ATV Ground Clearance and Why It Matters
Your ATV is powerful, compact, and incredibly fun, allowing you to explore the wilderness (or at least your favorite trails) when and how you want. But when it comes to your quad’s limitations, a factor that often gets overlooked is the ground clearance. We here at Langston Motorsports believe it’s important to understand your tools and toys as best you can, so we’ve put together a brief guide on what ATV ground clearance is and why it matters. To learn more, or to see the ATVs we have for sale, contact our store in Perris, California, today!
How to Measure It
The definition of “ground clearance” is the distance between the ATV’s underside and the ground below, best measured when parked on a flat surface. However, different parts of the vehicle can have different ground clearances, so it can be helpful to measure the space between the ground and the axles, differentials, fuel tank, suspension, and more.
Low Ground Clearance: Benefits
It’s important to understand that low ground clearance has a handful of advantages that can’t be discounted. For one, an ATV with a low ground clearance is much easier to get on and off, which makes it more convenient for any and all riders. Loading cargo up is also easier, since there’s less distance between the ground and the rear rack or any cargo storage you’ve added.
High Ground Clearance: Benefits
That said, a higher ground clearance still has its own benefits. The biggest and most obvious one is that an ATV with a high ground clearance will be able to handle more difficult terrain and larger obstacles. The increased clearance also lowers the chances of damage if there’s an unseen obstacle like a rock or heavy branch. Finally, these ATVs are less likely to get stuck in place, wedged on top of an obstacle or small bump and unable to get traction on any wheels.
How to Change It
If you’re not perfectly happy with the ground clearance your ATV came with, don’t worry—it’s not set in stone! There are a few ways to modify it, either to bring it up or lower it further. The easiest way is by getting a different size of tire, though you should be careful with larger tires. If the wheel-well is too small for the tire you want, you could damage the ATV and the tires.
A few other common ways to hike up the ground clearance are adding longer suspension or installing a lift kit. However, any and all of these options should at least be run by a professional before you attempt it, and it’s best to leave modifications to them entirely.
We hope this guide helped you better understand ATV ground clearance! For more information, or to see the ATVs we have available, contact us at Langston Motorsports. We proudly serve the people of Temecula and Orange County, California—let us serve you today!