I recently bought my Disco and have taken it out for it's maiden voyage, and I'm making a list of upgrades.
2000 LRD2
SLS
192K miles
Old Man Emu front shocks and Steering stabilizer (no idea how old/miles are on them - seem to work ok)
Rear shocks look kinda stock.
Just added 255/75/16 e rated tires

The type of use is this:
Daily Driver, and ...
Loaded for multiple days of camping with roof tent, (mostly 2 people)
Long highway jaunts (8 hours), with LONG gravel, washboard roads (4 hours), with short but terrifying rock crawling. Think Death Valley, lots of ground to cover, not a lot of technical stuff but you want to float over washboards for hours at a time, and have a CDL for sure when you need it.

I really like the SLS bags, and plan to keep them. Bags leak out overnight, so I'll end up putting in some new Arnott bags as part of this project.
I'm considering a 2" "puck" style lift: Land Rover Discovery II SLS 2" Suspension Lift Kit
I'd like to keep the lift to a minimum so I'm not fighting driveline angles, also, I already have a monster truck suburban, and one lower down is just easier for everyone.
Maybe keeping the front springs (they seem to work fine)?

Ideally I'd like the shocks to be adjustable so I can tailor the ride to the job at hand.
When I go to the Lucky 8 web site for example, the high end they offer is Fox (no reservoir or adjustment) and Terrra Firma (adjustable).
Based on price I assume these are pretty similar?


Anyone put on Fox 2.0 or Bilstein 7100?
Do I need new shock towers for these?
Anyone have a recommendation here?
thanks!
Nick

 

So off the shelf Fox seems like there is no inventory, and they are way behind on production.
So...
Help me out here if you have bought 7100s for your D2.

I was going down the road of measuring the stock shock lengths to find a Bilstein 7100 to fit, but it seems the front lower eyes on the Disco are not just eyes, so the shock needs to be specific for this, or perhaps an adapter?

I also found these guys: DISCOVERY 2 REAR BILSTEIN 7100 KIT
They seem to be in Portugal and say they have LR D2 7100 specific shocks in stock. Though pricey, at USD of ~1,000 per set!
Anyone buy from these guys?

 

RTE makes an adapter for the front. I have fox 2.0s on the green disco and with no bumpers and not a lot of weight in the vehicle the ride is definitely on the firm side. I have not driven them off-road yet but my wife took it to moab and had no complaints when off pavement. Bilstien 7100s should run like $200 a corner at most here in the states though everything has a long lead time right now from what I understand. Friend just ordered some 7100s and they are a 6-8 week wait.

 

Yeah, I saw the Moab trip pics! Funny you should mention, after searching and calling around I finally just called RTE and Simon (who seems awesome) is going to order some 7100s for me and have them valved for the big white pig, along with the front adapters.

I have heard that FOX is really behind on supply, and that Bilstein (here in California) should take 6 weeks or so, which I can live with.
The hard question for me is if I should lift it or not. I'm keeping the SLS, and I honestly don't think I *need* a lift, so I'm leaning to just keeping it stock height. Don't get me wrong, I plan on wheeling it. I just thing the D2 is plenty capable at stock ride height. I have a lifted Suburban and it just makes everything less convenient for loading wife/kid/dog/camping gear.
The disco has really good stock clearance. Maybe I'll get some sliders...

 

I think you're on the right track. Just get some armor and some diff/undercarriage armor and you should be good to go! It will progress to bumpers but the clearance stock is impressive and with better approach/departure angles (or at least metal ones that won't bend/crack lol) it is even better.

 

So I just bought these 40mm (1.6" pucks from Britpart - from Rimmer bros in UK) front and rear. Britpart DA6341 & DA6342. Front & Rears for SLS, look like this.

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I got them and have't installed. But I opened them up and they are very well done, not crappy and I was impressed.

Don't buy from Toddco. A bummer because his stuff is cool. He's completely unresponsive and checked out and I had a bad experience.

I am going to try to run these with my stock springs and stock shocks (brand new replaced w/ genuine Rover shocks, for ACE)

 

If lifting, I'd do the pucks in the rear and keep the SLS but I'd run new bigger springs in the front with appropriately sized shocks. You won't get the most from the lift on stock length shocks and personally I'm not a fan of pucks over 1" for leveling purpose on coil springs but that's just my preference. For the money I don't think you can beat the 7100s shortbody shocks, great performance, best dimensions I've seen offered and the price is right.

 

I use the 2.0’s & like them. I have 75k miles on these with no weeping and no noticeable or extreme wearing out.
I spoke with fox and it would be virtually same cost to send them to be rebuilt w new valves so I ordered another set for new disco back in early September. They hoped for late November to get them to me.. still no sign of them. I feel like I’ll see them January?

so if you need them sooner then later.. maybe lucky8 has some on the shelf?

 

The price to rebuild and re-valve is the same as a new pair of shocks? Ouch. They looks easy enough to rebuild, but the re-valving might be more of an art.

I called around several places and have heard that Fox is just way behind this year, and have been hit hard by Covid.
I also don't think anyone has them on the shelves. One guy (maybe roversnorth?) said if you find a set in stock buy them immediately.

I ordered Bilstein 7100s from RTE, there will be a wait, but I get it.

 

Here are a few things I read before I bought my lift pucks (which are 1.6" - 40mm) for my ACE / SLS truck.

3 things. Are these true?

1) Stock length shocks should be OK with an approx 1.5 inch puck lift. And with 2" you may get reach end of travel and hear knocking in rear at standard ride height. And definitely when in off-road mode with the airsprings you will hit the end of the shocks on big bumps off-road.

2) ACE shocks actually have longer travel because of the ACE system. Is that true? I saw a few montions on the Aussie board about it, but couldn't verify. I have new LR genuine ACE shock absorbers on all 4 corners

3) When you lift a truck, with stock shocks, and you have SLS and raise into off-road mode. You *will* hit end of shock travel on rear (that's 3.6" above standard ride height for me then using stocker ACE shocks.