will bigger tyres on a disco 2 fit???

laidbackdiscovery · Oct 4, 2015

Hi,
I am thinking of getting a bigger set of tyres for my disco 2 which has a 2 inch lift.
I am thinking of 235/85/r16.
After researching this i have come across a few differing opinions but none can say for sure if they will fit or if the discoveries gearing and shaft strength will be an issue???
I want to improve the look of my disco but i don't want to risk breaking it.
Would it be better to go for a smaller set or will the disco be ok with the big tyres?
Also somewhere suggested regearing the discos diffs. i can't imagine that would be cheap to do???
Can anyone help with this??

Thanks in advance

gemsdad · Oct 5, 2015

http://web.archive.org/web/20100810045805/http://www.members.shaw.ca/jbarge/tires.html

read this,just click on the link.

laidbackdiscovery · Oct 5, 2015

gemsdad said:
http://web.archive.org/web/20100810045805/http://www.members.shaw.ca/jbarge/tires.html

read this,just click on the link.

Thanks have previously found this but realised that it is for a discovery 1. Is it still the same?

Pawl · Oct 5, 2015

I use 235/85s for offroading on our D2 They need a min 1.5 inch lift to minimise rubbing in the front arches towards full suspension articulation. You'll also need to cut back the lower rear edges of the standard front bumper if still fitted & modify the front of the plastic wheel arch liners (comments apply to pre-facelift, not sure about facelift std bumper). No bumper probs with heavy duty First Four Shadow steel bumper.
Because they're ~ 1.5 inches larger in dia. they'll foul on the radius arms much sooner, significantly reducing steering lock unless you add at least 30mm spacers or use increased offset wheels - which then might foul on rear arches if also used on the rear. With the increased offset, the fronts will then rub on the wheel arch edges a bit at full articulation / lock - dependant on how firm your springs are.
Gearing is increased by approx 10% - which is tolerable, but might become a problem when pulling away if towing heavy trailers etc.
Off-road the gearing increase usually means I'm in a lower gear than Defenders - but it's never made me want to change diff ratios.
Half dhaft strength is fine unless you're repeatedly ham fisted with the throttle off-road. I have broken a front half shaft (after 180,000 miles), but I think thats not too bsd & the replacemt s/h std part has done another 20,000 miles & numerous off-road events without problem.

laidbackdiscovery · Oct 5, 2015

Pawl said:
I use 235/85s for offroading on our D2 They need a min 1.5 inch lift to minimise rubbing in the front arches towards full suspension articulation. You'll also need to cut back the lower rear edges of the standard front bumper if still fitted & modify the front of the plastic wheel arch liners (comments apply to pre-facelift, not sure about facelift std bumper). No bumper probs with heavy duty First Four Shadow steel bumper.
Because they're ~ 1.5 inches larger in dia. they'll foul on the radius arms much sooner, significantly reducing steering lock unless you add at least 30mm spacers or use increased offset wheels - which then might foul on rear arches if also used on the rear. With the increased offset, the fronts will then rub on the wheel arch edges a bit at full articulation / lock - dependant on how firm your springs are.
Gearing is increased by approx 10% - which is tolerable, but might become a problem when pulling away if towing heavy trailers etc.
Off-road the gearing increase usually means I'm in a lower gear than Defenders - but it's never made me want to change diff ratios.
Half dhaft strength is fine unless you're repeatedly ham fisted with the throttle off-road. I have broken a front half shaft (after 180,000 miles), but I think thats not too bsd & the replacemt s/h std part has done another 20,000 miles & numerous off-road events without problem.

Thank you very much. this has helped a lot. i will look into the getting the spacers.

Yoyodyne · Oct 5, 2015

Talk to your insurance company before putting spacers on - some insurers don't like them at all.

laidbackdiscovery · Oct 5, 2015

Yoyodyne said:
Talk to your insurance company before putting spacers on - some insurers don't like them at all.

Ah didn't think about that. i will see what they say. thanks

laidbackdiscovery · Oct 5, 2015

would the spacers be necessary or could i get away with them for a while or would i end up damaging the tire as it rubs??

thanks

Pawl · Oct 5, 2015

You can survive without spacers - they're definitely not needed to fit the tyres. Dependant on what wheels you plan to use, they may help to recover some of the steering lock you will lose because the tyres hit the radius arms earlier than the std dia. tyres.
With modular steel wheels - which typically have between 25mm & 40mm increased offset - you will have standard full lock available & not need spacers at all.
With standard LR steel or alloy wheels, your steering lock will be reduced noticably without spacers, but dependant on what you want, it can be tolerated - just needs more manouevring to get out of tight spots. You can adjust the steering stops out to prevent the tyres rubbing at full lock. If you don't the tyre damage is not likely to be noticable / bad.

laidbackdiscovery · Oct 5, 2015

Pawl said:
You can survive without spacers - they're definitely not needed to fit the tyres. Dependant on what wheels you plan to use, they may help to recover some of the steering lock you will lose because the tyres hit the radius arms earlier than the std dia. tyres.
With modular steel wheels - which typically have between 25mm & 40mm increased offset - you will have standard full lock available & not need spacers at all.
With standard LR steel or alloy wheels, your steering lock will be reduced noticably without spacers, but dependant on what you want, it can be tolerated - just needs more manouevring to get out of tight spots. You can adjust the steering stops out to prevent the tyres rubbing at full lock. If you don't the tyre damage is not likely to be noticable / bad.

Thank you so much, very helpful. have had a look on eBay and seems to be about £120 for a set of 4.
Will probably get some as have the standard landcover alloys.

Thanks again

Pawl · Oct 5, 2015

You can actually just fit spacers to the front if you want.
Thats how I was running with my alloys for 3 yrs before going for a mix of modular steels on the front & std steel on the rears.

laidbackdiscovery · Oct 5, 2015

Pawl said:
You can actually just fit spacers to the front if you want.
Thats how I was running with my alloys for 3 yrs before going for a mix of modular steels on the front & std steel on the rears.

would the fronts not look further out than the rear tyres or can you not see the difference.

Pawl · Oct 5, 2015

Its not significant. It doesn't look "wrong" or strange.
The major benefit for me was absolutely no contact betwwen the rear tyres & the rear arches.
With the spacers on the rear I had contact on the front edges of the rear arch at extreme articulation off road.

laidbackdiscovery · Oct 5, 2015

Pawl said:
Its not significant. It doesn't look "wrong" or strange.
The major benefit for me was absolutely no contact betwwen the rear tyres & the rear arches.
With the spacers on the rear I had contact on the front edges of the rear arch at extreme articulation off road.

Ah ok that sounds good. Will do that. Looking at the spacers there seems to be a choice of the centre bore hole??
Is there a way of finding out the bore size of my disco??
it is a 2000 td5

DiscoPol · Oct 5, 2015

WTF has happened to this forum????????

will bigger tyres on a disco 2 fit???

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