I cannot get my head around this - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

mute · 06-20-2004, 00:23

I swear vicroads word things so you can't understand them and therefore classing your car unroadworthy so they can fine your arse.

See if you can understand this:

4. GROUND CLEARANCE

The Ground Clearance of a vehicle measured from a horizontal road surface to any point on the underside of the vehicle except the tyres, wheels, wheel hubs and brake backing plates shall, with the vehicle in its loaded state as specified by the manufacturer, be not less than:

- for any point in the width of the vehicle which is within one metre fore and aft of any axle, 100 mm;
- for the mid-point between any two consecutive axles, the dimension in millimetres obtained by multiplying the distance between those two axles in metres by 33.33.

To me, that means that:

- your car must have minimum 100mm ground clearance from both 1 meter in front and behind of any axle

Don't understand what the second part is saying though

dpk83 · 06-20-2004, 00:26

wow! That did my head in.

EFFalcon · 06-20-2004, 00:55

My assumption:

EF Wheelbase = 2791mm or 2.791 metres

2.791 x 33.33 = 93.02403mm clearance at the mid point between the axles

Axeman82 · 06-20-2004, 01:38

Thats how I read it John. So for your EF the middle of the car must be above 93mm and one metre before and behind the front and rear axles must be 100 mm.

So the middle of the car can sag a bit or have a lower muffler. But only 7mm.

And thats when the car has the maximum payload in it. So say when it has 600kg of passengers and luggage as an example. Just because its legal with only the driver in it doesn't mean that if your fat mate sits in the rear it will still be legal.

Dan..

mute · 06-20-2004, 05:09

Hmm, its just that im considering getting superlows after getting the low's - i want lower! :)

gonna go measure it tomorrow

Rollin · 06-20-2004, 06:15

i think the "loaded state as specified by the manufacturer" means that you must measure the ground clearance as per the manufacturers reccomendations, ie:

when wheel aligning an astra, there must be 70kg of weight in each front seat and a full tank of fuel, that will give correct wheel alignment readings etc.

if a customer was to complain that their car was sagging or whatever, you must then unload the vehicle, except for fuel and those 70kg weights, before measuring the ride height.

so, if a cop was to measure a lowered astra, they would have to put 70kg in each front seat and with a full tank of fuel.

any more than that and i would say that it is not loaded as per manufacturers specs.

i do not know, however, what ford says to do when measuring ride height, and i dont even know if i am correct, thats just my guess.

mute · 06-20-2004, 07:24

umm i think EFFalcon and Axeman82 are right.

33.33mm isnt very far off the ground, and as if you car is going to sag that much !

FPVWEPN · 06-20-2004, 07:41

mmmm yhe but ur tmu officer wont see it that way if he sticks his little 100mm thinggy under the car and it hits on something ull get done so u cant really win ur beta off slamming it really low than having it just over the limit coz ur gonna get done neway

SileNceR · 06-20-2004, 07:47

hehe if u turned it into a convertible with no reinforcement perhaps... lol

EFFalcon · 06-20-2004, 22:29

only part of my car thats under the limit is a guard under the front bumper
70mm clearance is about right.

superlows rock (ps i don't have superlows)