Curb feelers

asilverblazer · October 17, 2005

Well anyone know how curb finders work? Do they make noise? Where do they make noise from? Do they only work on hard suface, or will contact with anything make do what they do? How loud are they?

I have a good reason, and it isn't for finding curbs.

General Lee 01 · October 17, 2005

Here's what I wanna know, what the sam hill do they look like?

asilverblazer · October 17, 2005

They are the little antennae that stick out by the tires usually mounted on the lower fender area. Usually seen on old fart cars.

chuck16 · October 17, 2005

Well Back in the 60's they weren't hooked to anything they were just bolted to the body and a driver could hear them when they started scrubbing the curb. It made sort of "grrrrinding" noise which alerted the driver that he was hitting something. Kinda like when you flick the doorstop in your house, same Idea.

Greg · October 17, 2005

Metal end, spring metal body, attached to metal fender = audible scratching sound when then contact the concrete curb.

However, many communities now have "mountable" curbs that you drive over and traditional curb feelers probably wouldn't detect them. You probably wouldn't scrape your car against them, just end up driving in the grass.

One more thing - back in the 50's and 60's, many communities still had some very tall curbs of 9 - 12 inches or taller. This may have been a hold-over from the horse-and-buggy days or in anticipation of future repaving. Curbs that high made body damage a real possibility when parking.

asilverblazer · October 18, 2005

Well curbs are not what I am worried about, from the sounds of it they won't work very well detecting grass, or soft dirt, or if it does wouldn't be very loud. I was hoping to mount them behind the bumpers with about 3" of them hanging below the bumper so when traversing steep approach and departure angles I would know when I am about to rip my front bumper valance off or tear my tail pipe off, again...

Thanks guys for the info... back to the drawing board.

Wingnut · October 19, 2005

Don't worry, by the third time you tear something off, you know EXACTLY where it is without the need for a spotter.

PELICAN · October 20, 2005

well I can't help you with scraping the front but I put a small round mirror on the lower outside corners of my side view mirrors and then have the mirrors adjusted so that the little mirrors point just behind the rear tires. This does not work at night but during the day I have been able to keep from dragging the muffler or back bumper when traversing steep approach and departure angles.

asilverblazer · October 20, 2005

I could make my truck look like the mailmans, with mirrors for and aft...

Greg · October 20, 2005

I could make my truck look like the mailmans, with mirrors for and aft...

They gotta watch out for those steep driveways.

az'03Silverado · October 20, 2005

Well curbs are not what I am worried about, from the sounds of it they won't work very well detecting grass, or soft dirt, or if it does wouldn't be very loud. I was hoping to mount them behind the bumpers with about 3" of them hanging below the bumper so when traversing steep approach and departure angles I would know when I am about to rip my front bumper valance off or tear my tail pipe off, again...

Thanks guys for the info... back to the drawing board.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is your horn going to play 'La Cuccaracha' too?

asilverblazer · October 20, 2005

Not to fear, I've got another idea, but it'll take more pondering and alchol. And yes, I'll look into the horn thing.

chuck16 · October 20, 2005

For Coolness Factor, You could get some little pinsize camera's and some LCDs and mount them front and back then you would know exactly where your bumpers were....

Just my :2cents: worth.

SnakeEyeSS · October 23, 2005

I could make my truck look like the mailmans, with mirrors for and aft...

They gotta watch out for those steep driveways.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

actually no we don't. you wouldn't believe the abuse those things go trough. if you knew ago many times I heard horrid grinding comming from under those or against curbs to find no damages......not that that has ever happened or anthing

October 23, 2005

Back in the day, curb feelers were used so that you wouldn't scuff up your whitewall tires on the curb. They make a hollow metal grinding noise that's transmitted through the body so that you can hear it in the cabin of your ride.