How to increase the ground clearance of the car. Does it make sense to install spacers to increase ground clearance? Expensive option to increase ground clearance

Modern fashion makes many car owners resort to unusual measures to distinguish themselves from other motorists. A particularly popular action in this regard is the understatement of the car. For some reason, the owners believe that the lower his car, the more girls it will be possible to "pick up" on it. When deciding on such measures, you should understand that such a fashion is not only a violation of the rules for operating the suspension of your vehicle, but also causing damage. In addition, you will not be able to normally move around the city with its many "speed bumps", not to mention the country roads, the condition of which in our country is poor. Based on sound logic, you can come to a logical question: how to increase the vehicle's ground clearance? It needs to be increased, not decreased.

What can the increased vehicle clearance with your own hands? First of all, any obstacles in the form of "speed bumps", large road holes or railway crossings will no longer be considered insurmountable. Plus, bumpy roads outside of the city will no longer pose any threat to the underside of your vehicle.

First you need to understand the very concept of this word. Ground clearance is the distance between the road and the bottom of the body. By doing some calculations, you can find out if you need to increase the ground clearance. A regular ruler or tape measure is suitable for measuring. Once you have determined the center of the body, locate the point that is closest to the ground. Then measure the distance between this point and the road surface.

We calculate the height of the ground clearance

The process of determining the lowest point on the surface of a car is a little difficult. This is due, first of all, to the presence of numerous protective elements of the body and the engine installed below. Almost all cars have a low point located under the engine. This is in case you did not tune the car, and did not increase the size of the exhaust pipe. And so all the units, including the gearbox and the rear axle, are at the highest level.

When choosing a car, pay a little attention to studying the information about the ground clearance, which will protect you from purchasing a car with a low ground clearance. At the same time, some manufacturers, when indicating information on ground clearance, do not take into account the crankcase protection. Often, some data are indicated in the technical passport, but in reality the figure is somewhat different.

How to increase ground clearance?

A large number of modern motorists are faced with mechanical damage to the body due to poor-quality road surface. Bad roads lead to the failure of suspension elements, which are very expensive to repair or replace these days. Therefore, a modern "life hack" is used - an increase in the vehicle's ground clearance.

There are 4 main ways to increase ground clearance:

• replacement of tires;
• replacement of disks;
• replacement of suspension springs;
• installation of spacers from different materials.

Let's consider each of the methods separately.

Replacing tires

The easiest way to increase your vehicle's ground clearance is to replace tires that can lift your vehicle slightly above road level. The method is the simplest and most economical, which is very important. However, there are some limitations related to the size of the wheel arches. Rather, with their inner diameter. If you install too large tires, then the wheel will rub against the body when cornering or when the car is heavily loaded. Rubbing the body with new tires will lead to the rapid appearance of metal corrosion.

Advantages: that you do not need to interfere with the design of the car.

Flaws: rapid wear of new tires and body parts, which is associated with their frequent contacts (we are talking about driving on uneven roads).

Replacing wheel disks

This method is also good in that it does not involve practically any design changes. The whole point is to change the rims to new ones with a larger diameter. Here it is necessary to take into account not only the internal dimensions of the arch, as in the previous method, but also the diameter of the wheel hub and the method of placing the fastening bolts on it. The fact is that the holes on the rim may not match the studs installed in the hub. All this is solved directly in the car shop, where employees will help you choose the right disk in their catalogs.

Advantages: the large diameter of the wheel will slightly increase the vehicle's ground clearance. Also, when driving, small bumps on the road will not be felt so much.

Flaws: choosing this method of increasing ground clearance implies replacing all four wheel disks, which will not be cheap.

Replacing the suspension springs

One of the most popular ways to increase ground clearance among motorists is to replace the suspension springs. To perform the replacement of the shock absorber springs, you will need to completely disassemble the rear and front car suspensions. After that, new springs are selected. Moreover, their size should coincide with the size of the old springs, only with greater rigidity. You can find out information about the stiffness by the marking indicated on them.

Advantages: you will be able to achieve a significant increase in the ground clearance of your vehicle.

Flaws: these include interference with the design of the car, which will lead to an increase in rigidity in operation. Also, by replacing the springs, you can. Such changes can affect driving comfort, reducing driving comfort when driving on uneven roads.

Important! When replacing the springs of the car's suspension, it is also necessary to change the shock absorbers, because the old ones may not work correctly due to poor functioning of the bumpers. Such defects lead to breakage of the vehicle's suspension components.

Installation of spacers made of different materials

For the manufacture of spacers, auto parts manufacturers use several materials:

• polyurethane;
• rubber;
• ABS plastic;
• aluminum.

Polyurethane products are distinguished by their elasticity, durability and quiet operation. Polyurethane is able to withstand almost all the shock received by the suspension when driving over bumps. Among the disadvantages, it is worth highlighting the high cost of the material and the increased load on the bushings. The latter may well lead to deformation of the car body.

Rubber is similar to polyurethane in its properties, but at the same time its technical properties are significantly inferior. Products made from rubber are able to withstand aggressive environments, do not corrode the bodywork and are relatively inexpensive. But, despite all the advantages, rubber products wear out rather quickly.

ABS plastic Is a collection of all the positive aspects of these materials. This advantage brings this material to a level higher than its competitors. Consequently, ABS plastic has practically no drawbacks, with the exception, perhaps, of cost.

Concerning aluminum, then it is, first of all, a very durable and lightweight material. Even in spite of its high cost and possible manifestations of corrosion in places of contact with iron, aluminum is still the leader in this matter.

By setting spacers, you must first make the necessary measurements. Determine the length of the springs by disassembling the springs first. The fact is that during operation, the length of the springs decreases (they gradually sag), which significantly reduces the efficiency of installing the spacers. To avoid such troubles, compare your measurements with the data indicated in the manual for your vehicle. If the springs have sunk too much, then it will be more rational to replace them with new ones. After replacement, you can install the spacers. It is possible to increase the vehicle's ground clearance only if the condition of the suspension springs is at a high level.

Important! After installing the spacers (no matter what material), changes in the operation of the shock absorbers will be noticed. These changes are often minor.

The cost of the spacers is quite acceptable, which makes this method of increasing ground clearance affordable for all motorists. If we talk about the replacement procedure itself, then there should not be any special difficulties, especially when working with the rear suspension. As a reward, a good result. For example, such as increasing the vehicle's clearance by 3-5 centimeters with your own hands.

If you want to achieve more suspension lift, we recommend that you do not. The fact is that if you lift it too much, your suspension will not fully function, and its parts will wear out much faster.

Do you need a lot of ground clearance?

First of all, I would like to note that changes in ground clearance shifts the center of gravity of your car upward. This worsens handling, because all the basic settings and technologies created during the manufacture of the car, after changing the clearance, were violated. Do not forget that the automobile plant employs hundreds of specialist engineers who conduct numerous experiments to obtain the necessary information regarding the technical characteristics of the car. Based on the results of such experiments, the permissible load, the location of the wheels when driving or cornering, and so on are calculated.

If you managed to change the ground clearance by increasing it by at least 5 centimeters, then get ready for the fact that the changes will affect the wheel alignment. In addition, the reaction of the wheels to the rotation of the steering wheel is not the same as it was before - all this will lead to rapid wear of the suspension elements. But this only applies to significant changes in the design of the car, and the minimum increase in ground clearance, if done correctly, will not entail such consequences.

We hope you found the information in this article useful. All the best to you, and not a nail, not a rod, dear motorists!

Video - How to increase the clearance of a car with your own hands

Ground clearance is actually a very important part in a car, the fact is that it affects first of all cross-country ability, then aerodynamics and handling. Some people want to increase it more often in order to increase cross-country ability, it is inconvenient for them to drive where. Because of this, they are trying to solve this problem.

If you want to do this, then you must understand that the dynamics will slightly deteriorate, the handling will change slightly for the worse, and there is also a possibility that the level of rigidity will decrease. If all this does not scare you, then we proceed to the analysis of various methods.

There are several ways, in principle, you can apply any, but for each suspension there is the most optimal option.

Spacer

The springs of the car between each turn have a certain distance; a rubber gasket can be inserted into this place, which is thicker than this distance. You can find this type of spacer at a store. As a result, after installation, the car will sag less from its own weight. That is, the spring is initially compressed, due to the fact that the body itself presses on it, and the gasket makes this compression less.

Where this spacer is installed, there will be practically no compression, and where it is not there, there will be more compression. But despite this, most inexpensive cars, such as, and so on, get 3-5 cm to the previous clearance. Yes, you can put even more of these spacers and get even more magnification, but it is better not to do this.

This method will give you what you need, but there is also a downside. The spacers will greatly increase the rigidity, especially if your car is not particularly comfortable from the beginning. Also, controllability will deteriorate and will not work as correctly as before.

All this is not very expensive, and you can do the whole procedure yourself. If you buy it for AvtoVAZ models, then on average they will cost you 500 rubles a set. If you do not have a very expensive foreign car, then at least you will need 2,000 rubles for a set.

Other springs

This method is used most often by motorists, since you can think of it even without using an Internet search. It is not difficult to increase the ground clearance using this method, but if your car is not very popular, then it will be very difficult for you to find the springs.

This method has a lot of disadvantages. Firstly, you will not find such a spare part from the manufacturer, that is, you cannot be sure of the quality of the spring and the materials from which it is made. Secondly, handling, an increase in roll and poor stabilization on the track suffers greatly.

It is very easy to do this, you buy new springs and install them. It is difficult to discuss the cost, since the amounts depend on the manufacturer and the specific model. As a result, you will get plus 6-12 centimeters. But such increases will have a very bad effect on your driving safety.

Large wheels

This is a rather expensive method, but at the same time it is simple to implement. You can do it yourself without any problems, since it is as simple as possible. Your task is to buy other wheels and tires of larger diameter and install them.

For example, you can easily increase the ground clearance by removing your 15th rims and install 16th, respectively, put the same tires. But be careful, take the rubber with the same profile as it was. The fact is that if it is less, then the ground clearance will either not change, or, on the contrary, will decrease.

See which wheel sizes are right for your car, as if they don't fit, then problems will arise. When turning, the wheels can touch the arches, thereby spoiling the rubber and the arch itself, which is not particularly pleasing.

You also get an improvement in appearance, but that's a plus. The speedometer will display a lower speed, and the vehicle's mileage will be less instrumented than in fact. In addition, dynamics and top speed will decrease and consumption will increase. The fact is that larger diameter wheels are simply heavier. But these changes will not be very big.

Most of the cars will allow this method to increase their ground clearance by a maximum of 3 centimeters. It's not that much, but maybe someone needs it, plus they wanted new discs.

Shock absorber strut spacer

One of the most effective ways is this. The bottom line is that there is a place where the shock absorber and the body fit together, and in this place you can install a special spacer that will lift the body up. Open the hood if you have a popular sedan or hatchback and take you away.

There is only one minus here, the center of gravity will become higher and this will slightly negatively affect handling. It is difficult to say what the result will be, since there are different thicknesses of the spacers.

You can install them yourself if you know a little about machines. For 600 rubles, you can purchase this spacer. They can be made of plastic and aluminum, and made of aluminum are slightly more expensive, but they are more reliable.

More springs

You have a spring suspension that is rare in the modern world, then you can solve your problem simply by adding one or two spring plates. Most often, such a suspension is used on old SUVs or on Gazelles. Of the minuses, it is worth noting a slight increase in stiffness and changes in the center of gravity, but the maximum load on the suspension will become greater, that is, you will be able to load the load a little more.

If you have an SUV, then most likely you can install other wheels, which are much larger than the standard ones. But in fact, it will be better to install a few new plates, since there are much fewer cons.

Torsion bar suspension

This method is the simplest, but this type of suspension is rare. This type has the ability to increase the clearance on its own, while you will not get any drawbacks if you do not do it with fanaticism.

Air suspension

This method is the most expensive of all listed, but in terms of security, it is the best. This option allows you to adjust the ride height using buttons in the cabin, this is due to the inflation of the pillows.

For this you will have to pay more than 100,000 rubles, the amount may be a little less, or maybe much more. It all depends on your car, since the entire chassis undergoes changes and the more complicated it is, the more expensive the procedure.

As a result, you can raise the car if necessary, and in normal mode lower it to a normal state, but it costs a lot.

Conclusion

As we can see, there are many ways and each of them is good in its own way. You can choose the one that suits you best and enjoy the result. Most of the options are not expensive and you can do them yourself, but remember that almost all options negatively affect your safety.

Video

Before you run to an auto parts store, you should ask yourself: why? Well, you "pump" your four-door, not designed for off-road expeditions, and then what? In addition to ground clearance, there are also concepts such as, say, exit / exit angles. Even with increased ground clearance, a car for city roads will not turn into an SUV. You can't argue against nature - or the geometric cross-country ability set at the factory in our case.

FROZEN WHEEL

No? Is it useless to dissuade? Then consider the simplest way to "build up" the ground clearance - the installation of rubber with a higher profile. For example, if now the car "stands" on tires 215/55 / ​​R15 (55% of 215 ~ 118 mm), then they can be given up on tires with a standard size 215/65 / R15 (65% of 215 ~ 140 mm), which will increase the ground clearance by 22 mm, respectively.

Everything would be fine, but apart from the plus - one single one - this method has several drawbacks. First, by installing non-standard tires, you run the risk of increasing fuel consumption. Secondly, to confuse the computer and "break" some systems that read information from the wheels. And this is not to mention the fact that too tall tires can rub against the arches, which also does not bode well.

SPACES OF HOPE

Another option is to install special spacers (preferably polyurethane) between the springs and body cups, if we are not talking about inter-turn parts. This method is more effective because it gives a greater increase in ground clearance. However, here, too, everything is not so simple: making changes to the chassis design - and you, in fact, are doing this - are fraught with negative consequences that will certainly overtake you.

These include accelerated wear of parts and suspension mechanisms, deterioration in handling. Those who cranked such a manipulation also complain about "rolliness" in corners, vibration, tougher running gear, increased maintenance costs ... And all for the sake of some three centimeters. Is the game worth the candle, what do you think?

NONGENE SPRINGS

Almost all the same "charms" await those who, abandoning the venture with spacers, decides to install non-standard shock absorber springs on the car - those with a large number of turns. The procedure, let's say right away, is not cheap, because in addition to buying reinforced springs, you will need to purchase long-stroke shock absorbers. And set aside the money for similarity collapse - you will need it too.

Is it worth it?

Official dealers will not be able to lift their LADA Granta or KIA Rio - servicemen at "white" service stations do not install spacers, nor do they change springs for non-standard ones. It turns out that in pursuit of increased ground clearance, which still does not give freedom, you can lose not only money, but also the factory warranty if the car is relatively new.

So, what do you get by trying to raise your car in one of the above ways? A couple of centimeters to ground clearance - yes. And at the same time, you are waiting for possible problems with the officials, a decrease in resources

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 of the stroke and the ease of landing, and first of all the driver's seat, are similar to the stool, after the transformation of the spring, yes, the spacers give additional load on the shock absorbers, as a result of which they can 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 operating a 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.

Pros 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 breakouts, and the rear wheels from striking on 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 spacers, we said where you can get acquainted with the description of the procedure for their installation, now we need to talk about operating a car with 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 the 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 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!

Refers to the most significant design parameters of a car. To understand its importance, we can give an example of a powerful SUV with high traction, well-thought-out chassis, ergonomic handling and low suspension. With all the advantages, its clearance of 15-20 cm will not allow you to confidently overcome off-road. How to increase ground clearance? The task is not an easy one, especially when it comes to standard cars with a basic ground clearance of 14-16 cm as in most AvtoVAZ models. Nevertheless, experts still give several recipes.

Increased ground clearance due to wheels

The simplest, relatively safe and tangible way to lift the case. The standard group of wheels is being updated with new pairs with an increased profile. Moreover, the configurations of the increase in height may be different. According to auto mechanics, the cumulative positive effect on economy and reliability will be an increase in rims rather than tires. But there are also disadvantages to this tuning. You may have to pay with the consequences of an increase in the load on the chassis. This is reflected in the rapid wear of bearings, shock absorbers and struts. How to increase ground clearance with minimal negative effects? The best option is to change the wheels within the ranges provided by the manufacturer. In this case, the fuel consumption standard will remain within the acceptable range. The problem is that such ranges imply a slight variation in diameters, which will not suit everyone.

Replacing shock absorbers

Another way to update standard functional parts with their pros and cons. In this case, the "native" shock absorbers are replaced with new ones - respectively, with a large number of turns. This method should be in service even if it is not planned to increase the clearance as such. Over time, the springs can sag so that the base will have to be raised to the original level. And, in principle, the solution is not bad, since it makes it possible to strengthen the supporting structure, eliminate the subsidence of the stern at full load and adjust the angles of the rear and front suspension. That is, a lot of opportunities for improving the chassis are structurally provided. But is it possible to increase the ground clearance by replacing the shock absorbers with a tangible result? Of course, the upgrade will be useful for lifting the body too. Another thing is that the technical replacement operation itself is not cheap and is performed through complex operations in a car service.

Installation of air suspension

An even more expensive option, in terms of the scale of implementation, comparable to a major overhaul or repair of a car. What should be expected at the exit? Air suspension is a whole complex of components and assemblies, which includes air bags, air control sensors, a control receiver, a compressor unit and a control panel. The ground clearance will not just be raised - the driver gets the opportunity to almost precisely adjust its height in certain ranges. Moreover, the air suspension with increased ground clearance in some versions can provide for automatic regulation by means of sensors with adjustment for a specific type of surface. For example, on the highway, the system will lower the ground clearance, which will give an advantage in speed. And in off-road conditions, it will raise it to an acceptable level. But not only the air suspension kit itself, but also its installation with maintenance costs a lot.

Using a spacer to lift the undercarriage

A foreign device specially designed to increase the lumen. The spacer is built under the shock absorber or on the spring-to-body assembly. Thus, the structural level of the bearing part is increased by a certain amount. And the most important task of the wizard is to choose the correct characteristics of the device. For example, how to increase the ground clearance on a VAZ with a spacer? Classic VAZ models like 2101-2107 have a ground clearance of about 15 cm. For such structures, spacers with a height of 1-4 cm are recommended. Moreover, it is advisable to select the material of manufacture from elastic. It is better to refuse solid and rigid devices, since the load-bearing part of the machine does not compensate for the rigidity of the already rough suspension. You can give preference to rubber, polyurethane or, at worst, plastic spacers.

Features of increasing ground clearance in SUVs

The difficulty in lifting such cars lies in the risks of imbalance when the ride height adjustment changes the center of gravity configuration. To minimize such risks, a point scheme for working out the bearing depreciation part will allow. For example, how to increase the ground clearance on the Niva in this way? The simplest set of actions could be as follows:

• The shock absorber group on the front suspension is, if possible, replaced with an analogue from the Volga family.
• The rear springs with an enlarged rod are replaced with shock absorbers from the GAZelle.
• Spacers are installed under the front and rear springs, and this time it is metal.
• The diameter of the wheels increases - again, if possible, within the limits of the manufacturer's allowance.

It is also worth focusing on the following points of universal lifting properties:

• Any changes in the load-bearing base of the car will inevitably correct its behavior on the road, which is especially felt at high speeds. In this context, the important question is how to increase the ground clearance without losing stability? There are two options to minimize this kind of negative factor. Firstly, use air suspension, and secondly, provide the car with an electronic stabilizer bar.
• In the process of making changes to the amortization group, it will be useful to diagnose the suspension, which will reveal worn out or parts close to wear.
• After increasing the clearance, it is worth preparing for an increase in the load on the chassis. You may need to change your driving style.

What is the best ground clearance?

It depends on the structural purpose of the machine and the practical tasks for which it is used. How do you increase the ground clearance so that it naturally matches the capabilities of the vehicle? For an answer, it is worth referring to the following classification of ground clearance:

• Clearance from 14 to 20 cm. Suitable for passenger cars, mostly used in urban environments.
• The middle range is from 18 to 25 cm. An intermediate option between a passenger car and a SUV.
• The ground clearance is from 20 to 35 cm. It characterizes the ground clearance of full-fledged SUVs and large crossovers, which are also used on rough terrain.

Conclusion

The increase in the distance between the underbody and the road is a fundamental design change that affects the performance of the vehicle. How justified is this decision and what do the car owners say, who have increased the ground clearance? The ground clearance, according to many reviews, makes the driving process easier. The driver does not need to worry about whether the crankcase will catch on an unevenness on the road or a curb, whether the loaded body will not sink to a critical level, etc. That is, lifting has a completely logical practical function. As for the negative nuances, they boil down to the complication of the control process, a reduction in the working life of some suspension elements and an increase in fuel consumption costs.