Defender Ground clearance

I rest my case...That's the point when you are going around a corner you don't want that energy impacting your handling.... Sure most of the time you may not notice, but when it comes to loss of control due to the unexpected etc you may well find it your undoing.
I wasn't arguing the amount of loss of handling so its false of you to say what you have about "as much as I think". I am just making clear it negatively impacts handling.

Im sure any rational person would agree the taller something is the less stable it is regardless of what holds it up.

I raised my car 2 inches, made no difference what so ever to the handling

Any car will become unstable due to the unexpected......and the speed of which the instability happens in that instance with a lifted vehicle will be negatively affected as I said above, the potential energy from the raised CoG in that instance of the 'unexpected' is vastly in excessive of the ability to release said energy......

But in the 99.9% of the time when we are not experiencing the unexpected, a well executed lift done properly will not be so negatively effected as it is designed to handle the energy in the system, when driven within the confines of the law, the road conditions and the ability of the driver.......

Even a properly sorted F1 car or as the image above dictates a sorted Le Mans style car will roll/slide/flip/lose control due to the unexpected.......it is the predictability, speed and result of such that must be reduced as much as possible by controlling the energy as best we can.....

So, to this end, a 2" lift properly done with consideration to the extra energy being put into the system, when driven normally and with due regard, handling will not be negatively affected.....I have a 110 standard and a Ninety Lifted....and there is a difference, the Ninety is actually more planted with less roll than the 110....due to the lift being done correctly and the fact that even though the CoG is higher, the less raised weight of the TC body means the potential energy placed into the system is less than a 90/Ninety CSW and as such can be offset by using properly specced Springs and dampers.

I agree, any car regardless of style/lift/etc when experiencing the unexpected will eventually end in a hedge......thats physics and I never disputed that (cos yer can't)

All seems to have gone a bit technical, bearing in mind OP just wanted a set of taller tyres!

I would agree with both points of view to an extent.

No doubt at all that a higher COG will adversely affect high speed cornering, and possibly braking from speed, and wind resistance.

However those things are only part of landrover handling, and of little or no importance to some users.

Lifts I have seen were a broad church. First kind is where a noob buys a cheap old vehicle, and lashes out a few hundred quid on a cheap set of springs and shocks, without attending to the many existing faults of the vehicle. Doesnt work well on or off road!

At the other end of the spectrum, you have an experienced user who has a specific use in mind for the lifted vehicle, very often it will be driving in some kind of competition, like winch challenge. They fit a a quality lift kit, and then make some other mods to accomodate it, ie double cardons, cranked arms, adj. Panhard rod, better bushes, maybe mod the body to reduce weight up top.
That sort of vehicle can be extremely capable for its intended use!

Glad turboman mentioned that.
Probably the worst side effect of lifting is the loss of castor angle, and the wandering steering that results. Castor corrected radius arms essential IMO

No need to if you have the right springs fitted, apparently

lynall said:

No need to if you have the right springs fitted, apparently

Click to expand...

I think you'll find that I made mention to a properly lifted vehicle...

Saint.V8 said:

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.

Click to expand...

Do you have any part numbers for the dampers and springs? I could only ever find HD springs for the rear of my Ninety and fitted Bilstein dampers but its needing a fresh suspension now.

nobber said:

Do you have any part numbers for the dampers and springs? I could only ever find HD springs for the rear of my Ninety and fitted Bilstein dampers but its needing a fresh suspension now.

Click to expand...

http://www.lrparts.net/defender-and...mes-as-a-pair-heavy-duty-up-to-40mm-lift.html
http://www.lrparts.net/defender-90-...mes-as-a-pair-up-to-40mm-lift-heavy-duty.html
http://www.lrparts.net/terrafirma-f...nder-discovery-1-and-range-rover-classic.html
http://www.lrparts.net/terrafirma-r...nder-discovery-1-and-range-rover-classic.html

Cheers buddy, did you find the springs lifted it by much?