Mud-club

Vehicle & Technical => Discovery => Topic started by: Lugslandrovers on October 23, 2007, 00:00:26

Title: Spring lift or chassis lift?
Post by: Lugslandrovers on October 23, 2007, 00:00:26
So i know i need new springs and shocks as the disco was used for towing a lot in its earlier days.
Question is what is best for my disco which lives 30% off road and 70% on road.
Do i fit standard height springs and shocks and lift the body 2" or do i go for a 2" spring lift package.
Title: Spring lift or chassis lift?
Post by: mud-club-matty on October 23, 2007, 00:27:00
if it was my discovery i would buy a 2" spring lift

i think it would handle better on the road than lifting the body  you can buy spacers to space the antiroll bars too so that u can keep them on the discovery if you have them fitted and wish to keep them.


feel free to correct me if i am wrong

thanks matty
Title: Spring lift or chassis lift?
Post by: Range Rover Blues on October 23, 2007, 00:33:06
It's one of those 6 of one, half a dozen of the others questions.

For 2 inches it's fairly starightforward to replace the springs and dampers but I would advise that if you find it unweildy or harder to drive then the castor arms front and rear plus the Cardan prop will double your total bill.

Add in longer brake hoses and a few other bits and it can be the think end of a grand.  That said you will have replaced lots of bits that would need doing eventually and end up with a nicely sorted truck.

Body lift, lots of buzz about this at the moment, it seems popular after a 2" suspension lift as more extrmee lifts do bring mechanical problems.  It won't give more belly clearance and does cause conversion nightmares but on the plus side it keep the C of G nearer the floor.  Relatively cheap if you can get the spacers machined locally, you will probably find some body repairs that need doing during the lift though so expect it to take a few days not hours.

I prfer the look of a suspension lift, but if I were starting form scratch I honestly don't know which way I'd jump.
Title: Spring lift or chassis lift?
Post by: Lugslandrovers on October 23, 2007, 00:55:25
Thanks Guys
Now i am still undecided
I thought of just fitting a 2"lift with castor correction bushes and some brake pipes would do the trick.
Maybe i should just replace with medium duty standard height springs and shocks to keep the stability and fit all the under body protection i can get my hands on.
Confused
Title: Spring lift or chassis lift?
Post by: Range Rover Blues on October 23, 2007, 01:01:22
Well if your springs are tired then new ones will get the car back where it should be.

The eyebrow of each wheelarch should be 790mm from the floor on standard tyres, start by checking that.

I fitted police spec to a couple of V8s and they went up a little, though the handling was not a tight as the 2" lift I have on Blue, that's 25%/35% uprated though Disco springs are stiffer than RRC because you have no self-leveller and the MAM is higher.

So either new HD springs or perhaps compromise with a 1" lift.

Don't use spacers though, I'm not a fan.

Don't worry about extra long shocks, plus 2" will still allow the bump rubber to touch the axle before the shock gets damaged.
Title: Spring lift or chassis lift?
Post by: Darren on October 23, 2007, 09:34:01
What exactly are you trying to achieve? If it's just addressing tired standard springs then replace with the same and the difference will be marked. Maybe go for HD rears if you're planning to carry or tow lots. Some decent gas shocks are a worthwhile invetsment too.

IMHO, the only significant reason for wanting to lift either the suspension or body is to make space for bigger tyres.
Title: Spring lift or chassis lift?
Post by: Lugslandrovers on October 23, 2007, 17:53:20
Thanks Guys
Guess i was trying to det a little body clearance and as i am changing the springs thought about a small lift. Also trying to get rid of some of the rock and roll.
Saw the Terrafirma kts from Frog Island. Anyone experience of these as they are offering me the springs and shocks at sodbury prices £199 total.
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