300 Disco Tdi Lift Kits

[mark5397]

G'Day All,
I'm interested in doing a body and spring lift, nothing too extreme probably 2" for each although I'm totally in the dark as to what works best so can anyone suggest a supplier they have used? Want to stick with a setup that doesn't alter things too much. Also interested in combinations other have used and what you think. Tyres are only going to increase to a 245/16 as I will be retaining the steel wheels (unless anyone has a cheap set of mags?) and I think 245 would be the max for the 7" rims but again I'd appreciate any input. Doing this for an increase in clearance and to improve the Disco's looks and because the current suspension seem to have developed a decided list!
Cheers
Mark

[hiline]

mate, where's your location ?????

that would help us and you out :wink: :wink:

[mark5397]

Sorry,... I'm located in Albury/Wodonga on the Vic/NSW border
Cheers
Mark

[sclarke]

2" lift is damn easy. off the shelf.
OME, Koni, King Springs, EFS list goes on and on.....

for about $1k fit it yourself you will get a half decent 2" lift. starts going up when you think of quality gear like Koni, Bilstein ect......

[Ace]

Unless you do some serious off road work, and want to put big tyres underneatht the vehicle, a body lift is a pain in the rear end, there are kits available, LRH knows where he got one for his rangie conversion (same chassis), but you will need to extend the steering column, brake lines and you will most probably need to do the castor bushes to modify the angle etc etc. A two inch suspension lift is as easy as pie, a days work will see it in, and its easy to install on your own.

I used king springs and OME shocks in mine and the set up works quite well.

Dont get me wrong, if you want to go for the body lift, then go for it, but its more complicated than lifting it up whacking in some spacers and lowering it back down, thats why i decided to stick with the suspsension lift only. Start with the spring lift, see how you go off road, and if its not high enough then look into the body lift. Matt

[Lucy]

I'm with Ace. I just installed an OME 2" lift, $1000, installed at home in 4 hours. Unless you wanted really big tyres, then a body lift would, in my opinion be pointless (standard size tyres look lost in those wheel arches with the suspension lift). Go the springs first.

[Utemad]

Originally posted by Ace+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ace)</div><div class='quotemain'>you will most probably need to do the castor bushes to modify the angle etc etc...................[/b]

For a body lift???

<!--QuoteBegin-Ace
Dont get me wrong, if you want to go for the body lift, then go for it, but its more complicated than lifting it up whacking in some spacers and lowering it back down,[/quote]

Not sure about for a Disco. I don't plan to do one on it when I get mine. But for my Rodeo it was just a matter of undoing the nuts, lifting up the body, put the spacers in, put longer bolts in and putting the nuts back on......................then removing the body to chassis brackets (will make new ones of these to suit), slipping the steering column spline thing up a little, lowering the radiator, make a new clutch line bracket, extending low range shifter (I prefer the shorter gear shifter).

I think that was it. The most painful thng was lifting the style side tray as the front bolts needed welds ground away. Yes they weld the bolt head the tray and it is very hard to access. I used a Dremel rotary tool.

Having said all that it could have been done in one day. But it took me about 2 weeks of doing a bit of work here and there.

This was a 40mm lift but friends have done 50mm with no more work required.

The best part is when you think you are finished and then you find something else that needs lengthening :evil:

[LRHybrid100]

My 25 mm body lift was from Graeme Coopers - he also does a 50mm lift. Les Richmond does a VERY nice 2.5" lift kit

The 25mm is easy to do, as there is enough thread in most of the bolts in the seat belts etc. I's also suggest using a Rangie steering column as thise have plent of spline to make your adjustments. My Rangie was already lifted by 2" spring lift.

The main reason for my lift was due to installing the Tdi motor - doesnt fit well unless lifted.

All depends on what you want to use the vehicle for.

LRH

[Utemad]

Forgot to say that it only cost me about $145 for my bodylift.

$45 for 14 aluminium spacers 40x60mm. Friend drilled the holes in a lathe but machine shop would do it for $4/hole.

$45 for 14 new bolts.

$55 for the Qld Dept Transport inspection.

Kits seem to cost big dollars. Best quote I got for a 40mm aluminium spacer was $23ea 8O

[disconut]

This is my old TDi300. It was lifted 2" by fitting Lovell springs front and rear.
No more work was done. No spacers. Did 140,000k before trading into the TD5.

http://jeep.cfasp.de/upload/33715.jpg

Trev.

[mark5397]

G'Day All,
thanks for all your suggestions and advice. I've decided to forgo the body lift and just do the suspension, all your feedback has been very helpful. Trev, thanks for the pic of your Disco, that's exactly the effect I'm looking for.
Cheers
Mark

[Ace]

Originally posted by Utemad+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Utemad)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-Ace
you will most probably need to do the castor bushes to modify the angle etc etc...................

For a body lift???[/b][/quote]

I wasnt sure, my steering is a little bit vague after the 2in lift, its nothing that is bad enough to bother me, but castor bushes would fix the problem. Now you mention it, it doesnt seem right that a body lift would affect the suspension geometry.

After my two inch lift i can get 31in muddies underneath, and they only just touch the gaurd, nothing to cause concern, but when i can afford it i will get the gaurd modified so it doesnt touch at all. A body lift would eliminate this, but 31in muddies are big enough for me, and modifying the gaurds would be easier than lifting the body. Matt

[disconut]

Hi Mark.
The TDi's always looked as if the body was two heavy for the car. It kind of hung over the wheels. The 2" lift gives it a purposeful look with out going over the top.
The tyres were Cooper Discover's. I gave it the lift on the second day from new off the showroom floor in Kalgoorlie, hooked up the caravan and headed to Toowoomba with just 200 klms on the clock.

If I had not driven a TD5 I would still have it. :cry:

Trev.

[JohnM]

G'day Mark,

I just recently replaced the suspension on my 97 TDi Disco. I rang up Graeme Cooper, and told them briefly what accessories I had and intend to have, and what I was after (Improved towing handling etc). They supplied 220lb springs for the front and 270lb for the rear, and I went with Bilstein shocks all round. Very hapy with the service they provided. Ordered the gear Wed morning and it arrived the next day, and I had it in that night. The improvement to the car is fantastic.
Had a wheel alignment done a few days later, all good.

[seqfisho]

Hi Mark,

I just did a tempory lift untill I get all my accessories fitted which will require firmer springs ultimately.

I was after some lift all round, approx 2in or 50mm in new speak :roll:

I got a set of raised King springs for the rear p/n KRRR-04(thanks Shane from 4wd Stuff, he provides great service) and used the old rears in the front, as they are the same springs for Defender fronts according to the spec tables I found. I used OME shocks all round, the slightly firmer valved N44's and N115's.

This gave me about 60mm lift in the rear with a 3/4 full tank and empty cargo area and a 40mm lift at the front with ARB bar.

When the rear drawers and LR Fuel Tank go in the back and the 2nd battery and winch up front go in I will need to revisit the spring rates, but at the moment I am happy with the result, if I had used springs to carry the eventual load at this time the ride would have been way too harsh. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif

The other good part was it only cost $645 in total style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[edddo]

G'day Mark,

I just recently replaced the suspension on my 97 TDi Disco. I rang up Graeme Cooper, and told them briefly what accessories I had and intend to have, and what I was after (Improved towing handling etc). They supplied 220lb springs for the front and 270lb for the rear, and I went with Bilstein shocks all round. Very hapy with the service they provided. Ordered the gear Wed morning and it arrived the next day, and I had it in that night. The improvement to the car is fantastic.
Had a wheel alignment done a few days later, all good.
hi john
just browsing the archives and found your post. How are the 220psi springs going on the front-not too rough? I have 180's on but have a set of 220s ready to go to get some lift. What accessories do you have on the front? I do likke the feel of the 180's myself but want 30mm lift...I just worry the 220s will compromise comfort?
thanks

[Bush65]

Unless you do some serious off road work, and want to put big tyres underneatht the vehicle, a body lift is a pain in the rear end, there are kits available, LRH knows where he got one for his rangie conversion (same chassis), but you will need to extend the steering column, brake lines and you will most probably need to do the castor bushes to modify the angle etc etc. A two inch suspension lift is as easy as pie, a days work will see it in, and its easy to install on your own.

I used king springs and OME shocks in mine and the set up works quite well.

Dont get me wrong, if you want to go for the body lift, then go for it, but its more complicated than lifting it up whacking in some spacers and lowering it back down, thats why i decided to stick with the suspsension lift only. Start with the spring lift, see how you go off road, and if its not high enough then look into the body lift. Matt
OK, Mark has decided not to do the body lift, but just for clarification.

A body lift will not affect castor, only a suspension lift affects castor.

The 2.5" body lift kits from Les Richmond are more expensive than the others, but they are far and away the best engineered and most complete kits.

I have lifted rangies, but never a disco. I would expect most issues to be the same, but I am unsure about steering issues with the disco.

As Matt said there is much more to it than fitting spacers. But based on my rangie experience, one person with reasonable mechanical experience and tools could comfortably do it in a weekend.

[LRHybrid100]

G'day John,

FYI the Disco steering column does not have the same amount of adjustment as our Rangies - hence the reason why I didnt use the Disco column.

LRH

[Michael2]

BEWARE


Regular insurance will be hard or impossible to get for anything over a 2" overall lift.

I just recently insured my Defender with RACV and they wouldn't insure anything over a 2" lift.

[JohnM]

hi john
just browsing the archives and found your post. How are the 220psi springs going on the front-not too rough? I have 180's on but have a set of 220s ready to go to get some lift. What accessories do you have on the front? I do likke the feel of the 180's myself but want 30mm lift...I just worry the 220s will compromise comfort?
thanks

I think the setup is fantastic, not rough at all(Depends on you definition of rough I guess). Vast improvement from standard, although when I changed the springs & shocks, all the shocks were shot anyway. I currently have an ARB winch bar, (winch to go in shortly) which has been on the car since we bought new in 98 so I guess I don't know any better. When I spoke with GCooper, I just told him what I plan to be putting on the car (winch, dual batts, camping gear fridge etc) and he picked the springs that he thought would be best suited, and I honestly think he made the right choice. With none of the camping gear etc it may be a touch harsher than original, (hardly noticeable though IMHO) but with the accessories, and camper trailer which I now have, I coudn't ask for anything more for the money.(Funny it always comes to the money question.) I'd take a couple of pics of how it now sits for you, but that will have to wait until I get our camera fixed.

Hope it helps
Cheers

[moorey]

G'Day All,
thanks for all your suggestions and advice. I've decided to forgo the body lift and just do the suspension, all your feedback has been very helpful. Trev, thanks for the pic of your Disco, that's exactly the effect I'm looking for.
Cheers
Mark
Consider 'iron man' kits for 30-40% cheaper than others. I got 2-2.5" kit for about $650. Had it on for 6 months and loving the results.
I will have 16x7 black powdercoated rims (VGC) coming up for sale soon, but they are cheap to pick up s/h on ebay if you keep eyes out. You will need something with a bit of offset so avoid rubbing the control arms.
I can run 35's with this lift (offset rims), but I took off the front flares and replaces with rubber stripping.

[edddo]

I think the setup is fantastic, not rough at all(Depends on you definition of rough I guess). Vast improvement from standard, although when I changed the springs & shocks, all the shocks were shot anyway. I currently have an ARB winch bar, (winch to go in shortly) which has been on the car since we bought new in 98 so I guess I don't know any better. When I spoke with GCooper, I just told him what I plan to be putting on the car (winch, dual batts, camping gear fridge etc) and he picked the springs that he thought would be best suited, and I honestly think he made the right choice. With none of the camping gear etc it may be a touch harsher than original, (hardly noticeable though IMHO) but with the accessories, and camper trailer which I now have, I coudn't ask for anything more for the money.(Funny it always comes to the money question.) I'd take a couple of pics of how it now sits for you, but that will have to wait until I get our camera fixed.

Hope it helps
Cheers

Thanks John u dont by any chance remember the free height of the 220 psi springs you got so I can get an idea of what my springs (15.5 inch) will do? Would you be able to measure the distance from centre of hub to gaurd (vertical) to give me an idea. Thanks mate

[JohnM]

Sorry don't remember the free height but you could ring Graeme Cooper and ask I guess.

Anyway sitting in the driveway on a slight slope, the fronts are about 20 inches (51cm), and the rears are 21 inches (53.5cm) from the hub centre to the bottom of the guard. Hope this helps. (This is with the car unladen and only the ARB winch bar (no winch fitted currently) on the front).

Cheers

[edddo]

thanks again John much appreciated. 510mm is about what I want but with my winch it might be more like 500-505? but thats still 20mm more than what Ive got. My rears are about the same as yours. Do you do much off roading? How is the off road ride? In any case I might just try them and see how they feel..cheers

[JohnM]

Eddo, I'll let you know the difference with the winch (XD9000) in. Hope to put it in, at the end of the week when the wife and kids return from Foster, depending on work.

[edddo]

Eddo, I'll let you know the difference with the winch (XD9000) in. Hope to put it in, at the end of the week when the wife and kids return from Foster, depending on work.

excellent