[TFoch]

As I drove my car for the first time, I noticed my splash apron getting closer to the ground.  I'm running a TCI front end with coil overs and was told it will settle a bit as I put some miles on it.  My question is, once everything has settled what should I set my ground clearance at?  I started with 4" from the bottom of the splash apron to the ground.  I had around 3" after driving it around for 25 miles.

[sammons]

Tom, that's the problem when you get the lower stance where they look sooo goood. I try to go with the old NHRA rule of no lower than the bottom of the wheel. (If you have a flat, nothing will dig into the road.) I'm going to have a similar problem with mine because I will be on rural dirt roads from time to time and around here that means ruts and burms that can knock the lower grill.

Thanks for the sealer answer.

[themoose]

Tom

I have mine at 3.5" and have had no problems but you have to remember to drive accordingly

Moose

[sixball]

As sammons says you have to maintain a scrub line for safety and to preserve the parts you don't want to grind off. If it is a car you need to be able to drive if. If it is a sometimes kinetic sculpture you can lay it in the weeds. I live on two miles of BAD road and can not have my hot rods as low as I would like.

Sammons says,"............."

[chopper526]

I think I am with Sammons on this, keep everything above the scrub line. If your tire goes flat you could tear out your steering and suspension and lose control, and that wouldn't be too cool cruising down the highway Plus, I think it is a point of most/all safety inspections.

[madmike3434]

As I drove my car for the first time, I noticed my splash apron getting closer to the ground.  I'm running a TCI front end with coil overs and was told it will settle a bit as I put some miles on it.  My question is, once everything has settled what should I set my ground clearance at?  I started with 4" from the bottom of the splash apron to the ground.  I had around 3" after driving it around for 25 miles.

better get the coil over wrench out and start jacking it up.  Actually its easier to take the coil shocks off and clamp the end in a vise and use a 9" drift to tighten them up.  Try a 1/2 " of threads showing on bottom to move it up 1" ?

My car used to have a mor-drop beam axle that was stretched  4 1/2'' SUPER DROP over stock 40--54   1/2 ton pickup axle.  When I went to let car down after install, I could not get it off jack, had to use brick under each wheel and then push car off.

When I looked underneath, you could not get a beer can ON ITS SIDE under the axle.........holy freakout, ya cannot drive that.  But the car looked INSANELY FANTASTIC sitting like that.  6 months later I put it back in and went for a drive. It stayed in there for 15 years.  Ya have to watch the road.........by that I mean the crown of the road or when travelling highways where there are deep grooves from all the trucks using that lane. Get the tires up on top of the crowns and nothing will
 rub.  If going over a raised speed reducer thing, just hit it head on as tires will raise car up to clear it. Just go slow because the gravel shield on 33 and down will dig in ON THE WAY BACK DOWN if you go over too fast.

top picture is with new kugel IFS as it is today,   2nd picture is 1980 with mor-drop axle, 3rd picture is 2014 as it sits now.

mike lynch.........SHAZZBOTT