Is it possible to increase the clearance. Spacers to increase ground clearance - we modernize our suspension correctly

If you think that the ground clearance of a car, or 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 ... but only on its so-called "central part". The concept seems vague, but there are simple formulas for its calculation. 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 plates, 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 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 tend 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, but 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, usually required with frequent breakdowns of the suspension and the bottom of the road bumps 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 support of the shock absorber strut and the body. They are rings made of hard plastic or aluminum. Rear spacers are installed between the body and the rear axle or beam spring. 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 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 have fallen under the lever in a non-lifted car, you will hook it on a lifted one as well. 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. Not if the rear axle is also independent suspension- the same MacPherson or 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 rear 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 the 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, of course, temporary: 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, which are often equipped with spacers, on the native studs. 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 cause horror among 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 the extensions for you, 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, is attached 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.

Most of our drivers, choosing a car, admire cars with a minimum ground clearance. The way they are pressed to the ground and are directed forward with every detail of the body is, of course, mesmerizing! However, healthy pragmatism and prudence force us to make a completely different choice.

Those who regularly travel outside the Garden Ring of our capital have to realistically assess the condition of the roads. And, therefore, choosing for yourself new car, we not only study the power, and various options. Vehicle clearance, and an assessment of the need to increase ground clearance - this is one of the main criteria for choosing a car, which has developed at the present time.

And if your car is raised enough above what we call the "roadbed", then in remote villages you will not have pits and bumps that are strewn with paths of movement in cities. On such a car, you feel much more confident when overcoming the rut of roads formed after being pushed by heavy trucks. Winter weather is not terrible either, when our valiant road services again "successfully" do not cope with the timely clearing of roads.

How to correctly determine the clearance

Vehicle clearance

To understand whether you need an increase in ground clearance in your case, you need to be able to calculate it. The shortest distance from the road surface to the lowest point of the car, measured in the middle of it, is called clearance. The bottom of the machine has many different ridges, notches, attachments, and therefore, finding the bottom point by eye is not so easy. To solve this problem, follow the rule: the lowest and most vulnerable point of the car is located under the engine. The transmission, exhaust system is mounted slightly higher than the "engine".

Do not forget to take into account the presence of protection under the engine when calculating the clearance. Usually it is a metal or plastic skirt that is evenly spaced under power unit and serves to protect the engine from breakdown. Of course, the factory plastic protection will not be able to seriously protect the engine, for example, from a boulder, but it will take away a few centimeters of ground clearance.

Thus, taking into account the size of the clearance when choosing a car in the salon or on the market, ask the real size of the ground clearance, as many manufacturers indicate the clearance without taking protection into account. Thus, the specified ground clearance can be, for example, 160 mm, but, significantly reduced to 140 mm.

Optimal clearance size

• For each group of cars, the requirements for the size of the ground clearance are different. As well as deciding on the advisability of increasing the clearance. So, for cars, the distance to the lowest point from the ground should be in the range from 140 to 200 mm;
• The now fashionable and frequent visitor on the roads "SUV" is located higher: from 180 mm to 250 mm;
• Well, the king of the road - a real SUV has a ground clearance of 200 - 350 mm.

How to increase ground clearance

1. Increasing the size of the wheel

We increase the size of the wheel in such a way as to "raise" the car a few centimeters up. It is possible that the new car you bought already has wheels of the maximum size allowed. In this case, the increase in ground clearance due to the wheel will not work. The fact is that by increasing the diameter, the manufacturer reduces the tire rubber along the profile.

Example: 195/65 R15 and 225/45 R17. As you can see, the wheel radii differ by as much as 2 inches, but due to the fact that the rubber profiles also differ, the ground clearance will be almost the same.
If possible, increase the radius of the wheel without changing the profile size, this action will lead to an increase in ground clearance.

However, when deciding how to increase the ground clearance due to the dimension of the wheel and the profile of the rubber, there is a high degree of risk of negatively affecting road safety. It is possible that the speedometer will not work correctly, the speed sensor may be damaged, problems may arise with.
It is possible that with high tires, the wheel will start to rub against the wheel arches.

2. Replacing shock absorbers and springs on the car

Replacing damping springs is one of the most popular ways to increase the vehicle's ground clearance. Old springs are replaced with new, larger ones. The main thing is to have the same diameter, but the stiffness of the new springs should be greater. The taller parts will, of course, raise the body and provide increased ground clearance.

The spare parts market is quite saturated, it is not difficult to select and install a new suspension. However, if your car is brand new, is under warranty service, then you will automatically lose the privileged service. Another issue is that raising the center of gravity will affect ride performance, especially when maneuvering and cornering at speed. The stability in general will be significantly lower.

Inter-turn spacer of a spring

3. Installation of turn-to-turn spring spacers

Turn-to-turn spacers are another way to raise the vehicle. They are made of polyurethane and fit between the springs. More influence on spring stiffness than ground clearance. It is better to mount after one or two turns so that they do not come into contact with each other.

4. Installation of air suspension

This is the most expensive way to install and maintain a car to increase ground clearance. works in automatic mode and independently changes the ground clearance depending on the condition of the road and the speed of the vehicle.

5. Spacer to increase ground clearance

Installing spacers on your machine is a simple and effective solution. Spacers to increase the ground clearance are fixed under the springs or at the attachment point and the car body. In this case, in the first case, the material for the manufacture is extra-strong rubber, which has the highest level of density, plastic or a blank based on polyurethane. Products made of aluminum or steel spacers are installed under the shock absorbers.

Materials for the manufacture of spacers

The spacer for increasing the vehicle's ground clearance is subdivided into:

1. Rubber;
2. Polyurethane;
3. ABS plastic;
4. Aluminum.

Each of them has some advantages, there are also disadvantages. So the rubber spacer, which is placed between the spring and the body, has the following advantages:

Rubber spacer

• resistance to aggressive environment (acids, salts, alkalis);
• do not affect the comfort inside the cabin and the handling of the car;
• do not corrode the body;
• low price

And here are the cons:
- high degree of wear, tendency to quick deformation and tearing.

The polyurethane-based spacer is very similar to the rubber pattern. Received all its positive aspects, such as noiselessness, elasticity, resistance to external loads, etc. At the same time, it is much stronger than rubber spacers and withstands an impressive tensile load. An important feature is the ability to absorb impact from uneven roads and return to the starting position after that.

Front textolite and rear metal anodized spacers

As a disadvantage, there is an increased load on the bushings and, as a result, the occurrence of deformation of the body. The price of such parts is higher than that of rubber counterparts, but less than that of the most popular aluminum ones. The latter are used especially often. All the characteristics that affect the technical condition of the car and the convenience on the road are higher than those of the previous models. The period of use is also the highest. However, you should be careful here too. Traces of corrosion may appear in places of contact with the body.

But the ABS-plastic material turned out to be devoid of all the disadvantages listed earlier. These spacers are durable, invisible, and will not oxidize or corrode.

Keep in mind that if the spring has sagged, then the spacer will no longer help.
The reason is a decrease in the distance between the coils in the spring, and as a result, there is less working stroke before the coils touch.
When installed on a good spring, the spacer is capable of increasing ground clearance. However, the parameters of the shock absorber will change, the compression stroke will become larger, and the rebound - less.
In the case of natural aging of the car body, the installation of a spacer is appropriate, there will be no harm from this.

The cost of the spacers is moderate, so that an increase in ground clearance is available to everyone who needs it. Installation works are simple, they are performed quickly enough. And as a result - an increase in the clearance by 2-3 cm. It is no longer necessary so as not to harm the car, and this size increase in ground clearance will protect the underside of the car from damage.

Video: Installing rear spacers Chevrolet Cruze

Disadvantages when installing spacers

1. Upward displacement of the center of gravity, and, as a result, deterioration of road handling.
2. All the calculated technology of reliable operation of the machine is violated. The data will change, setting the lead angle, the angles of inclination of the steering axis of the wheel.
3. Get worse steering, due to its disunity with the suspension of the car. Consequently, the service life of the entire unit will decrease.
4. Changing the position of the shock absorber (average), as a result of which it may fail. The reason is the piston rod hitting the shock absorber cover during movement. In this case, the solution may be to use the attachment in the kit and for the shock absorber itself, eliminating the discrepancy.

Rules for using spacers to increase ground clearance

• Installation of metal attachments is not recommended if they have not undergone anti-corrosion treatment;
• Restriction for owners of front-wheel drive cars: in front of the car, it is allowed to lift no more than 20mm;
• In most cases (up to 80%), if the shock absorber is not installed near the spring, in order to maintain safe operation, the installation of spacers is needed both under the springs and under the shock absorbers, for synchronized operation;
• When increasing the rear clearance of the vehicle, make sure the lean angle is within acceptable limits, especially when cornering at high speed. As a rule, a maximum height of 30 mm is permissible.
• An increase in ground clearance of more than 30 mm can lead to the impossibility of accurately performing camber on the machine.
• It is important to make sure that the set includes bolts and studs of the appropriate size.

Every car owner wants his car to be able to easily overcome any obstacles, but in most cases the car's ground clearance does not allow this. Spacers are the best helpers in increasing the ground clearance, and today we will install them on the car ourselves.

We install spacers - we increase the clearance of the car

The essence of such tuning of the suspension, and the installation of spacers is a real tuning, which not only changes the appearance of the car, gives it boldness and brutality, but also has a real practical function to increase ground clearance and, as a result, improve cross-country ability.

Previously, to raise the car, DIYs inserted tennis balls between the coils of the rear springs. Now, for such a purpose, anyone can purchase rubber pads for springs, known as spacers for increasing ground clearance, at a car shop or in the car market, which can be completely different thicknesses, it all depends on how much you want to raise the car.

But are these so-called spacers really necessary, do they not pose a threat to the entire suspension of the car? Agree, it is necessary to understand this before making a final decision and proceeding with the installation of these very spacers.

Of course, changing the appearance is a matter of taste for everyone. But the softness and ease of landing, and especially the driver's seat, are similar to a stool, after the transformation of the spring, yes, the spacers give an additional load on the shock absorbers, as a result of which they no longer cope with their duties, and what is even worse, they are completely prone to premature failure. According to the reviews of those who nevertheless decided on such a modernization, after a week of operation of the tucked-up car, the rubber bushing of the lower shock absorber mount becomes unusable, and the entire lower bracket becomes noticeably tired. In winter, the increased ground clearance is inconvenient with ice stability, especially for rear-wheel drive vehicles.

The advantages of increased ground clearance

All of the above, you must agree, does not paint a pleasant prospect for an increase in ground clearance, however, there are positive results from the spacers. Let's take a look at them. The increased ground clearance protects the rear suspension from breakdowns, and the rear wheels from striking the wheel arch liners. Of course, there are few pluses, but they are quite significant. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people still install spacers. It is quite easy to do it yourself, we will not go into the installation procedure, since it is described in detail on the packaging of these same rubber spacers.

We have already talked about the pros and cons of the spacers, we said where you can get acquainted with the description of the procedure for their installation, but now we need to talk about operating a car with an increased ground clearance. First of all, be extremely careful about shock absorbers, diagnose them in a timely manner and, if necessary, replace them with new ones. However, not only the shock absorbers, but the entire suspension as a whole, require increased attention when increasing ground clearance using spacers, and it is not at all surprising that you will visit service stations more often or spend more time on your car.

Love your car, take care of it and, before interfering with its design, weigh all the pros and cons so that later you do not have to regret wasted nerves, energy and money. Moreover, these are only the smallest troubles that are threatened by reckless intervention in the car, the most terrible consequences are road accidents, in which your loved ones and loved ones, as well as you personally, can suffer. Take care of yourself and your family, assess your strengths sensibly and if you are not sure, then it is better not to start this business!

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

The size of the vehicle's ground clearance is especially important for our motorists to know, this is not surprising, given the state of Russian roads. Often, after buying a car, owners are faced with the problem of low ground clearance, as a result, they start thinking 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 the methods that allow you to increase the ground clearance.

First you need to understand something ...

• First. You need to clearly calculate the amount of ground clearance of your car. The fact is that the clearance of your car may differ from that which is registered in the passport, this mostly concerns foreign cars.
• Second. You must decide what kind of 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: the angle of longitudinal cross-country ability of the vehicle, as well as the angles of departure and entry. These parameters are different for each car, so even if you increase your car's ground clearance, it will not turn into an SUV, and will not begin to conquer steep peaks and dashingly cut through the swamp. The reason for this is its inability to adapt to such road conditions, that is, in other words, the designers did not provide for such cross-country ability.
• Third. You should be prepared for the operation: " Increase in clearance"- not free, and one way or another will pull a certain amount of money out of your pocket. How much will depend on many factors: on which of the options you choose for yourself, who and where will perform this work, as well as what details will be for this used.

Budget options for increasing ground clearance

First option... The easiest way to increase the 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" way, because in this case you practically do not change the design of the machine's undercarriage. By increasing the ground clearance, in this way it is necessary to take into account the permissible parameters that the automaker recommends, you can find out 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 the speedometer readings;
3. Dirty body due to larger diameter tires, wheel arches rubbing when turning for the same reason.

Second option relatively inexpensive - the installation of special spacers between the springs and the car body. Choosing this method of increasing ground clearance, you need to understand that such a modification of the chassis is already considered an interference with the design of the chassis, that is, you deliberately change and violate the factory parameters of your car. How the suspension will behave after such tuning and how the safety of your car will change from this is anyone's guess.

If this does not scare you, you need to choose the appropriate option for spacers, since there are several types of them. Spacers are plastic, aluminum, polyurethane. The main difference between each of these spacers is their service life. So the most long-lasting are aluminum spacers, they will last many times longer than analogs made of plastic or polyurethane. When buying, you need to specify exactly where you are going to put 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 and the body cup, as well as the so-called inter-turn, that is, those that are placed between the coils of the springs. For the manufacture of such spacers, different materials are used. In addition to increasing ground clearance, these spacers allow for a stiffer suspension, thereby avoiding some of the disadvantages that arise after installing conventional spacers. The fact is that inter-turn spacers reduce the roll of the car when cornering.

Pros:

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

Minuses:

1. Vibration and loads on the body and suspension;
2. The angles of the suspension work, as well as the handling of the car;
3. The shock absorber travel increases.

The third option increase ground clearance - change the standard shock absorber springs to springs with a large number of coils. This method is more expensive than the previous two, since it involves the purchase of reinforced springs with a large number of coils and shock absorbers for them.

There are other, more expensive ways to increase ground clearance - install air suspension... This option provides for the installation of the following parts:

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

Pros:

Among the advantages is the ability to increase or decrease vehicle 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 track, the car can be lowered to improve maneuvers and better handling, or vice versa - raised in case of movement on bumps or the need to go to any elevation.

Minuses:

1. The price of the kit and its installation;
2. High maintenance cost;
3. Expensive renovation;
4. A short service life, this is more true for those who are going to drive such a car on public roads.

As you can see, the options for increasing the clearance are enough to accomplish our plans, but each of the methods has its own pros and cons. The most important thing is that before realizing your idea, you think well 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 dare increase the clearance on your car, then I recommend entrusting this work to professionals, they will do everything efficiently, in addition, they will give a quality guarantee for several months.

One of the characteristics of a vehicle is ground clearance (or ground clearance), that is, the distance from the surface of the carriageway to the element of the vehicle located below all others. Its size largely determines which obstacles (in the form of irregularities or holes) you can overcome without damaging (to one degree or another) the parts of the machine. Is it possible to make the clearance more (compared to its original design value)? The answer is unequivocal - yes! There are several main ways to accomplish this task. We will talk about the pros and cons of such a modification in our review article.

Fitting wheels with the largest possible diameter

A fairly simple way to increase the ground clearance is to install wheels with a large diameter (compared to the standard ones that the car was equipped with at the time of purchase). Naturally, it is not worthwhile to immediately replace it with a new rubber. But when the time comes to change it (for example, due to wear or mechanical damage), then you can think about a slight increase in ground clearance. How do you make this upgrade? Very simple. The fact is that the wheel arches are designed in such a way that in the future it is possible to install chains on the tires that prevent the vehicle from sliding (basically, this is used when driving on mountainous terrain). If you do not plan to use such devices, you can "painlessly" increase the wheel diameter by 24 mm (that is, 12 mm on each side). It is this stock that the manufacturer leaves for the installation of chains.

Consider this tuning option with a specific example. Let's say that your car has tires 185/65 / R15 (Renault Logan, Kia rio, Hyundai solaris, Lada Largus and many other popular models), where:

• 185 - width in mm (B);
• 65 is the percentage value by which the width must be multiplied to obtain the profile height (H), that is, H = B × 65% = 185 × 0.65 = 120.25 mm;
• R15 - size wheel rim in inches.

If we install rubber 185/70 / R15 on the same disks, then we get H = B × 70% = 185 × 0.7 = 129.5 mm. That is, by simply replacing the rubber, we "raise" the car, practically by 1 cm. Sometimes such a slight increase in ground clearance is quite enough in order not to "scratch" the bottom when overcoming a long familiar and annoying pothole in the roadway.

Of the advantages of the above method, it should be noted that:

• for such a modernization, it is not necessary to make any changes in the design of the car;
• the ground clearance, albeit insignificantly, increases.

• an increase in the total mass of the wheels will lead to a slight increase in fuel consumption;
• the speedometer readings will be slightly distorted (2 ÷ 3% down).

Interturn inserts in springs

Another way to increase the ground clearance is the installation of inserts (or as they are also called autobuffers) between the coils of the car's springs. Using this method, it is possible to increase the ground clearance by an average of 2 ÷ 3 cm. For the manufacture of inserts, special rubber or urethane is used. Depending on the material used and the manufacturer, prices for such kits (based on installation on one axis) vary over a very wide range (from 300 to 4000 rubles). Structurally, they are:

• solid;
• with internal cavities;
• with holes around the circumference.

The installation procedure is pretty simple:

• we hang the wheel with a jack so that the spring stretches as much as possible and clean it of dirt;
• grease the insert with soapy water (or machine oil) and install it between the coils in the middle of the spring.

The only advantage of the above method is the ease of installation of autobuffers. The main disadvantage is that the central coil of the spring is "excluded" from normal operation, since the insert does not allow it to be fully compressed. After installing such devices, individual coils of the spring work under different loads, and this, in turn, can lead to a reduction in its service life. Therefore, this method of increasing the ground clearance can be recommended only as a temporary measure, when the springs have already “sagged” enough (as a result of which the clearance has decreased significantly), and there is simply no time (or money) for a thorough repair of the suspension. Assertions of the same manufacturers (in particular the German Power Guard or the South Korean TTC) that the installation of autobuffers significantly increases ride comfort; prolongs the "life" of the entire suspension as a whole, significantly reducing its costs Maintenance; and also shortens the braking distance and improves vehicle handling, are most likely a publicity stunt. Painfully many "wonderful" transformations they promise after installing four "rubber bands" inserted into the springs of the car. Although each motorist naturally decides on the appropriateness of their use independently.

Spacers for struts and springs

The most popular method for increasing ground clearance is the installation of special "thick" spacers between the mounting cup and the very front strut, as well as between the body and the top of the rear springs. Today, sets of such devices can be purchased for almost all common car brands. Moreover, the increase in ground clearance can vary from 1 to 5 cm: it depends both on personal preferences and on the design features of a particular car. For those who are "friends" with wrenches and are used to tuning themselves, it will not be difficult to install spacers. If you do not have sufficient experience in carrying out repair work, then this operation can be performed by specialists from the nearest car service.

The essence of the revision:

• the front pillars are dismantled (in whole or in part, depending on the car model);
• remove the standard (upper) gaskets;
• instead of them we install thickened spacers (in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions);
• we assemble the front suspension in reverse order using longer bolts (or studs), which are included in the delivery set of devices for increasing the ground clearance;
• we install gaskets between the upper part of the rear springs and the body (often you have to use a special puller).

This retrofit method is a very effective way to increase ground clearance. However, before using it, you should consider the consequences of this modernization:

• The angle of connection of the axle to the CV joint will increase. Consequently, it will "work" under increased loads. And this will inevitably lead to a reduction in its service life. In addition, the protective boot will wear out faster.
• If you try to increase the ground clearance by a significant amount (for example, by the maximum recommended 5 cm), this can lead to the fact that the brake hoses are always in a taut state and on a strong bump (that is, with the maximum free wheel travel) they can simply break ... And this is already fraught with very serious consequences.

On a note! Currently, spacers are made of polyurethane, high-strength rubber, polymer plastics and aluminum. The price of the kit depends on both the material and the car brand.

Replacing springs and shock absorbers

Such a method of increasing ground clearance, such as replacing standard springs (for products with a greater length) and shock absorbers (for "long-stroke" ones), is quite expensive. The fact is that manufacturers do not offer tuning masters ready-made sets of such spare parts. Knowing the installation dimensions, you can independently select the necessary parts for a specific car brand. It will not be superfluous to consult with professionals who have experience in such upgrades. Naturally, this will require not only time, but also significant financial costs.

Another method of increasing ground clearance is to install so-called air bellows (or, as they are also called, air bags or pneumohelpers) into the inner part of the spring. Structurally, they are sealed cylindrical containers with an air connection. How quickly, and most importantly, just enough to install such devices in the rear suspension passenger car, you will learn from the video below:

According to the manufacturers, such a modernization of the car not only allows you to increase the ground clearance (as well as adjust it depending on the load), but also does not change the design of the vehicle (this allows you to preserve the official warranty).

For information! Air bellows are currently available for both rear springs and MacPherson strut front struts.

Adjustable air suspension

The most expensive way, which allows not only to increase the ground clearance, but also to adjust it depending on the road conditions and driving style, is to completely replace the standard suspension with a pneumatic system. More recently, only executive class cars were equipped with such devices. Currently, air suspension can be equipped with a variety of (even the so-called budget vehicles). A complete kit, ready to install, usually consists of:

• two front struts (assembled);
• two rear shock absorbers;
• compressor;
• receiver;
• a manometer (or several, depending on the variety);
• valve block;
• control keys;
• dehumidifier;
• pneumatic line tubes;
• connecting fittings;
• bypass valves;
• installation wires and necessary fasteners.

The main "working" elastic element in the air suspension is compressed air. Hence all the ensuing advantages (in comparison with traditional types). This is primarily:

• an increase in the smoothness of the ride, and as a result of the comfort of movement;
• the ability to adjust the ground clearance (including automatic, if the installation of a special controller is provided);
• significant reduction in driving noise.

The only drawback of such modernization, in our opinion, is the high cost of both the kit itself and the work on its installation (if you do not have sufficient skills to carry out the installation yourself).

For information! A completely ready-to-install air suspension kit (for front-wheel drive VAZ vehicles) currently costs about 53,000 ÷ 55,000 rubles. The installation of such a device at the service station will have to spend another 20,000 ÷ 30,000 rubles.