How do you get the roof when you're short?

dchawk81

dchawk81

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Per the title. I'm a mere 5'1. I'm not even tall enough to be the needle on a sun dial. I can barely get my small sedan roof (1999 Contour, my avatar) with a ladder. How would you recommend I do larger vehicles? Trucks I figure I can stand on the bed and SUVs I can crawl up there and work my way back. But I couldn't really properly hit my mother's 1998 Taurus because it's a large car that bulges at the sides, keeping my ladder uncomfortably away from the center of the roof.

Any tips?
 
Perhaps a medieval rack? Or one of those rigs that Tom Cruise used in that first Mission Impossible movie, to hang over the car?

Seriously, if you are just talking about washing you can get a brush or MF mop on a pole, but polishing is going to be a problem.
 
There are small scaffolding ladders that are great. I'm short too (5'6") and have a Honda pilot. I can't imagine life without one.
 
Home Depot sells a nice 3 step ladder, I think a weighs about 2 pounds.
 
Hey dchawk81 if you need to get on top of your car to wash or polish it or what have you open up then doors and stand on the door jam or get a work platform
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Perhaps a medieval rack? Or one of those rigs that Tom Cruise used in that first Mission Impossible movie, to hang over the car?

Seriously, if you are just talking about washing you can get a brush or MF mop on a pole, but polishing is going to be a problem.
Click to expand...

I meant more along the lines of hitting it with my buffer. I do have a telescoping brush for washing.
 
jamesboyy said:
Hey dchawk81 if you need to get on top of your car to wash or polish it or what have you open up then doors and stand on the door jam or get a work platform
Click to expand...

I do that with my Contour but I don't have the wingspan to get to the center of something bulgy like the Taurus. I also can't use the buffer one handed. Well, I can, but the lack of control makes it dangerous to both me and the car.

Can you recommend a platform? It would have to be non-level surface compatible.
 
runrun411 said:
There are small scaffolding ladders that are great. I'm short too (5'6") and have a Honda pilot. I can't imagine life without one.
Click to expand...

Do you lean against the car for support?

People were screaming at me for just using paper towels on bird poop. Heaven forbid my pants touch.
 
I'm sure we've all done this, standing on Door Sills, Ladders, Step Stools, and even tires, and can recall a few times losing my balance, almost breaking my darn neck with vehicles like my SUV, and some lofty pickups I've owned over the years.

Home Depot/Lowes, and even Wally World has a myriad of small stools-ladders, platforms.

I'm 5'-8", and even with the little Kia Spectra, I still like something to get on, so I can see "down upon the paint" when I'm doing things like correction processes on the roof.

There's only a few cars that one can "look down upon" when it comes to the roof, and Ferrari 360 Modenas, and 458 Italias and the like come to mind.

A cheap light step stool can of course serve dual purpose around the house, it's good to have a couple on hand, like when you're looking for that elusive spice in the kitchen cabinet, which it never seems to fail, it's usually buried all the way in the back.

Something that is easy to use, and takes up little space is a bonus, where such can be stored in a work shed, or a closet without taking up much room.
Mark
 
I'm only 65 inches myself. I have a step stool I use for those hard to reach places. Worst case scenario I will put a terry cloth towel on the bottom of the door jam and stand on it to reach the middle of the roof. Or stand on the tire... it's not perfect but sometimes you just do what you gotta do.
 
dchawk81 said:
Do you lean against the car for support?

People were screaming at me for just using paper towels on bird poop. Heaven forbid my pants touch.
Click to expand...

For cryin' out loud, you said it was Bounty. Just wear microfiber pants.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
For cryin' out loud, you said it was Bounty. Just wear microfiber pants.
Click to expand...

lol microfiber pants! I actually use Bounty during wax & grease removal before painting a car.

You can put some foam pipe insulation on those platforms to help protect the finish.
 
You can't put a buffer on a stick.
You have to hold the machine with your hand so therefore you need to get your but in the air.
If you can't find a step ladder then go with the folding scaffolding.
$100 and you can get 4' taller

Here's my Warner (Ignore the sexy man I'm pointing at my Warner tool holder)
f9ad7fab.jpg
 
MarkD51 said:
I'm sure we've all done this, standing on Door Sills, Ladders, Step Stools, and even tires, and can recall a few times losing my balance, almost breaking my darn neck with vehicles like my SUV, and some lofty pickups I've owned over the years.

Home Depot/Lowes, and even Wally World has a myriad of small stools-ladders, platforms.

I'm 5'-8", and even with the little Kia Spectra, I still like something to get on, so I can see "down upon the paint" when I'm doing things like correction processes on the roof.

There's only a few cars that one can "look down upon" when it comes to the roof, and Ferrari 360 Modenas, and 458 Italias and the like come to mind.

A cheap light step stool can of course serve dual purpose around the house, it's good to have a couple on hand, like when you're looking for that elusive spice in the kitchen cabinet, which it never seems to fail, it's usually buried all the way in the back.

Something that is easy to use, and takes up little space is a bonus, where such can be stored in a work shed, or a closet without taking up much room.
Mark
Click to expand...

See I do have a "Ladderkart" (it is exactly what the name says) that I use for all kinds of things. It's pretty awkward though. Probably because I have to work in a sloped stone driveway. It fits and stays in my trunk.

I'm looking for a better method.





Mach1USMC said:
I'm only 65 inches myself. I have a step stool I use for those hard to reach places. Worst case scenario I will put a terry cloth towel on the bottom of the door jam and stand on it to reach the middle of the roof. Or stand on the tire... it's not perfect but sometimes you just do what you gotta do.
Click to expand...

So basically we short folks are all in the same boat?
 
dchawk81 said:
See I do have a "Ladderkart" (it is exactly what the name says) that I use for all kinds of things. It's pretty awkward though. Probably because I have to work in a sloped stone driveway. It fits and stays in my trunk.

I'm looking for a better method.







So basically we short folks are all in the same boat?
Click to expand...

Pretty much..... but I've been detailing for almost 20 yrs so I just have learned a few tricks to get by. Haven't broken anything on a car or my body yet while detailing. (knock on wood!!)
 
Or, perhaps everyone should own a Volvo :bolt:

I just had a Volvo wagon for a few days, and it wasn't as tall as my PT Cruiser. So low, that it was difficult to get in and out of.

That was intended as humor!

Seriously, even at 6'4", I need a step stool to get to the top of an SUV.

I found this at Home Depot for about 10 bucks.

Step_Platform.jpg


Jim
 
jgg85234 said:
Or, perhaps everyone should own a Volvo :bolt:

I just had a Volvo wagon for a few days, and it wasn't as tall as my PT Cruiser. So low, that it was difficult to get in and out of.

That was intended as humor!

Seriously, even at 6'4", I need a step stool to get to the top of an SUV.

I found this at Home Depot for about 10 bucks.

Step_Platform.jpg


Jim
Click to expand...

That's similar to what I have- works great!!!
 
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