Ride height

Ride height or ground clearance is the amount of space between the base of an automobile tire and the lowest point of the automobile (typically the axle); or, more properly, to the shortest distance between a flat, level surface, and the lowest part of a vehicle other than those parts designed to contact the ground (such as tires, tracks, skis, etc.). Ground clearance is measured with standard vehicle equipment, and for cars, is usually given with no cargo or passengers.

Function

Ground clearance is a critical factor in several important characteristics of a vehicle. For all vehicles, especially cars, variations in clearance represent a trade-off between handling, ride quality, and practicality.

A higher ride height and ground clearance means that the wheels have more vertical room to travel and absorb road shocks. Also, the car is more capable of being driven on roads that are not level, without the scraping against surface obstacles and possibly damaging the chassis and underbody.

For a higher ride height, the

aerodynamic properties. This is why sports cars typically have very low clearances, while off-road vehicles and SUVs

have higher ones.

Example ride heights

A road car usually has a ride height around 16–17 cm (6.3–6.7 in), while an

SUV usually lies around 19–22 cm (7.5–8.7 in). Two well-known extremes are the Ferrari F40 with a 12.5 cm (4.9 in) ride height^[1] and the Hummer H1 with a 40.64 cm (16.0 in) ride height.^{[citation needed}

]

The table below provides average ride height for different car types which were available on the market in India in 2020:[2]

Avg. ride height	Car type
135–140 mm (5.3–5.5 in)	Sports car
165 mm (6.5 in)	Sedan
168 mm (6.6 in)	Hatchback
170 mm (6.7 in)	Compact car
190–200 mm (7.5–7.9 in)	Compact SUV
225 mm (8.9 in)	SUV

Specialized uses

Underslung frame

Some cars have used underslung frames to achieve a lower ride height and the consequent improvement in center of gravity. The 1905-14 cars of the American Motor Car Company are one example.^[3]

Self-leveling

Self-leveling suspension systems are designed to maintain a constant ride height regardless of load. The suspension detects the load via mechanical or electronic means and raises or lowers the vehicle, by inflating cylinders in the suspension to lift the chassis higher.^[4]

Vehicles not equipped with self-leveling will pitch down at one end when laden; this adversely affects ride, handling, and aerodynamic properties.

Height adjustable

Some modern automobiles (such as the

Audi Allroad Quattro and Tesla Model S) have height adjustable suspension, which can vary the ride height by adjusting the hydropneumatic suspension or air suspension

. This adjustment can be automatic, depending on road conditions, and/or the settings selected by the driver.

Adjustable shock absorber

Other, simpler suspension systems, such as coilover springs, offer a way of manually adjusting ride height (and often, spring stiffness) by compressing the spring in situ, using a threaded shaft and adjustable knob or nut.

Aftermarket

Lowering a car's

center of gravity. Most passenger cars are produced such that one or two inches of lowering will not significantly increase the probability of damage. On most automobiles, ride height is modified by changing the length of the suspension springs, and is the essence of many aftermarket suspension kits supplied by manufacturers such as Eibach^[5] and H&R.^[6]

Military

For

armored fighting vehicles (AFV), ground clearance presents an additional factor in a vehicle's overall performance: a lower ground clearance means that the vehicle minus the chassis

is lower to the ground and thus harder to spot and harder to hit. The final design of any AFV reflects a compromise between being a smaller target on one hand, and having greater battlefield mobility on the other. Very few AFVs have top speeds at which car-like handling becomes an issue, though rollovers can and do occur. By contrast, an AFV is far more likely to need high ground clearance than a road vehicle.

Trucks

18-wheel

tractor-trailers also have to take the ground clearance of both their tractor and especially trailer into consideration on certain areas of uneven terrain, such as raised railroad crossings. Their extremely long wheelbase

means that such terrain could potentially catch the undercarriage of the trailer in the wide space between the axles, potentially leaving the truck stuck with no means to extricate itself.

Buses

In some areas buses are required to have a ground clearance of at least 100 mm (3+15⁄16 in).

center of gravity

, which could cause the vehicle to be unstable or even flip.

References

^ 1987 Ferrari F40 specifications | technical data | performance | fuel economy | emissions | dimensions | horsepower | torque | weight
^ How much Ground Clearance is Good Ground Clearance in India?
^ "Under-Budget Underslung - 1929 Dodge Roadster - Hot Rod Magazine". www.hotrod.com. Archived from the original on 2007-01-02.
^ "BMW Technology Guide : Self-levelling suspension". BMW. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
^ Eibach
^ H&R
^ "Code of Practice for Buses", section 3.2: Ground Clearance

[1] 1987 Ferrari F40 specifications | technical data | performance | fuel economy | emissions | dimensions | horsepower | torque | weight

[2] How much Ground Clearance is Good Ground Clearance in India?

[3] "Under-Budget Underslung - 1929 Dodge Roadster - Hot Rod Magazine". www.hotrod.com. Archived from the original on 2007-01-02.

[4] "BMW Technology Guide : Self-levelling suspension". BMW. Retrieved 2018-05-16.

[5] Eibach

[6] H&R

[7] "Code of Practice for Buses", section 3.2: Ground Clearance

[1]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]