Overland Journal: Discovery I, 5-speed
- Thread starter Scott Brady
- Start date
WOW! it has taken weeks to read through this.
AMAZING project. I would also appreciate a summery, I have a 96 SE7 that is my first Rover. It may not get a lot of action in the west but I'd sure like to be ready for it when the opportunity comes.
? Why do a suspension lift? with all the pinion angle (etc) hassles wouldn't a body lift serve as well if not better?
AMAZING project. I would also appreciate a summery, I have a 96 SE7 that is my first Rover. It may not get a lot of action in the west but I'd sure like to be ready for it when the opportunity comes.
? Why do a suspension lift? with all the pinion angle (etc) hassles wouldn't a body lift serve as well if not better?
You should install a body lift and report back with your opinion.
Antichrist
Expedition Leader
I've had a 2" body lift on my 95 Disco (with an OME suspension) for about 6 years or so. I haven't figured out why some people don't like them.
The reason that most people don't like them is that no modification is more of a hack job than a body lift.
Why does one lift a vehicle? The primary reason is to allow for larger tires to be mounted. At the same time, most people, especially overlanding types, are also raising the spring rates to compensate for higher loads.
The only thing a body lift does is to lift the body higher to accommodate taller tires. It doesn't address spring rates, and it also doesn't raise the clearance of the vehicle, which is exactly what a suspension lift does.
For the fitment of 32" tires on a D1, all that is needed is a standard OME lift. In all but a few cases, no driveline issues will arise from installing a 1.5" - 2" lift. Hmm, I wonder why the OME lift height ended up that way?
Antichrist
Expedition Leader
My 7.50x16's rubbed with OME springs until I added an RTE 2" body lift. I didn't want to go any higher on the suspension and have to possibly have to spend more to deal with driveline/steering issues.
I haven't had any issues with it whatsoever so I'm not sure why it's a hack job.
I haven't had any issues with it whatsoever so I'm not sure why it's a hack job.
Viggen
Just here...
How is a body lift a hack job? A suspension lift adds clearance for tires and so does the body lift. Youre wrong about clearance. Have 10" under your diff stock? That 10" is going to be the same whether you have 6" of suspension or 6" of body lift. Clearance under the diff is the most important and that only comes from taller tires and taller tires can come from body or suspension.
Body lifts remind me of Billybob's pickup truck with a 12" Skyjacker lift.
While clearance under the diff is the most important, clearance under the rest of the low hanging bits are nearly as important. Have you ever wheeled out west? You should see my frame ears for the rear links. Will a body lift raise those?
Tom, it seems odd to me that your 7.5s would rub with an OME lift. My 235s are wider and they never rubbed on anything other than the sheetmetal at the bottom of the rear wheelwells. Did you use medium duty springs?
David Harris
Expedition Leader
What about clearance for the rest of the chassis? This is as important as diff clearance in many cases, such as breakover, approach and departure angles. A spring lift and larger tires will give you all of those, a body lift won't.
Antichrist
Expedition Leader
I'd have to dig out the receipt, it's been 8 years and I don't remember. Actually I'm probably due for new springs.
David Harris
Expedition Leader
