What lift kit for my needs ?

[Paulpen]

Hey chaps - im kinda stuck on what to get and where toget it from so thought id ask the people in the know ;)

Ive got a Discovery 1 on 235 85 16 tyres that are mounted on Greenway steel wheels. Currently they do rub on the wings during articulation etc. I also find my diffs close to the ground on the odd occasion :(

I use the vehicle for towing, getting to work and the occasional offroad adventure.

Ive got a heavy duty front bumper with winch and will be getting a steering guard soon too

Am I right in thinking a 2" suspension lift (shocks and springs) would be best. Also should I go for hard springs due to the added front end weight and towing needs ?

What would you guys advise I get and where from ?

As most people I dont want to spend mega bucks on something im not going to get all the use out of alot  :roll:

[eugene]

i fitted a 2 inch lift to get that size tyres under wih no probs and they were hd because i tow a caravan also have hd rear bumper and winch and bumper

[Disco Matt]

Don't use Britpart HD springs. My rears lasted about six months before one of them went soggy and rendered the handling downright unpredictable. Stiffer springs aren't usually better as they reduce flex.

I hear good things about Terrafirma lift kits, Gwyn Lewis also has a good name. I know they're a bit more than a cheap kit but it's worth the money. A cheap lift will make your car very nasty to drive on road. Also be prepared to replace propshaft UJs if your chosen kit doesn't include new props (I know the Gwyn Lewis kit does), they don't much like being made to work at a different angle to that which they've grown used to.

[Paulpen]

Thanks for the responses :)

All the other places ive asked keep asking why I want to lift it and they saying it will kill my bushes and uj's and also that I wont be able to tow with it 

They also say I should keep it at standard height with just hard springs to tow 

I deffo wont be getting Britpart stuff - ive not been into my Landy for long but already know all about them lol

Id never even heard of Gwyn Lewis but after looking at the site it seems impressive stuff - rather expensive for what im going to be using it for though I think :(

Terrafirma stuff looks good but there seem to be so many combinations of shocksand springs I have no idea what is best for what I have / use it for 

[disco 1 tdi]

You won't get any more clearance under the diffs with a lift kit! Everyone says different things about all different makes of shock and spring, at the end of the day all you can do is go for the best quality for your cash. Personaly I've gone for britpart yellow springs as I deemed them cheap enough to bin em if I didn't like the ride, or they sag in six months. Have a look at some spring rate info and try and gauge how much weight your intending to have in the veichle. Alot of places offer HD springs that have a spring rating of something like 340lb/in with the intention makeing them quite stiff to try and compensate for the extra spring length and reduce body roll. Which won't help articulation etc.

[Discotel]

Hi mate,

I have had a few lifted discos, using them for all sorts of things...I had a pro comp set up on one and it seemed ok....I have just bought a medium duty terrafirma 2" lift kit for the latest disco...Im running a winch, steering guard, HD rear bumper and a full length saftey devices roof rack....I measured it against a standard discoand it is 45mm higher....so only seem to have losr around 5mm for all the kit on it....price was around

[Range Rover Blues]

I've bought from Gwenn Lewis before, he's a sound bloke, also Terrafirma have a good rep (never used them myself).  I know folks who have Britpart springs and have been very happy.  I think Blue sits on a ProComp set-up and they have sagged, but after 6 or more years of hard use.

If yoy lift it I strongly recomend sprinsg not spacers as they need to be 25% uprated (35% for the rear on a RRC) to cope with the lift in C of G.

Once lifted you get ibto issues with castor correction, curing this can then lead to propshaft probelms.  You also need longer brake flexis almost straight away and whatever happens I'll put money on one of the front propshaft UJs going within the year, the one on the gearbox starts to run beyond it's comfort zone and starts to wear quickly.

I run those size tyres on LR alloys and 2" is fine, you may get away with 40mm which shouldn't need castor correction at all.  On a Disco you'l probably need the "camel" cut which is to say you cut the rear arches the same shape as a RRC, it alows more tyre clearence on the rear edge.  Leave it and the tyres do it for you :lol:

[Paulpen]

Disco 1 tdi - I understand that the lift wont raise the chassis but allowing me to run the yres all the time will if you see where im coming from ?.

As for working out what springs I need I have no idea what kind of rates I should be looking at or how much my vehicle weighs  :oops:


Discotel - Can I ask where you got the Terrafirma kit from and ill bump this monday to remind you ;)


Range Rover Blues - I did look into the body only lift but it does seem a bit of an odd way to do it that starts to cause alot of issues with other things if you go to high.

Also I did do a bit of a camel cut but they still like to bend more and more hence why im looking into lifting now before its too late !


Also spotted this kit on egay - what are people thoughts on it ?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350286665939&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[Range Rover Blues]

Hmm, body lift.  Not even thought about that today.  A body lift will give you more space above the wheels, it would keep all the centre of gravity nice and low and all the suspension geometry the way it should be.  It won't give you more room under the front or back bumper other than what the tyres get you.

You can lift rhe body and inch or two without big problems.  If you want a sensible compramise then I think that a 30-40mm body lift and 40mm suspension lift would give you the results you need with the minimum of re-engineering and therefore cost.

[MuddyDiscoveryJay]

Hey peoples, I haven't heard bearmach mentioned yet but they do a damn good 2" lift kit that does not break the bank and is very reliable. I personally use OME's but they are more expensive and the newer stuff is not ozzy made anymore. I have heard of Terrafirma and procomp blowing the welds and letting the gas/oil out. Britpart are also known as S**tpart. I have a sagging rear end due to their supposedly HD rear springs. The only way to really lift the diff is to fit taller tyres and for safety add a diff guard.

James.

[Range Rover Blues]

Not a big fan of britpiart shocks, very crashy ride I found.

[lambert]

so far as towing goes a disco on 31 inch tyres that is mechanically on the money will have ample go even when there is 3odd tonnes swinging off the back. however what can be an issue is getting everything to ride nice and level. my mates 300 is lifted 2 inch in the springs an he had no end of bother getting trailers to sit right. i have less issues with twin axle trailers now as i have found that an average of an inch more height on the tow ball on the car than the trailer is about right, but this makes single axle trailers sit bum down which is not good. so in essence get the nose height of the trailer right and you will be fine .

what you will find is that a fixed height hitch at the right height will negate any departure angle improvements made by taller tyres and a lift. also adjustable and most removable tow bars will rattle especially as the get older and that will send you bonkers.

[Discotel]

Having just returned from wales lastnight, I can confirm that I am well chuffed with the Terrafirma lift kit...The ride was comfy and cornered no problem even loaded up with two people inside.....It felt very good over the lanes and rocks and performed great....Based on the kit I bought I would recommend the kit to anyone...Just my opinion though....One of my mates runs an OME set up....he loves it but at around

[Range Rover Blues]

That confirms what I've heard.  OME if you have the cash, terrafirmer if you're on a budget.