Forward or Backward...does it Make a Difference?
 

Alright

Got another stupid :bonk: question.

I'm looking soon to get hopefully a used ZL1. But living in the Northeast (CT) our roads or driveways are not super smooth.

With that said I was wondering if you come across say, a driveway, that looks like it could scrape the front splitter going forward, would backing up the driveway cause less or no splitter damage?

Or would the splitter scrape the same either way? :facepalm:

It would scrape either way in my opinion! If you backed in on a steep driveway then when you are pulling out the splitter would probably scrape at the end of the driveway or going into the street! All of us ZL1 owners have to be careful almost all the time unless you have a flat driveway and it depends how steep the driveway is too!

Pulling forward onto my driveway, the splitter on my SS 1LE has approximately 1/2" of clearance. If I back up onto my driveway, the splitter will scrape. I suppose this is simply a function of the driveway slope and the front overhang being greater than the rear overhang.

Always come onto or leave a driveway by beginning your turn early, allowing one tire to leave the driveway at a time. Should have no problems otherwise. If the incline is high, you'll probably scrape your air deflectors but that's about it. I never back into my driveway though. I'd scrape splitter for sure.

So your saying come at the driveway "on an angle"?

If you are worried about your own driveway. They sell on Amazon a rubber transition that is put at the bottom of your apron. It will help lift the front.

Not really my own. Just in general

If you have a steep driveway come up to it at as hard of a angle as possible, it will help reduce the chances of scrapping the front splitter.

https://www.bridjit.com/?gclid=EAIaI...SAAEgI71_D_BwE

I have these at my home. Out and about, you just have to account for the front splitter all of the time.

Well... this is a function of several angles.
Assuming the driveway has the typical concrete apron:
1) angle of the apron
2) angle of the surface beyond the apron, which may include both sidewalk and the driveway surface
3) angle of the roadway where it meets the apron.

There are definitely circumstances where you might scrape the splitter with a forward approach but could avoid that by backing in.
Flat on either side with a steep apron is one.

I live in the northeast also. It doesnt matter winter or summer, you have to drive slow going up and down driveways. Sometimes the driveways are so steep it'll rub no matter what. Depending on what splitter you have, lethal camaro has a youtube channel where he used washers under his splitter. The washers rub but not the splitter.

Yeah. Saw that. I think they also sell washers that "sacrifice" themselves also.

The bottom of my 1LE splitter scraped first time driving forward onto the driveway at my mom's house. It does not scrape when backing onto her driveway, so obviously that's what I do now. No such problem driving onto my own driveway.

Fortunately the scrape is on the bottom so it's not visible unless you're looking at it from below. I used a magic marker to cover the scrape and now it's even harder to see.

I have a driveway that I have too negotiate a curb first. So I made a couple of 3ft. long ramps using 2X12's. I also added a handle to make them easy to transport. They worked out great when placed a the base of the curb upon entering my drive.