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A road car usually has a ride height around 16–17 cm (6.3–6.7 in), while an SUV usually lies around 19–22 cm (7.5–8.7 in). Two well-known extremes are the Ferrari F40 with a 12.5 cm (4.9 in) ride height [1] and the Hummer H1 with a 40.64 cm (16.0 in) ride height.
Height adjustable suspension is a feature of certain automobile suspension systems that allow the motorist to vary the ride height or ground clearance. This can be done for various reasons including giving better ground clearance over rough terrain, a lower ground clearance to improve performance and fuel economy at high speed, [1] or for stylistic reasons.
Some active and semi-active suspensions maintain ride height, and therefore the camber, independent of load. In sports cars , optimal camber change when turning, is more important. Wishbone and multi-link allow the engineer more control over the geometry, to arrive at the best compromise, than swing axle, MacPherson strut, or swinging arm do ...
There are some car models with different factory setting for right and left side wheelbase length, for various design reasons. An off-spec setback may occur because of a collision or a difference between right and left caster. [2] Rake is the difference between the front and rear ride heights, a positive number when the rear ride height is larger.
Later models would use electronic height sensors and motors so adjustment could be achieved with the engine off. This system allowed the suspension to achieve an unusually soft ride quality. [7] Since then, millions of fairly inexpensive Citroën cars have been equipped with self-levelling as an unobtrusive, but integral design feature.
Cars that have cockpit adjustable ride height generally cannot have MacPherson struts because of the camber changes that are an unavoidable part of the design. Ride suffers because the shock absorber has almost the same vertical motion as the wheel, so there is relatively little leverage to break the stiction in the seals.
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Historically, weight was key to allowing cars such as the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and the Cadillac in the 1950s and the 1960s to have a more comfortable ride quality. However, there are various drawbacks to heavier cars, including poor fuel efficiency , acceleration, braking, cornering and additional stresses on components.