Smegnoguk Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 My 1500 Vauhall Classic has always had poor ground clearance so I just avoid any routes with speed bumps and I have to be very careful getting over the gate fastener in the middle of my drive - especially two-up. However, blatting home on the very last bit of the A3 last night (just after ASDA if you know it) my sump actually made contact with the road whilst doing about 45mph (two-up again). Is this normal? I would hate to do it at 100mph! 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Sewell Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 Sounds like your springs are sagging or you need height adjustable dampers/longer springs/stiffer springs. Low tech luddite - xflow and proud! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevSull Too Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 Watch out for cats eyes while overtaking! Your wheels sit in the troughs made by lorries in each lane and the cats eyes are usually raised enough to make contact with your sump. I know, found out the hard way...... 😬You laugh at me because I'm different, I laugh at you because you're all the same. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smegnoguk Posted October 3, 2002 Author Share Posted October 3, 2002 Ahhh! Cat's Eyes! That makes sense. There were two thumps one after the other as I changed lane (I think!). Did it do you any damage? ☹️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby dooby doo Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 my (rear) springs died over time / previous owners abuse. the ride height was 3" down with non adjustable dampers... might just be that.. HOOPY assistant thread hijacker R706KGU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smegnoguk Posted October 3, 2002 Author Share Posted October 3, 2002 Hmmm! I will measure mine tinight! (Ride height, that is!) How much clearance do you think I should have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby dooby doo Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 it says in the manual somewhere... HOOPY assistant thread hijacker R706KGU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain chaos Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 Vx's, including mine, usually run with about 75mm of clearance under the sump. I've previously seen postings from K owners who also run similar clearances. My car is dry sumped with front ride height at 5.5" and rear at 6". For track days it has run lower but caught the cats eyes on the way home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wag Posted October 3, 2002 Share Posted October 3, 2002 My superlight wont clear a coke can laidon its side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevSull Too Posted October 4, 2002 Share Posted October 4, 2002 Did it do you any damage? New sump! And the bloke in the BMW M3 that I was passing at the time had a good chuckle 😬You laugh at me because I'm different, I laugh at you because you're all the same. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjc Posted October 4, 2002 Share Posted October 4, 2002 Smashed my Vx sump on a Ct's eye. £500 of damage was really, really mad. (Cause as stated above). Was so mad complained to the council and threatened to sue them in the small claims court. Got as far as filling out the papers, taking photo's, preparing the case etc. Phoned Jez coates at Caterham for his advice and the formal line was that 70mm was the minimum recommended clearance for road use. (Measured between bottom of sump and the ground when at rest on a relatively flat surface). Case collapsed as I was running with 45mm ☹️ 😳 ☹️. Don't you just hate it when that happens 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smegnoguk Posted October 5, 2002 Author Share Posted October 5, 2002 Hmmm! Haven't measured mine yet. I presume that if it is less than 70mm, I need new springs? Sounds expensive. Perhaps I'll just go on a diet. Very useful responses. Many thanks. 😳 “Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner that I love London Town......” Edited by - smegnoguk on 5 Oct 2002 12:23:13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonkey eyed barmaid Posted October 5, 2002 Share Posted October 5, 2002 smegnoguk, Have you owned your car from new?? on another thread about Vx Classic suspension - i was trying to find out if the dampers were adjustable for bump/rebound. turns out that if the car is fitted with spax shocks, then it is adjustable, and if its fitted with the newer spec Bilsteins then thier not... point is - during the course of that thread it also transpired that there is a crude way of adjusting the ride height on Bilstein equipped cars and that was to alter the position of the bottom spring platform, by moving the circlip to a different one of the grooves in the shock body. for reference, I dont have any ground clearance problems (and would probably concur with the others at about 4"/75mm sump clearance). my spring platforms are located in the 3rd groove up from the bottom of the shock body. perhaps its worth checking this has not been altered on your car before buying new springs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smegnoguk Posted October 7, 2002 Author Share Posted October 7, 2002 Yes, I have had the car from new (April 1999). I measured the ground clearance at 50mm with nobody in it. I weigh about 13 stone and my son/daughter/wife about 9 stone each so driving two-up I would guess that I have less than 30mm clearance. That's a big difference to 75mm! No wonder I have to look up to everybody! I will check out the make of my shocks tonight but Caterham did assure me once that they were not adjustable. Is this likely to be just a front end problem? 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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