Refers to the most significant design parameters of the car. To understand its importance, we can give an example of a powerful SUV with high traction, well-thought-out chassis, ergonomic handling and low suspension. With all its advantages, its clearance of 15-20 cm will not allow it to confidently overcome off-road. How to increase ground clearance? The task is not an easy one, especially when it comes to standard cars with a basic ground clearance of 14-16 cm as in most AvtoVAZ models. Nevertheless, experts still give several recipes.
Increased ground clearance due to wheels
The simplest, relatively safe and tangible way to lift the case. The standard group of wheels is being updated with new pairs with an increased profile. Moreover, the configurations of the increase in height may be different. According to auto mechanics, the cumulative positive effect on economy and reliability will be an increase in rims rather than tires. But there are also disadvantages to this tuning. You may have to pay with the consequences of an increase in the load on the chassis. This is reflected in the rapid wear of bearings, shock absorbers and struts. How to increase ground clearance with minimal negative effects? The best option is to change the wheels within the ranges provided by the manufacturer. In this case, the fuel consumption standard will remain within the acceptable range. The problem is that such ranges imply a slight variation in diameters, which will not suit everyone.
Replacing shock absorbers
Another way to update the standard functional parts with their pros and cons. In this case, the "native" shock absorbers are replaced with new ones - respectively, with a large number of turns. This method should be in service even if it is not planned to increase the clearance as such. Over time, the springs can sag so that you will have to raise the base to the original level. And, in principle, the solution is not bad, since it makes it possible to strengthen the supporting structure, eliminate the subsidence of the stern at full load and adjust the angles of the rear and front suspension. That is, a lot of opportunities for improving the chassis are structurally provided. But is it possible to increase the ground clearance by replacing the shock absorbers with a tangible result? Of course, the upgrade will be useful for lifting the body too. Another thing is that the technical replacement operation itself is not cheap and is performed through complex operations in a car service.
Installation of air suspension
An even more expensive option, in terms of the scale of implementation, comparable to a major overhaul or repair of a car. What should be expected at the exit? Air suspension is a whole complex of components and assemblies, which includes air bags, air control sensors, a control receiver, a compressor unit and a control panel. The ground clearance will not only be raised - the driver gets the opportunity to almost precisely adjust its height in certain ranges. Moreover, the air suspension with increased ground clearance in some versions can provide for automatic regulation by means of sensors with adjustment for a specific type of surface. For example, on the highway, the system will lower the ground clearance, which will give a speed advantage. And in off-road conditions, it will raise it to an acceptable level. But not only the air suspension kit itself, but also its installation with maintenance costs a considerable amount.
Using a spacer to lift the undercarriage
A foreign device specially designed to increase the lumen. The spacer is built under the shock absorber or on the spring-to-body assembly. Thus, the structural level of the bearing part is increased by a certain amount. And the most important task of the wizard is to choose the correct characteristics of the device. For example, how to increase the ground clearance on a VAZ with a spacer? Classic VAZ models like 2101-2107 have a ground clearance of about 15 cm. For such structures, spacers with a height of 1-4 cm are recommended. Moreover, it is advisable to select the material of manufacture from elastic. It is better to refuse solid and rigid devices, since the load-bearing part of the machine does not compensate for the rigidity of the already rough suspension. You can give preference to rubber, polyurethane or, at worst, plastic spacers.
Features of increasing ground clearance in SUVs
The difficulty in lifting such vehicles lies in the risks of imbalance when the ride height adjustment changes the center of gravity configuration. To minimize such risks, a point scheme for working out the bearing depreciation part will allow. For example, how to increase the ground clearance on the "Niva" in this way? The simplest set of actions could be as follows:
- The shock absorber group on the front suspension is, if possible, replaced by an analogue from the Volga family.
- The rear springs with an enlarged rod are replaced with shock absorbers from the GAZelle.
- Spacers are installed under the front and rear springs, and this time it is metal.
- The diameter of the wheels increases - again, if possible, within the limits of the manufacturer's allowance.
It is also worth focusing on the following points of universal lifting properties:
- Any changes in the car's load-bearing base will inevitably correct its behavior on the road, which is especially felt at high speeds. In this context, the important question is how to increase the ground clearance without losing stability? There are two options to minimize this kind of negative factor. Firstly, use air suspension, and secondly, provide the car with an electronic stabilizer bar.
- In the process of making changes to the amortization group, it will be useful to diagnose the suspension, which will reveal worn out or parts close to wear.
- After increasing the clearance, it is worth preparing for an increase in the load on the chassis. You may need to change your driving style.
What is the best ground clearance?
It depends on the structural purpose of the machine and the practical tasks for which it is used. How do you increase the ground clearance so that it naturally matches the capabilities of the vehicle? For an answer, it is worth referring to the following classification of ground clearance:
- Clearance from 14 to 20 cm. Suitable for passenger cars, mostly used in urban environments.
- The middle range is from 18 to 25 cm. An intermediate option between a passenger car and a SUV.
- The ground clearance is from 20 to 35 cm. It characterizes the ground clearance of full-fledged SUVs and large crossovers, which are also used on rough terrain.
Conclusion
The increase in the distance between the underbody and the road is a fundamental design change that affects the performance of the vehicle. How justified is this decision and what do the car owners say, who have increased the ground clearance? The ground clearance, according to many reviews, makes the driving process easier. The driver does not need to worry about whether the crankcase will catch on an unevenness on the road or a curb, whether the loaded body will not sink to a critical level, etc. That is, lifting has a completely logical practical function. As for the negative nuances, they boil down to the complication of the control process, a reduction in the working life of some suspension elements and an increase in fuel consumption costs.
Ground clearance (or ground clearance) is a value that characterizes the distance from the lowest point of the car (most often, the threshold) to the road surface. measured in millimeters and may vary depending on the purpose of the vehicle. For example, off-road vehicles have a higher ground clearance than a conventional passenger car. An increase in ground clearance allows you to increase the vehicle's cross-country ability, but at the same time, its stability on the road to rollover decreases.
Below, as an example, there is a table in which the clearance of a model range of VAZ cars is painted.
VAZ 2101 170mm VAZ 2108 160mm
VAZ 2102 175mm VAZ 2109 165mm
VAZ 2103 170mm VAZ 21099 170mm
VAZ 2104 170mm VAZ 2110 170mm
VAZ 2105 170mm VAZ 2111 150mm
VAZ 2106 175mm VAZ 2112 160mm
VAZ 2107 175mm Lada Kalina 160mm
VAZ 2121 "Niva" 220mm Lada Kalina (station wagon) 185 mm
As you can see, the ground clearance of different models differs, and the difference is noticeable in the car modifications. So, for example, the "Niva" has a clearance of 220mm, which allows it to overcome high obstacles, and the clearance of the "eight" allows it to be more stable when cornering and develop a higher speed, since when the vehicle height decreases, the frontal resistance of the oncoming flow air. Also, the high ground clearance of station wagons allows them to transport a large mass of cargo, while the car does not sag and does not "cling" to the bottom of the unevenness of the road surface.
It is also a balance between high and low vehicle height. After all, too high a height, as mentioned earlier, reduces its speed of movement, due to increased air flow, and too low a height, although it will provide a sufficiently high speed and good stability, but exposes the bottom of the car to damage on high bumps and bumps.
How to increase ground clearance (clearance)
Increasing ground clearance is most often done by off-road driving enthusiasts, hunters and other amateurs to go out of town. Roads in the city are significantly different from country country roads. That is why increasing the clearance for vehicles unsuitable for these roads is one of the most important procedures.
- First method. The increase in ground clearance is achieved by installing wheels with a large diameter. This is especially true for vehicles with basic equipment.
Among the disadvantages of this method are the appearance of an error in the speedometer and the limitation of the diameter of the wheel arches. This means that if you put a wheel of too large diameter, then it will touch the arches on sharp turns.
- Method two... Installation of spacers under the mountings of suspension parts to the body, for example, springs, also allows you to increase the ground clearance. Complete with spacers, you should purchase shock absorber extensions, or new extended shock absorbers, since when entering a deep hole, the shock absorber can fly out of the cup.
The disadvantage of this method is that the rear spacers are much thicker than the front ones and the increase in ground clearance is uneven. In this regard, the brake force regulator, or as it is called the "sorcerer", receives incorrect information. However, the "sorcerer" has the ability to regulate.
- Third method. It resembles the second method and consists in replacing the standard springs with springs with a large number of coils. Thus, a significant increase in ground clearance can be obtained. However, as with the second method, it is necessary to lengthen or replace the shock absorbers for the same reasons.
Compared to spacers, new springs will last much longer and more reliable, however, in addition to the same disadvantages, they have a high cost.
- Fourth method. Reinforced springs. This option is used for vehicles that are operated at full load. They can be pickups and station wagons, which have the ability to transport bulky goods. Reinforced springs do not increase the vehicle's ground clearance, however, their use eliminates "sagging" at full load, while maintaining normal ground clearance and protects the underbody from damage caused by uneven road surfaces.
Among the advantages of this system can be noted an increase in the service life of the entire chassis, however, the comfort of travel without load is reduced, since the rear part will "spring" on small bumps.
Video - How to increase the clearance of a VAZ
In conclusion, it should be said that taking into account all the advantages and disadvantages of different methods, the driver himself decides how to increase the vehicle's clearance. In addition, a combination of different methods is allowed, which significantly increases the effect, but it is not recommended to go beyond the technical characteristics of the car with this "tuning" of the chassis, as this can increase the wear of the remaining parts of the suspension.
Hello dear friends! Did you miss? So do I. Today we have a rather interesting question under consideration - spacers to increase ground clearance.
I know that often car owners try, on the contrary, to lower the car, to make it as low as possible. But you know who is doing this. Especially when it comes to cars such as VAZ 2109, 2110, etc.
Take any car, Peugeot, Honda, Opel, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, Audi. Only a few of them have a really high ground clearance, that is, ground clearance. And then, this mainly applies to crossovers. I agree that cars like Renault Logan and Skoda Octavia Tour are tall. But the Chevrolet Lacetti, Ford Focus, Kia Sid or Rio, Mazda 3, Hyundai Accent, Volkswagen Passat sometimes clearly do not reach the height that is needed for our roads.
It is the low quality of roads that makes car owners change the dimensions of the clearance. One method is spacers. They are installed in the rear and front wheels. And many do it with their own hands. Lots of relevant tutorial videos to help you out.
Buying a set of spacers is not as expensive as completely changing the springs, replacing a set of wheels with a larger diameter. Spacers have their drawbacks, though.
What are they needed for
- The car is initially low enough. This applies to imported cars, because our automakers understand that it is senseless to fight the roads, as well as to wait for their quality to improve. Therefore, they try to adapt to current conditions, offering high ground clearance. But even it is not enough. As a result, driving through the next section, you again and again cling to the bottom, crankcase protection, you cannot pass the curb, brake in front of each pit, so as not to get hit. All this interferes with normal movement and driving becomes a challenge.
- You often have to load the machine. A full cabin of people or a huge amount of luggage noticeably lands the car, which begins to scratch on the asphalt, rub the wheels on the wheel arches. Agree, there is little pleasant in this.
Installation of spacers is the most optimal solution to the problem, if you look from the position of price and quality. They increase rigidity and increase the distance from the bottom to the ground. Fortunately, my car is quite tall, but this problem is very close to me, since my friends do not have such a clearance. Actually, I would like to install inserts for them, since I have to constantly take my car if we are going somewhere in nature or out of town. But let's not talk about sad things.
I think you are very clear about why these spacers are needed and what function they perform. But before you supply and even purchase these elements, which are sold not only in Volgograd, but also in any cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, etc., I suggest you find out what these spacers are.
Varieties
There are three main types of these elements used to increase ground clearance and increase the rigidity of the car's suspension.
Materials used
Feedback from friends, online users and personal observations made it clear that it is extremely important which spacers you buy. When we put the first available items purchased for a penny, then we are at great risk to our own health and the health of our car.
Go shopping, go to the same Aliexpress, carefully look at the drawing of the proposed spacers. But the most important thing is the material of their manufacture.
Spacers are now available in three different materials.
Summarize
I cannot advise or dissuade you from installing spacers. Much depends on the specific car, its condition, driving style, operating conditions, and so on.
The reason for abandoning the spacers may be the fact that after their installation the levers are lowered and are constantly in this state. As a result, the geometry is violated, the suspension system works differently, and it changes for the worse, the previous steering sensitivity is lost, the car can skid at high speeds.
Also, spacers increase the load on the suspension itself, silent blocks, shock absorbers, and steering rods wear out.
It's up to you to decide. Think about where to buy spacers and whether to buy them specifically in your case. It may be easier to change the wheels or the springs themselves. It is more expensive, but safer.
Share your impressions if you used spacers. Do not forget to leave comments, invite your friends and tell all your friends about us. It's not difficult for you, but we are incredibly pleased!
The modern car with the improvement of aerodynamic forms is becoming. Increasingly, to reduce air resistance, the ground clearance is reduced. The road surface, on the contrary, makes a motorist who has bought a new car and traveled for some time on domestic roads, constantly clinging to the bottom of potholes or bumps, to think about increasing the ground clearance.
A trifle and rather big consequences
Repair specialists are well aware that there is no single point for determining the clearance over the road.
The first point that can affect the increase in ride height is the front bumper. A familiar situation when parking in a city near a high curb: accidental hitting it, grinding and crunching. The situation could have been saved by 2-3 centimeters.
The front bumper of almost all modern cars has a kind of "skirt" with a width of 2 to 3 cm. It can be made of plastic or rubber. It was these centimeters that were needed in case of parking. The plastic part is cheap and easy to replace if broken. It is better to take off rubber for the winter.
Do not forget about the second point under the oil pan. The clearance of 12–17 cm is very small. In the spring, "snowdrops" appear - deep pits filled with water. As the people say, tore off the "snowdrop" - left the pallet. Such a case is extremely unpleasant both upon occurrence and during repair.
There are many options, what to choose
Each driver independently decides how to raise the car.
The easiest option is to replace the standard tires with tires with a higher profile. This is the fastest and, in the opinion of many, the most painless solution for the car's chassis. However, at a significant cost, such a solution is not very effective.
A slightly larger effect is achieved by increasing the diameter of the discs. It is worth noting that you should not install a larger diameter than that provided by the vehicle manufacturer. Exceeding the values entails increased load and rapid wear of wheel bearings, struts, shock absorbers, and so on.
The second option is to replace the shrunken shock absorbers. Is it possible to increase the vehicle's ground clearance using such a replacement? The answer is rather negative, because when the car is stationary, its body hangs on springs, respectively, the shock absorbers have no effect on lifting. They are triggered in motion, when rocking or moving off the curb, when a car with broken shock absorbers hits its nose. A good shock absorber solves this problem. Thus, the shock absorbers do not affect the increase in clearance.
The third option is to raise the rear of the car using rubber spacers which are spring-mounted instead of the standard ones manufactured by the manufacturer. These spacers are capable of supporting the weight of the vehicle and are not subject to deformation.
Is it possible to increase ground clearance using this method without experiencing discomfort while driving, without deforming the body and without provoking? The unequivocal answer is yes! In addition, this option is considered one of the safest both for driving and for the design of your car.
The fourth option is to install spacers between the lower mounts of the rear shock absorbers and the eyes of the rear beam. We are talking about the so-called "houses". This method is convenient for the ability to select the height of the clearance due to special holes in the spacers themselves. Moreover, such a solution is fast and inexpensive. It should not be forgotten that after such a procedure, it will be necessary to additionally adjust the headlights, the regulator, the angle of inclination of the steering axis of the front wheels.
The video shows the installation of spacers:
The fifth option is one of the worst ways to increase the vehicle's ground clearance at home. Old springs are removed, reinforced springs of handicraft production or those that do not correspond to this car model are installed instead.
The body hangs on springs, the shock absorbers travel is either reduced or absent, which leads to a breakdown. In addition, the ride becomes uncomfortable, the suspension does not fulfill its function due to the lack of proper operation of the shock absorbers, which affects the increase in the braking distance and impairs the vehicle's handling.
The sixth option is simple, inexpensive, but unreliable. An interturn insert is installed in the spring. Consequences - a decrease in the degree of compression of the spring with all the ensuing consequences described in the fifth option
The seventh option is to increase the vehicle's ground clearance by installing polyurethane spacers between the car body and the strut support. Due to the increased rigidity, this method has an increased effect on body wear when driving on uneven roads.
The eighth option is the installation of aluminum spacers between the support and the car body. These parts have excellent strength values, and when used in different sizes, a significant increase in ground clearance can be achieved. They do not impair driving comfort. The only disadvantage in use is the provocation of corrosive processes, especially in winter, when road surfaces are treated with sand and salt mixtures.
The ninth option is the installation of plastic spacers, as in options 3, 7 and 8. Excellent indicators of wear resistance, ease of use, versatility. Of course, there is a minus - too high cost.
Need to remember
It is good to note some points that require the attention of everyone who wants to make changes to the ground clearance of their car.
- By raising your vehicle, you are making a difference in its behavior on the road, especially at high speeds. In favor of increased flotation, you sacrifice stability.
- Together with lifting the car, carry out preventive and repair work in the car's suspension.
- Don't do it yourself, trust the professionals.
- After increasing the ride height, do not exaggerate the capabilities of your vehicle, even if the maximum increase is made.
In conclusion, I would like to remind you that each car corresponds to certain types of road surface. Based on this, manufacturers calculate its design features, ground clearance, and cross-country ability. If a passenger car designed for driving on flat roads drives through fields, bumps, ruts, mud, then no manipulations with its suspension will help make it with increased cross-country ability and increased ground clearance.
In any case, it is you who will have to decide whether it is worth increasing the ground clearance, and the information presented in the article should be useful in making a decision.
If you think that the ground clearance of a car, also known as ground clearance, is the distance from the lowest point on the bottom of the car to the supporting surface (road surface), then you are mistaken ... This lowest point is not looked for to measure over the entire area of the bottom of the car, but only on its so-called "central part". The concept seems vague, but there are simple formulas for calculating it. It makes no sense to delve into them. For ease of understanding, the "center section" of the average sedan used to determine the ride height looks something like this (marked in red):
As we can see, many points of the lower part of the body (the suspension elements marked with arrows in the wheel area, mud flaps, sill covers, muffler tips and some others) are not taken into account when determining the clearance and may be (and are!) Much closer to the asphalt than that point , which is taken as the reference when determining the official value of ground clearance. And if you take into account the fact that the factory ground clearance figures of foreign cars are most often valid only for an empty car, without cargo and passengers, then one should not be surprised when a city car strikes its bottom on a completely harmless dirt road on the way to the country house.
As a result, many car owners who are not ready to buy an SUV or at least a crossover are trying to "lift" their sedan in order to make it more versatile. Installing tires of a larger diameter from the list of dimensions allowed by the manufacturer will win an honest centimeter and a half in height, however, purchasing new wheels is costly, and some dimensions are also rare. Therefore, the method of lifting the body with spacers has gained significant popularity. Let's take a look at its features, pros and cons.
Spacer design
The spacers are divided into front and rear, differing in design. All four are installed on the full "lift" required to increase the vehicle's cross-country ability outside the asphalt. But sometimes they get by with a pair of rear ones for partial lifting, which is usually required with frequent breakdowns of the suspension and the bottom grazing on the bumps in the road from the transport of heavy loads in the trunk or three passengers on the back sofa.
Front spacers (we are talking about MacPherson strut suspension) are installed between the strut support and the body. They are rings made of hard plastic or aluminum. Rear spacers are installed between the body and the spring of the rear axle or beam. They look like "steering wheels" made of dense rubber or polyurethane with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the spring.
What does the spacer change?
A spacer mounted above the A-pillar support raises the body above the A-pillar, thereby increasing the tilt of the A-shaped lower arm. As a result, the body and those "clinging" parts that were actually below the official ground clearance figures (sills, bumper edges, mud flaps, etc.) "rise" above the road by the size of the spacer (value "B" in the picture). It is important to note that the position of point "A" located on the lever in the area of the ball joint does not change. Where a stump or a cobblestone would fall under the lever in a non-lifted car, you will hook it on a lifted one too. It is possible to increase the lift of point "A" only by installing wheels of larger diameter.
The picture above is for the front axle of the vehicle. In the case of the rear axle, everything is not so simple. No, if the rear axle is also an independent suspension - the same MacPherson strut or a multi-link - then the effect of increasing the clearance will be exactly the same as in the first case. However, if the rear of the car has a "cart structure" (torsion U-shaped beam or driving continuous axle), then the effect of increasing ground clearance even in the central part does not occur. The body is lifted over the bridge, and the gap between the bridge and the road remains unchanged.
However, this does not mean that the rear spacers are useless in the case of dependent or semi-dependent suspension. The body still rises, which means that the likelihood of touching the ground on bumps with the back of the sills, bumper or muffler is reduced.
Of course, like any abnormal intervention in the design of a car, the installation of spacers is a double-edged sword. She gives one thing, and takes away the other ...
The first thing you will probably lose is the undercarriage warranty. In addition, one must clearly understand that the suspension behavior originally calculated by the engineers will change. The cross-country ability will slightly increase, but at the same time the controllability of the car at high speeds and during maneuvers will inevitably deteriorate. However, mass practice shows that if you do not get carried away with height, but limit yourself to 15-20 millimeters, which are considered the most reasonable for a sedan or hatchback, then the negative effect will not be too significant.
In the case of tired, sagging springs, for which, for example, there are no funds to replace, spacers of low height will not give additional lift at all, but only return the original position of the body in relation to the asphalt. Although this measure is undoubtedly a temporary one: neither "shrunken" springs, nor dead shock absorbers can be healed by any spacers.
Installation of spacers
If, nevertheless, it is decided to install spacers, we will tell you about the technical nuances of this procedure, which will allow you to assess your capabilities and decide on the order of its implementation.
To install the spacers on the front of the car with MacPherson strut, it is necessary to completely remove the two front struts. Disassembling the removed stands is not required.
In the standard upper supports, the fastening pins are lengthened. To do this, you will have to knock out the native hairpins, and in their place, hammer in the longer ones from the kit. Another way is to screw threaded extensions onto the native studs, which are often equipped with spacers. After that, the spacer is “pressed on” onto the extended fasteners, and the stand together with it is installed in place.
All of the above is a fairly simple task that a handy car enthusiast who has a case of wrenches and a jack can easily cope with. However, what was an ordinary occupation for fathers and grandfathers today can terrify their descendants, and in this case, it is probably better to entrust the procedure to an unofficial car service ... Moreover, after the "lift", the suspension geometry changes, and a mandatory procedure will be required adjusting the angles of descent and camber.
The installation of the rear spacers, oddly enough, is somewhat more difficult than the front ones. Formally, it seems simpler: you need to completely remove the springs, previously compressed with special ties, and push them back with spacers. However, this is only half the battle.
You still have to lengthen the shock absorbers, because the changed suspension geometry shifts the travel of their rods. In a static position, they turn out to be stretched almost to the stop, which, when working on rebound (for example, when a wheel hits a pit), causes a hard blow. Therefore, the shock absorber must be lengthened by the thickness of the spacer (or better - plus another ten millimeters). This is done in three ways.
The first is replacing the "amort" with a longer one, from another car model, but with similar upper and lower mountings. You can find out about the existence of those on the thematic forum for your car. Here, how lucky, because elongated shock absorbers, suitable, as they say, "bolt-on", may simply not be in nature. In this case, the second method is practiced - lengthening the shock absorber rods with the help of extensions, often called "soldiers". And the third is to lengthen the shock absorber from below by installing eyelet extensions.
The version with "soldiers" is attractive for its simplicity and some technical aesthetics. However, the search for a “pair of soldiers” can take too long: the product is not a popular one, and the quality of the products sold is not always up to par. An impeccable option is the services of a responsible turner and thermist. The first will grind your extensions, and the second will harden.
It is no worse to lengthen the shock absorbers not from the side of the rod, but from the side of the eyelet. A U-shaped extension is attached to the native eyelet with a bolt, and this, in turn, to the movable suspension elements. But eyelet extensions, like "soldiers", are not sold at every turn, they are not universal, so finding the part you need for your car can be difficult. In this case, a rude, but quite working option is often practiced. A new eyelet, cut off from a faulty similar shock absorber, is welded to the shock absorber eyelet through a metal extension from a profile pipe. Sometimes adjustable extension cords are also made: the second eyelet is attached to the native one through two welded coupling nuts and a threaded rod made of a strong bolt from the cylinder head.
