Powered lowering of suspension

I'm about to move into a new house and there's a wall around the building with a gate at the entrance. I want to get my 110 inside the gates so it can spend time in it's natural habitat (on axle stands) and I think it may just squeeze in by itself. Unfortunately I also have a Brownchurch HD roof rack and it's never going to fit in with that on. I don't really use the roof rack that much but getting it on and off is a right pain so I like to just leave it on there.

When it first arrives at the house I plan on getting some ratchet straps around the axles to make sure I get it in but as a long term solution I was wondering if there's any kind of powered way of reducing the height. Ideally what I'd like to do is be able to pull up outside the house and press a button to open the gate, then press a button to lower the Defender, and I'll just drive in. Does such a thing exist?

Yup if youve got a few grand to spend on an air ride kit.

Dig out under the gate area

I don't mind the "few grand" part but I don't fancy air suspension.
I think I might have to get used to getting the roof rack on and off a bit faster. I'd get my wife to help but she's only about 5"2. Maybe if she can get on my two year old daughters shoulders she might be more use.

How much do you need to lower it by to get through the gate? you could look into lowered springs that can reduce the height by 1-2 inches. Tyre size? Could get a few more cm down with smaller sidewalls.

fit a CTI system and let the air out of the tires every time you go under the gate

If you do not use the roof rack dump it, The extra weight and drag do lower your mpg. I have a set of roof bars, quick and easy to put on take off.

I’m not sure how much I need to lower it right now as I have neither the house nor the Defender to hand and won’t for a few months (it’s complicated). I think it’s just a couple of inches. I do agree that I probably shouldn’t be keeping the roof rack on there but I will need it occasionally for overlanding and I don’t know anyone in my new area that can help me remove/replace it at the moment. I might just settle for the air suspension, new gadgets are always fun. I think I need to get it here and work out how much lower it has to go.

What about a set of wheels or castors that can be put on the hub or axle end with the road wheels taken off. Obviously your going to have to push or winch it into place, but a lot cheaper and easier than a lot of solutions.
Personally I prefer removing the cage. and just get a couple of sets of roof bars. I use rhino rack bars on my 90 if I have to. Expensive but very good.

Here you go. These are the extra clearance legs, I got them special order.

kevstar said:

Yup if youve got a few grand to spend on an air ride kit.

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I know this is a viable option on the back with the spring sitting independent of the shock absorber, the spring could easily be swapped out with airbag. However on the front, remember the shocks sit within the springs unlike the P38, so what airbag options are there for that setup?

ifloochies said:

I know this is a viable option on the back with the spring sitting independent of the shock absorber, the spring could easily be swapped out with airbag. However on the front, remember the shocks sit within the springs unlike the P38, so what airbag options are there for that setup?

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Front L322

Cheers

ifloochies said:

I know this is a viable option on the back with the spring sitting independent of the shock absorber, the spring could easily be swapped out with airbag. However on the front, remember the shocks sit within the springs unlike the P38, so what airbag options are there for that setup?

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You can get twin shock front towers, so just use the extra one and leave the central one empty.

Twinnie said:

I don't mind the "few grand" part but I don't fancy air suspension.
I think I might have to get used to getting the roof rack on and off a bit faster. I'd get my wife to help but she's only about 5"2. Maybe if she can get on my two year old daughters shoulders she might be more use.

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Air susp in nice and very controllable, but if venturing far off the beaten track I would stick with standard coils.

How often do you go over landing?

just take the rack off lol

If you can afford to organise and pay for a suspension upgrade surely you can find someone to help remove the roof rack?
Sounds like a drastic way of overcoming the problem! Either cut the gates and remove the offending obstruction, cut and raise by added extension pieces. Alternatively cut and shut the rack so it’s got a lower profile. Or sell the rack and purchase a lower profile one.
The suspension alteration just sounds unnecessarily daft, in my opinion.

Yes, it does sound like a drastic solution, but it's not a problem I need to fix urgently so I have time to mull it over. Unfortunately we're in a new country for a few years, we don't speak the local language, and the house has been provided so I don't think we'll be popular if we start chopping bits off it. I'm now thinking that another solution may be just some kind of platform my wife can stand on so she can help me get it off, assuming she's strong enough. Or maybe with the ratchet straps around the axles she'll be able to reach it.

Just let the air out of the rear tyres, and keep an air compressor at home - or the CTI system, as mentioned. Most defenders sit high at the back - you don't need the front on air anyway - could probably work fine on rear air bags only IMHO

frog hopper said:

What about a set of wheels or castors that can be put on the hub or axle end with the road wheels taken off. Obviously your going to have to push or winch it into place, but a lot cheaper and easier than a lot of solutions.
Personally I prefer removing the cage. and just get a couple of sets of roof bars. I use rhino rack bars on my 90 if I have to. Expensive but very good.

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If you are going to do that just fit a set of standard steels with no tyres on. It will then drive under its own steam (carefully And slowly) and will easily fit under. But it is not a quick solution. It depends how often the op is likly to need to do it. I did this with mine when I removed the axle on my series so I did not need to jack the vehicle silly high, and I know a friend did this to get his into the garage for an engine overhaul.