Ford Transit ground clearance

Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 29, 2015 at 12:07
ThreadID: 130454 Views:2659 Replies:5 FollowUps:3
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Just bought a Ford Transit (2003) set up for camping and I've noticed the clearance between the rear shocks lower supports (hanger?) and the ground isn't great. Plan on travelling on dirt with possible reasonable rocks eg Wentworth to Bourke along the Darling. Do they need to be protected in any way?
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Reply By: LandCoaster - Tuesday, Sep 29, 2015 at 12:57

Tuesday, Sep 29, 2015 at 12:57
I had a 03 Transit recently and was impressed with the ground clearence. I was going to mount a strip of mudguard over 'em more to protect their appearence than anything. They will get nicly sandblasted with 10 bluestone agg otherwise...
AnswerID: 590846

Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Tuesday, Sep 29, 2015 at 13:05

Tuesday, Sep 29, 2015 at 13:05
Seen plenty of rear shocks destroyed by the constant abuse from rocks and gravel, Terry, so made up a set of guards for the rear on landcruiser ute.Check out thread 119366.

As you'll note, a number of people told me I could buy them............where's the fun in that?

Have also used 50mm poly pipe, cut length ways, and held on with a hose clamp. Worked well, but probably didn't assist shockie cooling in any way.

Bob

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Can't remember most of it.

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AnswerID: 590848

Reply By: Zippo - Tuesday, Sep 29, 2015 at 15:50

Tuesday, Sep 29, 2015 at 15:50
They are one of a number of vehicles that have an embarrassing low clearance point or two. I would personally have concerns for your vehicle on some of the roads I have traversed in a Subaru Forester, and especially in creek crossings with an uneven rocky base.
AnswerID: 590857

Reply By: The Bantam - Tuesday, Sep 29, 2015 at 23:03

Tuesday, Sep 29, 2015 at 23:03
ya realy do need to remember the current generation of transits are very much a city vehicle and there will be lots of stuff that is a bit vunerable on gravel roads.

Not like the original transit .... that was a small truck with a van built on it.

cheers
AnswerID: 590872

Follow Up By: terryt - Wednesday, Sep 30, 2015 at 05:36

Wednesday, Sep 30, 2015 at 05:36
Hi Bantam.
What do you class as the current generation of Transit?
What other lots of stuff that will be vulnerable?
Thanks
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FollowupID: 858964

Follow Up By: The Bantam - Thursday, Oct 01, 2015 at 00:03

Thursday, Oct 01, 2015 at 00:03
Any of the erro style transits .
We have seen a trend right across the board to lower ground clearance on vans and light busses, both to lower the load bed and for apearance.

in the past vans where built ontop of a chassis or subframe that sat over the suspension.

pretty much all the modern vans are lower to the ground all round because the expactation is they will run on sealed roads,

look underneath start at the front bumper/ skirt ....... the aproach angle and front clearance is not fantastic......

look in the engine bay .... most modern cars have various auxiluaries alternators, ps pumps, ac compressors mounted low on the motor and the motor low in the engine bay.

Look at just about everything under the vehicle it is lower than older models.

The original transit had pretty good clearnace ...... back in the 70's and even into the 80;s 4wds where relativly more expensive and not as common on the road ..... the early transits where favoured because they had pretty decent road clearance and did not do too badly on rough roads and off road.

But the above goes for just about every road vehicle currently sold.

cheers
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FollowupID: 859012

Follow Up By: vk1dx - Thursday, Oct 01, 2015 at 07:54

Thursday, Oct 01, 2015 at 07:54
Don't know the new ones but our old van, that we used for Patra in the 70's, was way higher. Now I know why. Tnx Bantam

I would look for anything lower than the axles. If really going into rough terrain get to know your front, rear and ramp-over obstructions limits.

For dirt roads like the Oodna, Strezleckie, Tanami and Birdsville not as critical. They are basically unsealed highways now with lots of loose stones/gravel. But for anything that is pretty much just a pair of wheel tracks (CSR, Gunbarrel I think and so on) then maybe another vehicle would have been a better choice.

Phil
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FollowupID: 859014

Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Thursday, Oct 01, 2015 at 00:41

Thursday, Oct 01, 2015 at 00:41
Rear shocky guards made from HDPE pressure pipe.
Holes to ensure they don't overheat.





Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome
AnswerID: 590907

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