Bigger Tyres

[carbonman]

I have been thinking about lift and tyres etc....

I was thinking doing a 2" suspension lift, and a 2-4" body lift...
I heard that this would allow me to fit 33" tyres.....I also heard that the surf might have trouble with tyres that big...
Whats the deal with this....

I am guessing that without any lift the max tyre size is 31", which as I already have 30" doesn't seem worth the money for the 1/2" I will actually realise...

Will 32 or 33" tyres make a noticeable enough difference on clearance and off road ability? - Enough to warrant the money to get the lifts required in order to put them on....

All this is bearing in mind the surf is always going to be a 50-50 road / off road vehicle...

Cheers for your advice guys.
CM

[Delboy]

If you go for 33" tyres it will affect your gearing and adversely affect your accelleration, so you may have to get new gears in yer diffs!

[gemini]

If you go for 33" tyres it will affect your gearing and adversely affect your accelleration, so you may have to get new gears in yer diffs!

then you will need a bigger engine to turn them

[Jameswood345]

I have spent extensive time reading about this subject, IMHO your engine and gearbox will run this setup no problem at all.

BUT

You will not be-able to take it any further, ie your brake lines will not be long enough. that is where problems begin. If you want to make serious modifications then it will cost ££££££. A 2 inch suspension and 2 inch suspension lift will make no difference.

IMH of course

James

[Nick V]

It will also throw the speedo reading out.

If the car is being used 50/50 on/off road, how does the lift affect the handling? I know that these are not speed machines but I still like to have some amount of decent road holding I was thinking of a spring lift to start with - well, once the warrenty expires - and IIRC someone here, Linda I think, says that the handling is not affected with a spring lift,

Cheers, Nick

[Guest]

It will also throw the speedo reading out.

If the car is being used 50/50 on/off road, how does the lift affect the handling? I know that these are not speed machines but I still like to have some amount of decent road holding I was thinking of a spring lift to start with - well, once the warrenty expires - and IIRC someone here, Linda I think, says that the handling is not affected with a spring lift,

Cheers, Nick

The Suspension lift will affect the handling somewhat as you are raising the centre of gravity, The body lift on the other hand will not raise the centre of gravity much as the heavy bit is the chassis and suspension. With a 2" lift on the suspension you won't notice the change - if you went 4" suspension lift you certainly would as you would also notice the hole in your pocket for the spend that would need to be made for all the modifications. Thats basically why a 2+2 is a good option.

Cheers

[Linda]

The Suspension lift will affect the handling somewhat as you are raising the centre of gravity, The body lift on the other hand will not raise the centre of gravity much as the heavy bit is the chassis and suspension. With a 2" lift on the suspension you won't notice the change - if you went 4" suspension lift you certainly would as you would also notice the hole in your pocket for the spend that would need to be made for all the modifications. Thats basically why a 2+2 is a good option.

Cheers

Yep - as Andy said I have a 2" susp lift BUT I also replaced the shocks at the same time with ES9000 Gas shocks, and both the old rear springs and shocks were very worn before replacement. The handling was better after the lift - definately NOT worse, but that may be due to the wear on the old parts.... 2" body lift is next ....

[carbonman]

Yep - as Andy said I have a 2" susp lift BUT I also replaced the shocks at the same time with ES9000 Gas shocks, and both the old rear springs and shocks were very worn before replacement. The handling was better after the lift - definately NOT worse, but that may be due to the wear on the old parts.... 2" body lift is next ....

What size tyres u running linda?

[Nick V]

You lot are good at helping me spend money Think I will go for the spring lift first as it will be a good idea to replace them and then the body lift. I still want to run 31" tyres though (don't want to change gearing et al) so I think they will still look ok with that lift,

Cheers, Nick

[Guest]

You lot are good at helping me spend money Think I will go for the spring lift first as it will be a good idea to replace them and then the body lift. I still want to run 31" tyres though (don't want to change gearing et al) so I think they will still look ok with that lift,

Cheers, Nick

Nick.

You don't actually need any lift at all to fit 31" tyres. Spring lift should be fairly cheap, less than £250 including new shocks for +2" rear coils, just need to crank up the front torsion bars.

A body lift is cheaper bu you don't get longer travel like you get with the suspension lift. The main benefit of a suspension lift is the lengthened travel - plus the ability to get bigger tyres on.

The Bigger tyres are the only things that really give you more clearance as they take the axles higher off the ground, a suspension lift without bigger tyres will raise the axles a bot but only at the height of travel, on the bump stops they will still be the same height from the ground.

Body lifts are cheaper, don't raise the center of gravity, but don't give you any extra articulation.

Cheers

[Delboy]

Ya dont get any extra articulation in the front with a suspension lift and IFS, for that you wanna do a solid axle swap which can be even bigger money!

[Guest]

Ya dont get any extra articulation in the front with a suspension lift and IFS, for that you wanna do a solid axle swap which can be even bigger money!

No but you will do if you cut down the bump stops to go with cranking up the torsion bars. Forgot that bit.

Cheers

[TonyN]

No but you will do if you cut down the bump stops to go with cranking up the torsion bars. Forgot that bit.

Cheers

Only by how much you cut them down, you'll gain that much by letting the tyres down.

Go SAS! its the only way to flex!

[carbonman]

Ya dont get any extra articulation in the front with a suspension lift and IFS, for that you wanna do a solid axle swap which can be even bigger money!

How much extra strain does a 2" suspension lift put on the prop shafts, cv joints and drive shafts?? Has anyone had problems with this after a 2" lift?

[Nick V]

Nick.

You don't actually need any lift at all to fit 31" tyres. Spring lift should be fairly cheap, less than £250 including new shocks for +2" rear coils, just need to crank up the front torsion bars.

A body lift is cheaper bu you don't get longer travel like you get with the suspension lift. The main benefit of a suspension lift is the lengthened travel - plus the ability to get bigger tyres on.

The Bigger tyres are the only things that really give you more clearance as they take the axles higher off the ground, a suspension lift without bigger tyres will raise the axles a bot but only at the height of travel, on the bump stops they will still be the same height from the ground.

Body lifts are cheaper, don't raise the center of gravity, but don't give you any extra articulation.

Cheers

Andy, I already have 31" tyres so no probs, just wanted to give the car a 'little lift' Will go with springs/shocks first then maybe body later - as long as warrenty is ok,

Cheers, Nick