ok to release air from tire to fit van in garage?

[doublegregg]

hi all

hopefully the dilemma is about to end...in time for the rtr?????

i want to get a chevy van, 2018 or 2017...... long story short: chevy's height measurement for van is 85". i measured a 2018 van, and i measured it at 81 1/2" at the rear roof... actually, that is probably wrong, since i know the interior of the van slopes up in the middle..... my garage door height at opening is 81 1/2". so can i let air out of the tires, or do something else, to lower the thing so it will fit in my garage? does anyone know how much of a reduction in height i can safely accomplish?  of course, i will have to remember to undo whatever it was i did to get it in, once i get it out............ i'm wondering if some people are used to regularly lowering, raising their van or other vehicle.... i'm a total newbie at this.

if i do the math, i figure i have to lower it 6" at least. i do not want to damage my garage door!

i live in the city, and would just prefer it be in my garage.... also, easier to work on it.

tysm, and maybe i'll see you at the rtr...........here's hoping.

 

[Van-Tramp]

You can, but you have to be careful not to deflate them so far as to cut the sidewall with the rim. That means you could probably only go to about half pressure give or take a couple psi. That would only net you 2-3 inches at best

 

[highdesertranger]

I think it will be more of a hassle than anything. trying to lower the height 6 inches with air pressure is a huge number. you also run the risk of ruining your tires like van tramp said. you also run the risk of popping the bead. if you are bound and determined to get it in your garage a much smaller set of tire are your best bet. BTW what type of van 1/2 ton 3/4 ton or 1 ton it makes a big difference of what size tire and how much you can safely air them down. also they MUST be aired back up BEFORE driving. highdesertranger

 

[bonvanroulez]

Look into a high-lift conversion for your garage door. It moves the door up into the overhead space for extra clearance so the vehicle height limit would be the door header structure and not the garage door. There's also a low-headroom conversion if the overhead space won't allow a high-lift conversion. Should be adaptable to your existing door so not terribly expensive. Check with a door contractor like Overhead Door, or the parts are available from Home Depot, etc.

 

[B and C]

The easy way to measure the height of you van is to lay an 8 foot 2x4 across (sideways) the top at the highest point or take several measurements. Put the van on a flat, level, hard surface. Center the 2x4 so equal amounts are hanging over both sides. Shim the 2x4 to level it and measure to the ground. This is your clearance.

 

[Doubleone]

Seems like a bunch of height difference to deal with.  Brainstorming here... apparent options are a taller door, lower the floor, buy a shorter van, lower the existing van, or modify the existing van just for parking...  Lowering the van would affect ride and limit how you can use it.  Other options are too expensive.  Letting out the air until the tires are dead flat might get you in the zone.  But that certainly wouldn't be good for the tires...  So, thinking how to get the van into the garage without expense of construction or different van...  We can take a tip from off-road racing truck teams who use four smaller tires for loading onto a trailer.  You might be able to size four of those tiny donut spare tires, as small of a diameter as you can get bolted up but still clear the brakes, either that or some bare steel rims without tires since it only has to roll a few feet.  Of course this would all depend on the van's ground clearance and anything hanging below the rims that might drag.  Also consider how low it might get without tires and your ability to jack it up from the frame.  Depending on the roof height difference front to back, you might only need to change out the rear tires (lower just the rear), but be cautious to account for any roof vents or solar.  Another option is to custom build a wheeled vehicle dolly with some casters, and bolt onto the frame or wheel lugs just for parking.  Of course, you'd have to work to change these out every time you want to park your van inside...

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

  . . . so can i let air out of the tires, or do something else, to lower the thing so it will fit in my garage? . . .

I have done it to fit tall vehicles into a 7' garage opening.
BUT I use the smallest rims I can fit and junk tires.  It does chew up the inside sidewall of the tire.

 

[bullfrog]

I only did it once to remove a semi trailer from under a railroad tunnel that had a steep entry angle where it had gotten stuck. Sell the house or leave it outside! LOL!!!

 

[doublegregg]

thanks so much, everyone...... lots of good suggestions! i'll think about smaller rims. will consider a high lift conversion. sounds like letting air out of the tires will only buy me a couple inches.. but gtk. i would leave the van in my garage and take it out when i hit the open road.... hopefully once a month!!

the van i looked at was a v8 chevy 6l 341 hp... at uhaul... a 2018. about $21000. i'll measure one w a str8 2x4....

thanks again!

 

[Chili]

Depending on what type of garage door you have, you may be able to get a few inches there.. I used to be really close with a trailer I had, and had roll up doors. When fully open the door still hung down several inches into the garage opening. Just by disconnecting the door opener and pushing up on the door, I gained several inches. I would hold it in place with a spring clamp while moving the trailer in or out.

 

[Releaseone]

I had a similar situation when I was driving a truck. Because of the height, the trailer got stuck under the bridge. I needed to move it. I lowered the tires, and I managed to reduce the high by 2-3 inches. But I don't think it's possible to go down 6 inches in this way.