How to increase ground clearance and what will this change in the operation of the car? How to increase ground clearance: instructions, features of increasing ground clearance, advice from experts How to raise the front.

There are car models that do not fit into Russian road realities at all. These are many representatives of the class of sedans and hatchbacks with a fairly low ground clearance. The problems with these cars are due to the fact that during the trip the vehicle is significantly exposed to the influence of bad roads. In particular, humps and ruts become a real test for such a car. And to meet similar problems on Russian roads ah still not difficult. However, the situation with roads in all directions is improving significantly, and this is noticeable to the naked eye. However, the desire to raise vehicle clearance left. This is especially true for owners of the first and second generation Hyundai i30, VW Passat B5 Plus 2.8, Skoda Octavia 7 and Skoda Rapid, Honda Accord and Honda Civic. We can continue listing cars with fairly low ground clearance endlessly, since there are quite a lot of them on the market. Optimal ground clearance for Russian Federation conditions - 16.5 cm and above.

If the ground clearance of your car is 14 or even 13.5 cm, then such clearance will constantly cause discomfort during the trip. You will have to choose the right trajectory of movement, watch out for humps on the asphalt and always adhere to the position of hitting the crests of the rut. Such troubles in the operation of the car will cause the most unpleasant sensations in movement. And during a long trip, even more unpleasant moments are possible, such as enormous fatigue and stress from constantly monitoring the quality of the road surface. So often owners of cars with low ground clearance begin to look for options on how to safely increase this same clearance. Today we will look at the most adequate and popular ways to raise the ground clearance without harming the quality and safety of driving a car.

Replacing wheels and tires with a larger diameter is effective, but not enough

If the wheel arches allow it, you can get an additional 1-1.5 cm of ground clearance by replacing the original wheels with larger ones. It is enough to add one inch to the radius of the wheel circumference to increase the ground clearance by about 1 cm. You can also replace the tires. For example, if your factory size is 205/55 R16, you can purchase 205/65 R16 tires. This will increase the height of the profile by about 1 cm, which will also provide a small plus to the clearance.

The advantages of this method are obvious:

1. The behavior of the car practically does not change, but transport may become somewhat tougher. It is very important to choose quality wheels and efficient, reliable tires.
2. Security remains at factory level, there are no changes in control quality. The steering wheel may become thicker, but in most cars such reformations are not noticeable at all.
3. If the speedometer readings lie, it will only be by 3-4%, which is generally acceptable norm for a modern car. So this parameter should not be taken into account.
4. There is no risk of harm to the car's suspension, in fact the load does not change, the width of the wheels remains the same, their shock absorption even increases slightly due to the height of the rubber profile.
5. The car becomes taller with minimal costs. You change the tires one way or another, and its price will not actually change with a difference of 1 inch. The cost is only for new disks.

There is no need to buy new wheels. Sometimes it will be better to find used original wheels for your car. Manufacturers often offer a whole range of disks for their vehicles, in which you can find required sizes. But it is not recommended to take wider wheels. It won't bring you much comfort or confidence, and will completely change the quality of control. And also such wheels will greatly increase fuel consumption. Follow factory width requirements.

Suspension “bad roads”: we use the package ourselves

Many motorists have always been interested in the concept of the “bad roads” package, which is offered in showrooms for many brands and models of cars. In fact, it's just a set of suspension parts with slightly different characteristics. In particular, the package includes a different type of strut and spring, sometimes including spring stands certified at the factory. There are several important features of using such a package independently:

• it is necessary to change the struts, since many people prefer to install only higher springs, but without replacing the struts the car will not be safe and of high quality in operation;
• It’s better to choose original springs if your car has the concept of a “bad roads” package, but there are also a lot of analogue solutions, it’s worth paying attention to the quality;
• the kit may also include steering parts, supports, bearings with enhanced wear resistance, but all this is an optional addition to the package;
• the installation of new struts and springs must be professional, otherwise the achieved result will be immediately deteriorated by the poor quality of installation of the main parts of your suspension;
• It is strictly prohibited to use Chinese cheap spare parts or struts and springs that are not certified for cars, unless you have experience in designing cars.

The modifications are quite simple, you need to buy struts and springs, replace them and enjoy the additional 2-2.5 cm of ground clearance. You can easily combine the first and second steps and get about 4 cm of increase below the bottom point. At the same time, the costs will be quite tolerable, since the struts will change sooner or later, as well as tires and wheels. Next time your struts need replacing, look into the bad roads package.

Supports for springs are not always acceptable

Probably the most popular way to raise a car above the road is to install special stands for the springs. This is a fairly common method that has been used for many years and has proven itself well on some cars. But in most cases, this method of lifting will not work properly. There are several factors that will help determine the real possibility and adequacy of lifting a car using stands:

If we are talking about modern car, which demonstrates excellent reliability of movement, the selection of parts must be professional. Please note that with such a rise you will notice unpleasant changes in car control, a roll will appear when cornering, braking forces and steering characteristics will change. All this suggests that you should think twice before using this method of raising the clearance.

What methods of increasing the lumen cannot be used?

There are other methods of working with vehicle clearance. Such solutions cannot be used at all due to their extreme danger in operation. Some recommendations from garage technicians are difficult to apply adequately. Sometimes reports on such alterations are posted on forums, which can cause mental confusion for an experienced craftsman. It is worth paying special attention to service center for car repairs, if you are offered the following methods of increasing ground clearance:

1. Installing homemade stands for springs or searching for suitable stands from other cars. This is unacceptable, since the quality and reliability of the vehicle will be significantly reduced. This installation will cause significant problems with the machine.
2. Installation of wheels 3 or more inches higher than factory specifications, as well as an increase in the rubber profile by more than 20%. In this case, you may be asked to bore the wheel arches to get more space for the wheel to move. It is unacceptable.
3. Selection and installation of struts and springs from another car. Even if the master claims about the quality and possibility of such alteration, it is better not to use this method. It can lead to the suspension simply falling apart during use.
4. Digestion of the body, changing the mounting locations of the main suspension components to raise the ground clearance. This is simply an amazing activity that will completely destroy your car and force you to look for a buyer for a pile of scrap metal.

It is worth carefully approaching the methods of repairing, restoring and modernizing a car. But raising the ground clearance is a necessity for many car owners. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to the methods indicated at the beginning of the article that really work and can become basic for your car. Use only safe vehicle modification options to ensure you have the safest and most confident car ride possible.

We invite you to watch a video with a report on the modification of a car with an increase in ground clearance:

Let's sum it up

There are several dozen methods to increase the ground clearance of a car. A number of them are used for all cars, some options exist only for certain types of transport. There is always the opportunity to use the option that is most suitable for your case and get the maximum positive emotions from its use. Therefore, it is important to choose a method of working with the suspension that will be safe and will not cause any problems in the operation of the car. Otherwise, a car trip will not turn into the most pleasant moments of your life. Sometimes it will be very difficult to redo everything back.

Before performing any modifications, you should go to specialized forums for your make and model of car to get more information about the behavior of the vehicle after the modification. Even if you decide to completely change the suspension of your car, there are such precedents in Russia. So you can always use the experience of other people and get more information about possible alterations. Also consult at good service stations, clarify the cost of work and other conditions. This will help you prepare for the costs and not be surprised during the remodeling process. What methods of increasing ground clearance in a car do you know?

Products of the domestic automotive industry are inferior to foreign cars in terms of reliability, comfort and a number of other indicators. Therefore, most people lean towards imported models. But since foreign passenger cars designed for the most even surfaces, they provide a small ground clearance of 13 to 16 cm. In the CIS countries, especially in the outback, this value is not enough. So it will be useful for owners of low-slung cars to know how to increase the car’s ground clearance with their own hands, using different methods.

How is ground clearance measured?

Ground clearance is considered to be the distance from the top of a flat surface to the most protruding part of the car body or engine. If you want to measure this gap in real conditions, then you need to place the car on a flat area and visually determine the lowest point. As a rule, in foreign cars the front overhang of the bumper or the oil pan is located close to the ground (as an option - its protection). From this point, measure with a regular ruler.

Reference Information. VAZ cars, adapted for use on the roads of Russia and the CIS countries, are made with a clearance of 17 cm between the engine oil pan and the road surface. This is the indicator you should follow if you decide to raise the body of the car.

Other elements protrude below the bottom of the car:

• exhaust system parts;
• rear continuous beam;
• cardan shaft;
• suspension arms and rods.

When measuring ground clearance, these elements are not taken into account, but when driving on uneven or dirt roads they often suffer from impacts. And if the increase in ground clearance under the exhaust pipe or cardan occurs simultaneously with the raising of the body, then the rear beam and levers will remain in place. Must use different ways increasing clearance to achieve results.

The rear and front springs of any car “sit down” over time. Perhaps you got just such a car. Measure the distance to the ground and check the readings with technical characteristics in passport. If a “drawdown” is detected, it is enough to replace the springs with new ones and drive on without tuning the car.

Ways to increase clearance

To get rid of a car that is too low, owners use the following methods:

• installation of tires whose profile is 10–15 mm higher than the standard one;
• replacement rims by 1–2 standard sizes upward;
• use of higher springs with one additional coil;
• adding special pads and spacers to the mounting points of struts and springs.

Important point! Regardless of the option chosen, follow one rule: all parts of the car are raised at the same time and to the same height. Otherwise, the “weight distribution” of the body will be disrupted, which will affect the handling and stability of the car.

What are the benefits of changing wheels?

Installing new rims and tires will increase the vehicle's ground clearance from 10 to 30 mm. What are the advantages this option:

• the method is easy to implement, there is no need to disassemble the suspension, just contact the nearest tire shop;
• all elements of the car rise to the specified height, including suspension arms, various rods and the rear beam;
• high-profile tires are softer than standard tires and absorb small bumps better;
• There is always the opportunity to quickly return the stock (factory) ground clearance.

The main disadvantage of this method is the discrepancy between the financial costs and the lifting height.. If you replace the disks, you will have to buy 4 pieces, and 2 sets of tires - summer and winter. Not every car enthusiast will decide on such expenses in order to increase the clearance by 3 cm. Installing large wheels also hides other disadvantages:

• slopes and disks of increased size are characterized by increased weight and additionally load the engine;
• fuel costs are increasing;
• speedometer and odometer readings become inaccurate;
• The service life of the transmission is reduced.

In some cars, the design of the wheel arches and fenders will not allow the installation of wheels 2 sizes larger, a maximum of one (for example, replace 13 inches with 14”). You'll get just 12.5mm of lift while paying a hefty amount.

Tuning the front and rear suspension

Replacing springs and installing shims will cost several times less than buying new wheels, but will increase the clearance by 3–5 cm. Consider 2 points: the beam and suspension elements will not rise, and to implement this option, disassembly will be required.

Before raising the car body using spacers, you should select and purchase new parts. Take the springs 1 turn more than the factory ones, and choose the size of the pads so that the total lift height does not exceed 5 cm. retail outlets for sale the following types spacers:

1. Rubber. They wear out quite quickly and need frequent replacement.
2. Aluminum products practically do not wear out, but have a high price.
3. Polyurethane inserts are a compromise solution. They last quite a long time and are cheaper than aluminum ones.

To disassemble the suspension, you cannot do without two special devices - a puller for pushing out the ball pins and a spring tensioner. This is a very common tool and there is no need to buy it; your neighbors will probably have pullers in their garages.

Removal of the MacPherson type front suspension springs is carried out in the following order:

1. Open the hood and unscrew the nuts of the upper strut mounting (not all the way). Unscrew the nut holding the rod.
2. Remove the wheel and disconnect the tie rod from the strut arm by unscrewing the nut and pressing the ball pin out of the eye with a puller.
3. Remove the bolts connecting the strut to the steering knuckle. To remove it assembled, completely unscrew the 3 upper nuts securing it to the glass.

When the assembly is removed from the car, all that remains is to compress the spring with ties and finally disassemble it. Then a new spring with pads is installed and reassembled in the reverse order. Repeat the operation on the other side and move to the back.

In the case of a multi-link suspension, you need to unscrew and pull out the shock absorber, tighten the spring, and then separate the steering knuckle from the lower ball joint. To lower the lower arm as much as possible and remove the spring, you will probably have to unscrew the end of the stabilizer from it lateral stability.

Disassembling the rear suspension is performed according to the same algorithm, but with some differences:

1. The glass with the rack mount is hidden under the trunk trim or under the seat back (depending on the car brand).
2. There is no need to press out the ball pin (it is not here), and the spring is tightened directly on the car. To do this, place a block under the hub and lower the jack, then apply the ties.
3. Unscrew the lower rack mount and pull out the assembly. Further disassembly and replacement of the spring is performed as described above in the instructions.

When reassembling the multi-link suspension, install the shock absorber extensions. Their fastening is done last, when the remaining parts are already screwed on.

Important! After completing the work, be sure to visit a car service center to adjust the camber angles of the front wheels.

About the consequences of increasing clearance

Having decided to increase the ground clearance, you must understand that the car's behavior on the road will change. The reason lies in raising the center of gravity along with the main mass of the car. What changes will appear:

• in sharp turns the car will begin to roll more;
• at high speed, a deterioration in controllability will become noticeable;
• the braking distance will be lengthened;
• Fuel consumption will increase by 5–10% depending on driving style.

Handling will become worse not only due to the movement of the center of mass. The air flow flowing under the bottom of the car will increase, as a result, the traction force of the tires on the road will decrease. To minimize these effects, it is not recommended to raise the body more than 5 cm from the standard position.

What options are there for increasing the clearance by 2-4 cm?

Good day everyone! I will not reveal a secret if I say that the quality of the roads of our vast Motherland in many places leaves much to be desired. Foreign cars often have low ground clearance, and domestic ones cannot pass everywhere. For these purposes, car enthusiasts often increase it. Sometimes this helps to go off-road, sometimes to carry more cargo, and it’s not scary to drive onto curbs. In a word, the topic of today's review is spacers to increase ground clearance.

Let’s briefly understand what this ground clearance is and why it needs to be increased. They call it the distance from the road surface to the lowest point of the bottom of the car body. Many motorists change this parameter: some down, some up. But we will talk specifically about the increase, since good ground clearance allows you to drive on domestic roads with all their “charms” without problems. It is a set of spacers that is a relatively inexpensive way to increase ground clearance compared to more expensive technologies.

It would seem that spacers have the same advantages, but this is not entirely true. To be fair, I will say that there are some negative aspects to this method:

• deterioration in controllability and stability vehicle, which is especially noticeable when performing dynamic maneuvers and cornering;
• the possibility of incorrect camber and toe-in occurring, and this leads to uneven wear tires;
• violation of the center of gravity provided by the manufacturer;
• increased wear of elements running car, as reviews indicate;
• reduction in the performance of shock absorbers.

Main types of structures and materials

Front spacers are most often made, since the nose of the car and its bottom are most susceptible to contact with uneven road surfaces. Structurally, it is a bracket in which there are holes for fasteners. As for the rear spacers, they are made in the form of rings with several ears. Designs may vary depending on the make of the car. The material used is metal, polyurethane, rubber.

Rubber products do not have the same safety margin as their metal counterparts. But they are inexpensive, do not corrode and are resistant to aggressive environments. However, due to significant loads, they quickly wear out, collapse and deform.

Spacers based on polyurethane have almost the same properties. They retained the inherent elasticity and noiselessness of rubber, and also acquired their own advantages. First of all, this is increased strength, allowing them to safely take a blow of great force. Among the disadvantages, we note a higher selling price, as well as an increased load on the bushings.

The most durable of what the market offers are aluminum structures. In addition, they are characterized by all the same advantages as the analogues described above. They have a long service life and are not subject to corrosion. True, aluminum products are significantly more expensive.

Ride height raising mechanism

In order to install spacers on a car with your own hands, we will proceed according to the following algorithm. First, we take out a jack, install it under the front of the car and lift it. Now you need to remove the wheel and disconnect the stabilizer link. We fix our spacer with bolts (you will have to take longer ones, since the old ones will not fit). We assemble the structure in reverse order. To unscrew soured bolts you may need.

Now let's talk about how to do the same with the back. We remove the rear seats so much that they do not interfere with access. We dismantle the panels and the rear wheel. We install the bolts in the same way as in the case of the front part of the car. You can assemble the structure in reverse order. This is roughly how I was going to install spacers on mine, but later abandoned this idea.

You should not change the design of the car; all changes may later backfire on you.

However, I want to warn everyone who wants to raise their car higher: at manufacturing plants, engineers calculate every millimeter, achieving a certain balance. Therefore, the slightest changes made by hand violate the integrity and properties of the structure, for which the manufacturer is responsible.

Ground clearance is usually called the amount of ground clearance of a car, the distance from its lowest point to the road surface. This parameter for those who “understand” has great importance, after the main characteristics of the car (engine size, power, fuel consumption l/100 km, etc.).

The size of a car's ground clearance is especially important for our motorists to know; this is not surprising, given the state of Russian roads. Often, after purchasing a car, owners are faced with the problem of low ground clearance, as a result they begin to think about how to sell the car or how to increase the ground clearance. Today I will try to help you solve the problem associated with ground clearance and tell you about ways to increase ground clearance.

First, you need to understand something...

• First. You need to clearly calculate the ground clearance of your car. The fact is that the ground clearance of your car may differ from that stated in the passport; this applies to foreign cars to a greater extent.
• Second. You must decide what vehicle clearance will be ideal for you. It should also be understood that increase ground clearance– this is just the “tip of the iceberg”. It is necessary to take into account such parameters as: angle longitudinal patency vehicle, as well as departure and approach angles. These parameters are different for each car, so even if you increase the ground clearance of your car, it will not turn into an SUV, and will not begin to conquer steep peaks and dashingly cut through the swamp. This is due to its inability to cope with such road conditions, that is, simply put, the designers did not provide for such cross-country ability.
• Third. You should prepare for the fact that the operation: " Increased clearance" - is not free, and one way or another will pull a certain amount of money out of your pocket. Exactly how much will depend on many factors: which option you choose for yourself, who and where will do this work, as well as what details will be needed for this used.

Budget options for increasing ground clearance

First option. The easiest option to increase ground clearance by a few millimeters is to replace the standard wheels and tires with tires and wheels of larger diameter. This is perhaps the simplest and most “gentle” method, since in this case you practically do not change the design of the car’s chassis. When increasing ground clearance in this way, it is necessary to take into account the permissible parameters recommended by the car manufacturer; you can find them in the operating manual or from the dealer, or on the manufacturer’s website.

Pros:

1. Increased ground clearance;
2. Slight increase in lumen;
3. Minimum costs.

Minuses:

1. Increased fuel consumption;
2. Violation of the accuracy of speedometer readings;
3. A dirty body due to larger diameter tires, wheels touching the arches when turning for the same reason.

Second option One of the relatively inexpensive ones is the installation of special spacers between the springs and the car body. When choosing this method of increasing ground clearance, you need to understand that such modification of the chassis is already considered an intervention in the design of the chassis, that is, you are deliberately changing and violating the factory parameters of your car. How the suspension will behave after such tuning and how this will change the safety of your car is anyone's guess.

If this does not scare you, you need to choose the appropriate spacer option, since there are several types of them. Spacers can be made of plastic, aluminum, or polyurethane. The main difference between each of these spacers is their service life. Thus, aluminum spacers are the most durable; they will last many times longer than their plastic or polyurethane counterparts. When purchasing, you need to specify where exactly you are going to install the spacers, as well as the type of suspension of your car. There are spacers that are installed between the spring of the shock absorber strut and the body cup, as well as so-called intercoil spacers, that is, those that are placed between the coils of the springs. Different materials are used to make such spacers. In addition to increasing ground clearance, these spacers allow you to stiffen the suspension, thereby avoiding some of the disadvantages that arise after installing conventional spacers. The fact is that interturn spacers reduce car roll when cornering.

Pros:

1. Increased ground clearance;
2. In case of heavy load, the rear of the machine does not sag.

Minuses:

1. Vibration and loads on the body and suspension;
2. The suspension angles change, as well as the car's handling;
3. The shock absorber stroke increases.

Third option increase ground clearance - replace the standard shock absorber springs with springs with a larger number of turns. This method is more expensive than the previous two, since it involves the purchase of reinforced springs with a large number of turns and shock absorbers for them.

There are other, more expensive ways to increase ground clearance - install air suspension. This option involves installing the following parts:

• Control Panel;
• Compressor;
• Receiver;
• Front and rear airbags;
• Air pressure sensors.

Pros:

Among the advantages is the ability to increase or decrease car clearance, depending on the needs of the driver and the condition of the road on which the car is driving. In other words, if you decide to step on the pedal on the highway, the car can be lowered to improve maneuvers and better handling, or vice versa - raised in case of driving over uneven surfaces or the need to go to some hill.

Minuses:

1. Price of the kit and its installation;
2. High cost of maintenance;
3. Expensive repairs;
4. Short service life, this mostly applies to those who are going to drive such a car on public roads.

As you can see, there are enough options for increasing ground clearance to accomplish your plans, however, each method has its own pros and cons. The most important thing is that before you bring your idea to life, you think carefully and calculate all the positive and negative aspects of this type of tuning specifically for yourself, and only after that make a decision. If you decide increase the ground clearance of your car, then I recommend entrusting this work to professionals, they will do everything efficiently, and in addition, they will give a quality guarantee for several months.