Ground Clearance
 

I have a Voyager 2.8CRD Executive. This is my second diesel model after 2 previous 3.3 petrol versions. Does anyone agree that the ground clearance under the engine undertray is worse on the diesels? I have damaged it a number of times on speed humps and uneven roads. It almost feels as if Chrysler failed to uprate the front struts when they fitted the heavier diesel power unit.

This is my first post to what seems a very informative forum. Greetings from the UK.

I've never owned a 3.3 so can't compare the two models, but the undertray of my 2.8 CRD has a piece missing and has abrasions where it has grounded in the past.

Mine only grounds on coming off a down ramp in a multi story car park.....even then only if i'm going a bit fast.

Does the 3.3 even have an undertray? That would certianly explain the difference in clearance.

I've had 3 diesel voyagers, a 2000 (2500cc) a 2002 (2500cc) and a 2005 (2800cc).

I never noticed the 2000/2002 grounding the undertray. The 2005 most certainly does. Slow right down for normal speed bumps ( I guess thats what they are for! But I need to slow noticably more than in other cars). When you ground it the noise is very loud, I must have done it many times, but the damage to the undertay is minimal, just scrape marks.

I don't know how much heavier the 2.8 is over the 2.5 diesel?

Longshot .. .. that the 2.8 CRD has 'stow 'n go' and a whole different underfloor profile ?

No, mine has normal seating, not 'Stow and Go'. It's the underneath of the engine which is grounding, not the underneath of the passsenger section.

Yes, I agree. I have the same model and experience the same problem. Not sure what can be done about this though?

Is it possible or feasible to fit uprated or longer springs to the front struts?

SPACCER car lift kit / suspension lifting kits - lift your Chrysler Grand Voyager V

Prices / costs for vehicle lifting kit - SPACCER

Thats an expensive starter for 10.

Perhaps something like this to stop the front compressing as much when going over the speed hump/uneven ground?

I do believe that the 2.5 and 2.8CRD'S have basically the same block and head. The difference, like many cars of old, is in the stroke. Slight difference in bore size could also be achieved in the block/liners. Must check this out.

2.5crd bore 92.0 x 94.0mm.
2.8crd bore 94.0 x 100.0mm.
So probably same block casting, longer stroke rods, longer stroke crank, but different machining sizes.

That's what vertical deflections are for, you go too fast, you damage your car. None of us like the things at all. I've honestly never smashed my car even fully loaded, mind you if I can't get my wheelbase equi'd because someone's parked on the LHS I'd slow to 1/2 speed in that 30MPH zone.

There are speed bumps in Birmingham which scrape my car even at a slow walking pace. My point was really that there is a definite difference between my 2.8 diesels and the 3.3 petrols. My 2.8 will often ground on the sort of narrow country lanes where the road is cambered away from the centre, with or without a bit of grass in the middle.

Those SPACCER kits seem worth a look. Thanks Scotsman4th

The something very seriously wrong with your MOTA's suspension & - or geometry. The 2.8 CRD Ltd Edn weighs in @ 2225 kg and roof to road is 1749 mm across all models and sill height to ground 40.1 cm.

Thanks QinteQ. Page 97 of 2005-RG Service manual lists curb height measured from the top of the wheel arch at the front, as 755mm +/-11mm. I just did a quick measurement of mine and both sides are 725mm, so, as you say, there is a problem. Can the coil springs sag with age? I know I have..

Here, how about giving us a picture of one of your front wheels side on so we can comment regarding ours.

You may got new shocks with coils as a complet unit , they came only to the Gas models. The coils on CRD is much stronger & dos not come as a unit = Shock+coil.

There has been sellers thinking the shocks with coils fits all models. Whats not true. If you got Gas coils you can for sure feel it .

There is a big weight different on the 2.5 & 2.8 , The 2.8 has the heavy auto transmission. Both got their own front coils.

There is definitely a difference. My cousin had a 2.5 and later a 2.8 and we used to go up to Scotland every summer quad-biking. Anyway there was one place near Loch Ness we used to camp and my 3.3 zips down the track loaded with tools and towing a trailer with 2 bikes yet both of his would bump and scrape their way down with little more than some camping equipment and the seats removed!

Q, I'm pretty sure when they first introduced the 2.8 in Spring 2004 it came with standard seating. Later that year they introduced 'Stow n Go' as an option. I'm not sure when 'Stow n Go'became a standard fitment.

My undertray was missing when I bought the 2007 2.8 I have now, but I still get the same grating noise when going over speed bumps a bit too quick that my 2004 2.5 produced and that did have an undertray. I've always put it down to the rubber lip underneath the front bumper that hits the tarmac as a result of the car nose-diving when dropping from the top of the speed bump.