Just purchased an '01 Discovery SE7.

It is overall in solid shape but needs new tires and I am planning on adding a terrarium 2" lift so going to bang it all out at once. Two quick questions:

1) I've got a highly recommended Rover shop about 60 miles from my house. For this straight forward of a project, would you guys still only trusting a rover mechanic to do the work?

2) Any strong recommendations for new tires? I want them to be a little bigger and a little more off-road (I live on a steep gravel road, constant ice and snow), but I dont want them too thick looking. Also, do I need spacers?

Thanks.

 

Lift kit is not hard to do at all very easy and lots of info online
I’m not even going to get into tires that topic has been covered so many times. Just search

 

The only hard question you should ask is. Do you want medium or HD springs ?

 

Install the lift yourself. This is a good easy project to get yourself into doing it yourself. Spend 25% of what you would have spent on the Rover shop labor for the tools you will need.

You will go broke sending a 2001 D2 to the shop every time the check engine light comes on or you think something is wrong.

As for tires. Go with BF Goodwrench all terrain TA. A little pricey but you will be glad you got them.

I'm assuming you have 16" wheels. Go with 255x70x16. or 245x75x16 with a more narrow tire. Either will give you a good look.

You don't need spacers.

As far as the lift, go medium if the lift is mostly for looks and accessional off road trails.

 

If you lift the D2 and then get new tires = 265/75R16 for 16inch wheels & 255/70R18 for 18inch wheels works very well. Lift wise go with OME MD (use the $$$ you save on installing the lift yourself and go for OME or RTE). TF MD is also good, but make sure you spray the springs down with a few coats of clear coat before installing them as their powder coat finish is weak. However I do like TF's MD springs and shocks as they give a very good ride.

Installing the lift on a RRC/D1/D2 is very easy. You'll probably have a harder time just removing the wheels due to messed up lug nut covers vs actually installing the lift itself.

 

Installing the lift is not complicated, but my experience was different than most on here in that I had to use spring compressors for removal and installation. That added quite a bit of manual labor and busted knuckles. Having a car lift available would make this much easier (watch the AB video).

 

Lift is straight forward, the first corner will take you the longest and the rest will get progressively faster. A little PB blaster and a working bottle jack will make things very easy. Shouldn't need spring compressors for a 2" lift, I've done 2 3-4" lifts without compressors.

 

Bottle jack is very convenient when removing springs. I used that instead of a spring compressor. Put the base on the axle, then jack out the top against the frame. Agree, TF MD ride very well but already look like **** after 3 years - rusty. FYI, I had a little sag of the rear after install so I added rear spacers and the back sat up nicely. I'm changing to HD springs this summer as I add more go-slow goodies.

 

I just did my springs and shocks a few months ago. Just used a jack at each corner. I’m a hack so basic mechanical ability and it really was not difficult. As already mentioned watching the Atlantic British video is huge help and spray all bolts with PB blaster several times starting a few days ahead of time. I did have to use spring compressor that I rented. I would replace seats and isolators and recommend buying new TerraFirma front shock towers (they look cool). I plan to switch to the MD springs in the future to help the ride some. Little harsh on the HD springs even with weight of Arb bumper, rack etc.

 

Go with a 3” lift. Opens up a ton of tire size, bumper/accessory options down the road. And don’t worry, you don’t have to do any of the things that people say you have to do with a 3” lift; brake lines, adjust drive angles etc.

You will not regret it.