PARK THIS!

[swbooking]

Well, I live in an apartment complex during the school year (I go to UCR) and the "complex parking" is not owned by the complex, its owned by the shopping center next to us. After the second floor, the clearence is two low to drive my jeep up, and my "assigneed spot" is on the 5th floor. Although on the second floor there is "unassigned parking" so its first come first serve whatever thats cool with me ill just fight for a spot since my jeep is too tall. Just two days ago, they tell us that from now on on one is allowed to park there or your car will get towed especially if you park there over night. There are spaces on the first floor but those are "exclusive spots" which are $30 extra a month. I dont have $30 extra to spend when i should be provided with a free spot. So the managment tells me that either i can pay $30 dollars a month extra where the clearence is higher or park the Jeep in the shopping center from now on. (overnights, no security unlike in the parking garage, and a 10 minute walk from my apartment.) So im pretty pissed right now and they told me to try and drive up the ramp and see if it will fit! OK so i can rip my tire and rack off the gutters?! WTF?! So im pretty pissed right now.
RANT OFF.Sorry If i just wasted your time thanks for taking a look.

[RichP]

I grit my teeth every time I drive into a city parking garage, was a nerve wracking experience parking in NYC in one of the kelly below ground lots, 2" of clearance between the safari rack and the roof @ $20 a day, finally went back to the port authority lot near wall street and the $26 a day rate...

$30 a month !?!?!?!?! thats dinner, movie, popcorn and gallon soda...

[swbooking]

Seriously thats what im talking about! and theyre acting like its my problem. or its my fault, i was fine with having to battle for a spot on the "unmarked spaces" but not with walking 10 minutes to my apt when i should be within 100 feet of the complex.

[Rocketman]

Sounds like you need to rethink the rack and spare. Throw your spare in the back, take off your rack, grow up, stop your bitchin and get r' done.

Really though, You cant expect them to accomodate a vehicle with a rack and tire like that can you?? Take it off and do what you need to do. Do you use that rack every day anyway?? Or is it up there as cool factor?

Just bustin your balls and hoping you realize that your Jeep isn't exactly a standard vehicle with that on the roof. MINE wouldn't fit in my garage at my house, so I said screw it and sold it, (rack) threw the spare in the back until I got a carrier bumper. Unless you are doing the MOab thing and carrying all your spare GEAR and camping stuff up top, racks are BLING IMHO!! :D

Besides, I know it's tight for students when it comes to money BUT if $30 puts you out... you can't afford to wheel either!

[XJ_ranger]

take your rack off and put your tire inside...

there is no god given right to drive a monster truck on the street, nor is there a right to park one...

no one is infringing on your rights, i personally think you are being rediculus...

besides... your spare tire should be inside where your COG is lower... and Roof racks are for camping, not wheeling...

Ive NEVER been in a situation where I thought to myself :you know, a roof rack would relly solve my problem right here:

[swbooking]

SO your expecting me to take my rack off everytime i come in and just carry it up to the 8th florr where i live then put it back on when i go wheel. OOOOOOOOOOOK?! and your right my jeep isnt a "normal vehicle" i know that but its not my fault that i now have to pay, that wasent in my signed contract. and i have a trail box and a bunch of stuff in the back i cant exactly jsut take out my bolted in box to put a tire in there! and i do carry stuff on it?! thats what its for its called camping! and its not the $30 bucks trust me (I pay $850 a month for rent, i think i can afford $30 bucks) its the fact that all the sudden they changed everything on me. And i dont like rear tire carriers, they block vission out of the rear window, which i like having.

[Kittrell]

You use the rack for what when you are wheeling? Sell the rack, throw your tire in the back, and call it a day. You'll get slightly better gas mileage anyways.

[swbooking]

Wow, so you guys really think its my fault for this. hmm... and yeah when i have a full jeep i use it or when its like an overnight trip and we camp off the trail, tent, coolers, radio, blankets, etc... and like i said i have a bolted down trail box in the back i cant just throw a 32 back there.

[Rev Den]

Sorry...gotta agree with everyone else here....

They are not responsable for the vehicle you choose to drive...deal with it, part of driving a tall vehicle is dealing with these things.

Try parking an Excursion in downtown Chicago.

Rev

[casm]

SO your expecting me to take my rack off everytime i come in and just carry it up to the 8th florr where i live then put it back on when i go wheel.

In a nutshell, yes. This is what I have to do where I live. What is it that you find so unreasonable about not driving around with the roof rack attached?

and your right my jeep isnt a "normal vehicle" i know that but its not my fault that i now have to pay, that wasent in my signed contract.

Actually, as the owner of the Jeep, it is your problem (note I deliberately avoided use of the word 'fault' here). There's also nothing in your contract that says they're required to either a) re-engineer the building to accomodate your vehicle, or b) provide you with any space other than the one you were assigned. I'm also willing to bet that there's a clause stating that the contract can be altered or amended at any time, with or without notice - see where this is going?

and i have a trail box and a bunch of stuff in the back i cant exactly jsut take out my bolted in box to put a tire in there!

Why not? Are the bolts seized? Welded in place? A fat girl's sitting on them?

and i do carry stuff on it?! thats what its for its called camping!

Hint: 'living in your apartment' is not the same as 'camping'.

And i dont like rear tire carriers, they block vission out of the rear window, which i like having.

Hey, you said something that I agree with! Neat!

[swbooking]

Well i guess its my problem then, thanks for the help guys.
-Allen

[RlCHARD CRANlUM]

If having the roof rack is that important then you should start looking for a new apartment. I'd have to say removing the rack is better than parking 10 minutes away where someone else will remove the rack for you.

[swbooking]

Its not that its that imprtant to me, its not a normal roof rack in the first place, it has locks on the gutter mounts and i dont have the key for them (so i cant take it off even if i wanted to.) well anyways you guys are right i cant have them change the structure so oh well...

[RichP]

Thats not a good thing, take it to a locksmith and have a set made. If it's an identifiable model rack call the manufacturer and have the serial number handy, it should be on the cylinder or take it to someone local who carries the brand. Locksmith would probably be your best bet though. Probably $15 or so, it's not killer expensive. Heck, I took 4 door locks I got from the local hardware store for my outside doors to a locksmith and had them keyed for the existing keys, he charged me $5 a cylinder and I got to see how it was done...

[Blaine B.]

With the rack and tire off, are you sure it will still fit?

[swbooking]

Yeah it should if i take the rack and tire off, and i know i need to make a key i just havent had the time to go to a locksmith.

[hadfield4wd]

I have a box in the back of my Jeep and the spare on it. How often do you actually get a flat. I drive 50K - 60K a year between 2 vehicles and my wife drives 25k a year on hers. I've been driving this way for 8 years and never changed a flat tire. I usually don't carry a spare in the Jeep on the road. Just take it off flip it over in your apartment and use it as a coffee table. It's nice to see somebody actually taking advice by the way.

[RTicUL8]

Get onboard air.

Air down your tires each time you enter the parking structure.

Air back up when you leave.

EASY, Huh?http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/1261.gif

[CartsXJ]

I had the same issue when I was going to school in Boston. I use to have the spare on top, after the first week there, I took it off and just threw it in the back, actually for everyday driving I don't carry a spare, extra weight, just a can of fix-a-flat and a plug kit. Hey it will get me home. The extra clearance allowed with out the spare of top allowed me to get into normal height parking garages and areas, plus the extra mileage was nice.

[kndrewa]

i dont agree with not carrying a spare. why woulndt you? toss her in the back. its not like it weighs that much, and why deal with being outta luck when you need it and dont have it? pretty simple to avoid.

upon moving to chicago, i also had to lose the roof rack to fit in the garage i rent. and i knew i wouldnt fit with the rack when i rented the garage. its about protecting the investment. i already had my jeep broken into and every tool i own stolen, so losing the roofrack is worth the security of knowing that wont happen again.

plus, now i have a place to hang my clothes when they are still damp from the dryer.. roofrack-->clothes rack in bedroom. try it out.

[swbooking]

HAHAH thanks for all the advice guys, well the tire is just sitting in the back seat for now, seems like its OK i dont normally have more that two other passangers in the car so i will work for now, and yeah i havent ever gotten a flat DDing (knock on wood) but its nice to have it there incase anything. and i love the OBA thiniking, that might actually work, but thats a later mod for now.

[UNCC_99XJ]

Try parking an Excursion in downtown Chicago.


Try parking an Excursion ANYWHERE.

[RTicUL8]

I don't remember who it was, but I think that someone here wrote that after they lifted their Jeep that they couldn't get it out of the garage without airing down the tires first...

[swbooking]

HAHA that would suck to have to air down to get into the garage everytime. Or better yet, to finally put your lift on in your garage and then realize that your too tall to fit under the garage door opening and cant get out...

[KarlVP]

Get H1 Wheels with CTIS then you could air down/up from in the cab.

[swbooking]

Get H1 Wheels with CTIS then you could air down/up from in the cab.
Thats for lazy hummer owners... hahah