[steve94]

Hi guys, i have had my 2013 model i30 for a while now, and have not looked back its a machine on 4 wheels and open roads
 in the year and a bit i have had it its done 60,000kms always going on long trips and never let me down, fuel is great comfort is awesome and for what i use it for i cannot complain
Drives through snow, dirt roads, small river crossings and of course tar roads without any issues and have not run into any trouble as of yet drives across all of these rough and rugged surfaces with ease whether its 60kms or 100km roads
i use it for travelling, holidaying, camping out in the middle of no where however the ground clearance isn't great

has any one else had issues with ground clearance what have they done to fix it?
cheers 

[crayman]

Ground clearance isn't the best.
Mr's ran over a rock dropped from a tip truck when on the highway. Wasn't too large and with nowhere to swerve, thought it would go under OK.
Holy dooley, car jumped up and that bloody rock went all the way down without getting any smaller.
Punched a hole through the front cross member, shoved all the fuel lines etc out of the way, big dint in the fuel tank.
Front cross member is made from the thinnest metal I've come across so yes, I'm on the look out for some way to improve ground clearance yet without upsetting the speedo.
Think it will have to be uprated springs, shocks.

[neptune]

These cars are termed loosely as city cars.......which basically means that they need 100mm ground clearance to satisfy the police, able to travel on sealed road and grade 2 dirt roads.....anything else is a bonus.....

[crayman]

I'm sure they sag with age too.
Parked beside an identical i-30 at the shops the other week.
Nice and new looking and definitely sitting higher than Mr's with 60,000 on the clock.
Can tell by the extra room between top of tyre and underside of guard.
Mr's has never had any big loads, no trailer, no roof rack etc so the springs have simply settled.
We live on a dirt road thus we're always conscious of ground clearance.

[cruiserfied]

Lift it and through some muddies on it lol.

Seriously thought you could look into having some spacers made for the springs. Go an inch spacer and your standard shocks should handle it.

[Lakes]

Steve, I did most of the same, with two i30 CRDi manual's from 2008 to 2014
But never tried them on snow. The traction is great I also towed a 8x5 trailer with first one is did a great job.
But since retiring & moving to the bush I went with a 4x4 little Toy hi lux Truck as was knocking the little i30 around an meet a few challenges I need to drive along the i30 could not do without say a 6" lift & AT tyre's  that would have cost $ lost performance & used more fuel & lost resale value.
But the little truck gets used to carry too so bit like a slow two door sports car with a trailer on the back when I'm up Sydney like I am right now the view over the traffic is great too. But I still think the i30 CRDi manual 6 speed like my last 11 y was the best car I've had for all round economy & reliable loved it.

[steve94]

yes the car does look sagged compared to newer models when parked close i was thinking of seeing if some one would put a 2inch lift on it and some cooper 4x4 tyres it would just mean i have to get the speedo recalibrated which is no biggie just a normal trip to sydney but thought some one may have a better way to get slightly better ground clearance,  i will have to look into the spacers

i drive to cooma through snow season a lot and around bathurst during the winter on highway there is usally a lot of ice and time to time there is snow, and i have found the i30 to be great through those terrains it has had to go cross country many a time to go around fallen trees on the road etc i have no intention to get rid of it as to date i found it basically indestructible and meets every purpose i have for it and is the best car i have owned
 all my mates have properties so offroad driving through dirt mud hills doing the usual property work
 and small river crossings and dirt tracks through the bush etc i used to doubt it but now i know its capablilites if it had a 4x4 or AWD system built into it then the i30 would be every mans choice in car i can guarantee that.

Since owning mine i have had 3 friends and a few family members going out and buying them the car speaks for itself really

[Dazzler]

Steve94, Just putting spacers in the suspension wont affect the speedo calibration (or changing to different tyres if you check the ready reckoner for correct profile/width combo on tyre websites)

I don't like the Styling of the ix35 but a Diesel one of those would have probably been your perfect car (they are like an i30 on steroids)

[Lakes]

Steve  I'm sure Kings Springs, they have a fitting Center near Penrith . I'm sure they sell heavy duty 1" lift springs for or that fit FD & I think Treve could steer you towards the right rally tyre's
And a full under car skid plate would help too. But expect to loose economy.

[rustynutz]

Steve, it might be worth trying a higher profile tyre, assuming there is enough clearance....
For example, fitting 70 profile tyres instead of the stock 55's would raise the tyre height by around 61mm....

Obviously you'd have to have your speedo recalibrated after though.

[steve94]

When I purchased my i30 it was one of the few cars I enjoyed test driving, the ix35 was not anything I was after at the time
I Mightt look into the Kings springs near Penrith it's close enough to me just need to raise it even just one inch and yep was expects fuel economy to be gone a bit but the old ute I had never got more then 500kms a tank so slightly used to it, and ok would skid plates be a good recommendation for the vehicle if it does get raised and continues off-road?
As I say it's a brilliant car and worth spending the money on I average 700-900kms a week so practically live out of it so it's time to spend some money on it to save it the suffering it gets now

[Lakes]

Steve , I used kings springs & shocks on a v8 ute I had & was happy.

Only thing I noticed with i30 was front hang out(sticks out too far from front wheels) and diesel weight at front I was always having it go bang with a solid hit going over dips fast, I think it's the front under car tow hitch, but the lift would help stop that.

[steve94]

I now have a 20inch LED light bar and a UHF installed into the 130 so makes driving of a night and big trips a little easier.

[Dazzler]

I now have a 20inch LED light bar and a UHF installed into the 130 so makes driving of a night and big trips a little easier.

 

[Lakes]

Good to hear Steve! i love the LED lights i have, when lived in the city did not need them but now in bush, best thing you could do and i think the LED light bar would fit easy too.
Have you raised it yet?
i was thinking lifting it could loose some fuel economy as would push more wind, but can't have everything.