I'm putting an ARB Bull Bar on my 2002 Disco II. No winch yet, though that may come in time.

I've gotten conflicting info on the need to also upgrade the springs/shocks to accomodate the extra weight of the ARB bumper. The LR parts dealer I'm using (British Pacific--they seem like decent, knowledgable guys) says that I need to put heavy load OME springs and shocks on the front end, otherwise I'll be dealing with sag and an uneven ride.

The mechanic I'm using to install the bumper says no, I probably don't need to upgrade the suspension. (East-West in SB is doing the work. Disco Mike, I know that you're familiar with them...)

So which way to I go? I'd like to upgrade to the OME kit at some point anyway, but the expense is mounting. It's really the labor costs that are killing me--I'm looking at about $1,000 in labor aloneif I go with the bumper/springs/shocks install.

(By the way, if I know next to nothing about changing out the springs/shocks, I assume it's a bad idea to try the install myself?)

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. I need to replace the bumper now, and I'd really like to go wtih the ARB, but I'm not sure I can swing the parts and labor for the full bumper/shocks/springs upgrade.

 

What bumper do you have now? It doesn't sound like you have an ARB or RTE bumper so what are you replacing, the stock bumper?

 

Yes, I have the stock bumper now. My truck was hit while parked, cracking the bumper (and left turn signal). I had been considering the ARB Bull Bar in any case, so now seems like the right time, but I was hoping to do the other upgrades gradually. I'll pull the trigger on the shocks/springs as well if I can convince myself that I can do the install, or find a better quote on the labor...

My Disco is stock everything currently.

 

So the only increase in weight will be the bull bar? You're going to retain the stock bumper?

You shouldn't need to upgrade springs to handle the weight of the bull bar alone. If you go with the full ARB bumper, you will definitely want to go up to the HD springs.

 

If you are going off road and your truck has 50,000 or 60,000 miles, then your suspension has already settled more then an inch and a lift would really be a good idea.

 

No, I am replacing the stock bumper with the ARB bumper/bull bar combo. (ARB doesn't make a bull bar attachment for the stock bumper, do they?)

I think I'm going to try the shocks/springs install myself...any good sources for the Disco II manual?