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Ground Clearance...

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Old May 9, 2005 | 11:50 AM
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Default Ground Clearance...

Just wondering what everyone's ground clearance is and how hard is it for you to get around. What suspension do you have, and list any other relevant parts that might add or take away any of your clearance.

Posting this because I'm moving into a new apartment complex. The daily driver (95 Neon) will get over the two speed bumps leading in with about an inch or an inch and half of clearance left. The Trans Am can not get into the complex. It cant even get the front tires back onto the pavement from the first speedbump. I hit long before they touch asphalt.

Currently I have the Eibach Pro Kit and Bilstein HD shocks on the car. Stock headers and y-pipe, Hooker catback (going to true duals next month). Bolt in DD SFCs are what kills me. I've got 3.5" of clearance without me in the car. With me in the driver's seat I'm sure it's significantly less (180 lbs), not to mention if I have a passenger.

Thinking of swapping in the stock rear springs with no rubber spacer to get some extra clearance out back. As far as getting the front up, all I can think to do is go extreme and pull the front bumper support, relocate the battery to the rear, and start looking at either lightweight K members and A arms or some Ground Control coil overs.

I'm thinking even with the rear springs and clearancing on the back seat bottoms for the true duals I'm going to be running into some problems very soon.
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Old May 9, 2005 | 12:15 PM
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that's odd...i have the eibach pro kit, stock replacement shocks, and 3" true duals...i don't scrape on anything if i'm carefull...i can make it over the speed tables at the college if i go sideways over it...those are like 8" tall...but normal speedbumbs, say 3-4" tall, i still have to go slow over because if i go straight over because i will still scrape if i'm going to fast
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Old May 9, 2005 | 12:35 PM
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The way the entrance to my new apartment complex is, there is an island with a tree in it between the "in" and "out" so I dont have any room to angle the car over the speed bumps. Even if I could the SFCs run down the length of the car and that is where my clearance problems are, so angling wouldn't help because when the second front tire comes down I'll still scrape.

Dont get me wrong, I dont mind it. The SFCs are tough, I'd rather them scrape than my exhaust or oil filter or something. Just wondering how much clearance others have. Also thinking of going to a tubular or two point boxed SFC but I dont know about clearance on those.
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Old May 9, 2005 | 12:51 PM
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i have tubular bmrs...you can't even see them from the side
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Old May 9, 2005 | 12:52 PM
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the clearance with the tubular is no worse than stock, the boxed SFC's loose around 1/2 inch.

i have TSP duals and i'm about to put hotchkis springs on, i RARLEY have to run over any speed bumps though. you can ask around about the clearance lost with DD SFC's because the tubular designed ones tuck almost completly. and once you get those, you can throw on some true duals and REALLY screw your clearance up
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Old May 9, 2005 | 12:58 PM
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I'd rather the SFCs drag than anything else (true duals that are going on next month), so I might keep the DDs. I'm thinking about changing springs to the SLP Eibachs though instead of my Pro Kit.
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Old May 9, 2005 | 01:25 PM
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i would HIGHLY recommend getting 2.5" duals if you are set on them. you have a ton more options when you go that rout.

have you checked out some of the true duals out over the axle, out the back through CME tips threads yet?
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Old May 9, 2005 | 01:33 PM
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there isn't much of a power difference...they won't be quite as loud but they also won't rasp as much if any...plus you can go over the axle with 2.5"..and everything will tuck better
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Old May 9, 2005 | 02:27 PM
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I have stock suspension and have no problem clearing even huge speedbumps with:
Sport appearance package ground effects (think camaro RS), Jet-Hot LT's, 3" true duals, BMR boxed subframe connectors and a TCI +2 quart trans pan.
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Old May 9, 2005 | 02:42 PM
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We dont have any competent exhaust shops around here so I was going to order the TSP 3" kit. They dont offer a 2.5" kit. I think the SFCs will still be my low point though.

Any measurements here folks? Just curious what the low point comes out to be, and just how low that is.
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Old May 9, 2005 | 02:59 PM
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On my car the lowest points are probably the exhaust pipe on the driver's side where it comes down to clear the floorboard and the very beginning of the bullet mufflers.

I just checked it out, the lowest point(s) appear to be slightly less than 4" of ground clearance.

Edit: Visual aid. It, and most any other decently sized exhaust, does not pass the upright 12oz aluminum can test. Then again my stock ground effects barely pass that. The slightly less than 4" ends up being a little bit below the point on a beer/pop can where the outward taper ends and the vertical sides begin.

Last edited by blkZ28spt; May 9, 2005 at 03:07 PM.
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Old May 9, 2005 | 10:37 PM
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Good to know. This Pro Kit has my car so low that I cant even get an upright can under the factory side skirts. I love the stance, but its getting to be very much a pain.
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Old May 9, 2005 | 10:41 PM
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Originally Posted by josh99ta
Good to know. This Pro Kit has my car so low that I cant even get an upright can under the factory side skirts. I love the stance, but its getting to be very much a pain.
Ouch. Big exhaust system would be very hairy given that.
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Old Jun 26, 2005 | 07:46 PM
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I'm trying to figure out which sfc's to get. I have sportlines and go over speed bumps almost every day.
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Old Jun 26, 2005 | 07:54 PM
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hydrolics.....hight on demand ...............................




j/k



how bout a 28" tire in back? that will bring her up
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Old Jun 27, 2005 | 06:18 PM
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eh, i have ten spokes.
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Old Jun 28, 2005 | 12:28 AM
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With mac mids, ORY, and magnaflow I have no issues at all. I cut all four springs and have plently of clearance. in fact our town has tons of washes (dips) and bumps. The cut springs make the spring tighter and height isnt a issue. I scrap that darn brake plastic brake vent everytime I back out of my very angled driveway however!
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