6 Simple Steps to Determine Correct Ride Height

Determining your vehicle’s ride height may seem like a daunting task. It’s necesary for maintaining your suspension system –which includes your leafsprings and shackles, among others – and getting your vehicle’s ride height certainly can’t be done by looking at the vehicle alone. You can’t just go on and say “Oh, I’d like to have my car raised to about maybe thiiiiis height?” What you need to do is to pick out the set of wheels or tires you’ll be using.

Begin getting the ride height by:

1. Measuring the diameter of the tires

2. Finding the front spindle location (this location is based on the manufacturer’s specifications. You can check this out with the manual that goes along a brand new car, or just ask around.)  

3. Take the radius of the tire, as shown in the photo

4. Use these measurements to set the distance from the ground

5. In the front, measure from the center of the spindle and

6. in the rear, measure from the center axle

Surprisingly, you now have the ride height! And you thought I was going to tell you all about formulas and stuff. However, if you think that you can pass as a car mechanic by reading all these articles… dream on, it still ain’t that simple. But knowledge of how your car works and for doing procedures such as getting the ride height of your car will certainly make your life easier. You can better understand the lingo and of course, better understand the needs of your car. It pays to ask. As the famous National Geographic copy states it, “Live curious”.