Hertfordshire Lanes?????

classic kev said:

Sounds pretty fair Jai but don't forget extended brake lines and also higher wear on suspension bushes, you might also need an adjustable panhard rod. Soon adds up. If want to do it on the cheap be prepared for lots of other expenses as things break!!

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And if you have the donut on your propshaft, you will be forever replacing it.

jai_landrover said:

Also 3 inch lift doesn't mean you can fit much bigger tyres to the discovery without surgery to the body work anyway so I wouldn't bother mabe go 2 inch lift and fit 235 85 R16 tyres

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All that expense just fit little tyres like that.

Ref:- Inch lift.

First Let me say I think you are all talking about a 2 or 3 inch SUSPENSION lift. You can get a body lift kit which is basicly spacers to raise the bodyshell off the chassis but this has other complications such as steering and gearlevers etc.

I would not recomend 3 inches of suspension lift unless you buy a complete lift kit from a reputable company. And I dont mean the first one you find in the landy mags iether! You will need all new suspension arms, springs, shocks, shock mounts, bump stops, high angle props and new extended brake pipes. Without these the car is forever being repaired or "serviced".

3 inches of lift done on the cheap will cost you a fair amount and other than ramp break over angle you will have achieved nothing. In reality I can show you 80% of 2 and 3 inch lifted rangies and discos that perform way worse off road than they would have if you just left them alone and std.

The simplest and easiest way to get a 2 or 3 inch lift is to fit heavy duty springs. I wont mention the crap part company that offers these. In 1 easy afternoon you have a discovery that looks pretty cool standing tall. But it will get stuck at the first cross axle you find. Your suspension bushes will need replacing on a monthly basis and you will still get stuck in a small rut just the same as the std cars. Taller AND softer springs are available but not from the crap part company or their friends!!!

Some suggestions that wont cost and will actually improve off road performancees are:-

Tyres are EVERYTHING. Dont buy the most expencive or the largest. Decent size with a tread that matches a tractor are the best off road. You will nearly double your braking distance in the wet though. You have been warned!!! Also any larger tyres than std make your brakes LESS efficient. SO you will have to press harder on the pedel just to make them work. Larger tyres, Bigger the problem.

Remove front spoiler and rear tow hooks. An anchor attached to the rear of an off road car is disaster. If you want to keep it because...Well I dont know why you would want to, but if you really want to keep it you need to recognise when you are going to get stuck and simply not drive that bit. restraint can be used, I have seen it done, I dont have it. Remove it. Get rid of it. ANYTHING lower than your bumper should be removed. Make/buy a bumper mounted tow hook, at the very least, buy one that does not hang down far.

750 or 235/r16s are the largest practical tyre you can buy. (Sorry jai and spyder but your 900s just dont have the grip other smaller tyres have. I know they are great for laning around bedford.) Larger tyres do give you ground clearence. But they also give you raised gearing and your body gets removed without mercy as soon as you find decent bumps that make them grab your wings and bodyshell.*Get a front tow hitch/point sorted. Decent ropes (Not straps) and spend your money on keeping the car reliable and make it tougher. By this I mean upgraded steering arms, stronger half shafts, diffs etc.

If you want a car that beats a disco/rangie with, 750 mud tyres, no spoilers or tow hook to catch up on rocks Maybe spend some money on diff locks. You are starting with the wrong car in the first place.*Just my 2 cents.

Im bored. Cant you tell...

Spyderman said:

All that expense just fit little tyres like that.

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HEHE!

Anyone know how Ryder got on with his MOT?

I meant HEHE at spydermans small tyres comment. True though the XCL's/XL's just don't grip much at all. These 8.90x16's studded sure grip are awsome!! My broncos also had awsome grip and were way better than a few larger tyres vehicles. pitty they were such a ****e remold that they started to delaminate. I was forever getting punctures aswell. (I now know alot of Bronco's tyres have done this from others exerience) Can't even blame high speed motorway for the delaminating cos I never went on the motorway and never above 50Mph Twas an asmatic diesel.

Right I'm gonna refit my nearside axle end and mabe swap a couple of calipers over. Catch you all tomorroz at the pub meet. If by any chance (haha Yea right rocking horse ****e) somone has any Rear 110 axle ends/caliper mounts/calipers they want to swap out for somthing I'm quite open to offers. Lol Laterz Jai

Beaker is your 110 all sorted now??

Pretty much, May well have it tomorrow evening.

Cool,
Mine is getting back together nearly there myself mabe back and running by Saturday.

MOT - ta for the interest spydie!

Failed but not on any of the things I was expecting except the screen wash.

i. Screen wash

ii. indicator light on the dash

iii. swivel too much play

I know nothing about the last one so I am going to start reading up this evening!

Hope to see you all at the pub what time are people getting there.....

I've spent the evning trying to research the swivel play thingy that I failed the MOT on. I am now looking for some guidance. I was told that there are a few iches play in the swivel (arm,bearing?).

Where do I look first.. what do I replace? sorry if this is a stupid question but you know I am not afraid ask stupid question! LOL

spitfiremk1uk said:

750 or 235/r16s are the largest practical tyre you can buy. (Sorry jai and spyder but your 900s just dont have the grip other smaller tyres have. I know they are great for laning around bedford.)

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XL's not the best, but pretty good like you say for where we live.

These are on my shopping list. I think they tick all of the boxes re grip issues.

These little beasties in 9.00 x 16 Sirocco

4 inch lift on my Disco and 35 inch tyres, had the same polly bushes in for over 3 years and no problems and yes to do the job properly you will need to change the radius arms, pan hard rod, bump stops and brake lines. Even then you won't get big tyres on unless you do some cutting and fit arch kits. Has cost a lot of money, but if you plan out what you want to do then it can be done in stages and spread out over a period of time. The rear 300 tdi prop rubber will last about a month, but this can be easily and cheeply sorted by retro fitting a 200tdi rear prop and adaptor diff flange. Don't be put off.

Is the pub meet still at the Lion?

Spyder. Those beasties look great! How much and are they tubeless?

Ryder. Call me.

Kris. If you had removed your bull bar and tow hitch you could have still got the same approach and departure angle! It would have cost literally ..... half an hour:doh:

Maybe wouldnt have looked quite so american though. I bet it scares the bejeesus out of sainsburys shoppers.

Oops. Bored again!

There is alot of so called "challenge trucks" or off roaders being sold on ebay of late. I'm on about defenders really that look great nice paint job, cut out arches silly high lift kits but 90% of them are show vehicles they have the standard low rear tow point or worst a dixon bate anchor, the army never cut their arches To fit 36 inch tyres so why do these people do it to fit little 33 inch tyres. Also a rear winch bumper that sticks out Backwards behind the x member almost a foot was some classic useless bling. There is a huge difference between a look alike and a real competitive motor. I think i was spotted by more than one person on here drewling over a scabby comp motor at Billing but it was a propper sorted 88 inch beastie with all the right goodies on it for not much money really.

All rhe work that went into Making a removable drop down tow hitch was done for a reason in previous posts because I will not compromise on departure angles for anything come to any serious competition and see how many serious competitors run low tow points. None.

spitfiremk1uk said:

Spyder. Those beasties look great! How much and are they tubeless?

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About £160 for the 900. Yes they're tubeless. The lugs on the sidewalls a much further down towards the rim than on Simex's. I think they look as though they'll do a better job than Simex. They wear really well too. That's the good bit, the bad is Fedima don't have any 900 carcasses to make any. I could give them my Michelins and they'd re-manufacture them. Nice to have a Michelin carcass though.

Pub tonight. See you there 7.30-8.00

My Defender has a 4inch lift, has been fitted for a while with no problems and still out handles most motors of its class. If your willing to spend the money you will be pleased with the result.