Clearance of cars - what is the value, why it is needed, and how it can be adjusted. In our article you will find not only answers to these questions, but also useful recommendations, as well as practical advice.

Clearance (дорожный просвет) автомобилей

Ground clearance of cars - the distance from the lowest point of the central part of the car and the surface of the reference. The central part of the car, by this concept, is meant the limited part by two planes: the longitudinal parallel plane and the auto internal wheels equal to the surface.

To put it in simple terms, the clearance is the distance between the road and the bottom of the car body or the height of the maximum obstacles for which the bottom of the car does not catch on during the trip. By the way, yes, the tuned VAZ 2109 makes clearance less so that the car looks more sporty. And, for example, at the VAZ 2106 the ground clearance is just suitable for Russian hard roads, but of course, the ground clearance of the SUV is far from the basins.

What is the clearance

The amount of clearance will directly affect the stability of the car at high speeds, throughput of the car and its maneuverability. A small ground clearance, as a rule, is characteristic of sports cars.

SUVs have the largest amount of ground clearance, especially for American brands of jeeps, they have all the dimensions are large, and the clearance is even more so. It is not always possible to correctly and quickly determine the lowest point in the car to find out the real ground clearance.

Useful rules

In some presented car models, the lowest point may be the exhaust system, or rather its protruding part. There are also cars from Germany, where the lowest point is the reserve, attached to the bottom of the car, as a rule, these are off-road vehicles, crossovers and SUVs.

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Also, the suspension elements, the crankcase, some parts of the engine compartment, as well as the front bumper itself, especially when there is a tuned kit on it, can be the lowest accurate. All the above nuances prevent inexperienced drivers from correctly measuring the ground clearance on their cars.

It is not enough just to know, for example, in millimeters or centimeters, what is the clearance of cars. These data are presented in the specifications of a particular car. Every car owner should visually imagine the size of the clearance of their cars.

This will be the key to comfortable driving, as well as avoiding unnecessary financial costs for unscheduled repairs, for example, during parking or driving through obstacles.

Only when you can examine in detail all the features of the structural elements of your car, which are located along the bottom. Then you can quickly and correctly overcome obstacles that occur on the road, as well as safely parked in unfamiliar places.

Clearance measurement procedure

You can measure the amount of clearance with the help of a standard ruler on a viewing pit with even ramps. First you need to make sure that the tire pressure meets the stated standards. After that, you need to remove all unnecessary things and large debris from under the car. As a rule, the unit of measurement of ground clearance is millimeter.

It is best and more correct to make measurements at several points at once: clearance under the engine crankcase, ground clearance under the axles, bumper, etc. Depending on the brand of car and the type of data will vary.

Average clearance

The average size of the clearance, it will be the value from the road surface to the lowest point of the front bumper:

• for passenger cars - from 1400 to 2000 mm;
• crossovers and SUVs - from 1,800 to 2,500 mm;
• SUVs - from 2000 to 3500 mm.

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Clearance of cars at the level of the front bumper must be measured first. This is the most vulnerable spot during parking, or driving in the winter. To protect yourself from these troubles, it is better to use parking systems. As an option, you can use a plastic or rubber "skirt".

During off-road driving, the risk of damage or breakdown of the crankcase pan increases dramatically. It would be best to install protection on the engine. Ground clearance: average

• for passenger cars - from 1200 to 1700 mm;
• crossovers and SUVs - from 1,700 to 2,100 mm;
• SUVs - from 2000 and more.

How can you increase the clearance of the car

Many car owners have a question about the increase in ground clearance. Sometimes it can be unpleasant sounds when the wheels hit the fenders of the car. Fenders can simply constantly rub on the road surface. Motor protection or the bottom periodically touches bumps on the road. Good ground clearance will be the perfect assistant for a loaded car, especially on dirt roads. An example of the best option is the clearance of the Opel Astra.

Increased ground clearance можно добиться пневмогидравлической или пневматической подвеской. Часто такие подвески можно встретить на элитных внедорожниках и кроссоверах. В этом случае достаточно программно выставить необходимый клиренс. В легковых авто можно использовать пневмобаллоны рукавного типа в качестве упругого пневматического элемента.

Dampers will help with increasing clearance, thanks to them you can adjust this value.

Spacers

Также существует простая операция по увеличения дорожного просвета при помощи проставок. Существуют алюминиевые, пластиковые и полиуретановые проставки, которые устанавливают кузовом и опорной частью стойки. Spacers из полиуретана могут сжиматься, пластиковые наиболее стойкие к деформации, а также не поддаются коррозии в зимний период как алюминиевые.

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Spacers can also be made of hard rubber and inserted between the coils of the springs. In this case, the clearance will increase slightly, the swaying will decrease, but the comfort will worsen, the car will become tougher.

On the rear springs cars, you can use adjustable spacers. Thanks to them, the clearance of cars is easy to adjust. You can also adjust the angle of illumination of headlights, parameters of the brake and the angle of rotation for the front wheels.

Some motorists to increase ground clearance use the wheel more radius, but in this case has its own nuances. So tires can rub on wheel arches, touch mud flaps, etc. It is best to adjust the ground clearance if necessary, so as not to worsen the rest of the car.

Summarize

Ground clearance is a non-constant value, it may decrease over time due to the wear of springs, tires, springs. Therefore, you should monitor these indicators.

The length of the overhangs, the shape of the bumper play an important role on the patency of the car. It is best to pay attention in advance to all the nuances. Practice confirms that the passenger car sometimes overcomes obstacles much easier and more confidently vain SUVs and crossovers.