, just sqeezes in with minimal clearance of around 40mm - or so says the Navigator who wached the driving in & out process the first few times.
Safe garaging!
AnswerID:
570425
Reply By: MattandLana - Saturday, Feb 10, 2007 at 19:32
Saturday, Feb 10, 2007 at 19:32
I made a "caravan simulator" which we carry with us. It's a piece of dowel cut to length, that I can occy-strap to the car's bullbar (obviously always at the same spot so its height doesnt change!) if approaching an obstacle or negotiating tight places in the bush.
We also used it when scouting a track down to a camping spot, to see if we thought we could get the van down there.
Obviously have to allow ofr tilt etc of the van too.
Takes the pressure off both driver and navigator.
AnswerID:
570426
Follow Up By:- Monday, Feb 12, 2007 at 20:54
Monday, Feb 12, 2007 at 20:54
Hi Lucky,
Good idea but was thinking what happens when it breaks? Maybe a flexi arial type thingy would work as well and just bend when it meets some resistance.
Kind regards
FollowupID:
847102
