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2018 Malibu 22 MXZ Minimum Garage Size


tylerp27

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Hello, 

I have been wanting a boat for the last 10+ years and finally ready to make a purchase! I found a 2018 MXZ 22 with only 40 hours on it. Before moving forward I am trying to validate it will fit in my garage, and hoping I can get some feedback here. Unfortunately the boat is a state away so I can't test it.

Width: My garage is 107" wide, I understand this should be fine with the guide poles on the trailer removed

Length: I have 291", I understand this will work, but I will need to remove the swim step and the wedge will need to be lowered once I get in the garage. Question: Will the surf gate be in the way? Could someone measure from front of folded trailer to back of surf wedge lowered or surf gate (whichever is lowest)

Height: I have 8' total height at the opening, however the garage design slants to across the top. I have 86" of full 8' clearance, then it slopes down to 107" at 7'. Could someone measure the width of the highest point across the folded tower? I understand the tower folds to 7'9", but I am not clear how wide it is at that point. 

Any help is greatly appreciated! 

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Hi there.  Where are you in Woodinville?  We are on Hollywood hill... so we will have to get together and chat about boats:). 

The short answer:

Width: you are good

Length: you are good

Height: might be a challenge due to your arch.

Width:  You have a 9' garage (minus a little for the threshold) and you should be able to fit the boat in.  I have the same setup and I have about 2-3 inches on each side when I back in. Yes.. guide poles come off (which is a PITA on the new Malibu trailers, I am still working up a solution to make that faster.)  

Length:   I have a 24' deep bay that I could fit my 2008 23LSV in (wedge down, platform off) and believe it or not this winter I managed to get my 2019 23LSV in that 24' deep bay... again, wedge down, platform off.  I had ZERO room left, but that boat just sat there for 6 months so it was perfect. During the summer I keep it in my center bay which is much deeper.  The measurement you are looking for is from the back of the wedge bracket (the moving part of the wedge will not be an issue).. you put the end up the bracket right up against the wall.  As long as the boat is straight you will not have an issue with the surfgate.  IF you angle the boat then the surfgate comes into play. The chart shows the 22MXZ being 279" with the wedge down and platform off .. so you should be fine.

Height: I have 8' high doors with an arched brick façade (I think this is what you are talking about.) This will be your biggest issue.  On my 2008 23LSV(which had a G3.2 tower so it should be the same as a 23LSV till the mid cycle top deck change) I could easily fit under the 8' door even with the brick arch.  For a newer (taller) boat with the G3.2/3.5 tower your issue with be the heigth of the tower feet when folded (basically the back edge of the tower that will swing up and be your high point)  Also.. the wheels/tires will come into play a bit as well since some wheels/tire combo's add to the overall height.  Chart shows the 22MXZ, G3.5 folded, hoop off, racks off, 14" wheels at 94 inches and that would be at the outermost point of the tower (not the outermost point of the garage door... but maybe 3.5' -4' from centerline on each side.)

If you want to see how my boat fits in my garage just to get a better idea of out a Malibu trailer and boat fit through with the brick arch, etc, you are welcome to come over today when I back my boat into my garage (exciting stuff :-S.)  It is down at the shop and later this morning I am going to go and grab it and bring it home, so if you are anywhere close to Hollywood Hill just let me know (we are just off 124th at the top of the hill between Avondale and 202.)

 

garage.thumb.JPG.f110af7040b4fee347c3ae71c2352a10.JPG

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Thanks so much for the detailed reply. Small world - I am on Hollywood Hill as well, between NE 172nd and NE 160th. I do greatly appreciate the offer to swing by but I am buried with work today, and don't think ill be able to get away from my computer. Otherwise I would 100% take you up on that!

I do have a few clarifying questions if you don't mind - I really want to make this work but i'll be in real trouble if I get it home and it doesn't fit :)

Length: I understand with the wedge down the length is 291", which would give me a few inches to work with. However in the photo it looks like the surf gate then becomes the long point and can't be adjusted. Is that not accurate? (Picture below)

Height: Yes, my garage is similar but I do have a flat section across the top (picture for reference). Essentially, I am 7' at the widest point, and every inch I go in I gain an inch of height. So at 94" of height I am only ~89" wide. It doesn't sound like that will work?ISyizwe6l7a84j.webp

10935957.jpeg

 

 

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5 minutes ago, tylerp27 said:

Thanks so much for the detailed reply. Small world - I am on Hollywood Hill as well, between NE 172nd and NE 160th. I do greatly appreciate the offer to swing by but I am buried with work today, and don't think ill be able to get away from my computer. Otherwise I would 100% take you up on that!

I do have a few clarifying questions if you don't mind - I really want to make this work but i'll be in real trouble if I get it home and it doesn't fit :)

Length: I understand with the wedge down the length is 291", which would give me a few inches to work with. However in the photo it looks like the surf gate then becomes the long point and can't be adjusted. Is that not accurate? (Picture below)

Height: Yes, my garage is similar but I do have a flat section across the top (picture for reference). Essentially, I am 7' at the widest point, and every inch I go in I gain an inch of height. So at 94" of height I am only ~89" wide. It doesn't sound like that will work?ISyizwe6l7a84j.webp

10935957.jpeg

 

 

Your garage shape is better than mine.  You have over 7 feet at 8" so I think you are going to be okay.  Those wheels might add to the height... buy you can always swap out to other wheels (I have the 14" rims simply to save for clearance, turns out my 2019 23lsv has more than enough clearance for my garage and I could have gone with bigger wheels.)  Worst case.... redoing the front of your garage wouldn't be nearly as big of a project that mine would have been. You have wood siding, just cut the corner square and retrim it. 

The top of the wedge (the mounting bracket) or a surfpipe if it has it, would be the furthest back point, not the surfgate (it's close.. but the wedge will touch the wall before the surfgate if you are backing the boat without any angle.  BTW.. Wedge down only buys you 2" or so.. but those 2" make a difference:)

 

We are just off the light at 172nd and 124th. (top of the hill) in Wyndham Knoll

 

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21 hours ago, tylerp27 said:

Hello, 

I have been wanting a boat for the last 10+ years and finally ready to make a purchase! I found a 2018 MXZ 22 with only 40 hours on it. Before moving forward I am trying to validate it will fit in my garage, and hoping I can get some feedback here. Unfortunately the boat is a state away so I can't test it.

Width: My garage is 107" wide, I understand this should be fine with the guide poles on the trailer removed

Length: I have 291", I understand this will work, but I will need to remove the swim step and the wedge will need to be lowered once I get in the garage. Question: Will the surf gate be in the way? Could someone measure from front of folded trailer to back of surf wedge lowered or surf gate (whichever is lowest)

Height: I have 8' total height at the opening, however the garage design slants to across the top. I have 86" of full 8' clearance, then it slopes down to 107" at 7'. Could someone measure the width of the highest point across the folded tower? I understand the tower folds to 7'9", but I am not clear how wide it is at that point. 

Any help is greatly appreciated! 

It will be close and I would recommend getting near one to measure exactly what it will be.  My garage is 24' deep which is really 23'8" with door closed to back wall.  I had to cut some holes in the back wall to fit wedge and surfgates.  The wedge is the deepest point on my 22VLX but the surfgate is within an inch so dropping wedge doesn't gain you much.

If you truly have 24.25" then you should make it as I have to let the wedge protrude back into the wall about 2" and the surfgates about 1".  I have attached pics I took of our boat when trying to determine deepest point as well as what I did to the back wall.  Fortunately our wall is double stud depth and I needed that depth on our old Axis A22 for the surfgates.  That A22 had manual wedge that I could drop easily.  Power wedge is possible to drop but a pain to do and then get back up.  The two outside holes were already there from the A22 but I had to create a void for the power wedge on this go round so I didn't have to drop the wedge.  I already have to take off the racks and platform so didn't want another step if it could be avoided.  I don't have a finished pic but it gives you the idea.  

Again, I would measure that thing even if its a state away or find a local dealer with one you can get a tape measure under.

Boat.jpg

Wall.jpg

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I have a 17 22MXZ with tricked out trailer so it has the 18" rims and would not clear under my 8' garage door even with the tow point taken off the tower. I ended up buying the low profile tower loop to solve the problem. I may have been OK had the trailer come with 14" rims. You will also need to pull your board racks each time but its 1 allen set screw and the racks slide right off.

Edited by st22eve
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12 minutes ago, st22eve said:

I have a 17 22MXZ with tricked out trailer so it has the 18" rims and would not clear under my 8' garage door even with the tow point taken off the tower. I ended up buying the low profile tower loop to solve the problem. I may have been OK had the trailer come with 14" rims. You will also need to pull your board racks each time but its 1 allen set screw and the racks slide right off.

So do you not try taking the tow hoop off... you only took off the tow ball?  (but agree the low profile hoop solves the issue.  Also note... the new G5 tower also solves this issue.  I am guessing garage clearance has cost Malibu a few sales over the years and they are trying to solve that problem with the G5  (the Gx certainly solves it as well.)

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1 minute ago, gregtay said:

So do you not try taking the tow hoop off... you only took off the tow ball?  (but agree the low profile hoop solves the issue.  Also note... the new G5 tower also solves this issue.  I am guessing garage clearance has cost Malibu a few sales over the years and they are trying to solve that problem with the G5  (the Gx certainly solves it as well.)

I took the tow point off first and still needed about 2". I then took the whole tow loop off and went in fine. It's only the 4 bolts to take the tow loop off but we ride year round in AZ and it wasn't something I wanted to do every time.  I ordered the low pro loop the same day I bought the boat. So nice to just pull the boat out, pop up the tower, slide on the racks and hit the road in under 10 minutes.

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  • 6 months later...

Came across this thread and was hoping to get some input please - I just took delivery of a 20 VTX and have a height issue with my arched garage.  The Bimini top and  the wake board rack are easy to take off - my issue is the arched tow bar , its around 98 inches high  (its about 90 to the high point of the folder tower without the racks) - I see above the mention of replacing the arched tow hoop bar  with a straight or lower profile tow bar  - can someone please tell me where they sourced the straight or lower profile bar from ?  I need to clear 92 inches.   Thank you!! 

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23 hours ago, Dpuck said:

Came across this thread and was hoping to get some input please - I just took delivery of a 20 VTX and have a height issue with my arched garage.  The Bimini top and  the wake board rack are easy to take off - my issue is the arched tow bar , its around 98 inches high  (its about 90 to the high point of the folder tower without the racks) - I see above the mention of replacing the arched tow hoop bar  with a straight or lower profile tow bar  - can someone please tell me where they sourced the straight or lower profile bar from ?  I need to clear 92 inches.   Thank you!! 

You can get the G3 low profile hoop from your dealer. (They can order one for you.)  Also, for the Bimini, you shouldn't need to remove it, there are brackets that allow it to tilt it.

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