Defender Ground clearance

Kenwyn.CBL · Feb 19, 2016

can anyone clear up for me the benefit of a suspension lift kit. As far as ai can see it lifts the body up but makes no difference the height the axle is off the ground. Maybe extra height is by lifting the suspension and putting larger wheels on?
Grounded the defender a couple of times and so was thinking about a bit of extra ift but confused how to get it

any advise would be very gratefully received.

1993 200 tdi with 205 80 16 tyres on

Marmaduke · Feb 19, 2016

265's will fit without any type of lift kit

Marmaduke · Feb 19, 2016

Type 'tyre size calculator ' into Google and that will give you an idea of what height you'll gain from different tyre sizes

109inches · Feb 19, 2016

Tyres is the easiest and cheapest way to get extra height under the diff which is the lowest part. You could get diff guards which could mean you could get more momentum with damaging the vital parts.
Or selective driving by reading the road or lack of.

Alternatively I don't like lift kits unless the vehicle really needs it ruining a vehicles performance for looks and nothing else is idiocy in my opinion.

The other option which is more expensive and involved is portal axles.

Turboman · Feb 19, 2016

Kenwyn.CBL said:
80 tyres on

That 80 means that the profile of the tyre is height 80% of the width.
Look at getting a taller tyre, straight 205R 16 would be an inch and a bit higher, 7.50R16 might be 2inch higher!

Lift kits are rarely necessary, and may mess up the handling of your motor.

johnlad · Feb 19, 2016

255/85/16 good tall size without a lift

FlyingPete · Feb 19, 2016

A lift kit will improve your approach, departure and breakover angle somewhat as it lifts the chassis higher. But you're right, the lowest point is still the diff casing so no use in muddy ruts. It's more useful for things like rocky terrain. Some will use longer springs with a softer spring rate to improve axle articulation. But the only way to keep the diffs from dragging is to fit larger wheels, or portal axles as on a unimog for an extreme solution.
A standard height defender is high enough from the ground for most things. Especially a 90 with it's short rear overhang for a good departure angle and a short wheelbase for a good breakover angle A Disco is slightly lower (and longer) so may benefit from a mild lift.

Cavey_P38 · Feb 19, 2016

Put 265/75/16 insa turbo special trax on my 90. That raised it up enough to take the roof rack off when i went to put it in the garage...

Doh...!!

Wouldnt lift mine, followed a mate down the road and his is lifted the body roll is awful. Ihave pkenty of ground clearance unless i get in a tractor made rut..

nobber · Feb 19, 2016

Genuine HD springs might get the rear up a little, It did mine, 7.50 tyres is your best bet for the diff clearance.

Thor1950 · Feb 19, 2016

for every 1'' of tire height increase you only get a 1/2'' increase of ground clearence

Saint.V8 · Feb 20, 2016

Our 1988 Ninety TC has a 2" lift and Maxxis Mudder Buckshot tyres....can't remember the size off my head....

And the !991 Defender 110 CSW has 16" Boosts with Conti Cross Contacts at 255/85/R16's and no lift kit....

Diff height on both is very similar.....maybe an inch in it!

lynall · Feb 20, 2016

Diffs is what always stopped me
At the time I had Mich 7.50 on and mate had Mich 8.28 I always got stuck and he just drove straight through!
I now have Mich 8.25 on mine, his in fact as he sold the car

When we used to go trialing again it was the diff clearance that caused issues.

ER1C · Feb 20, 2016

Suprising no one has mentioned the handling differences. A lift will negatively effect handling considerably.

Turboman · Feb 20, 2016

nobber said:
Genuine HD springs might get the rear up a little, It did mine, 7.50 tyres is your best bet for the diff clearance.

Even new standard springs will give over an inch of lift if your existing springs are very tired. I like the 7.50s myself, some prefer others, bit of a personal choice thing much as any technical difference, I think.

ER1C said:
Suprising no one has mentioned the handling differences. A lift will negatively effect handling considerably.

Post 5!

cooltide · Feb 20, 2016

Christchurch New Zealand? Maybe you can pick up a set of aussie old man emu springs and shocks for less than us.

Saint.V8 · Feb 20, 2016

ER1C said:
Suprising no one has mentioned the handling differences. A lift will negatively effect handling considerably.

Our lifted Ninety has HD springs and shocks....has less roll than the 110 and that had new springs and shocks (SD) a few weeks ago!!

Then again, there is not a large body on the Ninety and we dont drive like prats.....

ER1C · Feb 20, 2016

Saint.V8 said:
Our lifted Ninety has HD springs and shocks....has less roll than the 110 and that had new springs and shocks (SD) a few weeks ago!!

Then again, there is not a large body on the Ninety and we dont drive like prats.....

Sorry not sure on the point there my mini is faster than a bike ? , to be clear lift is bad for handling.... That's it... nothing to do with type, or to do with driving style.

Saint.V8 · Feb 20, 2016

ER1C said:
Sorry not sure on the point there my mini is faster than a bike ? , to be clear lift is bad for handling.... That's it... nothing to do with type, or to do with driving style.

I am saying that the Ninety has a 2" lift and fitted with HD springs and shocks (which are stiffer).....the additional height and raising of the CoG is offset by the fact the springs don't compress as easily thus the raised CoG doesn't affect the body roll......also the Ninety being a Truck Cab and 20" (I know it is not EXACTLY 20") shorter means there is also less weight sitting atop the chassis and thus the raising of the CoG using the lift, combined with the lighter body, and also the stiffened suspension means the handling is not as bad you may think....as the lift is offset by HD springs.

The 110 rolls around quite a bit and that is on SD springs and shocks (new) and the body is heavier thus the roll is quite noticeable compared to the Ninety.

So a lift is not as bad for handling as you say, as long as it is done correctly, i.e. proper springs/dampers to control the raised CoG position thus body roll is reduced. Reduction of top weight will also help (like the Ninety being a Truck Cab).....

And driving style has a huge amount to do with it.....drive it like you stole it and she'll pitch and buck just like anything else....drive within the limits of the road network, with consideration for others and inaccordance with the law of the land, and she'll drive very well.....won't win races or beauty contests....but also won't dump you in a hedge at the slightest hint of a corner.

ER1C · Feb 20, 2016

Saint.V8 said:
So a lift is not as bad for handling as you say, as long as it is done correctly, i.e. proper springs/dampers to control the raised CoG position thus body roll is reduced. Reduction of top weight will also help (like the Ninety being a Truck Cab).....
.

Sorry that's not true..... A lift done correctly or incorrectly raises the COG of the vehicle and impairs handling... that's mathematical fact. Everything closer to the ground drives better and by design that's the way things are. I appreciate you saying a bad lift is bad but with any lift you will lose handling on the vehicle.

Saint.V8 · Feb 20, 2016

ER1C said:
Sorry that's not true..... A lift done correctly or incorrectly raises the COG of the vehicle and impairs handling... that's mathematical fact. Everything closer to the ground drives better and by design that's the way things are. I appreciate you saying a bad lift is bad but with any lift you will lose handling on the vehicle.

Set up the suspension correctly to offset the CoG position and you could raise an F1 car 2".....(tweak the aero obviously) and she'll still go round corners....

There are obviously limits to how far you can raise the CoG and stiffen the suspension before you have to consider the track of the axles/tyres/wheels to widen the car to stabilise.....as physics is absolute and finite - can't change that - but a 2" lift with properly specced and rated suspension components, and a reduction in top weight won't suffer as much as you think.....

Just a lift will ruin handling.....so you have to consider further upgrades to offset things....energy cannot be created or destroyed....but can be made to move around and change state.....so offset the potential energy created by raising the CoG, by dissipating that energy into a different form by using different springs and shocks to control the energy transfer......obviously if you get it wrong and the potential energy stored by raising the CoG is vastly in excessive of any method to control and disperse this energy when it is released, i.e. under rated/tired/wrong springs and dampers then yes, handing ling will be dangerous.

I respect there are limits so we work within them by creating a system as a whole to be within such....

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