Spacers to increase the ground clearance of the Ford Fusion. Important information

Of course, the main obstacle or test for imported cars in Russia is their operation in deep holes, bumps and potholes. Not every crossover can withstand such tests, not to mention passenger cars. However, there is such a “passenger car” in the world that will withstand any Russian pits - the American-made Ford Fusion. In fact, it is the “highest” car in its class. Depending on the modification of the Ford Fusion, the ground clearance of this car is 160 (for the 1.4-liter version) or 180 (for the 1.6-liter version) millimeters. However, sometimes even for Russian roads turns out to be not enough. Therefore, today we will look at ways in which you can increase clearance.

The Ford Fusion, however, like all other imported cars, is mainly equipped with special polyurethane or rubber inserts that allow you to raise the car by at least 5-10 centimeters. Anything with “homemade” springs and lengthening the shock absorbers will not give you a normal result, since in any case the car will lose control, and the inside will shake no worse than a horse-drawn carriage. Think about it - it’s not for nothing that the manufacturer made exactly this size of springs and struts. That is why it is extremely undesirable to change the technical values ​​of the suspension. And the spacers, which are installed between the body and the support pillar of the car, have absolutely no effect on the car in the technical part and do not shift the center of gravity. True, one can argue with the last statement. If the rubber spacers are installed incorrectly, the car will actually drive with a displaced center of gravity.

How are these spacers installed on the front part of the suspension?

The process of installing them is not very difficult and will not take you more than 20-30 minutes. The sequence of stages is as follows:

If you have any difficulties...

Sometimes it happens that the mechanisms do not lie flat (as a rule, this happens with parts domestic production). In this case, in order to increase the ground clearance (Ford Fusion), it is necessary to process the inserts with a file until they fall into place. In this case, the increase can last up to several hours.

Ford Fusion ground clearance: installing spacers on the rear of the suspension

Here, too, everything happens in stages, only in a different way:

• The back of the rear seat is removed.
• The center nut is loosening
• The stand is disassembled, both springs are tightened.
• A spacer is installed on top of the spring.
• The rack is mounted back, the central nut is pulled through and the rear seat is assembled.

During installation of this device, it is also recommended to diagnose the rebound buffer, strut and rubber boot.

At this stage, the answer to the question of how to increase the ground clearance of the Ford Fusion can be considered received.

Having released Ford Fusion, Ford hit the target exactly. Even in Europe, a small car with increased ground clearance and a very serious appearance was in good demand. And in Russia Fusion became a hit. Now this model has appeared on secondary market. It is worth noting that advertisements for the sale of this car do not hang for long.

There is no need to explain what the main advantage of the Ford Fusion is compared to the same Fiesta, on whose platform the hero of our story is built. This is primarily increased ground clearance. If in Fiesta it is 140 mm, traditional for class “B” models, then in Fusion the ground clearance reaches 163 mm. Don't forget about the appearance - the car really looks serious. True, dear Fusion clearance can only be called big with a stretch. For example, let’s say that the well-deserved domestic “classic” has only 3 mm less ground clearance. Yes and oh all-wheel drive There's no question of downshifting or locking differentials. Therefore, if you are looking for an inexpensive car for fishing trips, then it is better to abandon the Fusion and look for something else. For example, a used Suzuki Jimny or Chevrolet Niva.

Fusion equipment may vary. For example, the basic Fusion in the Core configuration had a very meager set of bells and whistles. Yes, these Fusions have four airbags and ABS, but they lack electric windows/mirrors and air conditioning, so desirable for the Russian owner of a foreign car. Moreover, there was no “condea” in the second Trend configuration, which was distinguished by the presence of electric windows and mirrors, remote control locks and some other little things.

If you love comfort, then it is better to immediately look for a car in the maximum Elegance configuration. Because the option of buying the cheapest version and installing electric windows or a music system in the nearest garage will not work in the case of Fusion. Of course, you can embed a tape recorder and speakers, but you need to do it carefully.

Don't forget that the Fusion, like all modern cars, has multiplex wiring. It’s difficult to work with, and the prices for installing such “bells and whistles” are quite decent. As for the reliability of electronics, there are no problems here. Masters say that sometimes breakdowns happen, but they are not chronic. Except that the light bulbs burn out too often - sometimes the car is left without low or high beams once every three months. But, you see, this is nonsense.

Big motor range Ford Fusion did not. In Russia, only cars with engines of 1.4 liters (80 hp) and 1.6 liters (100 hp) were sold. It is cars with such units that you will find in most cases on the secondary market. But from Europe, if you wish, you can bring a diesel Fusion with a 1.4 liter (68 hp) or 1.6 liter (already 90 hp) engine. Moreover, in the Old World market you can find Fusion with a gasoline engine with a volume of only 1.2 liters (75 hp).

However, it must be said right away: this Fusion turns out to be too “dead”, and in Russia it was decided not to sell it in principle. In addition, the price difference between Fusion 1.2 and Fusion 1.4 in the same configurations is minimal.

As for diesel engines, they are good, especially the 1.6-liter engine. Its 90 “horses” are enough to drive quite quickly, but the main advantage of such cars is not maximum speed, but in ease of control. Diesels are very high-torque, they are not too loud, and the vibrations are low. As for reliability, there are no complaints about diesel engines yet. However, these Fusions also have a downside. In particular, they usually cost more than their gasoline counterparts. As a rule, on the secondary market the difference in cost is about $1000–1500, which is already quite significant in this price segment.

If you choose between a 1.4- and 1.6-liter gasoline engine, then it is best, of course, to opt for the latter power unit. It is simply more powerful, and the difference is 20 hp. You can really feel it. There is also the other side of the coin. Fusion 1.6 was usually bought in the expensive Elegance package, which is why the prices for such cars are higher.

With reliability gasoline engines Everything is fine. According to the masters, these units weak points No. The spark plugs here, however, do not always withstand 20,000 km, but our businessmen who produce gasoline, and not the Ford company, should be blamed for this. Some mechanics remember the fuel pump, which sometimes broke down after about 50,000 km. But here we need to make one important caveat: the fuel pump still did not fail very often, usually lasting 100,000 km, and besides, the price of replacing it is not fantastic - about $300 including work. However, if you buy a car with a mileage of more than 100,000 km, be prepared for the fact that maintenance of the engine and its attachments will require a decent investment. For it may happen that they are already worn out drive belts, and the condition of the timing belt can be sad. At the same time, experts especially emphasize that the timing belt and other belts need to be changed only at a branded service station. The fact is that it is almost impossible to install the timing belt correctly without special tools.

Fusion was equipped with three types of gearboxes. The most reliable is traditional “mechanics”. Not only does it have a large resource, but it also works efficiently. Only when buying a car with a mileage of about 100,000 km, be prepared for the fact that the clutch may soon “die” ($400, by the way). In addition, an intermediate drive bearing can keep him company, the replacement of which will cost about $150.

But with automatic transmissions The situation is interesting. After all, when they say “automatic,” many sellers mean both a traditional automatic transmission, which was only paired with a 1.6-liter gasoline engine, and a “semi-automatic” called Durashift. It was installed only in conjunction with a 1.4-liter gasoline engine. Durashift is, in fact, an ordinary “mechanics”, where the electronics are responsible for shifting gears (while the possibility of manual mode is retained). So, this same electronics does not change gears in the best way; the car often jerks. In general, not the most convenient transmission. Therefore, you should only buy a car with such a gearbox if you are a calm and leisurely driver. True, Durashift’s reliability is okay. And a regular automatic doesn’t let you down. However, if you buy a car with high mileage, then you definitely need to check the automatic transmission.

Fortunately, the suspension turned out to be very reliable. True, Fusion owners of the first year of production complained about weak stabilizer links, which sometimes could not withstand even 20,000 km. Ford noticed this problem and upgraded the part, after which the struts were enough for 100,000 km. By the way, craftsmen consider 100,000 km to be the limiting service life of many chassis parts. That is why, when buying a car manufactured in 2002–2004 and with a mileage of about hundreds of thousands of kilometers, you need to be prepared for the fact that the suspension will require investment. So, it is at this point that shock absorbers, hub bearings, struts and stabilizer bushings can be replaced.

Prices for spare parts are average for the foreign car market. So, the shock absorber costs $160, the wheel bearing costs $80, the stabilizer link costs $130, and the bushing costs $17.

The Ford Fusion turned out to be a very decent car. It’s not for nothing that this car is such a success on the primary market. The main advantage of the Fusion is, of course, its increased ground clearance, although, of course, it is still very far from being a real SUV. Yes and appearance this model is much more serious than the same Fiesta. It is best to buy a car in the maximum configuration with air conditioning and power accessories. The most preferred engine is a 1.6 liter petrol engine.

EXCURSION
The Ford Fusion is based on the Fiesta platform, which was first shown in late 2001. Ford claimed that the Fusion, which debuted in 2002, opened up a completely new class of cars, called the Urban Active Vehicle. At first, the car was equipped with three engines: gasoline engines of 1.4 liters (80 hp) and 1.6 liters (100 hp), as well as a 1.4-liter diesel engine (68 hp). There were three types of gearboxes: manual, 4-speed automatic and semi-automatic Durashift.

In 2005, the car underwent modernization. The design has changed slightly, but such cars can be recognized by the new “double-deck” headlights and different bumpers. In addition, they began to bet on the updated Fusion gasoline engine volume of 1.2 liters (75 hp) and 1.6 liter diesel (90 hp).

It should be noted that this year at the Geneva Motor Show, Ford presented a new generation of the Fiesta model. Therefore, we can expect that next year, 2009, a new Fusion will appear. However, there is no specific information about this model yet.

Real ground clearance for Ford Fusion(Ford Fusion) 15 cm. According to the technical description from the factory - 18.5 centimeters, let's find ways to increase the ground clearance on the Ford Fusion...

Distinctive characteristic modern cars there is a focus on providing the most optimal comfort and convenience while moving. But a very small number of cars can proudly demonstrate their qualities in the field of cross-country ability and high ground clearance. The hero of our question is the Ford Fusion, produced in 2002, the presentation of which marked the release of an inexpensive car on the one hand, and a practical one on the other. Literally immediately after arriving on the domestic automobile markets, the car won great love from our car enthusiasts, and this is not surprising. This car can be described by simple three phrases: spacious design, maximum comfort, impressive ground clearance. Next, let's talk about the ground clearance of this vehicle, having figured out the question of how successful the gap between the bottom of the car and the road surface can be considered successful.

Considering the original concept of creating the Ford Fusion, as a balance of an SUV and a passenger car, the ground clearance should be appropriate. Looking ahead a little, it must be said that the ground clearance here is slightly higher than in similar versions from other car brands. But on the other hand, the declared characteristics are slightly less than those stated in methodological recommendation from the manufacturer. In general, this vehicle is a high-quality option for conquering domestic roads.

Real level of ground clearance on Ford Fusion (Ford Fusion)

When identifying the real ground clearance in the Ford Fusion design, some difficulties may arise in resolving this issue. There is a lot of data floating around the Internet about this figure, and on different forums and websites the figure ranges from 14 to 18 cm. In technical information from the manufacturer’s plant, this figure is 18.5 centimeters. In any case, only independent measurements will be able to dot the i's.

Using a ruler and measuring from the rear shock absorber to the road, we get 15 centimeters. This is, of course, less than what is stated in the methodological documents from the manufacturer, but do not forget that the machine was standing on summer tires. When is it worth winter tires, then the ground clearance automatically increases by 2 centimeters, and is equal to 17. But even 15 centimeters are excellent numbers that can promise you with great confidence that the lower part of the car will not meet the curb or other significant hills on the roads. The same can be said about potholes and pits. Since the Ford Fusion has engine crankcase protection, the level of ground clearance in the front of the vehicle is even lower. It must also be said that the significant weight of the engine lowers the car slightly to the ground.

Ways to increase ground clearance on a Ford Fusion (Ford Fusion)

Overall level ground clearance in a car it is very good, and for mass trips on minor off-road conditions, to the countryside, it is ideal. But if you still want to increase the ground clearance numbers, you can use special spacers. With their help, the car is raised, and the process of installing one such rack takes no more than one hour. This work is very simple, and every vehicle owner can do it.

In order to install these spacers, you will need to perform the following steps:

• Carefully dismantle the shock absorbers and slightly unscrew the central nuts;
• We put special ties on the springs in order to dismantle them;
• We dismantle the upper part of the cover and carefully disassemble the stand, removing the mounting bolts;
• We install the necessary spacers and put the entire structure back together;

Sometimes certain difficulties arise due to incorrect installation of parts that have manufacturing defects. To smooth out all the unevenness and mismatches, you can use a file and grind off all the roughness. Although this will temporarily slow down the process of completing the work.

To raise the back of the Fusion, you need to follow this process:

• We dismantle the back of the rear passenger sofa and slightly loosen the central pillar;
• We completely disassemble the rack and remove the spring;
• We install the spacer, reassemble the stand, tightly tighten the central nut;

When performing these works, at the same time you can check the current condition of the rebound buffer and rubber boot.

One might wonder why a spacer is considered as a means of increasing ground clearance on a Ford Fusion, when there is a wide range of other options? The thing is that when the car is released, each part, in particular the spring and drains, undergo special tests to meet certain standards. When installing extended springs and shock absorbers on a Ford Fusion, you will, of course, increase the ground clearance, but significantly reduce the overall driving dynamics of the car, while reducing the level of safety while driving. Spacers are an ideal option in solving issues of ground clearance, since their installation does not entail a decrease in the dynamics of the car on the roads, since the center of gravity does not shift.

Method of increasing clearance by

So enjoy the car, and all the best to you!!!

Ford Fusion

18.04.2007

Ford Fusion, 1.6 manual transmission, Elegance, color Black, the only extras are a second key with buttons and an ashtray with a cigarette lighter. I don’t smoke myself, but there was one in stock at the car dealership. I didn't stand in line. Prior to this, experience in operating several VAZs. Further there are many beech trees. I hope my review will help someone make their choice.

Externally, the machine is very small, and no longer resembles a JYP, as many say. This is not a jeep, not a half-jeep, or even a quarter-jeep. It's just a very small city car. And don’t believe the stories about the huge ground clearance. It can be huge compared to some Nissan Teana, which has a ground clearance of only 12 cm. According to the passport, the Fusion has a ground clearance of 17 cm, but it is necessary to install crankcase protection, in which case the ground clearance will become 15 cm. For comparison, the ground clearance of VAZ brands, so despised by all new owners, is much higher. Mud flaps are plastic, non-flexible and it’s hard to break them. Therefore, forget about driving along curbs. Cross-country ability is also at the level of a regular passenger car. Well, the look of the car itself depends on what you like, I personally liked the black color and tinted windows. Some kind of integrity appears in the machine.

Headlights and lanterns

The headlights do not cause any complaints, they shine perfectly both in the low and high beam (of course there is no need to compare with xenon). Spotlight fog lights are also generally useful. From behind: feet aligned with marker lamps Well, + the upper stop signal. Light bulbs with two filaments. Lanterns reverse in the updated Fyuzhik there are 2 pieces. There are rear fog lights. Below the reflectors.

FUSION letters are glued to 2-sided tape, do not rub too hard in the sink, they may fall off.

There are small inserts of unpainted plastic at the corners of the bumpers and along the bottom of the doors. But be careful with the doors, there is a decorative edge above the plastic body kit and when opening the door it is very easy to catch something with this edge and chip the paint.

The trunk opens very conveniently, in three ways. You can do it from the key, from the key fob (press 2 times) and from the interior with a button (very convenient!). The glass does not open separately, only the entire door. The trunk seems to be large in displacement, but it is stupid, since it is stretched upward. There are no pockets/compartments for small items, no hooks for the luggage net. Therefore, all the luggage will roll around on the floor. There is only one place where I put the fire extinguisher. If you put a bottle of water (plastic) in the trunk, it rolls around with such a roar that it seems like it will break through the trunk door. The trunk shelf is removable, so you can push something tall in. At a speed of more than 5 km/h, the trunk opening is blocked.

Fuel filler flap

The hands of whoever came up with this should be torn off. It can only be opened with a key (the same as for the ignition and doors). Why they didn’t make it a button like a trunk remains a mystery to me. Terribly inconvenient. And the gas station attendant may not notice the lock and try to slam it harder. And the lid is very flimsy. I give it a minus.

Hood

Also a big minus. When opening, you inevitably grab the radiator grille. Which breaks off when the catop is opened frequently. Hopefully we won't have to open it often.

The car's WIN is located under the windshield, which is convenient.

Let's get inside...

The front doors open and slam nicely, the rear doors make a very downright undignified noise for a car for that kind of money. The rear doors have a lock to prevent them from opening - for transporting small children. They are all locked with the same single key. The front doors can be opened with a key, this is a plus, you never know, the battery, for example, will run out and won’t work central locking.

Let's sit down. And then another ambush awaits us. The chairs are downright uncomfortable. I am 180 tall and 130+ weight. Short seat cushion, narrow back (sizes 50 and over, pay attention!). The headrest is NOT adjustable for tilt (but on VAZs it is adjustable). And very tough. You sit high, as if on a stool, and despite the rest for your left leg, there is absolutely nowhere to put your left leg. I tuck it under the seat. But this is how it is for me, it may be convenient for someone. The seat is adjustable in terms of back angle, length and height. (!!!). In reality, there is no height adjustment, the front part of the seat cushion is static, only the inclination of the rear part of the cushion changes. The steering wheel is height adjustable, but not reach adjustable. In general, sitting is uncomfortable, this is perhaps the biggest disadvantage of this machine.

There are no complaints about the length reserve for legs and heads for both the driver and all passengers. The rear is very spacious, there is no head rest and there is plenty of legroom.

In the Elegance configuration, the driver has a height-adjustable armrest. The thing is absolutely useless, as far as I know no one uses it.

The rear seats have 2 headrests (a third one can be installed for an additional fee) and three belts. It's difficult to buckle up the first time. The headrests can be pulled up or removed so as not to interfere with the view.

Let's look around...

The front windows are power windows, the rear windows are meat grinders.

The doors are locked from the inside by pressing the door open/close handle on the driver's door. (!!!) there is NO double locking of the doors (although they write about it in the instructions).

Very nice steering wheel...

Leather, thick, with an aluminum insert with thickenings for grip. In the Elegance configuration, the radio control under the steering wheel on the left is convenient. Controlling the turn signals is convenient. When pressed once, it flashes 3 times. But the distant light turns on like a mess. If you blink, you pull a little, if you turn on the distant one, you pull harder. To blink you have to adapt, the high beam often turns on. I have to pull again. The VAZ has made it more convenient.

Wiper control

convenient feature - you can adjust the speed of the wipers in the first position, the delay is from 1 to 6 seconds, adjustable with a wheel. To turn on the front washer, you need to press the button at the end of the switch. The rear wiper and washer turn on like crazy. If you engage reverse gear with the front wipers on, the rear wipers will also start working - don’t be alarmed.

The heating deflectors are round, they can be opened or closed and rotated to direct the air flow - convenient. The fan has 4 positions, starting from the third it is already very noisy. You can direct the air flow anywhere (legs, head, Windshield and various combinations). The base has air conditioning. Cools normally, only works if the fan is on. The stove heats well and heats up quickly.

Radio with CD, but no mp3. 4 speakers in the base. The sound quality is normal in my opinion.

The glove compartment is quite large and comfortable, but without illumination (even in Samara there is illumination). The second glove compartment is on top in the middle of the dashboard, like on a gazelle. It's small and looks very out of place and stupid.

The lower part of the interior is dark, the upper part is light, in general the interior is pleasant to look at. Review.

Heated and electrically adjustable mirrors. Both are spherical, so the one on the right takes some getting used to. They really put everything away. And at the same time I would not say that good review. The interior mirror is tiny, even the rear window doesn’t fit into it, so I put a larger mirror on top. The rear window is small and the thick rear pillars get in the way. Lots of blind spots. The hood is clearly visible from the front. The front pillars are a big hindrance; they are thick and strongly angled. It is necessary to twist your neck frequently.

There are cosmetic mirrors in the sun visors.

3 reading lights in front and 2 in back. You can set the lights to turn on when the doors are opened.

The rear seats fold 60/40 and the front passenger seat folds down. It turns out to be a table. There is another storage compartment under the front passenger seat, you can put your shoes there, for example.

Let's start it up and go...

The ignition switch is not illuminated in any way (you can feel it in the evening, but in Samara it is illuminated). Starts up smoothly and immediately. The instrument scale has 2 large dials (speedometer and tachometer) and 2 small ones (engine temperature and gasoline level). By the way, the gasoline level is getting low. At first it stands still, and then suddenly falls down. In the middle of the board, it displays the instantaneous and total mileage and the number of kilometers remaining before refueling. If you have a computer, then there is a lot more information. 2 switches on the instrument dial are needed only for cars with a computer.

Another obvious disadvantage is that there is no level indicator in the washer reservoir at all.

In move...

But the car drives surprisingly quickly (with a 1.6 engine, if 1.4 is clearly not enough). The gears are engaged very clearly, it picks up in any gear and at any speed. If there are traffic jams, you can take the second one. The management is excellent. As someone wrote here, just like an electric car. The brakes are well tuned and effective. Front disc, rear drum +ABC and brake force distribution system. All in all, it’s a very pleasant ride.

For street slayers, I inform you that the car will not suit you, if you like to show your butt at a traffic light, buy something else. The car is not a driver's car, it is designed for a quiet ride. Roll when turning is minimal.

Many people say that the suspension is stiff. YES! The suspension is very stiff, if there are tram tracks, it shakes so much that you fall out of your chair. At the same time, everything in the trunk rattles and shakes the rear passengers. But this is an inevitable price to pay for the high suspension, low roll and excellent handling.

Noise insulation - NO, no pebble caught in the arch makes such noise that it becomes scary. No noise under the hood. The engine is noisy at high speeds.

Acceleration, speed, gas consumption, read all this in the performance characteristics if you are interested. I pour 95 gasoline, they say you can pour 92.

What else. Load capacity 500 kilograms, 15 inch wheels in the base. Instead of a spare tire there is a 14 inch spare tire. On the road the car looks undignified; they are in no hurry to give way.

In general, to summarize: a small car on the outside with a large interior on the inside, for a quiet ride, with a good transformation of the trunk and interior. With a rich woman basic configuration.

In terms of safety - 4 airbags in the base. I am ready to listen to all presentations.

Good luck on the roads!

29.01.2008

My opinion about this unit has not changed - I STRICTLY DO NOT RECOMMEND BUYING.

Now, in order...

In the first week of operation, the rear left window came unglued. They glued it in under the car service warranty, but at the same time they tore off the inner plastic.

I never found a comfortable fit. The upper part of the body hangs in the air all the time, the head does not touch the headrest. The back is narrow. Trunk. Not a single container, all things move freely in the trunk, it all rattles and rolls around. In the cabin there are constant crickets that either disappear or appear, and the place where the belt is attached to the top creaks. Something is knocking in the place of the passenger airbag. Plastic and plastic scratch easily at the slightest touch.

There is no ignition light bulb, there is no washer reservoir sensor (it was even on the VAZ tag). There isn't even a hood light. There is no reverse gear synchronizer, which is why it engages every once in a while. A completely stupid system for opening the gas tank flap with a key. It is impossible to open the trunk without getting dirty. The aerodynamics are such that the car gets dirty instantly; I drive all the time - the car is dirty as a pig. The headlights are weak high beam none at all.

Instructions for use: the slightest touch to the paintwork leaves scratches. A pebble in the windshield immediately leaves a pothole and then cracks. Everything is very flimsy. I haven't noticed any problems with other cars. All somewhat worn and scratched. The thresholds too - at least 10 chips. At negative temperature and snow - the windshield freezes (without heating). The brushes are not cleaned - they creak terribly, visibility disappears. Very high consumption gasoline. It always comes out to more than 10 liters per 100 km. In the city sometimes 15.

Well, little things that also irritate. It’s inconvenient to turn on the windshield washer (you have to press the button, I still haven’t gotten used to it). It is inconvenient to turn on the high beams - you have to pull it towards yourself. Sun visors are designed in such a way that there are openings through which the sun glares into your eyes and there is no way to hide. If you make the sound a little louder, the doors (speakers in the doors) rattle. The driver's left mirror is removed - it's inconvenient and it's unclear why it was done this way. Rear windows are meat grinders.

In general, everything is somehow ill-conceived, flimsy, stupid, unergonomic, and inconvenient.

On the good side: it hasn't broken yet. But the mileage is only 14,000 km, and any other cars of a similar price category with such a mileage do not break down.

Why don't I sell it? Patamushto credit...

Reading time: 4 minutes.

Modern cars created with maximum focus on comfort, handling, etc. But a very small number of budget cars can boast of good cross-country ability and high ground clearance. Today we will talk about a car from Ford - the Fusion model. In 2002, a presentation of this car took place, and it was positioned as inexpensive, but at the same time high-quality. When Ford Fusion reached our market, it immediately gained popularity among car enthusiasts, which is not surprising. If we try to characterize this car in a few words, we can say about it: low price, spacious and comfortable interior, as well as impressive ground clearance. But is this really so? Let's try to figure it out and decide whether Ford Fusion is overrated? Let's begin!

Since the Ford Fusion was presented as a combination of a regular car and an SUV, its ground clearance should be appropriate. Looking ahead, let's say that its results are slightly higher than those of other budget cars. However, the actual figures are slightly less than what the manufacturer indicates. If we talk about the car in general, it turned out to be quite good and is excellent for driving on our roads.

Real ground clearance

When you are trying to find out the real ground clearance of a Ford Fusion, some difficulties may arise. The fact is that on the Internet there is various data from real owners starting from 14 and ending with 18 cm. The information from the manufacturer indicates a figure of 18.5 cm. In order not to guess, it was decided to measure the clearance independently for the readers of our article, having received the most reliable information.

Having measured the distance from the road surface to the extreme point of the rear shock absorber, we got 15 cm. This result is slightly different from the stated one, but it must be taken into account that the tires on the Ford Fusion are summer. With winter tires, this result is slightly larger and amounts to 17 cm. It is worth noting that neither the curb nor any other obstacle will reach the extreme point of shock absorber attachment, and therefore the ground clearance can be considered sufficient. On the front axle, the ground clearance is even less due to the installed engine protection. Moreover, the engine itself is quite heavy, which lowers the front end even further.

Increased ground clearance

Overall, the Ford Fusion has quite high ground clearance and for traveling on our roads and trips to the countryside it will be quite enough. If you want more, then you can use spacers to increase the clearance. Thanks to their use, you can lift the car, and installation will take no more than 1 hour. Moreover, almost anyone can cope with this process.

To install spacers on the front, you must perform the following steps:

• Remove the shock absorber struts and loosen the central nuts.
• We install the ties on the springs, which will allow them to be dismantled.
• Remove the top cup and disassemble the stand, removing the mounting bolts.
• We install the spacers and assemble all the parts.

Sometimes difficulties may arise due to incorrect positioning of parts due to manufacturing defects. In this case, you can use a file and adjust the spacers to the required dimensions of the Ford Fusion. But this will significantly slow down the progress of work.

For the rear of a Ford Fusion the process is as follows:

• Remove the backrest of the rear sofa and loosen the central nut of the pillar.
• We disassemble the strut and remove the springs.
• The spacer is installed, the stand is assembled and the nut is tightened.

While working, you can at the same time check the rebound buffer, rubber boot and the rack itself.

Why a spacer? There are a large number of ways to increase ground clearance, but for the Ford Fusion they cannot be called an ideal option. The fact is that all parts are tested at the factory, and therefore the size of the struts and springs meets certain standards. Installing larger springs and extended shock absorbers on the Ford Fusion can increase ground clearance, but at the same time the car will handle worse and the level of comfort will be significantly lower. Spacers can solve this problem, since their installation between the pillar and the body does not affect the behavior of the Ford Fusion on the road, since the center of gravity does not shift. However, if the installation is performed incorrectly, the result may be unpredictable.