Garage Remodeling/Upgrading Feedback.

[satchurator]

@satchurator and all:

So, my total garage height at the relevant point in my garage is 102.5", but let's say 102"

From the smarter home website, they say that the the XL lift requires 9.5" for the mechanism itself (let's say 10"), plus the height of whatever is being lifted, which, in this case, is 17.5" -- let's say 18" -- for the Porsche Performance Roof Box.

That means I need, in theory, only 28" from the ceiling, which in turn means that I would have 74" clearance. So, for a small SUV, like an RX500H, I would have 6" of clearance between roof of car and bottom of roof box, but I could not park a full size SUV -- Range Rover -- in the spot.

I think that means I should not do this, as I would hate to be unable to park whatever vehicle I choose here.

Now, if I installed the lift exactly in the center of the garage, I likely would have plenty of clearance for cars in both spots BUT the box would be a hazard as I am taller than the clearance and thus would likely hit my head all of the time.

I think I need to find a different option . . . Anyone know of any other way to store roof box that facilitates installation?

I actually think it would be great to install on the side wall and have some sort of "arms" that you can lower, or install" to facilitate sliding the box over to the car.

Bummer - yes your ceiling is too low to mount overhead, and even offset to the center between 2 cars sounds awkward.

A couple of other options:

• I received my PPRB before I had my Taycan and the Garage Smart lifting gear. For a while I had the roofbox mounted vertically on my slatwall with 2 kayak hooks, and two bike hooks with bungee cords. That was manual effort to store / remove but with two people it was fairly easy.
• The Garage Smart lift might still be workable if you rotate 90°, mount towards the rear of the space and commit to only parking your SUV nose-in. That will feel cramped, but will at least get you out of the business of heaving heavy stuff on/off of the walls.

 

[TDinDC]

Bummer - yes your ceiling is too low to mount overhead, and even offset to the center between 2 cars sounds awkward.

A couple of other options:

• I received my PPRB before I had my Taycan and the Garage Smart lifting gear. For a while I had the roofbox mounted vertically on my slatwall with 2 kayak hooks, and two bike hooks with bungee cords. That was manual effort to store / remove but with two people it was fairly easy.
• The Garage Smart lift might still be workable if you rotate 90°, mount towards the rear of the space and commit to only parking your SUV nose-in. That will feel cramped, but will at least get you out of the business of heaving heavy stuff on/off of the walls.

Thanks. I think I came up with a good solution. My garage is like yours except I have overhead storage that begins right where the garage door opener is, and the floor of the storage is level with the garage door. I’m going to install the XL lift above the garage door when open and offset as little as possible from the garage door belt. Only downside is that I will only be able to use the lift when the door is closed, but that doesn’t seem to be much of a downside. Thanks so much for spending so much time helping me think through this.

 

[satchurator]

Thanks. I think I came up with a good solution. My garage is like yours except I have overhead storage that begins right where the garage door opener is, and the floor of the storage is level with the garage door. I’m going to install the XL lift above the garage door when open and offset as little as possible from the garage door belt. Only downside is that I will only be able to use the lift when the door is closed, but that doesn’t seem to be much of a downside. Thanks so much for spending so much time helping me think through this.

You are very welcome. Do share pics when you get it all set up!

 

[Taycan2023y]

Thank you all. Another goal that I have is to move all of my spare tires and rims from above the garage doors to just above the floors so that I no longer have to climb a ladder and lift them up and down. Each year I get older and each vehicle seemingly has heavier rims and tires. They ones for the Taycan CT are enormous and heavy. I can still do it but no longer want to.

Basic setup epoxy flooring and I’m using Porsche park distance mats. Cabinetry hides all my tools and mowers etc.

 

[TDinDC]

You are very welcome. Do share pics when you get it all set up!

Here are some pictures to show what I have in mind. I think it will work very well. In fact, you won’t even see the box when garage door is open.

 

[satchurator]

Here are some pictures to show what I have in mind. I think it will work very well. In fact, you won’t even see the box when garage door is open.

Yeah, looks like you will have enough clearance to mount above the garage door. Nice!

 

[TDinDC]

@satchurator and all: Quick question please. As you look at my garage configuration, it seems to me that I have two choices with respect to placement of the XL lift:

1. I could install it as close to the center as possible so that the box would lower without hitting the garage opener belt, which means that I will have to swing the box more laterally to get it on the roof of the car; OR

2. I could install as close to the center as possible so that I will have to swing the box out of the way to get it past the belt, but once it is below the belt, it will be very close to the center of the car so that I will not have to move it that much on the car itself, although the straps may be pressing against the belt when fully lowered. I have 27.5" clearance between ceiling and belt, so, in theory, I could install the lift directly in the center and the box would be above the belt while stored. However, I imagine that at least a little bit of an offset would be preferable so that the strap would no longer press very hard on the belt once the box has cleared the belt on the way down.

What do you think would be easier to manipulate? What would be preferable?

Also, you are using the straps as intended so that they form a triangle. I am thinking about using two straps: (1) one that will be strapped firmly around the box; and (2) a second strap that will attach to the other strap with a carabiner and then to the lift. If I do this, the strap connected to the lift will be vertical so that it will not need any lateral clearance. That way, I am only manipulating the box. Does the make sense, or do you see any downsides to it.

 

[WasserGKuehlt]

Quick question please. As you look at my garage configuration, it seems to me that I have two choices with respect to placement of the XL lift: [..]

Another option could be looking into a side-mounted garage door opener. You have a high ceiling, it'd be a shame not to install a lift/stacker in there at some point. (It would solve your more immediate issue as well, but you can "amortize" the cost with future expenses, too.)

 

[TDinDC]

Another option could be looking into a side-mounted garage door opener. You have a high ceiling, it'd be a shame not to install a lift/stacker in there at some point. (It would solve your more immediate issue as well, but you can "amortize" the cost with future expenses, too.)

Yes, I seriously looked at that, but that would be about another $5K AND I would have to relocate all of the electrical work (and the chargers between the doors), so I just don't think it would be worth it, particularly because my current setup has new springs and seems to work fine.

 

[satchurator]

@satchurator and all: Quick question please. As you look at my garage configuration, it seems to me that I have two choices with respect to placement of the XL lift:

1. I could install it as close to the center as possible so that the box would lower without hitting the garage opener belt, which means that I will have to swing the box more laterally to get it on the roof of the car; OR

2. I could install as close to the center as possible so that I will have to swing the box out of the way to get it past the belt, but once it is below the belt, it will be very close to the center of the car so that I will not have to move it that much on the car itself, although the straps may be pressing against the belt when fully lowered. I have 27.5" clearance between ceiling and belt, so, in theory, I could install the lift directly in the center and the box would be above the belt while stored. However, I imagine that at least a little bit of an offset would be preferable so that the strap would no longer press very hard on the belt once the box has cleared the belt on the way down.

What do you think would be easier to manipulate? What would be preferable?

Also, you are using the straps as intended so that they form a triangle. I am thinking about using two straps: (1) one that will be strapped firmly around the box; and (2) a second strap that will attach to the other strap with a carabiner and then to the lift. If I do this, the strap connected to the lift will be vertical so that it will not need any lateral clearance. That way, I am only manipulating the box. Does the make sense, or do you see any downsides to it.

For #1 above, I believe what you mean, is that you'd position the lift and lifted roofbox between the garage door belt and one of the garage door rails, in a way that the roofbox can be lowered and raised without contacting the belt or rail. If that's what you mean, I think that's the better option compared to #2.

The reasons why - in #1, you will still need to interact with the roofbox to 'swing' it onto you roofbars. However you will be doing that at a more comfortable height than if you were to be doing the same thing in #2 to maneuver the roof box to avoid colliding with the belt.
With #2 you might need a step stool and find you need to move the car in order to be able reach and touch the roof box where you'd need to push to maneuver it.

Finally, you will want to raise and lower the box to the ground from time to time. You'll find it convenient not to have to maneuver to avoid the belt for those moments.

Regarding the straps, I'm not quite sure what you mean. In my photos, you'll see I'm using the two straps at the two ends of the lifting frame. I think that adding another strap with carabiners make it more difficult to achieve the vertical clearance you'd need above your garage door.

 

[TDinDC]

For #1 above, I believe what you mean, is that you'd position the lift and lifted roofbox between the garage door belt and one of the garage door rails, in a way that the roofbox can be lowered and raised without contacting the belt or rail. If that's what you mean, I think that's the better option compared to #2.

The reasons why - in #1, you will still need to interact with the roofbox to 'swing' it onto you roofbars. However you will be doing that at a more comfortable height than if you were to be doing the same thing in #2 to maneuver the roof box to avoid colliding with the belt.
With #2 you might need a step stool and find you need to move the car in order to be able reach and touch the roof box where you'd need to push to maneuver it.

Finally, you will want to raise and lower the box to the ground from time to time. You'll find it convenient not to have to maneuver to avoid the belt for those moments.

Regarding the straps, I'm not quite sure what you mean. In my photos, you'll see I'm using the two straps at the two ends of the lifting frame. I think that adding another strap with carabiners make it more difficult to achieve the vertical clearance you'd need above your garage door.

Thank you. You interpreted my intent correctly. For the straps, I sketched the difference between what you are doing and what I might try. I could get rotation with mine, but I’m not sure I care. In fact, I could get it closer to the car if I hang it with the bottom of the box vertically towards the car, so the width would be 17.5” rather than 36” or so.

 

[satchurator]

Thank you. You interpreted my intent correctly. For the straps, I sketched the difference between what you are doing and what I might try. I could get rotation with mine, but I’m not sure I care. In fact, I could get it closer to the car if I hang it with the bottom of the box vertically towards the car, so the width would be 17.5” rather than 36” or so.

Interesting. Would you have enough space above your garage door if the roofbox is on its side? Do you have your roofbox already? FYI the overlapping sides of the PPRB clamshell are relatively flimsy compared to the ribbed underside, you might not want those carrying weight for long periods of time.

 

[TDinDC]

Interesting. Would you have enough space above your garage door if the roofbox is on its side? Do you have your roofbox already? FYI the overlapping sides of the PPRB clamshell are relatively flimsy compared to the ribbed underside, you might not want those carrying weight for long periods of time.

I would have the space. Yes, I have the box. True, I worry a bit about storing sideways, but I could store it horizontally and then rotate it on the way down.

Also, what if you put a ring on the strap attached to the XL and then attached the box to the strap using the mounting hooks on the bottom of the box? That should not stress the box, and I would think it would make it even easier to mount the box. Imagine if the box is parallel to the car hanging vertically from the mounting hooks with the bottom of the box away from the car. When you lowered it, you could just push the bottom (which would keep the hook secure), and then simply slip the hook off when the box is resting on the call. That would work, right? It should be pretty stable actually because you would be hanging it from two fixed points that are designed to carry loads. And you wouldn't have to worry about getting the strap all of the way around the box.

 

[satchurator]

I would have the space. Yes, I have the box. True, I worry a bit about storing sideways, but I could store it horizontally and then rotate it on the way down.

Also, what if you put a ring on the strap attached to the XL and then attached the box to the strap using the mounting hooks on the bottom of the box? That should not stress the box, and I would think it would make it even easier to mount the box. Imagine if the box is parallel to the car hanging vertically from the mounting hooks with the bottom of the box away from the car. When you lowered it, you could just push the bottom (which would keep the hook secure), and then simply slip the hook off when the box is resting on the call. That would work, right? It should be pretty stable actually because you would be hanging it from two fixed points that are designed to carry loads. And you wouldn't have to worry about getting the strap all of the way around the box.

Regarding using the roofbox clamps, I think (?) that would work. You should check them for lateral strength. IIRC when they are not engaged in clamping they are a bit floppy and I don't recall if there's much holding them in place if they were to be getting pulled outward by the two rings at the end of your straps.
In any case it sounds like you've got multiple options and are game playing through optimizing within your constraints.

 

[007]

Just posting a photo of where my Taycan lives.