Do I need a lift kit?

[Stewie]

I've just posted that I have just fitted a set of BFG T/A KO's 265/75/16 to my stock D2Td5 and all seems fine. However after readiong some other threads I'm wondering now if I AM going to need a lift kit for when I go off road so my tyres don't rub when articulated. Can someone please let me know if they are going to rub when off road without a ift kit or am I going to need a lift kit?

TW. if I do need a lift kit ... which is the best one to get and why?

[Slunnie]

AS I understand it, you wont. But if you continue to get rub after your mods, you may either need to trim the plastic bumper or fit a bullbar. A 2" lift still lets the axle move within the same range as what no lift provides, its just that the static ride height is higher.

[Stewie]

AS I understand it, you wont. But if you continue to get rub after your mods, you may either need to trim the plastic bumper or fit a bullbar. A 2" lift still lets the axle move within the same range as what no lift provides, its just that the static ride height is higher.

Slunnie, Sorry to be a little dumb in all this 4wd stuff (and I've seen your posts and vehicle so i know how informed you are) so can you please explain a little more about what you mean. Are you saying that even with a 2" lift kit I may still get rubbing? Also I'm assuming that the bump stops would stop the original tyres from hitting any body work however will the bump stops still stop the (33mm larger) tyres hitting any body work when off road?

[Slunnie]

Gday Stewie,

Yep, thats exactly it. The bumpstop will stop the upward travel with a 2" lift or no lift... meaning that if you can make it rub now, then you will be able to make it rub with a 2" lift. It might just take a little more effort to make it rub with the 2" lift.

This said, a while ago some members from D2Au yahoo group got together and did some testing which also confirmed that you could run the 265/75-16 with standard springs and it wouldn't rub... but they had bullbars fitted which relocates the "rub" spot so that it doesn't rub. You can run those tyres on standard springs, but you will either need to carve up the inner plastic panel in the wheel arch behind the bumper, and the bumper if thats where it rubs, or fit a bullbar. With a bullbar people are fitting larger tyres such as the 33x10.5-16 Simex with some veru light rubbing.

[Stewie]

Thanks Slunnie. Your knowledge on all this kind of stuff is awsome. I'm 50/50 about a bull bar and / or lift kit. One because of the expence, two because this being a 80% work vehicle and three (added bull bar) because of the weight and fuel costs. I had to get new tyres due to the old ones being too warn and in my wisdom thought I'd go for a bigger set to atleast give me a little more clearance for when I do go off road with my Toyota buddies :) As the new tyres 265/75/16 fill more of the wheel arch I'm worried that my next outing in a couple of weeks will please the Toyo boys no end when I bottom out and get stuck! Hence thinking about a lift kit. Mind you it appears by what you are saying it will be of liitle or no benefit at all unless I fit a bull bar or alter the inner plastic guards behind the front bumper. Will spacers in the bump stops make any difference? I have altered my front inner plastic guard alittle to stop some slight rubbing on the tarmac when on full lock and I seem to have a good clearance. Is there any way of me checking this clearance before I hit the tracks?

[trout1105]

Just resurrecting this old thread because I have the same sort of query.
I have nearly finished adding all the extra bits and pieces of hardware onto my 04 D2 and all I have left to fit is a set of 71kg rear draws.
I have an ARB bulbar, Winch, 2x 9" LED spotlights 28" light bar and snorkel on the front of the truck.
I have removed the 2nd and 3rd row of seats and will be fitting 71kg's of rear draws in the rear.
I have also changed the air bags over to springs in the rear end.
With all the extra weight on the front end it hasn't made much difference to the ride height and when fully loaded up the rear end also looks pretty much normal as well.
I am running 245/70/16 Yokohama AT's at the moment and they have only done 25,000K's so they have at least another 30,000K's in them But I will be changing them to 265/75/16 when the time comes to get new tyres.
I have read that because of the Bullbar fitment there won't be a problem with fitting the larger tyres, Is this correct?
Most of my off road driving is on the beach and bush tracks and all I ever tow is a small 12' tinny and I haven't had any issues with clearance so far with the standard height suspension, So do I really need to go to the expense of fitting a lift kit which will also raise my centre of gravity as well ??
At the moment I am more than happy with my D2's capability off road and it always gets me where I want to go.
A 2" lift will probably make the truck look "Cool" But do I really need it ?

[Slunnie]

You probably don't need it, but I think you'll improve the ride a lot if you have it.

The ride height may not have changed a lot, but you will be on the bumpstops a lot more when you're driving. The lift gives the suspension a lot more room, notably at the front, to absorb bumps. Check the clearance at the front bumpstops - its not a lot, and the ARB bar does affect that.

BUT - you dont need it. It will just improve it.

[trout1105]

I will see how it rides after I have installed the rear drawers and put a full load into the truck.
I will have a pretty good idea then not only IF I will need a lift kit but which one to fit to match the load.
I have No idea how much all that rear seating I removed weighed But I imagine it would weigh more than the 71KG's the rear drawers weigh in at.

[chuck]

A good quality lift kit will improve on road performance immensely as well as improving performance off road

A lot of people don't realise how much on road performance is improved.

When I had my D2 it was fitted with Browns Springs 2" lift & Bilstein Shockers.

Whilst the Bilstein's were expensive they provided a fantastic ride.

[trout1105]

A good quality lift kit will improve on road performance immensely

I have already affected he quality of the ride by changing over to springs on the rear due to endless "Issues" I had with the SLS system But that is another story.
I have new shockies front and rear + new rear springs, I was told the front springs were in great order, Considering I haven't got the superior air bag set up the ride is still WAY better than any of my previous Toyota or Nissans.
I can't see how I would get better performance on the blacktop with a higher centre of gravity But I can see obvious advantages with the extra travel that a lift kit provides in some off road situations.
I don't do much rock crawling nor do I exceed 100kph very often , My last trip Bush saw the truck loaded to the hilt with 10 days supplies of food and "Beverages" for 3 blokes + 2x12v fridges, camping gear towing a small tinny full of fishing gear and swags and I never hit the stops at all even on the Useless loop road.
I found it easy to justify the expense of the bullbar, winch, extra lighting and a UHF radio because of their obvious operational advantages over a stock vehicle But to spend another grand or so to replace a perfectly good suspension is something that I am struggling with.

[rick130]

You probably don't need it, but I think you'll improve the ride a lot if you have it.

The ride height may not have changed a lot, but you will be on the bumpstops a lot more when you're driving. The lift gives the suspension a lot more room, notably at the front, to absorb bumps. Check the clearance at the front bumpstops - its not a lot, and the ARB bar does affect that.

BUT - you dont need it. It will just improve it.
This.

The new to me D2 is bog stock and I'm riding the bump stops too much and having to travel a lot slower than I did in the Defender on dirt roads.
Causeway's and who whoop de doos where I once didn't slow I now need to brake a lot.

The difference in bump travel between 100+mm in the Deefer and probably only 50mm in the Disco.

[trout1105]

The new to me D2 is bog stock and I'm riding the bump stops too much and having to travel a lot slower than I did in the Defender on dirt roads.
Causeway's and who whoop de doos where I once didn't slow I now need to brake a lot.


It's called driving to the conditions [bigwhistle]

[rick130]

It's called driving to the conditions [bigwhistle]

Naa, driving to the capabilities of the vehicle. [biggrin]

I punished the Deefer, but the suspension could cope. I'm driving the Disco much more, well, slowly !

[Tombie]

This.

The new to me D2 is bog stock and I'm riding the bump stops too much and having to travel a lot slower than I did in the Defender on dirt roads.
Causeway's and who whoop de doos where I once didn't slow I now need to brake a lot.

The difference in bump travel between 100+mm in the Deefer and probably only 50mm in the Disco.

Sounds very much like your D2 has some very settled springs [emoji41]

[rick130]

Sounds very much like your D2 has some very settled springs [emoji41]

I don't think so Mike, it doesn't look low (like a Defender does when the fronts sag) and it's absolutely stock, unmolested and has only 100,000km on the clock.
I think I've put 3500km on it in the last week. [biggrin]

I haven't bothered checking the bump stop clearance in the Disco, too busy travelling atm, but the Deefer definitely wasn't stock. [bigwhistle]

[Tombie]

Either way - enjoy the journey [emoji6]

[trout1105]

I punished the Deefer, but the suspension could cope. I'm driving the Disco much more, well, slowly !

Maybe the ride in your defender was normally that rough compared to the D2 you didn't notice when you hit the stops like you do now in your Discovery [bigwhistle]:lol2:
Seriously though I don't have a problem with the suspension on my D2 even when fully loaded with gear on the crappy coastal limestone tracks that are so common around the Midwest of WA.
Like Slunnie said a lift kit will improve the ride But is the added expense justifiable for me personally to improve something that I am already quite happy with ?
All my Mods and upgrades are done on the provision of Do I really need it? or Do I Just Want it?
A 2" lift would be nice But for me it comes under the "I just Want it" category and maybe later on down the track I will fork out the "Shekels" and get a lift fitted But at the moment I see it as being an unnecessary expense.

[Slunnie]

Oh that was a rhetorical question you posted about suspension, I thought it was a genuine question.