I've mostly been reading old threads on this subject and realize it has probably been covered a million times, but am unsure if the restriction to 19 or 20 inch wheels applies to my vehicle since it doesn't have Brembo branded calipers but the grey ones that say Range Rover instead. Also one wonders if some info is no longer the case.
I have a new set of 285 65 18's that I would love to run if I can buy an 18 inch wheel that will work. I also have wheel spacers if the brakes are not an issue of the diameter but more an issue of the caliper thickness.
I am modding my vehicle to be an overland style.
So far I have come across compomotive 18's and TuffAnt Kimberly's but am hoping there are more options for my particular case. It's difficult to be certain since you have so many rules in the UK. I can do whatever I want with wheels and tires here so hopefully that opens up options. Ideally I would like to run a +21 offset and just buy a 18 inch wheel with that offset.

Any advice would be very much appreciated!
Thanks!

Brakes are still large 6 pot callipers, very little regulation here, you can fit whatever will fit in the UK...

The new defender runs 18's in basic trim and I believe they are steel rims so much stronger for your needs...

They would be my first choice to see if they would fit....

My old fatty on those size tyres....

Good to know that you can use anything that will fit. Sometimes trying to read between the lines on similar threads leads one to wrong conclusions about the MOT inspections.
As far as steel wheels goes, that is good info to know that they may be available as an option, although it is usually the weight that is a problem for me. This vehicle will likely be 95% on paved roads.
Ole Fatty looks like a great setup.
I will be installing a 2 inch suspension spacer lift on the vehicle to move the bump stops down and a 2 inch lift. I am thinking I may be able to run 33 or perhaps even 33.5 diameter tires with some trimming. And am wondering that maybe just sticking with the 20's is the best compromise.

You can raise the suspension heights with a diagnostic tool like the Gap IID then drop it back to normal to drive home....

Don't know how much off roading you have done but you don't need to jack the fatty up loads for it to cope with quite severe terrain. They have no hanging diffs and they don't need height for articulation, the electronics sorts out it's grip...

Fatty off roader would go further than a 90 any day, it was rarely stopped by terrain.

There is a technique to drive these off road, you need a slow but very constant throttle, even if it stops momentarily, keep you foot still, the electronics will sort out grip and away you will go... Lots of YouTube vids of failed climbs etc and 95% is down to the technique used to drive it...

I went to 32's because I could with the earlier 322 and smaller brakes but they are superb on the standard size of 29"....  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
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Pete might disagree with part of the following:-
If you're driving offroad, use command shift to make sure you are in the correct gear - a very basic guide is 1st low range downhill, 2nd or 3rd low uphill, change at the point of equilibrium and use (and get used to!) left foot braking to keep the torque delivery smooth - don't be on and off the throttle, feather the brake to give granular control. The main thing is to look ahead, plan direction, acceleration/deceleration and gear for where you're going, not where you are - what you learn is correct for a manual 'box is mostly wrong for an auto, in a manual you only use brakes to stop or regain grip, in an auto, use the brakes for control. Make the wheelbase work for you, cross ditches and humps at an angle rather than straight-on and trim your speed by deceleration to stop a slide or loss of traction, if you get all four wheels spinning, turning the steering or blipping the throttle can force traction control into action to regain grip, as can reversing...
Most of all, have fun, and remember that all LR's were developed to perform on standard tyres, giving it more grip is giving it more time before it gets stuck, which is almost always down to the driver

I agree with most of that, a lot is down to personal style... You can make it far more complicated than it needs to be... as with advanced driving, forward vision and hazard perception are vital...

What I would say is that the gearbox is much better than me at knowing which gear to be in, demands from the driver to swap cogs can confuse HDC and TC just when you don't want it... I did thousands of off road miles and never used command shift...  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

The advantage you have over the gearbox is.... eyes. You can see what is coming and select the correct gear, the transmission can only react not prepare.

BTW, that's the bit I thought you'd disagree with! The training I passed on was a starting point, not a 'must always do', on the more advanced courses there was some counter-intuitive techniques involved - such as the 'recovery from failed hill ascent' and 'recover from loss of traction on decent' both of which require trust in the drivers ability and a check of the seatbelt inertia function...

Here's what happens when the spotter gets it wrong

Mine could change gear quick enough so you didn't have to worry about looking ahead and deciding in advance, never felt it was in the wrong gear...

And the guy jumping the dune must be telepathic as he obviously knew no one was coming the other way, that's not off roading, it's stupidity and any gear would have done.....lol....!!!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ly187tZEWW0 Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ly187tZEWW0


DOOOOH!

Haylands wrote:

I went to 32's because I could with the earlier 322 and smaller brakes but they are superb on the standard size of 29"....

So what do you guys with fitting larger tires and wheels think of this plan?

- 2 inch electronic lift with 2 inch suspension spacers as mentioned
- 20 inch factory wheels with 35mm wheel spacers to change the overall offset to +23 from +58 and 305 55 20's which should end up just at around 33 inches diameter.

Going by the numbers the lower offset and reduced upward travel (from the suspension spacers) should position the tires so they don't rub the liners on the inside of the tire but they will stick out of the wheel wells approximately an inch (which I want). I suspect there will be some liner trimming and honestly would be happy going even taller if possible if its reasonably simple. I am a little concerned that when turning the fronts wheel the front may hit the bottom of the firewall at the footwell, but I am not sure the wheel wells look pretty big.

I have done a similar lift on a 2011 grand cherokee which is a very similar vehicle.

At that much lift you may run out of alignment adjustment, I would imagine it will rub at both front and back of the wheel arches and if you have an airleak from anywhere that drops it on the bumpstops it will destroy the front wings and damage the rear arches...

You are in a bit of uncharted territory so will have to work out the fix along the way...

On a side note if you play with suspension heights via a diagnostic tool you can blow an airbag as there is no safety stop....

You will also get accelerated wear in most suspension parts with the increased offset and the steering will suffer with bump steer and the expensive rack will have a shorter life....

Keep us posted....  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Yes I agree those are all very valid concerns. I think I have them figured out though. I am new to the forum and wasn't sure if suspension spacer lifts on air suspension was something that is routinely done on range rovers. I have seen a fair number owners online who lift the vehicle with shorter height rods only, which I don't really consider a good idea with taller tires for exactly the reasons that you listed.

For those who are interested, the idea is to add a 2 inch steel spacer above the struts and air spring in the front. another 2 inch spacer above the air spring in the back and also a 2 inch spacer for the damper in the rear. This has the effect of putting the suspension back into the same orientation as it was stock with the airbags filled to their normal amount as from the factory, but with the vehicle lifted 2 inches. An added virtue is that it also positions the internal bump stops 2 inches lower which limits the upward travel of the suspension, and keeps taller tires out of the fenders or wings (hopefully enough). I guess I should call them wings since this is a British vehicle.

The spacer kit I have also has a camber adjusting bolt for the front struts to enable correction of the alignment.

The designer of the spacer lift says that there isn't a problem with bump steer at 2 inch lift. He also sells a 4 inch kit which corrects the mounting location of the steering for bump steer as well as drop bracket for the lower control arms.

With regard to the wheel spacers the extra scrub radius added is at least partially mitigated by the taller tires. Effectively I believe the added scrub will be less than 25mm which jeeps can handle no problem. but the weight and size will tax the suspension bearings and steering more, I think that is unavoidable but also its not that outlandish.

Exactly the right 'sweet spot' tire size is still an unknown but I will do some experimenting and measuring to hopefully figure it out before deciding. A 1.5 inch increased diameter tire with bump stops moved down 2 inches might work I am thinking.

Sounds like you have it covered then, might be worth loosening and then tightening all suspension arms with the car at the new height as you will wind them up a bit which may lead to premature failure...

Good luck...  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-