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[Noddy]

^^^^^^ Volvo 240 turning circle like a black cab taxi except for the over hang each end but won't move with full lock on from a standing start.

Alec

[jkhackney]

602 yes they shouldn't trap my cars but they did and -sigh- it's more productive to find a solution than argue with them about things we can't change.

However they've offered no end of help from their big machines. I don't see how they'd get close, or how they'd be helpful if they did.

I have 3' behind on the outside and 6' on the inside to make the turn. Should be do-able with back-and-forth and with my spinning plates (or 50 psi!) I won't even need big arm muscles.
 
The grey boxes behind the Dormobile are my concrete gateposts (either side).

I've tried moving them before with the rear crossmember of the Dormobile and with my S1 but the gateposts proved to be quite immovable and hard 

My wife gave it a much more spirited try once with the back of the white car with a lot more expensive, but no more productive, result 

[w3526602]

Hi JK,

I'd be tempted to borrow or hire a hi-lift jack, and dot and dump the front of your Landy to the left, then drive it forward, so you can access the rear x-member, and dot and dump that end to the right.

If the contractors have offered to help with a machine, make a "rope" out of old seat belts, and loop it around the bottom (just below the axle) of the left hand front wheel, and drag the car sideways. It might help it the belt sloped upwards, "Triangle of Forces" style. I once pulled a Yank-tank sideways, on tarmac

I've been using a couple of old seatbelts, sans buckles, hooked onto the Freelander's tow-ball, to drag hedge roots out of my front garden. As the Freelander doesn't have LO cog, I have to use momentum to tear the roots apart. The belts have a degree of elasticity, so the roots are catapulted over the roof.

602

602

[Clifford Pope]

Is that your garage in front of the LR? Can't you at least get the bonnet inside (headroom) and manouvre out again so that the back passes between the gateposts? You'd then have 2' 6" of overhang over the trench to play with in manouevring the front clear to the left of the buttress thing on the left of the garage.

How deep's the trench? I once got my LWB across an inspection pit by piling it with breeze blocks in line with the wheels. Not necessarily to get all the way across, just to gain a few feet of space.

PS. A Volvo 240 will turn from stationary on full lock - you just need very gentle clutch, and preferably no weight in the back. I've often done it to show off the turning circle.  :)

Just a thought - fill the LandRover with breeze blocks at the far back and get lots of strong lads to push the front round.

[Larry S.]

Can you rent or borrow a set of heavy duty auto dollies?

[diffwhine]

A decent sized garage trolley jack should pull that round no problem. Have you got a friendly local garage? Needs to go under the front diff and may need somebody to hang off one side to counterbalance it. If you do it quickly, it shouldn't sink into the tarmac if your surface is good.
Alternatively, the old Hi-Lift jack method would work. In effect you jack it up and then push the vehicle sideways off the jack. Can be a bit dangerous though and needs to be done with care. There is a possibility of bending the jack, but that's not common. Handbrake should be on, so the vehicle doesn't roll back into the trench.

[YM LD]

This looks like fun. Will you be taking a video of the maneuvers? We will all cheer you on. 

[island dormy]

  Hi Jeremy

 Yes do not forget the video if you make an attempt for the freedom of the open road. Its going to be interesting no matter what method you try.

  However I think you might be better off to just set up your favorite lawn chair with a good clear view of your Rover and a six pack of barley pops and maybe some corn chips and just relax and dream of motoring down the road.

  Have a good weekend.  Victor

[jkhackney]

Yes, that's my garage where the Dormobile lives, but with carriage doors, so it's either open them for driving in, or close them for clearing the front of the garage, can't have it both ways. I could remove a door from its hinges, I guess.

The pit's 1.5m deep and 5m wide. A friend calls it my "mote".


However ...

 

I did make it out today! I do apologize for the lack of multimedia documentation!

With the swivels under the front wheels, it only took 3x front- and backward to clear my garage, a further 2x to complete the "S" to the neighbor's drive, and another 2 to cross the bridge into the narrow remains of our road. Not even 10 minutes.

Getting back in was much more difficult. I needed about 10x front- and backward until I was lined up with the garage again. Possibly because I'm more cautious and leave more of a buffer when I drive in reverse, didn't cut it as close as I did going forward. I should have drawn a chalk line of my way out to follow back in!

I set up a line of stone blocks to stop the tires before I fall into the hole. That would REALLY make my day ...

The test drive was worthwhile: the carb damper pot and ignition timing needed adjustments that would have been stressful on vacation/holiday with the family, and I won't need to order any new parts before we go.

Thanks for your support and suggestions!

It's nothing I'm enthusiastic to repeat, but if I do, I'll make a video the next time! The hole will be there for a while.

I'll also post the greased swivels in action soon
Jeremy

[Genem]

"Improvise, Adapt, Overcome !"

 

[island dormy]

  Glad you made it out and the Rover worked okay.

  Have a fun holiday.

  Victor

[jkhackney]

  about an hour after my last post, I realized that I meant "moat" ... just had to correct that, given the active thread on spelling!

A video project is pending.

The main reason is that I actually threw out my back getting the Dormobile safely into the garage. Not sure if it was from turning in the seat to look out the back window while reversing (I had to reverse the entire lane to the bridge, as the opposite end was blocked, and my little factory mirrors aren't up to the job), or if it was the effort of steering while not on the special swivels. Or maybe just the stress of it all.

Anyway, I don't feel physically fit enough to attempt it again, yet!

[jkhackney]

After some practice, I can get out in about 4 minutes. I use the turntables under the front wheels after I first back out of the garage, so that I can get to full lock before going forward again.

We tried to get a video of the turntables in action, but the video camera outsmarted my wife. The only useful footage is from my 12 year old, taken from across the street.

I sped it up 2x for anyone who's interested.

The video is anti-climatic. I make it look easy now! It doesn't feel easy!? Getting back in still takes twice as long.

https://youtu.be/VicwE4jj9Mc

International delays of construction materials is keeping my moat open longer than planned. I might have to get used to this!

[Larry S.]

They can't put some sort of steel plate over the moat, to act as a bridge,  until they get tge material in.

In my area they have to do this, no matter how temporary, even if it's just a few hours or several days, unless there is another entrance/exit that can be easily used.  The sheets of steel they use depends on the application and amount of traffic.  They are strong enough to support a vehicle and wide enough it distributes the weight without collapsing the trench walls.  They don't do this for really wide trenches though.

[Larry S.]

I just looked at your pics again.  It looks like they do the same basic thing there, it sure looks like there's a temporary bridge next to your drive in the last pic.

I do applaud your ingenuity though - well done!!!