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Jack Steering

 Get your car out of tight parking spots
 
(+3, -3) 		  [vote for,
against]

You parked your car when the road was deserted, but when you return, you discover theres hardly any gap to steer you car out!! ever faced such a situation? Lets have a jack (screw/hydraulic) installed in the front portion of the car which would lift both the front wheels up in the air. Once in air, the wheels can be turned effortlessly to the maximum and then the jacks could be withdrawn. And you drive away. If adjustments are required, you can rejack and turn the wheel completely in the backward direction, remove the jack, go a little back. But this would avoid a lot of effort in steering the car out of tight parking spots. Only thing you have to keep in mind: before putting your foot on the gas, remove the jack! - or have an indicator for that... just like a bike-stand
—sridhar236, Jun 02 2006

[link]






       It is perfectly possible to put your steering wheel in full lock without raising up the front of the car.
—squeak, Jun 02 2006
   

       I like this [+], but I think you need to more with the temporary elevation than just turn the steering wheel. I once helped to un-park a Mini by getting out, lifting the back wheels and turning the whole car manually through 90 degrees. If you could get your Jack to do this trick with heavier cars (and without the need for several people helping), it would be great.
—pertinax, Jun 02 2006
   

       It is very difficult to put your steering wheel in full lock when the car is not in motion...if you do not have power steering. Perhaps that is the motivation here?   

       I agree with [pertinax]. More explicitly, the jack should alter the car's center of gravity to the point just above the contact point, then rotate the car appropriately to pull out of the parking space.
—ed, Jun 02 2006
   

       GM I think once made a car that had a sideways wheel in the back under the trunk that would lift the back of the car, then it would go sidways and then set the car back down.
—BJS, Jun 03 2006
   

       What about the transmission if there were wheels sideways?
—sridhar236, Jun 05 2006
   

       //It is very difficult to put your steering wheel in full lock when the car is not in motion//   

       Not THAT difficult. However, doing so ruins your tyres!
—webfishrune, Jun 05 2006
   

       I was thinking that there could be a jack on all 4 corners with smaller airplane type wheels that are positioned perpindicular to the main wheels which are propelled by an electric motor. That will make it easy to move the car latterally.
—Jscotty, Jun 05 2006
   

       hydraulic trailer jockey wheel with motor on? spin the car on its axis thanks Nick
—randylandy666, Jul 26 2007
   

       You could do this with 4 jacks, each on small durable ballbearings. Jack up all 4 wheels of the car then just push it out laterally. You will block traffic as you run around releasing the jacks. Or you can just push your car along on the jacks until you get to where you are going.
—bungston, Jul 27 2007
   
      
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