Everything You Need to Know About Car Turntables

Nov 15, 2022 | Turntables

Do you have multiple cars with small parking spaces? Or would you like to modify your garage and make it easy to drive in and out of? A car turntable is probably what you need. A car turntable is a convenient solution to those who don’t have enough space for multiple cars, or your narrow drive away poses limitations such as a single entrance and exit. You may also just want to create space in your garage for other reasons.

You might be wondering what a car turntable is. It is a rotating platform installed in the driveway or on a garage floor, made for cars. Heavy-duty options also use for vans, trucks, and buses. It can be motorized or rotated manually and is designed to facilitate easy and safe exit from the garage or driveway.

Basically, the turntable is an economical and convenient solution to ensure freedom in your garage, generate smooth traffic flow, and enable effortless parking.

Turntables come in different designs and sizes. They are created according to your needs; you can have a big one for multiple vehicles or a showroom or a smaller one for a single residential car. Besides solving your parking problems, turntables have many other benefits. Below we look at them in-depth

Importance of Car Turntables

Turntables are suitable for homeowners, vehicle showrooms, apartment blocks, office buildings, business premises, and everyone else with limited space in their garage. The following are reasons why you should install a car turntable:

Creates Additional Space

Having multiple cars and struggling to park them due to limited space can be frustrating. A small space, however, can be managed well with a car turntable installation. You don’t have to ruin your backyard or garden trying to accommodate your cars.

A turntable is a space-saving solution where you park one car, rotate the turntable, and park the next vehicle. When you need to leave, you don’t have to struggle to turn; you just rotate the turntable and exit without having to turn and hit the other cars.

You might also be planning to use your garage for some other functions. In this case, you want to customize the space to park and use the area for different reasons. Therefore, installing a turntable becomes a to-go-to solution.

It will create additional space for your car and also give you the freedom to keep using or customizing the space for other reasons.

Easy Parking

Besides creating space for multiple cars, a turntable makes it easy to park in your garage. You might be having a small garage or a narrow driveway that makes it hard to park or turn when you need to exit.

Instead of backing out onto the street, which is risky, or parking your car by driving in reverse, which may as well create neck and back problems, install a turntable. It will ensure you simply park the vehicle on your spot and then rotate it around to face the exit or the street.

Security and Safety

Lack of space in your garage may force you to park your car on the streets, which is not secure. Your vehicle can also be hit by other cars when parked on the streets. That’s why it is essential to install a car turntable.

The car turntable has security features that make it impossible for criminals to break in and steal. All you have to do is park your car on the platform and rotate it to 90 degrees angle.

Accident Reduction

Accidents related to reverse driving are common. To avoid reverse driving while parking that may cause damage to your car install a turntable. This is even more important if you have children and pets around the home or apartment block that might endanger reverse driving.

All you have to do is drive your car to the turntable platform, use a remote to rotate it when you need to leave. Therefore a turntable ensures safety in the drive away, reducing the risks of accidents.

Road Laws Compliance

Road regulations require drivers to ensure and follow safe road practices. However, having a narrow driveway or small garage can make you unsafe parking methods or drive out.

Installing a turntable reduces this risk of compromising road safety for you, your vehicle, and others. For example, reversing in heavy traffic is an unsafe method and could pose a risk of accidents.

Commercial Showroom

The turntable rotates the car at 360 degrees. This is a great way to showcase the latest car models to clients from all angles without struggling. Therefore, installing a turntable in car showrooms is an excellent idea for the car business. This makes it easy to engage clients and build their trust in your products.

Increases Property Value

A turntable is a valuable feature in a home. It is also user-friendly, and homebuyers are considering properties with turntables. That means properties with turntables are considered more valuable and preferred by clients.

Before showing you about the different types of car turntables, it is important that you know about the different types of parking systems. Click on the banner below to learn more.

Types of Car Turntables

Turntables are built in a way that meets the needs of a wide range of users. They can be customized to fit a specific area taking note of garage and car size, exit doors, vehicle weights, and quantity.

Car turntables can also be built with your preferred materials that blend in with existing surroundings, such as hardwood, concrete, tiles, or paver. These models are meant to fit the overall floor design of your garage. First turntables are installed in two versions, namely Above-ground Version and In-ground Version.

The above-ground Version of the turntable does not require excavation to install. It is not flush with the garage pad or driveaway. In-ground Version, on the other hand, requires the garage floor to be excavated. This is because it is flush with the driveway or garage pad.  The following are types of Car turntables:

Residential Turntables

Residential turntables are installed at your home, where you might have a small space for your multiple cars. This will ease your exits if you have a narrow driveway, and it will also create an appealing look for your garage.

The turntable will also ensure you maximize your parking space by storing your cars even in narrow driveways.

These turntables are for businesses that deal with heavy-duty cars and would like to make it easy to turn on tight angles. They are made with a diameter of 100 feet or even more and could support a weight of up to 80 tons. Industrial turntables will ensure your business cars maneuver easily, even in narrow driveways.

Heavy-Duty Turntables

In manufacturing companies, to keep the process smooth, logistics are laid out well, and every step is strictly planned. However, it can be challenging in a company that uses many heavy-duty vehicles to distribute and transport.

Parking the cars for loading and then driving out can be a hectic process, especially if the driveways are narrow and the vehicles are huge. Companies can now install heavy-duty turntables to ensure the cars are strategically parked, loaded, and move quickly.

If you install a heavy-duty turntable, you can ensure that the supply chain is running without delays saving time and money.

With even a bigger turntable, the company can place several vehicles on the same rotating platform, enabling easy loading of several trucks simultaneously. The turntable is then rotated to a position that the trucks can drive away.

The heavy-duty turntables ensure the safety of people, goods, and vehicles by preventing accidents that might be caused by turning and reversing. They save time, space, and less fuel is used. Installing these turntables will also ensure the loading, transport, and delivery processes are improved.

Automotive Display Turntables

If your vehicles are for commercial use, car auctions, or car shows, you will need a display turntable. People love motion, and everyone will keep looking at your cars as they rotate. The motion shows the magnificent works of the vehicle from all angles, and the clients will not have to walk around the car to see it.

Note that most people buy cars based on looks. Therefore to showcase your vehicles, install a turntable that will display your vehicle correctly. These turntables can be installed for temporary or permanent use.

This means you don’t have to excavate the ground to install one; however, you can still do an in-ground installation if that is what you need. Display turntables can also be customized for personal needs or to fit your business brand.

Motion Control or Photo Booth Turntables

If you want to take good photos of your vehicles for commercial or internet use, then a photo booth turntable is what you need. It is difficult to take good pictures from your garage or street, especially with similar models out there. With a turntable, you can rotate your car and get good photos from any angle.

A motion control turntable enables you to rotate your car without moving it manually to get good shots. This will save time, and you will be able to take good photos of a collection of your vehicles.

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Car Turntable

Since there are many types of turntables with different designs in the market, there is a need to know what to consider when choosing a suitable turntable for your residential home or business. The following are some of the factors to consider when doing so:

The size of the vehicle determines the diametere of a turntable, the number of cars, and the size of your garage. You will need a sufficient diameter for your cardiameter to rotate efficiently. Most car models require a turntable with a 4.5 meters diameter. However, consider your car size and your space when deciding your turntable diameter.

Clearance Zone

This is the additional space or meter on the radius that facilitates rotation without collision. The clearance zone ensures your car rotates efficiently. Therefore, consider a rotation zone of 6.5meters or an additional meter for easy rotation of the turntable.

Anti-Collision Sensors

If you don’t have the 6.5meter rotation zone, then the anti-collision sensors will work well. The turntables are equipped with these sensors that cease rotation, preventing the car from colliding with walls or another vehicle.

Power Requirements

Turntables require adequate power to keep working smoothly. Consider the power requirements on the specifications when choosing a turntable. Ideally, the power supply needed is 240v 10amp. The energy is converted within the turntable control box to facilitate its functions.

Railquip Turntables Applications

Turntables can be installed in front of single garages, underground garages, multi-story car parks, hotels, Commercial car dealers, rental car companies, among others. They can also be used for outdoor applications. At Railquip, we over car turntable installation for all applications. Below are some of them:

Residential Turntables

To maximize the available space in your garage, install a residential turntable. The turntable will also facilitate easy traffic flow when vehicles are required to enter and exit in a forward direction.

Custom Designed Turntables

Do you want a unique, appealing turntable for your home or business? Railquip will create a turntable for any industry, application, or size to meet your specific requirements. We will work with you from concept drawing to project completion.

We will design, engineer, manufacture, and install your turntable as you like. You are guaranteed quality since we are the industry experts in rotating mechanisms.

Display & Exhibition Turntables

You will need a turntable to use for product display, photography, and video of new models; install a turntable. Our exhibition and display turntables will make your products the feature attraction of your business.

Elevating your vehicles into premium viewing positions, our turntables ensure that your clients’ attention is focused on your feature model, enhancing their overall experience.

Industrial Turntables

Industrial turntables can be used for the demolition, excavation, and construction phases of a project. Railquip Turntables’ industrial and construction turntables will assist in maximizing profits and your project objectives.

The turntable ensures you adhere to the meeting council requirements concerning construction traffic entering and exiting in a forward direction.

Truck Turntable

Railquip is the best in the market due to our innovative approach to engineering that enables us to install truck turntables that can accommodate any type of truck on the road. Our turntables can even hold and rotate multiple trucks at a time. We offer turntables for heavy, medium, and light trucks of all sizes.

Get to know the specifications of a quality turntable by accessing our brochure