Landrover Discovery Questions

[black tan]

Hi Guys,
I have just bought a 1999 Landrover Disco Series II V8 with ACE and SLS.
This Disco has done 90,000klms and I only paid $15,000 for it.
I'm tossing up between a Tough Dog or Ride Pro suspension system with around 40-50mm lift.
Which suspension system would you guys recommend for the Disco.
There is only around $200 difference between the 2 systems.
Will these suspension systems give the disco more articulation or not?
Or will it just raise the Disco up and not provide extra travel?
With the suspension system fitted will the ride be the same or slightly firmer?
Future mods will be an ARB front bar, BFG 265/75/16 tyres and maybe a rear Kaymar bar.
Haven't really thought abought lockers as yes because the traction control sytem on my Disco is fantastic.
Any suggestions or feed back would be greatly appreciated.:truck:

[Wilesy]

Contact a friend of mine www.slunnie.com - Aussie Built Rovers (http://www.slunnie.com/)

His Name is Simon Lunn, he is an expert on your model vehicle, he has had his lifted over 4" and has had his rig featured a couple of times in 4x4 mags.

His rig is fantastic.

http://www.slunnie.com/images/BBM_Open_Day_219.JPG

[GUDeano]

I had a Slunnie spec suspension on my D2 but used ranchos instead of bilstien shocks (go the bilstiens ranchos suck) and was extremely happy with it. You will have to replace the rear airbags that cause heaps of dramas offroad to coils by having some perches welded in but the extra 4 inches makes the ride excellent and offroad the articulation with the ACE is fantastic. I ran 265/75/16(32") tyres and did not need to cut the guards. Slunnie runs 34" tyres but he will fill you in. My mate now owns it and the king springs have been great sagged about 1 inch in 4 years but we have taken it to some extreme locations.

[black tan]

That sounds good but what sort of $ are we looking at?
Has anyone tried the Tough Dog or Ride Pro suspension kits on a Disco II?

[DiscoveringAuz]

I have to agree, I have King springs and Bilstein shocks on my series one, no sag yet with plenty of punishment given, only a 2 inch lift but the improvement to ride and offroad are well worth the $$,
I fitted 265/75/16 Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ with a litle help from a hammer and dremel to the rear, be warned any bigger tyre would not have fitted on the spare holder!

[brooksy]

I have 4" lift with rear airbags & 33's. My '03 V8 D2 has about the most flex you can get out of a D2 without doing major mods. I run 13" travel rear airbag, 3" front springs with 30mm spacer & 11" travel Edelbrock remote canister shocks, 100mm extended brakelines, custom eye lower mounts on front shocks (get rid of cross pin crap) 2" wider offset custom machined MT rims & some other little tinkering to allow maximum free travel.
I am yet to see a D2 flex better than mine & to say the rear bags need to be removed is wrong. It just takes some understanding of suspension & some R&D.

Personally I wouldn't use Tough Dog as the size of the shock in real terms isn't required & a waste (it is all a sales pitch). I have heard some good things about RidePro but I have not had any personal or close experience with the shocks so I can't really comment.
You can easily fit a 33" tyre on the factory carrier by simply turning upside down & re-drilling 2 holes. If you do it right you can fit a 34" tyre.


brooksy

[GUDeano]

I didn't say that you had to remove the airbags I just said that the factory airbags cause heaps of problems offroad.

The compressors are very vunerable to water and mud,

The bags have limited service life, and wear out quiker when dirty and rubbing.

The bags can and are punctured reguarily and many offroad Disco drivers carry a spare airbag.

None of these problems occur with coil springs and I found that the ride was improved with the 4" coils.

But I can see that airbags can be good and have looked at some goodyear bags for my GU

[brooksy]

I didn't say that you had to remove the airbags I just said that the factory airbags cause heaps of problems offroad.

The compressors are very vunerable to water and mud,

The bags have limited service life, and wear out quiker when dirty and rubbing.

The bags can and are punctured reguarily and many offroad Disco drivers carry a spare airbag.

None of these problems occur with coil springs and I found that the ride was improved with the 4" coils.

But I can see that airbags can be good and have looked at some goodyear bags for my GU


I do carry a spare airbag in my kit (takes up very little space), my compressor & valve block that is under the passenger side is sealed to eliminate any problems.
I can understand your point on puncturing but wear shouldn't be an issue if they are looked after properly which only takes a high pressure hose.:thumb:


brooksy

[black tan]

Thanks brooksy, anyway you could post pictures?

[maggot4x4]

Thanks brooksy, anyway you could post pictures?
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g228/Maggot4x4/Cruiser%20Park%2020th%20Aug%2006/PICT0003.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g228/Maggot4x4/Cruiser%20Park%2020th%20Aug%2006/PICT0001.jpg

[disco_thrasher]

i went with custom dobinson springs and shocks and i have not been happier a true 50mm lift and the ride is great, i have after market airbags fitted so i can still tow my camper and load up with good ride height still ,,i can not comment on the other as i dont know any one with em ,,but dont just limit yourself to the overly advertised brands ,dobinsons are a great option

[ROVERNIT]

Besides all the sales pitch, if a 4 inch lift is not what you want its not what you want and believe me its not that easy to obtain I know because I’m doing it I personally wouldn’t do any lift not using bilstein on a discovery, but that’s just my opinion based on my research forget about tough dog good or bad there not made for Land Rovers from what I understand, and having them on my past GU I wouldn’t recommend them on anything Forget about cheap items like iron man I’ve seen them in action yuck If your after an off the shelf 2 inch lift give Graham at quadrant a call he is in VIC and he will put a kit together using Bilstein he knows his stuff, I wish I found him earlier I would have bought the springs from him instead of Dobinson just to make things easier not that Dodinson is bad but I would have got a trade discount Lovells are a great spring at $800 a set they should be but you will wait like 8 weeks plus for them Another option is Procomps if budget lift is what your after, because to be honest for the price of Bilsteins you can springs and shocks using Procomp I wouldn’t go down that road I thought about for a while though Oh and by the way if you where inclined to do a 4 inch lift Slunnie is the man Cheers Hak

[discogirl]

i run a ironman 2inch lift with 30mm coil spacers on my series 2 disco and couldnt be happer i just had their better upgrade shocks fitted(foam cell)had it in for just over 1year and hasnt sagged yet so its all a matter of peoples opions what they perfere.and i do use the 4wd off road and for towing.:thumb: it had ome with ranchos shocks before the new lifted and it handle shit.if i had more money at the time i may off fitted better but it all comes down to dollors(wish i had more lol)
hamish

[ROVERNIT]

i run a ironman 2inch lift with 30mm coil spacers on my series 2 disco and couldnt be happer i just had their better upgrade shocks fitted(foam cell)had it in for just over 1year and hasnt sagged yet so its all a matter of peoples opions what they perfere.and i do use the 4wd off road and for towing.:thumb: it had ome with ranchos shocks before the new lifted and it handle shit.if i had more money at the time i may off fitted better but it all comes down to dollors(wish i had more lol)
hamish

Sorry no offence intended all the Iron man equip 4x4 I've seen have been so rigid with no movement at all and not speaking not speaking of experience makes my statement null and void

[gidget]

I have set of 4" luvells coils pf Slunnie's specs in my shed from our D2 if anyone is interested.