How low is considered too low?

bindi · 30-01-2005, 11:11 AM

I was driving last night around Henry Lawson Drive (Milperra, NSW). There was a VX Commie 8 that was full of gorgeous hunks of the male species (can't hurt to check it out, specially when by one's self) in front of me.

It was extremely low. Around one corner it bottomed out and hit a slight bump on the road.

Huge blue sparks flew up.

Now this is dangerous (sparks, leaky petrol, kaboooooom) ... so I'm asking, how low is legal?

Racecraft · 30-01-2005, 11:13 AM

100mm from the lowest point of the car... Or old school way is if the car can drive over a coke can its legal

Casper · 30-01-2005, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racecraft

100mm from the lowest point of the car... Or old school way is if the car can drive over a coke can its legal

Thats it...the coke can test.
Its the lowest point of the chassis to, exhaust doesnt count. Basically, put a coke can under the front splitter and/or where the jack goes....it should fit.

There are also laws in some state regarding the hight of the headlights however this is less commonly worried about.

bindi · 30-01-2005, 11:25 AM

Well maybe a coke can would've fit under the lowest point... but the bump was actually higher than a coke can!

LTDHO · 30-01-2005, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

Thats it...the coke can test.
Its the lowest point of the chassis to, exhaust doesnt count. Basically, put a coke can under the front splitter and/or where the jack goes....it should fit.

There are also laws in some state regarding the hight of the headlights however this is less commonly worried about.

Exhaust does count. It the lowest point except suspension points. I got done because my cat's are too low!!

Bolt (loosly) a 100mm wheel to the end of a broom handle (I used a 100mm grinding disk) and sweep the entire lenth under the car. In Victoria it is measeure with full petrol tank and for general sized occupents.

sphell · 30-01-2005, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

exhaust doesnt count.

You sure about that? I got a defect cleared the other day at vicroads and they put the 100mm wheel under the car and it hit the exhaust and they wouldn't have passed that. It was just lucky that we waited 10mins and then it cleared. Probably cause I was in the car when she measured it the first time.

TUFED6 · 30-01-2005, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sphell

You sure about that? I got a defect cleared the other day at vicroads and they put the 100mm wheel under the car and it hit the exhaust and they wouldn't have passed that. It was just lucky that we waited 10mins and then it cleared. Probably cause I was in the car when she measured it the first time.

I'm pretty sure that's correct, the exhaust doesn't count.

- John

Kenaz · 30-01-2005, 11:41 AM

There's no such thing as too low. I've got superlows and I'm still not satisfied.

AdzT3-146 · 30-01-2005, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenaz

There's no such thing as too low. I've got superlows and I'm still not satisfied.

That's it right there.

_2:

niko · 30-01-2005, 11:42 AM

most likely he had cut springs, or them "hunks" weighed a fair few kilo's lol

Aaron_EF8 · 30-01-2005, 11:51 AM

Too true, I have superlows and will happily drop it another 1.5 inches.

One thing I have noticed driving in (And therefore getting pulled over in) friends Commodores, is that the rear can look -really- low and be legal, and Falcon's are generally illegal if the rear tyre is level with the wheel arch.

Psycho Chicken · 30-01-2005, 12:07 PM

When you can't turn the steering without rubbing.

GTHO3_2 · 01-02-2005, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

When you can't turn the steering without rubbing.

When in wont roll :nutsycuck

need psi · 30-01-2005, 01:34 PM

so aaron does that mean my car is illegal? because i was thinking of chopping more off.

ive got superlows all round with half a coil missing in the rear. the rear tyres are just even with the top of the guard.

my mates vl is heaps low at the back but its still legal, it looks lower then my car but when you look underneath its still higher then mine,

oh well im reasonably happy with the ride height because i seem to get compliments about it from a couple of people i know.

in s.a the lowest point of the car has to be 100mm from the ground. my exhaust definantly aint and i doubt the chassis rails are either.

Ehab

EL_futuraistic · 31-01-2005, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by need psi

so aaron does that mean my car is illegal? because i was thinking of chopping more off.

ive got superlows all round with half a coil missing in the rear. the rear tyres are just even with the top of the guard.

my mates vl is heaps low at the back but its still legal, it looks lower then my car but when you look underneath its still higher then mine,

oh well im reasonably happy with the ride height because i seem to get compliments about it from a couple of people i know.

in s.a the lowest point of the car has to be 100mm from the ground. my exhaust definantly aint and i doubt the chassis rails are either.

Ehab

Um, if you have cut springs of any kind your car is illegal no matter how low it is. But yes, according to vic-roads modified vehicle regulations the lowest point of the car has to be 100mm from the ground. (a ciggie box is 90mm so if u can drive over that u should pass) Although i know with my Falcon the centre muffler with a full tank of fuel will be lower than that and i only have lowered it 30mm

Racecraft · 30-01-2005, 02:02 PM

In QLd the zorst counts, I know a mate with an old 351 and the flanges on the headers made the car to low., he had to cut them off and rototate them to give him an extra 20mm or so

Casper · 30-01-2005, 02:05 PM

MAybe the exhaust does count now, my knowledge of it is over a decade old now and at the time they were only interested in the chassis. Suspension and exhaust were not counted. My car was ok but if the exhaust was checked I would have been under.

INJECTED_250 · 30-01-2005, 02:19 PM

in vic.. its 100mm. exhaust and every thing counts.. However, it has to be measured 1m foward or rear of any axel... so those little hooks near the rear trailing arms dont count

sphell · 30-01-2005, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by INJECTED_250

in vic.. its 100mm. exhaust and every thing counts.. However, it has to be measured 1m foward or rear of any axel... so those little hooks near the rear trailing arms dont count

do you mean that the only place they can measure it is exactly 1m fore and aft of each axle? So there is only 4 potential points where they can measure the height? Or does it just mean that everything within that 1m each side of the axle is counted?

MAD · 30-01-2005, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sphell

do you mean that the only place they can measure it is exactly 1m fore and aft of each axle? So there is only 4 potential points where they can measure the height? Or does it just mean that everything within that 1m each side of the axle is counted?

If you make a mark at 1m rearward of the front axle and forward of the rear axle, there is a space which is not covered, this is the only area where height matters. And exhaust does count. Its all on the Vicroads website.

EFFalcon · 30-01-2005, 02:23 PM

i was always under the impression the exhaust does count, simply thing to do is just keep it all above 100mm :P
i think mines too low, but meh, i don't even get a 2nd look at my car
if it were upto me... the car would hardly be off the ground

AdzT3-146 · 30-01-2005, 02:35 PM

Well if the exhaust counts then mine is too low.

Interceptor'85 · 30-01-2005, 05:58 PM

I've got King's Low's and my exhaust (mid-muffler) scrapes all the time ...

:

If the exhaust does count with the 100mm rule, can a standard exhaust sit any higher (particularly the mid section) or is there a better system thats a smaller profile and doesnt hang so darn low?

Racecraft · 30-01-2005, 06:14 PM

THere is a fine line between a good exhaust that sits to close to the body without causing too much neat on the floorpan and one that is alittle out and hangs too low, If it is your mid muffler hitting chances are you have more clearance between the body and the muffler than you need

Interceptor'85 · 30-01-2005, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racecraft

THere is a fine line between a good exhaust that sits to close to the body without causing too much neat on the floorpan and one that is alittle out and hangs too low, If it is your mid muffler hitting chances are you have more clearance between the body and the muffler than you need

Up it goes !!!

Is it hard to prop it up a bit? ...I need to buy some wheel stands.

LUXO_8 · 30-01-2005, 06:25 PM

i need to get my exhaust hooked up a bit higher to the body it tapps on the diff all the time and gets bloody annoying.

my car is fairly low....at the back anyway and i havent been pulled up for it yet.
i seriously doubt a 10mm wheel would go under it.

ive noticed commodores look lower than falcons of the same height, its wierd.

Tally · 30-01-2005, 06:28 PM

stupid high wheel arches on falcons :(

SileNceR · 30-01-2005, 07:20 PM

the commos look lower cos of the wheel arches... but park an eseries next to a commo and compare the boot height (on similarly lowered cars) and the eseries will look way lower...

Kenaz · 30-01-2005, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SileNceR

the commos look lower cos of the wheel arches... but park an eseries next to a commo and compare the boot height (on similarly lowered cars) and the eseries will look way lower...

True. In our driveway there is my EL (superlows) and mum's VS (also superlows) and the EL looks waaaaaayyyy lower. The EL also rides 100X times better

Aaron_EF8 · 31-01-2005, 12:58 AM

Quote:

so aaron does that mean my car is illegal? because i was thinking of chopping more off.

lol, i'd say it wouldn't be 100% legal, but that doesn't mean its not good ;)

In SA there is a book the police use, showing each type of car, and the legal height it can be, measured from the top of the wheel arch to the ground, although many older cars need the gap measured between bumpstops, which is a lot of effort so you have a bit of grace there.