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What is a good ride height for street use?

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Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary... That's what gets you.

I've set my cars anywhere between 4 1/2" TO 5 1/2".

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Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle

I chose 6" myself, but most seem to be at 5" and some are even lower. If your oil pan and transmission case don't hang below the chassis rails (mine do), you can get lower. if they do hang down, going low is a gamble.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

I found that 4" works with driver/passenger/fuel and luggage in the car. One just has to watch the raised manhole covers in construction areas. Remember that it is not simply how much ground clearance, it depends on what the lowest part is, how wide it is, where it is located and what you might be running over. For example, a low part centered between the front or rear wheels, isn't an issue on speed bumps since the tires raise the whole car (at low speeds). Trying to put 2 wheels off that same speed bump becomes a problem real quick.


Look over here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/top ... 0&t=865848

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

4" here (to lowest point on the car) and never had a problem on the street. I do however, have to be careful around large speed bumps where, depending on height, speed, and shock valving, it can touch. That said, I can drive down our neighborhood street and go over the speedbumps at normal speed without slowing down - one of the benefits of a low sprung-to-unsprung weight ratio. Totally different experience driving my truck...

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

I'm building for 5.5" ground clearance. My pan hard bar will be the only thing hanging below the chassis, and only slightly. My thought on the subject is if I want lower later on I can try and find lower/wider tires. I like 15" rims for that purpose.

With modern tires of typically lower profile, this isn't a concern, but CT requires that nothing hang below a line drawn across tangent to the lowest parts of the rims. (I guess they want you to drive with no rubber on the wheels and not drag anything on the ground ).

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Planning a Duratec powered, Miata suspended 442

Many states have a similar requirement. The feeling seems to be that even a flat tire will give you more control than sliding along on your frame or oil pan!

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

Or maybe even a fuel tank.

Not a bad rule to design to IMO.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

Absolutely!
The reason that rule applies in the first place is to reinforce a common sense rule.
If you have a flat tire, you should be able to drive the vehicle with flat tire to a safe location to change it.
If anything hangs lower than that with a flat you could hang up on the driving surface.
Plain old common sense.

_________________
Perry

'If man built it, man can fix it'
"No one ever told me I couldn't do it."
"If you can't build it safe, don't build it."

Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build
Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O
Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd
Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered
Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7
Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle