Ground Clearance.....

unclejjg · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:50 am

So I sent an email to Jeep regarding the ground clearance on the '08 Lib. Basically, Edumnds put it at 7.4", Jeep had the Sport 4x4 at 9", and the Limited 4x4 at 7.8".

Here is there response:

"The correct Ground clearance for the 2008 Liberty Sport is 7.9/7.8
inches (4x2/4x4) and 7.8/7.8 for the Limited. The ground clearance will
change by an inch or so depending on the tires. The dimensions I
provided you with are based off the standard tires the Liberty comes
with."

What the hell is that about? 7.8"????? That is less than a Grand Vitara! That is less than a Grand Cherokee! That is less than an H3 or Xterra.........geez, its less than a 4x2 Patriot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What give here guys. I realize changing tire size can increase lift, but is that really the case here or are they jipping us?

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:56 am

Sounds about right from what I have been reading so far.Mfgr will put out different numbers depending on where they want to measure from. Are those from the front/ or rear? They will sometimes with an independent suspension in front measure off the lowest point of the rear pumpkin where as say a Rav 4 will have higher due to no pumpkin hanging down in the rear, follow me so far?? Lots of times they will check several areas under a vehicle and post just the lowest one. with tires and a little lift you can get that up 2 or 3 inches I am sure!

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:54 am

In most cases the lowest point under a vehicle with at least one straight axle(like the KK and KJ) is the bottom of that straight axle.That should be the offical measurement for ground clearance.The only way to gain ground clearance under a straight axle veicle is to put bigger tires,hence the lift is needed to fit bigger tires,so if you went from 29" tall tires to 31" tires you only gained 1" of ground clearance.Now in IFS and IRS vehicles(Rav4,Escape,H1's) the lowest point is not the bottom of the diffs and more clearance can be gained by a lift only,tires will add to that # also.

unclejjg · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:23 pm

I guess my point is that the '07 Liberty is listed at 9", while the '08 is listed at 7.8...officially. If it is indeed just a point of measurement that is making the difference, why would Jeep do this? I would think they would want to measure from the same point to show the '08 is as capable as the previous model.

Can someone with the '08 measure from the straight axle to the ground and post the result? Likewise for an '07 owner, so that we can see the difference.

thank,

unclejjg

-on a side note, I didn't realize a lift would gain better ground clearance without putting on bigger tires.

LEDfoot · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:46 pm

unclejjg wrote:

I guess my point is that the '07 Liberty is listed at 9", while the '08 is listed at 7.8...officially. If it is indeed just a point of measurement that is making the difference, why would Jeep do this? I would think they would want to measure from the same point to show the '08 is as capable as the previous model.

Can someone with the '08 measure from the straight axle to the ground and post the result? Likewise for an '07 owner, so that we can see the difference.

thank,

unclejjg

-on a side note, I didn't realize a lift would gain better ground clearance without putting on bigger tires.

I thought the '03s had ~9 inches of clearance and then they slowly shrunk over the years and jeep never bothered to advertise that they started putting in shorter springs?

Of course, adding a lift without bigger tires could still give you getter off road performance even though you don't get more clearance. You will still get improved approach, departure, and breakover angles with a lift.

chefdab · **Posted:** Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:55 pm

As I recall that 9" number was what they liked to call "running" ground clearance. It was measured from the rocker panels ,whereas members here were posting measurements of between 6.5 and 7.5 inches at the lowest point of the front skid. Now this was on the KJ so Jeep may have changed where they are measuring from on the KK.

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

It's all a matter of where you want to measure from. For example my Frankenlift KJ with 31" can range anywhere from probably 6.5" of clearance to as much as 13".

All manufacturers like to measure from different points.

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Nov 01, 2007 5:36 pm

It all depends on where they are advertising, for the street crowd they will use the lower number and say "it is lower and more stable", for the off road crowd a higher number and then they will say "so you can cross those huge rocks while taking your honey out for a moonlite drive! " :lol:

Everything is in marketing anymore

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Sat Nov 03, 2007 4:53 pm

The Ground clearance for the kj was stated to be 9" I do believe but I only had 6.5in under my front skid. I now have 9.5in with my lift under the front skid.

LEDfoot · **Posted:** Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:27 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

The Ground clearance for the kj was stated to be 9" I do believe but I only had 6.5in under my front skid. I now have 9.5in with my lift under the front skid.

WOW!

YOU HAVE THE FABLED "FRONT SKID LIFT"??!?!?

:lol:

Black_Dog · **Posted:** Mon Nov 12, 2007 7:02 pm

In 2001, AutoWeek rolled a V6 Jeep Liberty 4x2 that they were testing on a slalom course at 40mph. As a result of this bad press, Jeep quietly lowered the suspension nearly an inch (0.86” front, 0.75” rear) by shortening the springs and adjusting the shocks and other suspension parts. Publicly, they claimed the lowering was to improve ride quality, an unlikely explanation for a mid model year change of this magnitude.

I don’t think we are going to see Jeep or anyone else coming out with narrow SUVs like the Liberty with high ground clearances anymore. They’ll leave that to the after-market mod industry, so they can be absolved of liability in rollovers. My ’05 certainly doesn’t have 9” of clearance. With the Mopar skids and stock tires, I don’t even have 7” under the front plate.

unclejjg · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:41 am

Black_Dog wrote:

I don’t think we are going to see Jeep or anyone else coming out with narrow SUVs like the Liberty with high ground clearances anymore. They’ll leave that to the after-market mod industry, so they can be absolved of liability in rollovers. My ’05 certainly doesn’t have 9” of clearance. With the Mopar skids and stock tires, I don’t even have 7” under the front plate.

On the other hand, the Patriot FDII does have 9", or at least advertises as such.

C co Crusader 2/127 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:50 pm

unclejjg wrote:

I guess my point is that the '07 Liberty is listed at 9", while the '08 is listed at 7.8...officially. If it is indeed just a point of measurement that is making the difference, why would Jeep do this? I would think they would want to measure from the same point to show the '08 is as capable as the previous model.

Can someone with the '08 measure from the straight axle to the ground and post the result? Likewise for an '07 owner, so that we can see the difference.

thank,

unclejjg

-on a side note, I didn't realize a lift would gain better ground clearance without putting on bigger tires.

Jeep isnt too concerned with capabilty of a model compared to a previous; unless its a wrangler. They know that the fair majority of people want a comfortable; luxirious, easy handeling vehicle that they could possible do something with if they wanted to. There just riding on the namesake. Goes the same for the hummer line. Thats why am general used the jeep type grill. they wanted to apear that it was just a "new" willy's. Its also why they continue to use the somewhat box shape of a jeep or hmmwv. So they can keep that...... "it could do it if you wanted to" feel.

Ground Clearance.....

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