The Yardie Lobo, the first car in the series to feature hydraulics.
Hydraulics are a feature added in the Grand Theft Auto series as a customization for a certain kind of vehicles.
Description[]
Hydraulics are a modification that allows the car to adjust the ride height of a car, which is achieved by controlling the car's suspension. Hydraulics are controlled with the movement/camera controls (analog sticks in consoles), where the right one will make the car bounce around in the direction the player wants, while the left one will cause the hydraulics to lock in place.
3D Universe[]
Hydraulics were first featured in Grand Theft Auto III with the introduction of the Yardie Lobo, which comes with permanent hydraulics in replacement of the horn function. It was retained in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City with the introduction of the Voodoo.
In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, hydraulics became an optional modification for almost any car with the addition of mod shops, where the player can install hydraulics at Loco Low Co., Wheel Arch Angels and Trans Fender. Story-line wise, the first vehicle to feature them is the Savanna, and is a requirement for the Lowrider Challenge.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories was the last appearance of hydraulics in the 3D Universe, as this feature was only available to Taxis and Cabbies when the Taxi Driver sidemission is completed. The Voodoo, despite reappearing in the game, no longer has hydraulics fitted as standard.
HD Universe[]
Prior to Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Hydraulics were absent in Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City, due to the focus on realism.
In Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online, it is stated that hydraulics were present in the beta, but is not technically added as an optional feature. Some files reveal (along with the Nitro) that they are able to be placed on vehicles, but there is no command to use them, leaving it as an unfinished feature.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Hydraulics return to the enhanced version of Grand Theft Auto Online, in the Lowrider Update. Players are able to fit them onto lowrider-style "Custom" conversions of pre-existing cars, as well as new ones featured in the same update. Hydraulics are exclusively available at Benny's Original Motor Works.
Depending of the vehicle, once they are converted into a Custom version, they are automatically fitted with low-power hydraulics. However, they can be modified with an array of powerful hydraulics that range between $125,000 and $250,000, with some of the vehicles reaching up to $275,000 and only one reaching up to $290,000. These modifications control the height jumped and the rate at which it does so.
Vehicles with hydraulics are depicted with several details in the trunk, being several hydraulic pumps finished in chrome and electrically powered by several car batteries, as well as gauges and rods within the system. The various hydraulic modifications will change the look of the hydraulic models in the trunk, adding more pumps and gauges.
Hydraulics work similarly to the ones in the 3D Universe, which are the following:
- Pressing
(Xbox One), (PC) or (PlayStation 4) adjusts the ride height of the car. Holding the button for about half a second raises the vehicle, while pressing it lowers it. - Holding // again after being raised increases the hydraulic pressure in the system, and once let go, will allow the car to jump.
- By holding the same button and using / and moving the mouse / to a direction tilts the car to the direction of the input, adjusting the hydraulics specifically to that direction, somewhere between normal height and raised height. It can be tilted from left to right, or front to back. Letting go will not make the car jump after changing the tilt of the car.
- Alternatively, by following the same steps as above and flicking the movement stick in one direction repetitively/using the same button (on PC) will bounce the car in that direction. Repeating the process in sync with the bounce will allow the next jump to be even higher, commonly known as "pumping."
(
(PC) or 
(
/
and moving the mouse /
to a direction tilts the car to the direction of the input, adjusting the hydraulics specifically to that direction, somewhere between normal height and raised height. It can be tilted from left to right, or front to back. Letting go will not make the car jump after changing the tilt of the car.Cars with Hydraulics[]
Grand Theft Auto III[]
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City[]
- Voodoo
- Taxi (Only when the Taxi Driver side mission is completed)
- Cabbie (Only when the Taxi Driver side mission is completed)
- Zebra Cab (Only when the Taxi Driver side mission is completed)
- Kaufman Cab (Only when the Taxi Driver side mission is completed)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
The following cars have a chance of having hydraulics when spawned on the street during normal gameplay. This excludes the taxis.
- Blade
- Broadway
- Remington
- Savanna
- Slamvan
- Tahoma
- Tornado
- Voodoo
- Sandking
- Taxi (Only when the Taxi Driver side mission is completed)
- Cabbie (Only when the Taxi Driver side mission is completed)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories[]
- Taxi (Only when the Taxi Driver side mission is completed)
- Cabbie (Only when the Taxi Driver side mission is completed)
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
The stock variants of the cars must be upgraded to their custom variants at Benny's Original Motor Works to enable hydraulics and hydraulic modifications; some vehicles also include independent suspension that is only controlled when the vehicle is stationary or in motion.
- Buccaneer Custom
- Chino Custom
- Faction Custom
- Faction Custom Donk
- Glendale Custom
- Hermes
- Manana Custom
- Minivan Custom
- Moonbeam Custom
- Peyote Custom
- Primo Custom
- Sabre Turbo Custom
- Slamvan Custom
- Slamtruck
- Tornado Custom
- Virgo Classic Custom
- Voodoo Custom
- Yosemite
Advantages[]
- Hydraulics are a very desirable feature, since they will lower a car's profile, decreasing drag and allowing cars to go faster on tarmac surfaces. Also, by pressing , the player can lock the hydraulics on high, allowing for even softer suspensions, better shock absorbers, and more wheel surface on the ground, allowing for better off-roading, easier fall recovery, and higher torque and hill-climbing ability, respectively.
- In GTA: San Andreas, modding any car at any Transfender shop with Hydraulics and Off-road wheels can turn the car into a mini-Monster Truck, capable of going over the traffic, and with greater off-road ability. This works much better with Lowriders, since the car will be lifted well over wheel level, and worse with Race Cars, which are the only group that perform better without hydraulics, since Tuners are purely built for street racing, there is no use to off-road with them.
, the player can lock the hydraulics on high, allowing for even softer suspensions, better shock absorbers, and more wheel surface on the ground, allowing for better off-roading, easier fall recovery, and higher torque and hill-climbing ability, respectively.Disadvantages[]
- In the 3D Universe games, hydraulics disable the camera control, so the player can't have a quick look at the front, left, right and look up or down (only for console versions or using gamepad on PC). In GTA Online, this feature disable the movement control, so players may be unable to steer the vehicle unless they are fully aware of traffic or general environment.
- In the 3D Universe games, a lowrider with a lifted suspension will increase chances of roll over, especially on off-road environments, flipping the car very fast. Also, if the player does not raise the wheels when fliping, it will be stuck in that position or even being upside-down, causing it to set aflame. In GTA Online, this issue is not very apparent on vehicles with stock performance, but can be an issue on vehicles with maxed-out performance upgrades, after reaching a considerable speed or when going downhill.
- Vehicles may receive minor paintwork and body damage with overuse of hydraulics and flicking. This is most prevalent in GTA Online.
- In the 3D Universe games, with the exception of The Definitive Edition releases, installing hydraulics also disables the horn, so if the player needs to take any passenger or a prostitute, they will not notice if one doesn't honk the horn. One can only pick up prostitutes if the player has a high sex appeal.
- In GTA Online, lowriders with lifted suspension may suffer from delayed throttle responses, meaning the car will take a while to accelerate or reverse. It also causes to slightly lose speed if the player lifts the suspension while going at high speeds, though this issue gradually takes effect if the vehicle is near its top speed. Braking, however, appears to response slightly better due to the speed reduction.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Despite not actually appearing in Grand Theft Auto V, Big Boy says in Radio Los Santos that he owns a Dilettante with hydraulics.
- However, hydraulics return to Grand Theft Auto Online via the GTA Online: Lowriders Update, where players are able able to fit hydraulics, along with various other modifications, to specific lowriders. Note the Dilettante cannot have hydraulics fitted to it, as it isn't classed as a Lowrider with hydraulic-enabled modifications in-game.