So last weekend I installed the SYA kit and 2" proud Rhino lift rods. Took me most of the day on Saturday and Sunday. It is not to hard especially if you have the right tools. And if you have a lift it will go much quicker. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures the first day.

For the front two wheels, the strut and the wishbone shaped piece it goes into are a real pain to get back together. The problem is the strut likes to extend into the CV shaft when you take it all the way off, so then you have to figure out how to compress it and get the collar of the wishbone piece back on. Removing the lower control arm from the body helps, but that in of itself is also a pain. It is torqued pretty tight and without a lift you don't have much of an angle to loosen it. I got it with a 24 inch breaker bar that I could only turn about 30 degrees.

Once you get everything apart installing the kit and lift rods are a piece of cake. You will have to remove the filter box. Hint it just pulls up and towards the engine, no screws attaching it to the body.

Now for the back, I was thinking this was going to be supper easy. Only one bolt on the suspension to undo and three on the rear shock. Sadly it was not to be. If you own a 110 with the rear seats you are in for a world of hurt. In order to get to the shocks bolts you have to remove the rear side panels. Which also means you have to remove the rear seats. In my case I have already removed those seats and put a drawer system in. I did have to remove the drawers, side rails, and then finally the side panels.

The plus side to this is I got to see the ****ty job the dealer did when they changed out the telemetrics battery and they appeared to have broken all the clips at the c-pillar and couldn't be bothered to replace any of them. I replaced them and now I have gotten rid of some of the rattles I was having.

The only real issue I had in the back was the adapting dampening wire was almost not long enough to reach the lowered shock. I think this is only an issue if you have the rear cooling assist as the ductwork is in the way. I just rerouted the wire to be underneath.

So all this work is in preparation to put 35s on the defender. I still need to do some trimming in the back of the front wheel well but otherwise I should be good to go.



Before - 2023

After - 2025

And for those who have ever wonder what is behind the side panels in the rear of the defender here are some photos for you.

Driver Side

Passenger Side

 

Great post.

So -- After my trip to Moab this past week, with 33” tires and 1.5” lift rods, and tolerating the crap bone jarring ride in high suspension height and the suspension compressor overheating all day in 105 degree weather this is my next move. (2” lift and SYA kit). Good to know you can do it at home, I was going to have a shop do it)

How is the ride when you put it in the high height? Decent now?

Also -- you are the guy who removed the 3rd row & put the Goose Gear in the 7 seater, is that right? (!!!!). I would love to see final install pics. I am thinking of doing the same thing. Do you retain the ability to move your 2nd row seats fwd/aft in their normal range of motion or does the Goose Gear floor stick out too far forward? (no one has been able to answer this question)

 

I have not had a chance to test it out in high yet. In normal height I have not noticed any big difference, though I am not I am very in tune with that. I have noticed that when cornering the car pitches more to the outside. I am planning to get 35s in the next week and then go for a test ride. I spent last weekend removing the pinch weld in the back of the front wheel well.


Pinch weld before removal. Lucky8 and Saltek both have videos on how and what to trim. It is a little difficult to get a sawzall in there. I used a combo of sawzall and dremel with cutoff wheel.

A picture of the liner back in after removal of the pinch weld. Need to figure out a way cover the gap so debris doesn't build up

I am not the one who did goose gear. I asked them about it when they first came out and they where less than helpful. I have installed a travall drawer system. Had it shipped from the UK. I did remove the third row and put in a second battery system.



Also next time you go to Utah let me know. I am only four hours away.

 

Is that partition an aftermarket unit? Do you happen to have a link or name of the product? I'd love to get one, but not a huge fan of the OEM cage partition.

 

So it is aftermarket. Got it from Amazon.

 

What drawer unit is that?

 

I'm assuming this is the 5 seater.

I need to get to my shock mounts in the 7 seater. I think my shock mounts/shocks are failing. A royal PITA to get to them. This picture is giving me nightmares. lol

 

travall - shipped from the UK. There wasn't any good choice two years ago here in the US.

 

Nope it is/was a 7 seater. I removed the 3rd row for my second battery system and drawer. So it will be a royal pain if you have to remove seat too plus the lower side rails and the side panels and the upper side panels. I also broke the clips but had replacements

 

Ahh - OK ! Looks like you have a cracking good setup then (and Goose Gear hasn’t answered my queries either, oh well!). Thank you ! I will hopefully be a year behind you in the tires / SYA kit / 35’s soon.