Actual Ground Clearance

[XJ Junkie]

When reading some vehicle road tests I have to laugh at some of the ground clearances quoted in some of the manufacturers specs. I doubt there’s any standard in where they should place the end of the measuring tape .

On my XJ the belly is in the region of 400mm or 450mm off the ground, but the clearance under the axles is not that much. Especially the front axle which is braced underneath. Break-over is very good though.

The only way to lift the solid axles is to fit larger diameter tyres. That’s the primary job of a lift, which should only be tall enough to get bigger tyres on. I see plenty of lifted 4x4s where the owner clearly only has half a clue. Big lift, small tyres, like a shopping trolley.

On my Duster the clearance is 210mm which is quite good considering how other softroaders appear to be going lower & lower. The likes of XTrail & RAV4 have reduced their clearances last time I checked compared to their original models. But it depends on where they are measuring.

IS clearances obviously can’t be compared to SA clearances, because IS lacks the consistent ride height that SA’s offer.

[Wooky]

Big lift, small tyres, like a shopping trolley.

Now I need a new keyboard.....

[XJ Junkie]

There’s plenty of Wranglers running around Cape Town that look like that - ridiculous.

Then there’s the other extreme, namely big tyres, no lift. This just illustrates that the guy doesn’t offroad. Because his tyres will damage the vehicle.

[Saxj]

A good example was the Terios Off-Road which had a quoted ground clearance of 300mm, which is impossible as it has a live rear axle.

[Saxj]

There’s plenty of Wranglers running around Cape Town that look like that - ridiculous.

Then there’s the other extreme, namely big tyres, no lift. This just illustrates that the guy doesn’t offroad. Because his tyres will damage the vehicle.

Sounds like my first Jimny, but that did lots of off-road. The wheel arch linings were completely chewed up by the tyres though.

[XJ Junkie]

A good example was the Terios Off-Road which had a quoted ground clearance of 300mm, which is impossible as it has a live rear axle.

I remember that. Some of the models also quoted various clearances, but I doubt it had 300mm anywhere.

[Wooky]

There are quite a few "shopping trolleys" up here in JHB as well.

I never take the manufacturers quoted ground clearance as having much value unless clearly stated as to where it was measured.

[XJ Junkie]

With IS vehicles, I’d like to see them also quote suspension clearance under full compression, in addition to the neutral height that they state. An IS doesn’t have much clearance when under load.

[Mike Nel]

Take any 4x4 as an example fresh off the showroom floor.

The brochure says that ground clearance is X mm. And then I look those big side steps they put on. Those are extremely low and should therefor be the actual ground clearance measurement, yes?

And we’ve been through this before, but where do they state where their measurements are taken?

[KurtG]

To get true ground clearance you would need to dive over a rectangular cube which is as wide as the inside track of the wheels. Most IS vehicles do okay in the middle part of under the car, but the lower control arms will make the actual min clearance next to nothing.

SA will always have better clearance in off-road conditions because the wheel will always lift the pumpkin, however a middlemannetjie can cause problems compared to IS.

Horses for courses

[XJ Junkie]

Most IS vehicles so okay in the middle part of under the car, but the lower control arms will make the actual min clearance next to nothing.

This is an important point. When I drive behind fully independent suspension vehicles, I often notice how the lower control arms run at an angle, protruding from under the chassis, whereas the Dusters runs relatively flat.

[Chris Stoffel]

One should spend some time lying on your back under your 4x4 looking were all the things are that is lower than the axle. And know where the are when you are driving over things. The front pumpkin is offset, the back pumpkin is in the middle. But, one should rather take these high stuff on the rock sliders, that is what they are there for.

[Apocalypse]

Ground clearance is officially measured at the mid point between the 2 axles furthest apart as viewed from the side.

break over angle is measured to that point from the tangent of the wheels.

Which makes for some very iffy ground clearance claims.

The stock Wrangler is actually shockingly low at the mod point, a real belly dragger, but all it's other bits are kept well up over the full length.

[Apocalypse]

One should spend some time lying on your back under your 4x4 looking were all the things are that is lower than the axle. And know where the are when you are driving over things. The front pumpkin is offset, the back pumpkin is in the middle. But, one should rather take these high stuff on the rock sliders, that is what they are there for.

luckily mine is lifted so I can get under it....

[Chris Stoffel]

One should spend some time lying on your back under your 4x4 looking were all the things are that is lower than the axle. And know where the are when you are driving over things. The front pumpkin is offset, the back pumpkin is in the middle. But, one should rather take these high stuff on the rock sliders, that is what they are there for.

luckily mine is lifted so I can get under it....

Mine as well. Boep clearance?