Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

The recent post of somebody trying to figure out the height / bc ferries situation triggered a question that I have had in the back of my head for a while:

My van is on regular tires on regular wheels, no lift but high roof. I recently purchased a freezer at Futureshop in West Van (Park Royal) and drove the van right up onto the upper parkade (in order to do so, you have to drive underneath a cross-bar and then up a circular 180 degree turn ramp) - I proceeded slowly, door open, right foot on the step-board, left foot lightly on the gas (uphill, no gas, van stops, light gas, van slowly creeps forward), hand on the wheel and eyes on the roof (head level with roof) and managed to get through and up with about 3-4 cm clearance...

15 minutes later, loaded freezer into Van and slowly proceeded down the "down-ramp" - at first I was just gonna go (obviously it would be a safe assumption that the crossbar on the down-ramp is the same height as on the up-ramp) - but then decided to do the cautious approach (door open, right foot on step board, left foot on the brake, hand on the wheel, slowly inching forward) - and to my shock and horror, the gap between the cross-bar and the roof became smaller and smaller as the van moved.... When I had less than one centimeter and still about 2 ft. of Van needing to pass through, it became clearly evident that I wasn't gonna make it... So I backed up the 180 degree ramp in total darkness (with the nice tinted windows on the Van and the reverse beeper beeping like there's no tomorrow a real fun experience...) fortunately for me, nobody came down the ramp behind me...

And even more fortunately, nobody came up the "up-ramp" when I drove it down... passed through the "down-ramp" crossbar without any problems and the beforementioned 3-4 cm clearance...

So Deli-drivers going to Park Royal Futureshop, beware!

And this brings me to my question: Is there a way of installing a "lowering the suspension-mechanism" (air, pneumatic, hydraulic or anything) without rupting the bank? I don't mean the low-rider kinda jumpin' action... just a switch that would lower the van by a couple of inches or so... and then lifting it back up once through the "danger zone"...

My dad's citroen did something like that (hydro-pneumatic suspension) and the Vancouver transit-buses do that too when a wheelchair rider comes on board...

I'm thinking a little compressor on board (pneumatic shocks that extend or compress, based on air-pressure)... am I just dreaming or could something like this be possible?

Thanks for any feedback...

Cheers,
Chris

it's possible to do, though I think it would be hard to do with out a pretty serious hit to the wallet. as for BC ferries, if your close just spot before the ticket booth and air down your tires, then air them up as soon as you get off (or as soon as you get on if they put you down with the trucks anyways :) )

It's become fashionable to put up height barriers in open-air parking lots. I asked about this at a local mall (Brentwood in Burnaby) and was told it was to keep out heavy (i.e. commercial) trucks. When I asked what vehicle height had to do with vehicle weight they said it was to keep out heavy trucks. When I suggested that they restrict vehicle weight, which was the real problem after all, they said it was to keep out heavy trucks, and didn't I want to be safe?

I gave up at that point.

There is no official definition of vehicle height for such purposes, and the geometry of the ramp will affect the effective vehicle clearance, even if the actual vertical measurement is correct.

...laura

Hey,
As Loki said air down to get yourself a couple of inches.
Some vancouver underground lots get lower once you
are in ,as I found out much to my utter nut chaffe.
So just because you get through the entrance does not
give you guaranteed clearance. It is awesome you
checked on the way out!

Just remember to air back up after,driving at high speed
while aired down will screw your tires in short order.

BUT.....

A Deli with hydralics would be sweet,but not cheap.
If you do put in a lowering system I will throw in
an old school gansta rap CD , matching
plaid jacket and hankerchief (bloods or crypts)
You supply the white undershirt and 9mm.

from an older post. Right on!

the one that gets me is, why did they need a clearance bar on the EXIT???? (I'd say I understand the entrance one, but I'm as mystified as others here, and as frustrated when I run in to them... but the exit one is even stranger!)

Its just a couple inches here or there.... I think of the yellow streaks on my roof as badges of honour.

marsgal42 wrote:It's become fashionable to put up height barriers in open-air parking lots.

I find this unbelievably annoying. At least make it something reasonable!!! I was at Ikea in Coquitlam and their bars are at 7'8", which is a very nice clearance for all of us.

Shane

ShaneA wrote: I find this unbelievably annoying. At least make it something reasonable!!! I was at Ikea in Coquitlam and their bars are at 7'8", which is a very nice clearance for all of us.
Shane

speak for yourself, I have to remove antennas to go under anything lower than 9' (the antennas are taller than 9', but they bend that far without damage)