Raising Ride Height?

[My_Yeti]

Came across this not too long ago, not sure why extra ride height is needed, given that it is a crossover?

I have to say it does look quite serious though!

Might interest someone, please ignore if posted before.

http://www.delta4x4.com/content/view/94/85/lang,en/

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=de&tl=en&u=http://www.4wheelfun.de/news/skoda-yeti-gelaende-tuning-fuer-das-kompakt-suv-1940006.html&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&usg=ALkJrhjuFMzt5kWYTb5Mvs1OlA3JmxoKKQ

Edited 24 January, 2011 by My_Yeti

[Llanigraham]

No thanks!

I can't find anything in those links that exactly explains how they acheive this lift, other than bigger tyres.

Having spent 6 years driving a standard Freelander off-road in some very severe conditions where I only ever got stuck twice, both times because I slipped into ruts, I can honestly say that by careful observation in reading the ground conditions ahead, and sensible positioning, it should not be neccesary to raise the ride height. I know many FL owners who did this and later reverted to standard following expensive problems with the front suspension and drive shafts. Many also complained about the increased roll and reduction in handling. I can foresee exactly the same problems occuring with the Yeti if this was done.

Unless you are able to lift a vehicle to similar heights as a Defender,Discovery or Jeep, then there is really not much point, because those are the vehicles that in general set the standard. To be honest the Yeti is comparable to the FL1 and better than nearly every other SUV there is. The only improvement I would make would be to increase the fording depth, and that shouldn't need major work to the suspension system.

And honestly, how many owners are ever going to get into the situation where this will be needed. Very few!! They would all be better spending their money on a good off-road driving course held by LANTRA or similar, where they would be taught the best way to do things in a standard vehicle. Which is excatly what I will be doing in the next couple of months.

[Arkaig]

The body lift is achieved by means of retaining all of the original suspension in terms of springs and shockers, and simply adding spacers. It does seem a very expensive 590 Euro for a set of glorified washers!

[Freshacre]

The body lift is achieved by means of retaining all of the original suspension in terms of springs and shockers, and simply adding spacers. It does seem a very expensive 590 Euro for a set of glorified washers!

and who remembers wheel spacers on the original mini, where you could get the wheels to stick out way beyond the bodywork????

[Agerbundsen]

There is no need for the Google translate - click on the little Unon Jack in the top right corner.

The lift is clearly for appearance only - no claims of any other benefit than the different approach angle.

Other than that, I fully concur with Graham's comments. Poorer body roll characteristics and higher fuel consumption from the bigger frontal area and the more air flowing under the - decidedly non-aerodynamic - bottom of the car.

The Yeti suspension is so well balanced to begin with, so why screw it up for looks?

[Terfyn]

There is no need for the Google translate - click on the little Unon Jack in the top right corner.

The lift is clearly for appearance only - no claims of any other benefit than the different approach angle.

Other than that, I fully concur with Graham's comments. Poorer body roll characteristics and higher fuel consumption from the bigger frontal area and the more air flowing under the - decidedly non-aerodynamic - bottom of the car.

The Yeti suspension is so well balanced to begin with, so why screw it up for looks?

Higher C of G Bad on corners.

More strain on the half shafts.

Reduced cornering ability.

The one vehicle I came across that sorted ride height was a Stryr Puch Haflinger (excuse spelling) The final gearing was in the wheel hub and the half shaft connected to the pinnion gear at the top of the hub with the crown gear driving the wheel. Never found how they sorted the water seals on the hub though.

[bahnstormer vrs]

for reasons already stated; plus it makes our delightful car look

[900000]

I agree with all the sentiments as to the effects this will have but I think it looks great. VW did roughly the same thing to the T5 van when they created the Rockton:

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2010/12/volkswagen-launches-rough-n-tough.html

So I guess the comments would have been slightly different on here had Å koda added this sort of modification and called it the Yeti Scout? And in saying that I think these are exactly the sort of modifications a Yeti Scout should get.

One of the pictures on that website shows the Yeti with wheels in the air: always amazes me how stiff the Yeti's suspension is compared to what a Land Rover would have looked like in the same situation (with I suspect most all wheels in fact touching the ground). But then they have far, far greater suspension travel to enable that to happen.

[Llanigraham]

900k,

I've got a photo of my old Freelander doing that! I had caught the rear silencer and knocked it off it's bracket so needed to get underneath the hook it back on. aved sliding around in the mud!!

If the kit is using spacer blocks with the springs it is exactly the same system as used on the Freelanders.

[ejstubbs]

I can't find anything in those links that exactly explains how they acheive this lift, other than bigger tyres.

By my calculation the 215/60R17s they specify are a whole 3mm larger in diameter than the 255/50R17s which come as standard on the Elegance. You could lose that much in tyre wear!

Overall, I can't see that it would help the on-road handling. And I do think it looks a bit odd. So: sorry, I'm out.

[bahnstormer vrs]

By my calculation the 215/60R17s they specify are a whole 3mm larger in diameter than the 255/50R17s which come as standard on the Elegance. You could lose that much in tyre wear!

Overall, I can't see that it would help the on-road handling. And I do think it looks a bit odd. So: sorry, I'm out.

Sorry; I think you have a miscalculation. Using this;- http://www.alloywheels.com/tyrecalc.asp I get

225/50 17 @ 656.8mm dia and 215/60 17 @ 689.8mm dia; difference of 33mm or 5.02% on the diameter or

16.5mm on the radius to be converted into increased ride height.

PS> just seen that you may have used 255/50 17 as OE spec whereas it is actually 225/50 17

Edited 25 January, 2011 by bahnstormer vrs

[Llanigraham]

Sorry; I think you have a miscalculation. Using this;- http://www.alloywheels.com/tyrecalc.asp I get

225/50 17 @ 656.8mm dia and 215/60 17 @ 689.8mm dia; difference of 33mm or 5.02% on the diameter or

16.5mm on the radius to be converted into increased ride height.

PS> just seen that you may have used 255/50 17 as OE spec whereas it is actually 225/50 17

Wow!!

That's nearly 3/4's of an inch!!

Not really that much is it?

[900000]

Wow!!

That's nearly 3/4's of an inch!!

Not really that much is it?

That is of course in addition to the suspension mods!

[EdmundBlackadder]

Pimp that ride. Add a bit of chrome and that raised Yeti will soon be the car of choice for drug dealers everywhere. Could be some bargain black BMW's on the market soon.

On a semi serious note it starts to look RAV4 like by being raised in that fashion.

[Gilesmengland]

Can you then fit snow chains ?

[rockhopper]

But the only mod they have done to increase ground clearance is the change in wheel size. The raised ride height won't increase ground clearance as it is the wishbones etc which are the limiting factor....aren't they? I know the ramp angle and approach angle will increase a little.

Mike

[ejstubbs]

Sorry; I think you have a miscalculation. ...just seen that you may have used 255/50 17 as OE spec whereas it is actually 225/50 17

You're right, a bit of finger trouble crept in there: 255 instead of 225. I didn't think it looked right when I calculated it, especially when the photos did seem to make the wheels look noticeably bigger, but didn't have time to check it throughly enough. Thanks for spotting it

[Llanigraham]

Which is where my 3/4 of an inch came from!!

And to be honest the various attack angles aren't going to be improved by much.

The only thing it might help with is getting some AT tyres to fit, but it will still be a struggle to find anything suitable.

Still NO THANKS

Edited 25 January, 2011 by Llanigraham