Ground Clearance

earthkin · #1 10-05-2002, 12:35 AM

I just bought my *first* SVX. I love driving it, but one complaint I have with it is the ground clearance. I know this is probably sacrilege to some of you, but are there any suggestions on something I could do to raise it a little (an inch or two) without spending a lot of money or ruining its appearance? I bought it not only to be fun, but also for driving to work on snowy days. Also, I have to be really slow backing down my driveway, or the front end bumps when I go over the curb. I have the stock wheels, and standard OEM size tires ('92 LS-L).

Earthworm · #2 10-05-2002, 12:59 AM

I suppose what you could do would be to install a set of 225/60/16 tires. Mathematically the stock tires should be 24.86" tall and these new tires should be 26.63" tall that would be enough to raise the car 0.88" (half the difference)

earthkin · #3 10-05-2002, 01:06 AM

Looks like the 225/60/16 as opposed to stock 225/50/16 has to do with increasing the sidewall height from 50% of tire width to 60% of tire width... any idea on how far I could go with this before running into problems with the fender or wheel well? E.g. why not 225/70/16? And I wonder how much effect this would have on the speedometer readout...

Earthworm · #4 10-05-2002, 01:15 AM

The 60 series tires would be 7.1% faster than the speedo would report so if the speedo says you're going 65 then you're actually going about 70

#5 10-06-2002, 11:21 PM

I have gone down some pretty steep inclines and I have only rubbed the front end once or twice. Check your struts, maybe someone installed some Konis and lowered the car? That would be a plus. Also my tires are 225/45/16 so if i assume right, that kind of lowers the car a little under half an inch.

Earthworm · #6 10-07-2002, 10:31 AM

Actually with the 225/45/16 tires you are the same 0.88" lower than stock.

#7 10-07-2002, 01:33 PM

ah, well still I barely ever rub. Check the struts, see if somenonelowered the car. Check the cheapest solutions first.

Red SVX 92 · #8 10-07-2002, 05:00 PM

People were yelling at me for the stock 5.3" ground clearance already, and yet I still lowered my car... Hmm... that's sound logic, right?

Since I'm in CA, I don't have to worry about that strange phenomenon you people call snow.

I had absolutely no problems with bumps, etc., before I lowered the car, and even now, I still don't have to worry about it too much, as long as I don't blaze through speed bumps at 30 mph.

Subafreak · #9 10-07-2002, 05:10 PM

Check for cut springs. if the coils don't sit around the strut flat they may have choped them.

I did this hack job to mine just to make it sit level with the 100+lbs of stereo in the trunk and dont have much problems hitting scraping.

The good thing is if it hits it hits the tow hooks before it stuffs the bumper in the ground.