Vehicle & Technical > Discovery

Extra weight - will I need a lift?

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Horness:
I have just taken delivery of my new HD rear bumper and sliders (Thanks Discoparts) for my 300 TDi.  Once these are added, along with a HD front bumper (not sure yet if it will be a winch bumper), it will mean my Disco is now carrying:
HD Rear bumper
HD Front Bumper
Sliders + Tree Guards
Steering Guard
2x Diff guards
Fuel Tank Guard

...plus some other bits, snorkel, light bar, recovery gear, normally 2 adults etc.

All I have is a 1" spacer kit (from Wizardbilt).  I don't want to lift the Disco if I don't need to.  The spacers were fitted mainly to keep the original ride height once all this is fitted.  
Question is though, am I now facing a HD spring/shock upgrade (because of the extra weight), and if so, what options do I have to keep things as "normal" as possible?  I don't want the side effects of big lifts.

Advice, opinions all appreciated. ;-)

Horness

PS: This place makes me spend too much money!

beast5680:
personally i would fit heavy duty springs as your original suspension may be on the soft side with all the extra weight on board which will cancel out the 1" spacer anyway and leave it at the original ride height :?

dminto69:
i suppose the best thing you could do is before you fit all your nice new goodies is measure the gap from top of wheel to wheel arch and then fit all your goodies on and see if it as changed it , when i fitted my winch and winch bumper on plus dif guards steering guard , light bar, snorkel it brought my car down so i bought a kit from paddocks which gave me a 1 half lift on the front and a 2 inch on the back which levelled my car and made it sit proud . but you already have a 1 inch lift its just if the weight will pull the springs down as all springs in time lose strength . im not very experienced as only just done mine and you will get alot of people saying yes and no best thing to do is to make your own mind up. once its all fitteed all the best.
dave

Horness:
Thanks guys for the advice.  Before I fit the sliders and bumpers I'll get my tape out.  With just the 1" spacers and all the underbody protection fitted, it still looks like the 1" has remained (or close to it) - I will compare it to a standard Disco as well.

Which Paddocks Kit are you using Dave? (http://www.paddockspares.com/sp/category/OFF_ROAD/subcategory/Coil_Springs_and_Kits/searchbox2/2)_Lift_Kits.html)

Anyone know the difference between the "Without Winch" and "With Winch" kits, as the parts listed are identical?

Horness

Budgie:
"With Winch" have slightly higher rated front springs to cope with the extra weight.  :wink:  

If you're not looking to spend too much more then maybe have a word with Famous Four who will do you a standard height H/D spring made to cope with the extra equipment you have fitted.

How long were the standard springs on there before you fitted the 1" spacer? If the springs were worn when you put the spacers on then you may have got the same effect from a new set of standard springs!

To decide what to do you really need to fit the equipment and drive it, just seeing if it droops more on the driveway isn't going to tell you if the springs can cope with the extra weight or not.

If it were me, I'd ditch the spacers and get springs that were built to do the job you want them to do.  :wink:

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