Ground clearance with lowering

[Wonky]

My car was lowered with King Super Lows (KHFL-47HD on front, KHRL-46HD on rear) and short body shocks a few months ago and is going in soon to have the front struts replaced with a different brand as the current ones have problems. While that is being done I am very tempted to put King KHFL-47SL springs (for VT-VY V6) in the front as some guys (Tron2004, karter42) on here have done because I think the front is still too high.

Only problem is I’m worried about it possibly taking me under 100mm legal clearance from lowest point of car. Could anyone who has them please tell me what their clearance is from the lowest point under the car (and what that lowest point is)?

Also, I have a problem with the short body shocks for VZ. The Duras I have on the front have turned out to be total crap and KYB (which is what I have on the rear) don’t make them to suit VZ fronts due to the different sway bar links, although I gather they can somehow be modified to fit if I can't find anything else. Anyone know what that involves?

Has anyone used other brand short body shocks (eg Pedders??) on their VZ and what did they cost you (supply only if possible)?

Gary

[planetdavo]

What about using VY struts with the threaded top sway bar links and VY sway bar?
It's what HSV did.....

[RIDE:42]

Give chris @ centerline suspension a call on 03 94692914 he has done work on a lot of LS1.com.au happy members :yup:

[Tron2004]

Wonky, the lowest point of mine is the cats which sit 95mm above the black stuff.

As far as the 100mm limit, I've seen many, many, MANY cars (mostly ricers) that would be lucky to sit half that above the road.
Have no idea how they get away with it. Not unless they're all fitted with coil-overs (which I doubt).

[Wonky]

Give chris @ centerline suspension a call on 03 94692914 he has done work on a lot of LS1.com.au happy members :yup:
Did that thanks but they didn't have any off the shelf solutions. Could only build me them by modifying the originals, probably with Koni inserts. Would be a very good solution no doubt but too expensive for me to justify given I don't push the car around corners due to being disabled.


Wonky, the lowest point of mine is the cats which sit 95mm above the black stuff.

As far as the 100mm limit, I've seen many, many, MANY cars (mostly ricers) that would be lucky to sit half that above the road.
Have no idea how they get away with it. Not unless they're all fitted with coil-overs (which I doubt).
Thanks Tron2004. Actually as a matter of interest I took it to Pedders today just to see what they had in the way of short body shocks and to see what they thought about dropping it further.

The guy there was very helpful. Turns out that as of about two weeks ago they've had shortened shocks for VZ but even at supposedly dealer price (due to where I work) just to put their struts on the front (with labour and wheel alignment) would end up costing me not far short of what it cost me to originally for the four lowered springs, four shortened shocks, labour and wheel alignment!

He also measured the clearance and being a VZ with the cats up high and nowhere near as low as yours at the front mine I was surprised to find that it was apparently almost right on 100mm! The problem is apparently the flange on the exhaust somewhere but it is going in soon to get high flow cats fitted so I will ask the guy while he's at it if there's anything he can do to increase that clearance.

My main concern on height is only the insurance company - don't want any hassles with them should I ever need to make a claim. They know about all my mods but did say the only restriction on the lowering was that it still had to be legal.

[seldo]

Gary, give Steve or Reg at GSA a call here in Bris. - 07 3808 4038 - I know they have some short shocks esp for Commodores.

[Wonky]

Gary, give Steve or Reg at GSA a call here in Bris. - 07 3808 4038 - I know they have some short shocks esp for Commodores.
Thanks Seldo. Reg is who I originally got all the lowered springs and short body shocks from and he has been absolutely brilliant in terms of service and offering to offset the costs involved in replacing the Duras (can't recommend GSA highly enough!!) but they unfortunately don't have anything else for VZ fronts.

They did obviously have the Duras but now no longer sell them due to people having problems with them like I've had, but have nothing else to suit VZ front (possibly without getting into mega bucks which I can't afford/justify).

He is sending me down KYBs free of any cost and hopefully they can be made to fit (have been told by a well respected suspension place down here that they can).

[seldo]

Hmm...OK Gary. Sorry, I have no contacts in Melb any more.

[jerrel]

how do all of u guys get away with lowering your car? by this i mean gutters and driveways. I really want to lower mine, but i noticed that it scapes everything. wat will happen wen its lower, will it just smash and crack on the driveway?

[Tron2004]

how do all of u guys get away with lowering your car? by this i mean gutters and driveways. I really want to lower mine, but i noticed that it scapes everything. wat will happen wen its lower, will it just smash and crack on the driveway?
Like I said earlier, the lowest point for mine is 95mm beneath the car and I'm lucky that I don't have a driveway that causes me any concern.
What I do look out for are speed humps in car parks.
Like, there are speed humps that are exactly that - just a little bump that requires you to navigate at a reduced speed.
But there ARE speed humps that look more at home on a trials bike circuit than a public road.
Unless I know the hump, I navigate it at an angle. Most are okay, but there are a few that cause a scrape from underneath.
Just gotta be a tad careful, but I'm ok with all this. For me, the look of the car far outweighs any of these issues.

[chops]

If you're worried about being legal, generally "eyebrow height" becomes an issue long before ground clearance.

Here in SA for a VZ this is 369mm front and 367mm rear, which is not much lower than FE2. You may need to find out this value for your state.

[Wonky]

Never heard of "eyebrow height" before. Could you elaborate please chops?

[HSV249]

how do all of u guys get away with lowering your car? by this i mean gutters and driveways. I really want to lower mine, but i noticed that it scapes everything. wat will happen wen its lower, will it just smash and crack on the driveway?


Like I said earlier, the lowest point for mine is 95mm beneath the car and I'm lucky that I don't have a driveway that causes me any concern.
What I do look out for are speed humps in car parks.
Like, there are speed humps that are exactly that - just a little bump that requires you to navigate at a reduced speed.
But there ARE speed humps that look more at home on a trials bike circuit than a public road.
Unless I know the hump, I navigate it at an angle. Most are okay, but there are a few that cause a scrape from underneath.
Just gotta be a tad careful, but I'm ok with all this. For me, the look of the car far outweighs any of these issues.

It's a pain for sure. You have to be very cautious.
Avoid all streets, shopping centres with speed humps.
I come to a complete stop, then crawl over the hump. Causes a queue in the laneway behind my work during peak hour :cussing:
Driveways can't be tackled head-on, must be negotiated at a 45deg angle, which is not always possible.
The front bar cops most of the scrapes though.
When the exhaust scrapes it sounds really bad from inside the car, but when I check underneath, it's not too bad. I guess the exhaust can move up a bit on the rubber hangers.

[Crusty]

It's a pain for sure. You have to be very cautious.
Avoid all streets, shopping centres with speed humps.
I come to a complete stop, then crawl over the hump. Causes a queue in the laneway behind my work during peak hour :cussing:
Driveways can't be tackled head-on, must be negotiated at a 45deg angle, which is not always possible.
The front bar cops most of the scrapes though.
When the exhaust scrapes it sounds really bad from inside the car, but when I check underneath, it's not too bad. I guess the exhaust can move up a bit on the rubber hangers.

This is why I'm thinking seriously of keeping my clubby at its std height... it would look sexy just a bit lower but I just hate the idea of destroying my front bar on gutters etc.

[chops]

Sure thing Wonky.

"Eyebrow height" is the distance from the centre of the hub to your guard.

There is a minimum specification for this for each car - I have a copy of the SA document but the measurements may be different in your state.

The minimum for a VY or VZ (non HSV) sedan in SA is 369mm front and 367mm rear, while my FE2 sits at 375mm - so even dropping my car by 10mm in SA is illegal.

[Wonky]

Sure thing Wonky.

"Eyebrow height" is the distance from the centre of the hub to your guard.

There is a minimum specification for this for each car - I have a copy of the SA document but the measurements may be different in your state.

The minimum for a VY or VZ (non HSV) sedan in SA is 369mm front and 367mm rear, while my FE2 sits at 375mm - so even dropping my car by 10mm in SA is illegal.
Thanks chops. Wonder how many people know about that as I've never heard of police defecting a car for that. Maybe Vic doesn't have it??? (Gary crosses fingers........) :D

[chops]

My interest/knowledge/research comes from being defected for that very thing about 10 years ago.

I'd say that in a VZ your car would have to be quite a bit lower than what is legal in SA to have any trouble - I see numerous cars a day that would be nowhere near the "required" height that seem to go unnoticed.

[Crusty]

I'm sure that everyday our boys in blue see cars that are too low or seem too loud however unless you're doing something dumb or give them a reason to pick on you I do believe they aren't out there to pick on you. TOG may be another story however as I guess it's their job to get unroadworthy cars off the road.

[HSV249]

I'm sure that everyday our boys in blue see cars that are too low or seem too loud however unless you're doing something dumb or give them a reason to pick on you I do believe they aren't out there to pick on you. TOG may be another story however as I guess it's their job to get unroadworthy cars off the road.

Mine's been "looked over" many times by the Police while driving, never been pulled over - touch wood. I just stay off the pedal and don't look worried...

[Crusty]

Mine's been "looked over" many times by the Police while driving, never been pulled over - touch wood. I just stay off the pedal and don't look worried...

Exactly, if you look guilty or do something to provoke them you're gonna be more likely to get pinged for it.