Lifting and bigger tyres on the new defender

[blackrangie]

As a reference and for discussion as posted in petrol vs diesel thread.

If for whatever reason aftermarket 18 inch wheels do not fit on the straight 6(lucky8 are hopefull), I would be leaning towards fitting 33's or 34s on the factory 20 inch wheels, giving a side profile as follows.


255/60/20 (32s) stock 6inch sidewall

295/60/20 (33.9x11.6) 2inch taller 7 inch sidewall. (Which gives you the same sidewall as 32s on 18s but with more contact patch.
Ridge grapler at, bfg km3 mt, trail grapler mt, terra grapler, baja mtz p3 mt

Or 275/65/20 (34.1x10.8) 2.1 inches taller 7 inch sidewall in pretty much all of the above tyres plus wrangler duratrac and wrangler mtr (with kevlar)

Now considering the engineer's have said 35 will fit with a 1 inch lift, 34s will fit with a 0.5 inch lift.

Meaning 33s will fit with no lift.

This option allows you to run 275/60/20 with no lift giving a sidewall of 6.5 in. ( which is only 0.5 of an inch left side well then the standard tyres on 18 inch rims.)
Duratracs, bfg all terrains, ridge graplers

So 33s no lift
34s 0.5inch lift ( legal tyre limit before Engineering in most States of Australia)
35s 1 inch lift. (Engineering needed for tyres all states)

So no matter whether you choose the 18 inch wheels or the 20s, you will be fine.

Just don't choose 19s

[W&KO]

Have the engineers taken into account max. Tyre size when the defender drops onto its bump stops?

[blackrangie]

Have the engineers taken into account max. Tyre size when the defender drops onto its bump stops?

Based on the above thats 33inch

If you lift via the subframe then you won't drop anywhere.

Also I'm sure there would be more than 0.5 and 1 inch space between tyre and body on bumps, but good point.

[cjc_td5]

BR, you don't own a modern air suspended LR do you? All this talk of lifts is not relevant to these vehicles. Permanent lifts play havoc with the independent suspension and are not needed. There is a button for a lift only when needed. Just drive the thing on std size tyres, you will be surprised. Big tyres will only be for show and may even hinder it off road....

[blackrangie]

BR, you don't own a modern air suspended LR do you? All this talk of lifts is not relevant to these vehicles. Permanent lifts play havoc with the independent suspension and are not needed. There is a button for a lift only when needed. Just drive the thing on std size tyres, you will be surprised. Big tyres will only be for show and may even hinder it off road....

The lift information is for the following:

A: People that worry about sidewall but want the 6 cyl (that may or may not fit 18s) And may have to run 20s.

B: Beople that want to run slightly bigger tyres, like most people add to nearly every 4x4 in existence ever.

34s are 2inchs bigger than stock, 0.5-1inch lift is amongst the smallest you will ever hear. Hardly anything excessive.

[SBD4]

BR, you don't own a modern air suspended LR do you? All this talk of lifts is not relevant to these vehicles. Permanent lifts play havoc with the independent suspension and are not needed. There is a button for a lift only when needed. Just drive the thing on std size tyres, you will be surprised. Big tyres will only be for show and may even hinder it off road....

Chris, I think BR is talking about a body lift rather than using IID Tool/ LLAMS/Rods. This method puts spacers between the body and the front and rear subframes (and relevant suspension components). This means that all the suspension geometry remains the same. None of the air suspension articulation is used to provide the lift.

[SBD4]

I would be inclined to go for a narrower tyre to help with rolling resistance in sand etc. In 33" or 34" it looks like 275 is the narrowest so, either the 60 or 65 profile (as you had for 34" below). I would try to avoid lifting the body, that being said I would love to see what it looked like and how it performed if you did it!

As a reference and for discussion as posted in petrol vs diesel thread.

If for whatever reason aftermarket 18 inch wheels do not fit on the straight 6(lucky8 are hopefull), I would be leaning towards fitting 33's or 34s on the factory 20 inch wheels, giving a side profile as follows.


255/60/20 (32s) stock 6inch sidewall

295/60/20 (33.9x11.6) 2inch taller 7 inch sidewall. (Which gives you the same sidewall as 32s on 18s but with more contact patch.
Ridge grapler at, bfg km3 mt, trail grapler mt, terra grapler, baja mtz p3 mt

Or 275/65/20 (34.1x10.8) 2.1 inches taller 7 inch sidewall in pretty much all of the above tyres plus wrangler duratrac and wrangler mtr (with kevlar)

Now considering the engineer's have said 35 will fit with a 1 inch lift, 34s will fit with a 0.5 inch lift.

Meaning 33s will fit with no lift.

This option allows you to run 275/60/20 with no lift giving a sidewall of 6.5 in. ( which is only 0.5 of an inch left side well then the standard tyres on 18 inch rims.)
Duratracs, bfg all terrains, ridge graplers

So 33s no lift
34s 0.5inch lift ( legal tyre limit before Engineering in most States of Australia)
35s 1 inch lift. (Engineering needed for tyres all states)

So no matter whether you choose the 18 inch wheels or the 20s, you will be fine.

Just don't choose 19s

[blackrangie]

I would be inclined to go for a narrower tyre to help with rolling resistance in sand etc. In 33" or 34" it looks like 275 is the narrowest so, either the 60 or 65 profile (as you had for 34" below). I would try to avoid lifting the body, that being said I would love to see what it looked like and how it performed if you did it!

Cheers, sounds like sound logic there re tyre choice.

J Austin Fab do those lifts avail for all new fullsize LR 4x4s

He has expressed interest in doing smaller lifts for the new defender

Basically as soon as someone puts their hand up over there he will do it.

Apparently drives like stock on 37s and 6inch subframe lift

J Auston Fabrication | We Can Make Lift Kits For All New Unibody SUV's

[Rob66]

I hear what you guys are saying .. but .. these new machines are supposedly techno wizzards off-road. I'm kinda keen to take it out a few times before deciding if that extra coin is needed .. it might not be.