Lifting a Puma 2"

[Jesco]

G'day new to this forum and was wondering where the best place to lift the puma would be Ive had all sorts of responses and prices but is it a good idea or not? Some say dont do it it will screw the car up mechanically others are saying it will be fine, just unsure

[uninformed]

what are your intended uses for your Tdci Defender?

What percentage of total useage does each represent?

[The Cone of Silence]

If you're wondering where to do it then it sounds as if your mind is already made up!

I lifted my Puma about a year ago at The Ultimate Suspension in Ingleburn, NSW...they did a bespoke set-up for me based on how I use the vehicle....heavy springs up front, medium + airbags in the rear and their own brand of shock absorbers front and rear.

I'm sure you can find a company down your way that will offer the same service i.e. design the right solution for you.

The only thing to consider is that your front prop shaft will not like the extra aangle so you will need to get hold of a double-cardan prop shaft. I installed a Bailey-Morris, others have used different suppliers. If you don't install a DC shaft you MIGHT be ok but I didn't want to take the risk as i was doing a 6000km Simpson trip on my own.....and as it turned out, had no mechanical dramas at all!

There are dozens of threads and some really good discussions on this forum regarding both subjects - just have a go with the search tool and see what you can find specific to Pumas.

Bobby

[Drover]

X 2 for "The Ultimate Suspension".
Custom made springs and shocks to suit your vehicle and use :cool:

And yes will need a DC front prop shaft.

[MLD]

being controversial - leave the defender at stock height and put your money to a set of 33" rubber on zero offset rims. (33" will easy fit on stock height), save some more pennies for a rear locker and axles. That set up will take you everywhere a twin locked 80 series on 4" lift will go and be comparable on sill clearance.

Rubber gives you diff and chassis clearance. Lift is only chassis. Rubber gives you a larger footprint too.

also 2" lift on 235/85's IMHO looks funny with too much guard clearance. You might like that look. I had (on a TD5 110) 33" rubber on a 35mm lift and it looked "lifted" with ample rubber to guard clearance.

i concur that a DC shaft is a good investment. Tom Wood is about USD500 + freight and customs if greater than a ton. Morris Bailey are another option out of the UK. Or the cheapest is a 2nd hand D2 DC shaft with an adaptor flange for the LT230 TFC (about $250 for shaft + $70 for adaptor). Not sure if the shaft is the correct length. If not add $200 for a modified shaft. Having typed that out it might not be that much cheaper. The bullet proof option is the Tom Wood by a country mile. A local made custom DC will be somewhere between $800 and $1200. I went a double double cardan custom for $1200. Overkill and in hindsight would not do that again.

If your heart is set on a lift, do it properly and save heart-ache from the additional niggles.

MLD

[Jesco]

Thanks fellas, Im looking at putting bigger tyres on it most likely 33" which is why im looking for a lift plus the fact too that I have an ARB bullbar and winch which is making her sag a bit in the front. Been to a place the other day which just deals with Landies and got a price of 3 and a half G's and 2 and a bit for the labour so dont think i'll go there, ARB are saying they can do it for just over 2G but not real confident on the driveshaft solutions they are giving me. Would the terrafirma goods be the way too go?

[Drover]

Give Ultimate a ring and have a chat with Brendan, you could look at having a kit freighted down and have somebody fit it local.

[Rugrat]

Thanks fellas, Im looking at putting bigger tyres on it most likely 33" which is why im looking for a lift plus the fact too that I have an ARB bullbar and winch which is making her sag a bit in the front. Been to a place the other day which just deals with Landies and got a price of 3 and a half G's and 2 and a bit for the labour so dont think i'll go there, ARB are saying they can do it for just over 2G but not real confident on the driveshaft solutions they are giving me. Would the terrafirma goods be the way too go?

Take a drive out to LRA in Thomastown. Talk to Andrew.(unless they were the ones you just mentioned :o ) They are a pretty smart crowd and do Fenders.
Or talk to Andrew Curry @ Hi-Line 4wd - he's who i trust to play with my landy. He will custom it for you. He just sold his 90 that he had built up.races Rangies (all be that its PINK!!!) and has a few disco's. Yes he's in Taralgon but the trip is worth it ....

[MLD]

Thanks fellas, Im looking at putting bigger tyres on it most likely 33" which is why im looking for a lift plus the fact too that I have an ARB bullbar and winch which is making her sag a bit in the front. Been to a place the other day which just deals with Landies and got a price of 3 and a half G's and 2 and a bit for the labour so dont think i'll go there, ARB are saying they can do it for just over 2G but not real confident on the driveshaft solutions they are giving me. Would the terrafirma goods be the way too go?

Don't forget 130 front coils if you want to restore height at the front.

your quote is excessive. Ultimate bolted in coils, shocks, rear trailing arms, front radius arms, some bushes and extended brake lines for less than half your quoted labour.

While i don't want to engage a brand v brand discussion, an affordable coil and shock option is Dobinsons. It will be superior to the TF kit by a country mile. I have a prejudice against ARB products. It's unfounded by experience and personally held. You know when you don't like a person and you can't articulate why, same same. Any competent mechanic can bolt in a shock and coil. The prop shaft is a backyard job to bolt in. The trick is to get the measurements right if you get a Tom Wood or custom.

I still advocate leaving the Puma defer stock height and investing in a locker. I say that having bolted on a Gwyn Lewis long travel suspension kit, cranked radius arms, long travel shocks, lift, custom prop shafts and 35" tyres. The likes of RVR110 is able to drive the same lines with the aid of good rubber and a locker at stock height. The 80/20 rule applies. You get 80% improvement for 20% of cost. 20% improvement for 80% cost.

I'll stop preaching now because i'm a hypocrite. Enjoy the experience of building a truck.

MLD

[POD]

You're nice and close to Thomastown, go and see Andrew at LRA, they are very knowledgeable with suspension on these things. He will probably advise against too much lift, the Puma front propshaft can reportedly be a problem. I fitted a double-cardan shaft from Tom Woods (USA), adds about $700 to the job.

[scarry]

My son's Puma has a 40mm lift,front shaft left stock.Has done around 60k no problems.
MR auto did it up here,bilstein shocks,king springs.

[David Hawes]

You'll find that 235/85 is what s referred to as 33" in the old scale, terrafirma do single cadance extreme angle front drive shaft which looks good but I can't comment. They claim smoother operation than a double C.
I did all the numbers a while ago to fit 285/75 rubber with 30mm offset rims and a 2" lift. Too be honest I decided to stick with 235/85 mud terrains and standard height. I spent the money on air lockers instead. Overall this decision increased reliability and kept the 110 within manufacturer specs. As soon as you change one thing there is a knock on effect and you'll wind up spending a fortune and still won't have a reliable truck.
Big rubber and lift kits might look good rumbling around the city but it won't help much in the Kimberly or simo:)
Dave

[Dopey]

You'll find that 235/85 is what s referred to as 33" in the old scale
Dave

Not sure where you get the measurement from of 33"?
Rough imperial measurement of a 235/85R16 is 31.73.
Mike.

Edit, I assume that as it is a "puma" defender that the rims are the standard 16 inch ones, however if you did have 235/85R17's in mind, yes, you would be closer to 33".

[Drover]

235/86x16 = 32"
255/85x16 = 33"
285/75x16 = 33"
305/75x16 = 35"

Or close enough......

[Dopey]

235/86x16 = 32"
255/85x16 = 33"
285/75x16 = 33"
305/75x16 = 35"

Or close enough......

Hmmm,
Some people rely on information posted on these forums to buy things/fit things etc.....Without checking further.....

That's why I was correcting the info that the previous poster posted.
If I am incorrect in something I wrote I would want it to be noted and corrected, so that others may also know what is correct...

Anyways, while you may be "close enough" in the measurements that you have posted, for someone relying on that info, it could lead to big mistakes in things like speedo calculations, gearing, clearance, etc.

I understand that there is a massive variance in tyre sizes between brands (and also different models of the same brand) however I have yet to see a 305/75R16 that measures 35".

Now you may say close enough, but the difference between a 305/75R16 and a true 35" is a lot.
It is quite a large difference in rolling circumference.

Anyways, all the 305/75R16 tyres that have seen have never measured more than 34".

Rant over....
P.s. I love your SVX, what you've done with it, and the reports that you've posted about it.

Mike.

[chook73]

Hmmm,
Some people rely on information posted on these forums to buy things/fit things etc.....Without checking further.....

That's why I was correcting the info that the previous poster posted.
If I am incorrect in something I wrote I would want it to be noted and corrected, so that others may also know what is correct...

Anyways, while you may be "close enough" in the measurements that you have posted, for someone relying on that info, it could lead to big mistakes in things like speedo calculations, gearing, clearance, etc.

I understand that there is a massive variance in tyre sizes between brands (and also different models of the same brand) however I have yet to see a 305/75R16 that measures 35".

Now you may say close enough, but the difference between a 305/75R16 and a true 35" is a lot.
It is quite a large difference in rolling circumference.

Anyways, all the 305/75R16 tyres that have seen have never measured more than 34".

Rant over....
P.s. I love your SVX, what you've done with it, and the reports that you've posted about it.

Mike.

A simple mistake, 315/75R16 = 35"

If people rely on information they read on the internet without checking it further they deserve to nuke their brand new iPhone 6 in the microwave.....

[Dopey]

A simple mistake, 315/75R16 = 35"

If people rely on information they read on the internet without checking it further they deserve to nuke their brand new iPhone 6 in the microwave.....

Yep, close enough :)
I've got one of the iPhone 5 thingy's, it's ****ing me off enough that I'm thinking of treating it to the iPhone 6 microwave charge thing and go back to one of the simple Nokia phones.

Anyways, I read on the internet that Tibus/Killer axles do an awesome job of making bullet proof portals......:wasntme:

Mike.

[chook73]

Yep, close enough :)
I've got one of the iPhone 5 thingy's, it's ****ing me off enough that I'm thinking of treating it to the iPhone 6 microwave charge thing and go back to one of the simple Nokia phones.

Anyways, I read on the internet that Tibus/Killer axles do an awesome job of making bullet proof portals......:wasntme:

Mike.

Aren't you the poster boy for Family Planning.......:angel:

[Dopey]

'Twas said with tongue in cheek... :)
Mike.