Fiat Ducato Camper Question

[Phil89a]

Whilst waiting for my first van to be delivered (Fiat Ducato 6m) I need to redo my drive so I can park the van easily. To ensure I leave enough room so I can get in and out of the cab, can anyone tell me how much room I need between vehicle and a wall to allow the door to be opened and the driver get in/out with the door fully open ? Can’t risk chipping the expensive metallic paint

I hope the question makes sense

Thanks

Phil

 

[Viennese]

If this is a panel van conversion you don't need so much as you can get in and out through the sliding door, you don't need top open cab door..

 

[Nanniemate]

30 years ago very little now lots more I am a lot wider let alone vehicles getting bigger

 

[Phil89a]

Thanks Viennese; yes it is a PVC. Getting in through the sliding door is an option, but whilst I am putting a new drive in and I have the space to make it wide enough to to allow access through the cab doors; I thought why not; also easier to get around the van to clean it

 

[Lee Fryer]

110cm on my 2004 ducato fully opened

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[SpeedyDux]

Thanks Viennese; yes it is a PVC. Getting in through the sliding door is an option, but whilst I am putting a new drive in and I have the space to make it wide enough to to allow access through the cab doors; I thought why not; also easier to get around the van to clean it

You would need to allow the width of the base of your stepladder (plus a bit extra) on both sides to be able to clean it.

Also what Nanniemate said +1

 

[63720]

I would also check the space where the bonnet lever is, ours is in the passenger door jam and when the battery went flat I had to move the van to get to it, if tight leave it on the first catch.

 

[Phil89a]

I would also check the space where the bonnet lever is, ours is in the passenger door jam and when the battery went flat I had to move the van to get to it, if tight leave it on the first catch.

Ah, I wouldn't have thought of that - will factor that in

 

[gerry mcg]

our drive is 2.7m wide, (Base of wall to house wall) 10m long, with a wall on one side and a railing on the other. I wouldn't want it to be any narrower to park my PVC on (i tend to park it so i can exit the passenger door of convenience (but i could exit the drivers or sliding door)
Whilst it could work at 2.5m wide, I wouldn't want it to be much narrower than it is at the moment

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

I'm fine for width, but struggling on length, only just 7mt. 6mt wide though.
Mike

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[deleted79651]

I'm fine for width, but struggling on length, only just 7mt. 6mt wide though.
Mike

Frank Carson: 'I'm not overweight; more under height ...'

Steve

 

[Phil89a]

Thanks all - and thanks for the photos Gerry. I will opt for a 4m wide parking bay; that should allow plenty of room I think.

 

[Minxy]

Thanks all - and thanks for the photos Gerry. I will opt for a 4m wide parking bay; that should allow plenty of room I think.

Always better to be wider as cab doors have a 'stop' with a narrow opening then it' just goes fully open so easy to 'clunk' a wall etc if you're too close.

 

[Phil89a]

Always better to be wider as cab doors have a 'stop' with a narrow opening then it' just goes fully open so easy to 'clunk' a wall etc if you're too close.

Just made me think as I am working out wall heights.

Anyone know what the ground clearance is from the bottom of the door to the ground?

if I can ensure the doors will open over the low wall I am double protected from banging the door

Thanks

 

[Lee Fryer]

38cm

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[Minxy]

Just made me think as I am working out wall heights.

Anyone know what the ground clearance is from the bottom of the door to the ground?

if I can ensure the doors will open over the low wall I am double protected from banging the door

Thanks

I assume the figure given by Lee above is just the clearance with no-one in the MH, if someone steps in through the door it could make the suspension go down a bit and thus lower the clearance, obviously the size of the wheels and the actual chassis could also affect the clearance amount, so best to get the figure from someone with exactly the same van as you're getting in 'squish' mode.

 

[Speve]

If I had 6m to spare I would use It all as it’s always nice to have a bit of hard standing when working on your van also you can park askew for even more room at the back as well?

 

[Phil89a]

If I had 6m to spare I would use It all as it’s always nice to have a bit of hard standing when working on your van also you can park askew for even more room at the back as well?

The area I am planning is a parking bay off my drive for the van. If I need to do work I can simply move the van from the bay onto the main drive and then have plenty of room around. I am lucky that I have a large drive area to play with

 

[Phil89a]

I assume the figure given by Lee above is just the clearance with no-one in the MH, if someone steps in through the door it could make the suspension go down a bit and thus lower the clearance, obviously the size of the wheels and the actual chassis could also affect the clearance amount, so best to get the figure from someone with exactly the same van as you're getting in 'squish' mode.

Makes sense and I will allow (if possible) some variance in the clearance to allow for heavy loads when the door is opened.

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
When we had a big car and narrowish garage,i fixed a bit of carpet to the walls where the doors opened. Being outside,perhaps a bit of black rubber on the passenger side wall would help if it is going to be a bit tight.
Tea bag

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[steve69]

It's your reversing skills you may need to work on. My drive is 3 meters wide but although the van fits neatly, Initially I found I really had to focus very carefully on reversing into it. The trick is to use your wing mirrors only as you reverse. Don't try sticking your head out of the window to look where your going - the mirrors are far better. You also need to park in a way that still allows comfortable access down one side of the van. In my case this means exiting the vehicle from the passenger side. At risk of stating the obvious, it's easier to take the van out driving forward than reversing onto a road.

 

[Phil89a]

Hi.
When we had a big car and narrowish garage,i fixed a bit of carpet to the walls where the doors opened. Being outside,perhaps a bit of black rubber on the passenger side wall would help if it is going to be a bit tight.
Tea bag

I use the same method in my garage I should be OK for outside parking as I have the space to make the parking as wide as needed.

 

[pixer]

Just made me think as I am working out wall heights.

Anyone know what the ground clearance is from the bottom of the door to the ground?

if I can ensure the doors will open over the low wall I am double protected from banging the door

Thanks

Which version of the Fiat Ducato van has the converter used? Different versions (Maxi etc.) have different wheel/tyre diameters and suspension/ride heights.

 

[Tea Bag]

I use the same method in my garage

Hi.
Mate had clearance problems as his car was a bit long and sometimes the door would not shut properly... Measured up. ( Trial and error ) Tennis ball ,hung on a bit of string from the garage ceiling,when it touched the windscreen he could shut the garage door. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together.
Tea Bag

 

[Raymond Bonello]

Whilst waiting for my first van to be delivered (Fiat Ducato 6m) I need to redo my drive so I can park the van easily. To ensure I leave enough room so I can get in and out of the cab, can anyone tell me how much room I need between vehicle and a wall to allow the door to be opened and the driver get in/out with the door fully open ? Can’t risk chipping the expensive metallic paint

I hope the question makes sense

Thanks

Phil

If you leave five feet for the door to be fully open as it has two positions. With two and a half feet you might go out with some difficulty. It also depends on the sature of your body. Good luck.