Lowering a Defender

[solmanic]

OK - I may get banned for even suggesting this, but has anyone found an easy way to just marginally lower a Defender? I'm not talking about lowering it into the weeds, just 30-40mm. Enough to get into at least some multi-storey car parks. (letting air out of the tyres is not a solution guys)

Softer springs? Shorter springs? Only carry really fat people around?

Stock Defender height is listed as 2021mm. In reality it is more like 2060mm and with the amount the rear kicks up over ramps I never go under anything lower than 2200mm. The extreme height is probably the only real drawback I have with owning a Defender in the city. Getting the height down closer to 2000mm would be a big improvement and surely won't compromise off-road ability much.

[Diego Luego]

I scratched the roof of my MY02 Defender Xtreme ever so slightly in the Sydney Entertainment Centre carpak. This parking area claims it is 2100 and my defender is only 2035 on a tape measure.

The 2200 rule is probably safer.

[Michael2]

Fit a couple of water tanks and keep them full. I have a 44 litre in the rear (L) quater panel and a 50 litre against the cargo barrier.

Fit a Long Range Tank and keep it full.

Carry a heavy tool box.

Car Pool

Fit more accessories.

or

Have you considered air suspension? :cool:

or

put a rachet strap between the axle and the chassis and rachet the body down!:o

Personally I like the ones that add to the purpose of the vehicle (tanks & accesories) and the one that slashes the fuel bill (car pooling).

[Yorkshire_Jon]

You need to change the springs and dampers.

You dont really want softer springs, just shorter. Dampers need to be shorter so that under maximum spring compression you dont try to push the piston through the axle!

The other option is of course to put standard steel wheels back on for daily driving and put the bigger 235x85 and upwards back on for playing - that'll probably drop you 2" when around town.

[isuzurover]

If you aren't too tall, you could go to a hot rod shop and get them to mod your roof to make it low profile. Could easily shave 75 - 100 mm off the overall height.

OR - buy a cheap electric winch and set it up under the chassis to winch the suspension down for driving into carparks - like the comp guys do for climbing steep hills.

OR - best option - ride a bicycle into the city.

[mitch]

You need to change the springs and dampers.

You dont really want softer springs, just shorter. Dampers need to be shorter so that under maximum spring compression you dont try to push the piston through the axle!

how will this happen? shorter springs wont change the position of the bumpstops...

cheers- mitch

[solmanic]

So far I have been taking advantage of street parking - you'd be surprised how easy it is to get street parking in Brisbane's CBD. It's just for those occasions when a park simply isn't available or I end up going somewhere where the only parking is undercover.

I should mention that being a brand new vehicle I am looking at the least severe way of achieving this (chopping the roof is not on). Swapping the springs appeals to me but maybe I should thrash the bejeezus out of the current ones off-road a bit before spending money on such a thing :cool:.

I like the accessories ideas, but I am a total miser so extra weight and therefore worse fuel economy doesn't thrill me.

Is there no magic solution? Like Land Rover having the springs all propped up on wood-block shims that can be removed :p. Kind of like the poor turning circle thing - just wind the stop bolts in to where they should have been out of the factory... That kind of thing.

[rar110]

I had some OME springs resized down. The 110 sat about 2" lower and handled really well. Only trouble was the springs were just a little too short and with only about 30mm gap the axle kept hitting the bump stops.

The springworks at Bowen Hills did mine.

[Slunnie]

Tusker had the same problem with his new office. He looked quite carefully into a full air setup.

[one_iota]

God save this thread for the occasional sprinkler head

Over the rear axle several bags of cement for me...

...good thing I work for a construction companee

[rick130]

what's a multi-storey car park ??













:p:p

[Yorkshire_Jon]

how will this happen? shorter springs wont change the position of the bumpstops...

cheers- mitch


No it wont... But, firstly the car shouldnt sit on them anyway and **if** your articulation keeps hitting them, replace the bump stops with -1" or -2" depending on how short your springs go.

Bump stops simply bolt onto the chassis. If you cant find any shorter ones, take them off and take a hack-saw to them... Or if you dont like that idea, you could buy a length of 3mm rubber off ebay and make your own (layers of 3mm rubber on top of each other with 2 wholes through for the bolt holes into the chassis).

Chances are if you go -1" or -2" the springs will be stiffer and the chances of hitting the bump stops now and again shouldnt be a problem.

For the record I would only drop it to about -1.5" although you need to make sure you can get -1.5" dampers!

The other thing that springs to mind (pardon the pun) - Have a word with King Springs, they are based in OZ and will make bespoke, one off springs - that would mean you could have top quality springs exactly how you want...

[abaddonxi]

I'm sure there are lots out there with a set of sagged springs they'd like to pass along.

Problem now is finding or making up a set that are equally sagged.:D

My 130 will fit under 2.1, pretty sure it won't fit 2.2. My 120" would just fit 1.95, which meant I could get into any of the local carparks.

Cheers
Simon

[rick130]

any decent spring works can re-set the springs to a lower free length for a nominal fee.

Waaay back in the day, the skin flint racers used to throw their RX-3 and Capri springs in the oven at maximum temp for a few hours. Works the same, except they'll continue to sag over time.........

[abaddonxi]

You could just go out and pick up a set of Discovery weekday wheels and keep the taller Defender wheels for the weekend, that'd probably just about do it.

Cheers
Simon

[rick130]

You could just go out and pick up a set of Discovery weekday wheels and keep the taller Defender wheels for the weekend, that'd probably just about do it.

Cheers
Simon

excellent idea, a 29" wheel vs a 32" one gives you 1.5" reduced ride height and awesome acceleration for the traffic light GP....

except the bloody laws now state a tyre can't be +/-15mm of original fitment.
It should be damn %, not a number, as 15mm is a hell of a lot of difference on a 10" (old) Mini wheel vs a 32" 235/85/16....
OK, we get away with it on our old jalopies, but who would be game to risk their insurance on a new Defender ?

[Captain_Rightfoot]

I couldn't get our car in the garage or the car park in the city. So we fitted standard 110 springs to the car. It dropped it from 2050mm to about 1990mm. That 6 cm enabled us to get into the garage with the tank empty as well as full. Also the car park was a lot less nerve racking. The unexpected bonus was the ride was heaps better :)

The only downside was it wasn't as good for heavy loads, but normal camping was fine.

Since fitting the larger fuel tank we've just been running the standards as the extra weight means the car still fits in the garage.

[abaddonxi]

excellent idea, a 29" wheel vs a 32" one gives you 1.5" reduced ride height and awesome acceleration for the traffic light GP....

except the bloody laws now state a tyre can't be +/-15mm of original fitment.
It should be damn %, not a number, as 15mm is a hell of a lot of difference on a 10" (old) Mini wheel vs a 32" 235/85/16....
OK, we get away with it on our old jalopies, but who would be game to risk their insurance on a new Defender ?

Curse those lawmakers.

I knew it was the case for putting on larger wheels, but really, who would want midget clown tyres?

Or those wheels that make your bicycle bump up and gown.

G'wan you know want them.:p

Cheers
Simon

[solmanic]

I'm sure there are lots out there with a set of sagged springs they'd like to pass along.


I'm waaay ahead of you on that one... (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/54525-my-next-project.html#post722503)

[Yorkshire_Jon]

You could just go out and pick up a set of Discovery weekday wheels and keep the taller Defender wheels for the weekend, that'd probably just about do it.

Cheers
Simon


Think I mentioned that earlier:D

[Aaron]

I'm waaay ahead of you on that one... (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/54525-my-next-project.html#post722503)

Ohhhh the pressure! I like it!

[p38arover]

My 130 will fit under 2.1, pretty sure it won't fit 2.2. My 120" would just fit 1.95, which meant I could get into any of the local carparks.


:question: :question:

It fits under 2.1 m but not under 2.2 metres? :eek:

[abaddonxi]

Think I mentioned that earlier:D

And you didn't get pulled up on it.

I'm not sure us Aussies understand your English, English.:p

Cheers
Simon

[rick130]

Think I mentioned that earlier:D

Sorry Jon, missed it entirely.
Have to agree with Simon, it's that thick Yorkshire accent..... :p

[Col.Coleman]

My 130 fits under 2.1 which is what I've found most carparks in Brissie to be. My GME 4705 mounted on the bull bar is my hieght guage. If I'm light in the back and it touches, reverse. Trial and error is the name of the game. Under carindale it says 2.1 but in reality there is only one place on the ground floor where a stairway or aircon hangs down that it effects. Mr ser 111 isuzu's roof bars bash the height bar on the way in so I go real slow but after that it's cool.

Love the cycle idea. Faster than peak hour anyway. Except one of my bikes cost more than the stage 1. Missus not happy jan.

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Sorry Jon, missed it entirely.
Have to agree with Simon, it's that thick Yorkshire accent..... :p


No worries, as well as talk funny, we're also thick skinned in this neck of the woods!!:twobeers:

[abaddonxi]

:question: :question:

It fits under 2.1 m but not under 2.2 metres? :eek:

Well went I went under the 2.2 sign I had the missus driving and my head out the window. I'm sure I whacked something.:D:D:D

Maybe I should try that 2.2 carpark again.

Cheers
Simon

[Pedro_The_Swift]

do you like whacking?:eek:

[abaddonxi]

do you like whacking?:eek:

Never been there, but I hear the beer's good.

Cheers
Simon

[abaddonxi]

do you like whacking?:eek:

Coulda just been the wife giving me a clip over the earhole.

Cheers
Simon

[abaddonxi]

do you like whacking?:eek:

I don't know what was going on, I had my head out the window...




...but it is a manual.

Cheers
Simon

[Grizzly_Adams]

except the bloody laws now state a tyre can't be +/-15mm of original fitment.

If it helps the law (as it stands in Qld anyway) states +15mm/-26mm.... still not much I know :eek::angel:

[Yorkshire_Jon]

Sticking to the law of -15mm - Howabout moving the upper spring mounts up 15mm???

Perhaps a bit drastic on a new motor though.

You'd get more if you took the standard top off and put a bikini top on - Im guessing that would still be legal too cos you havent affected the running gear??

[Scallops]

OK - I may get banned for even suggesting this, but has anyone found an easy way to just marginally lower a Defender?

I don't know, mate - boom box - getting it dropped... When is the Stooge exhaust coming, Ileh? :D