I have owned just about every version of pre-2012 Land Rovers… And just picked up a 2014 base LR2 which I am thinking about retrofitting for some off-road work on the narrower trails I usually take my Samurai to.
Looking for others, who may have done 2 to 3 inch lifts and tire recommendations. I have the 18s, And I’m curious how others have found these for more serious offroading. It will be in the Phoenix area.

 

Truly, I have not done a lift, I have the right tires; and I have yet to get her stuck in in the mud or in a bog, and able to build a new path over granite, old forest and farm land at my brother's farm.
It is not so surprising. We used VW powered, very small vehicles with the right tires and 4 cyl when I was serving and you would not believe where we took those things...

 

thank you for your service! Mind if I ask what tires you are using? Are you more focused on mud or just general terrain because I will typically be in sand.
I have a four-wheel-drive samurai and a 2 Wheel Dr., and it is actually quite surprising how deep into the thick stuff I can get just with 2 Wheel Dr. So I am not surprised by your thinking.

 

I have to agree with @guy. I have done some serious wheeling in the Rockies with ours, including Engineer Pass, Yankee Boy Basin, and others, and have always gotten through without damage. There are lift kits available though. I'd call an Indy Rover shop and see what they say.

 

:-) Yes, I'd go for sand focused tires... with more footprint on the ground, oversized? (and under inflated).
For where I'm at there isn't much sand.

I trust these reviews...
https://www.tiredeets.com/best-tires-for-sand/

And truth be known, I have many sets of tires for all my vehicles. The right tire for the job, if you will.

 

check the yellow sticker on your door. the LR2 should allow for a 17" rim, as well as an 18" or 19" rim. this gives you a large selection of possible tires. It there is a specific tire you particularly want to have, you probably have the range to get it to fit the LR2. Won't be cheap to get a new rim, but at least you can do that. look at the yellow sticker and see what you can fit.