Winch comp ground clearance

[85lux]

Hey guys,
i'm building a car from the chassis up and have just begun jigging the chassis and diffs at ride height.
my aim is to achieve a very low COG and have a well tucked underbody so as to not get hung up.
the chassis sits 470mm from the ground at the moment and i am concerned this is too high. i really want to compare this measurement to the fairly common GQ with 2" springs and 35's
does anybody know or could somebody measure the clearance from chassis to the ground under the belly of a lowish winch comp car.

i noticed in another post RUFf quoted his lux at 22.75" chassis clearance on 38's, this seems quite high too. or am i just imagining this...


thanks
james

[Draven]

I think 470mm would be more like a 4" lifted GQ with 35's. (Mines 450mm with a very old 4" lift)

[85lux]

ok. that sounds about right.
i was thinking that 430-440 would be ideal but i don't think i can get the front that low, the diff will hit the chassis on full compression.
maybe i will have to notch a corner out of the chassis.
i was banking on 100mm of up travel does this sound right for this style of driving?

[Rhett]

depends how long it is to how high it needs to be for you rampover angle

[chunderlicious]

470mm is still pretty good chasiss height, the low will come if you can run without bodylift. most run body lift.

[85lux]

running 109" wheelbase with 35-36's
i will not need a body lift.
i will have great approach and departure, will not need lift to clear tires, simply need height for ramp over as posted above. is 100mm up travel about right in the front??
thanks for the input guys, keep it coming.

[chunderlicious]

it aint bad, but i prefer more uptravel, around 6. but that is only shock uptravel. actual is around 5 out of a 12 inch shock.

what are you building?

[85lux]

It was a land rover SIII before i tore it apart and threw most of it out.
all that remains are a pair of chassis rails(all the STD crossmembers gone) and the front half of a wagon body, i have chopped it into an extra-cab.
Brief Specs:
GU front diff with 5-link
GQ Rear diff with rangie a-frame
TH400 and GQ transfer
warm 302 Windsor (dry sump, heads, 8 throttle body induction, bla bla)
rear radiator
custom winch
swayaway coilovers

target weight 1800kg
main emphasis is a low COG and light weight to reduce drivetrain loads
it is being completely Vicroads engineered.

[nzdarin]

I had about 5" uptravel with TD42 with 3" lift. I now have closer to 6" so I'm looking at fitting a lighter spring to bring it back down.
Rear radiator? I assume you aren't building this to do winch comps?

[85lux]

i sure am building this to do winch comps,
do you see a problem with rear radiators??
fully road reg, because i want to be able to drive it around. and i have found the regs to be fairly open, you just can't botch anything. the engineer is happy with my plans.

[GQ TROL]

Darin,
They don't have to run their rad in the engine bay like we do.

[85lux]

that must suck, being forced to destroy engines because they won't allow a radiator in the rear.

[GQ TROL]

Yeah it sure does.

The rad rule is in-keeping with it being readily recognisable as the OEM vehicle forward of the B-pillar. Few guys are starting to run auxillary rads elsewhere in the engine bay to supplement the original one once it gets clogged up.