I have a 2004 Discovery SE7 and Ive had the Terrafirma medium load 2" front & rear springs(TF042 & TF023V) installed since June of 2013. Theyve only had 8,000 miles put on them since then and they have always sagged or if this is normal, then they have always sat low in the rear.

The front currently sits at 21" and the rear sits at 19.75". Those measurements are taken from the center of the wheel hub to the fender arch. I dont have the plastic fender arch trim covers on. In addition, stock height should be 19.7" +/- 0.6" so in best case scenario(19.1" stock height) I got 1.9"F & 0.7"R increase over stock with supposedly 2" lift springs, at worst(20.3" stock height) only got 0.7"F increase and actually have a negative 0.6" decrease over stock.

These are on the original stock dampers/shocks and the people at Lucky8 where I bought them tried to tell me the problem is the dampers but I dont see how weak dampers can cause suspension droop, at least not by 1.25". Maybe they were trying to find something else to blame so they wouldnt have to send me a new set of springs.

Barring a bad set of springs, Im thinking maybe part of the problem could be that my Discovery is an SE7 version which I imagine is heavier in the back than the regular version. Those rear jump seats seem pretty heavy just by operating them but Im not certain by how much and Im not about to unbolt them to find out. Plus I dont know how heavy all the rear trim for the cubbies in the regular non-SE7 version are to compare them to.

I also have an aftermarket steel rim and bigger tire combination for my spare hanging off the back door, a roof rack and an OEM rear ladder so Im not sure how much weight that adds to the rear as well.

I know the last time I weighed my truck I was at 5086lbs. Stock OEM curb weight is listed at 4200-4900lbs. which is a huge range so I dont know what baseline these suspension manufacturers use to design and spec their springs.

Any comments? Click on attachment to see pic.

 

so your running 2 inch over springs but with 10-year old stock length shocks is that correct?

 

If you've had 2" lift springs and old standard shocks, then your springs could have had a terrible beating over the last 8000 miles, resulting in the sag.

You've damaged your own springs by not swapping shocks as well.

Or thats how I read it.

I have the same lift, with upgraded shocks, and i would say mine is maybe 0.5" lower at the back. Mine is a 2004 S. With a Hannibal rack. So, no rear jump seats. You can get a spacer to pad out the back. but Im happy to run with it for now.

 

I have a 2" TF MD kit on one of my own D2 for over a year. It sits perfectly level as do the other 50 kits we've sold this year. Please do not think that we are not trying to help you. I would send you new springs if they were the issue. Beat up old shocks can absolutely ruin your new springs as we explained to you on the phone and as other people will tell you here. They are not rebounding as the should and are creating extra wear on your springs.

To answer one of your questions: The rear jump seats in a D2 each weigh around 70lbs

Question for you: How many miles are on your stock shocks?

Can you give me a measurement from the wheel center to the high tide mark?

CappedUp, how is the 2" TF MD kit (Springs and Shocks) I sent you sitting?

 

I just put on the same springs with Terrafirma shocks within the past week. I am getting 21.5" +/- a bit from wheel center to wheel arch. Just as a test, I compressed my 144k mile original shocks fully after I pulled them. They are still fully compressed today and have not rebounded one millimeter. They are SHOT. My original springs and shocks gave me 19" center to arch, so they definitely were sagging from age.

I concur with the previous statements that your original shocks are more than likely the cause of your possibly now worn springs.

 

Between 0.25 and 0.5 low at the back. I was leaving things for a while, see how they react with my winter tires and wheels. I might in the future get a front bumper, so that could also level things out. If I care I could get some spacers, but Idont. For now.

1.25" out is serious breakage. It doesn't take a vast amount of common sense to see how old, short shocks could affect springs. Over 8000 miles.....

 

Yes.

Crap. I wasnt aware that Lucky8 hangs out at other forums. Now Im embarrassed for calling yall out. I was nicer about it on the Lucky8 forum .

My limited knowledge of suspensions leads me to believe that its the springs that hold up the truck and that the dampers just control or "dampen" the bounciness of the springs. Is this not the case? If its not and its the dampers that help hold up the truck then if I change the dampers at this point my springs should still do their job and also be at 2", no?

 

yes; the springs hold the body up and the shocks damper the rebound.
But if your springs can not go to full extension then it cant hold the body up; correctly.

Using wrough numbers your shocks that only open to say 12 inches will not let your spring open to the 14 inches it needs to ride correctly. Can make it any simpler than that

 

WOW!! Finally someone explained it. It makes perfect sense now.

I never even considered that the dampers may be stretched to the max preventing full extension of the springs. I always assumed the stock dampers would have enough builtin extension range to allow for full articulation and axle drop, you know, with this being an "off-road" vehicle and all.

THANKS!!!

 

now go buy some good +2 shocks