[jchristian79]

Has anyone run a bracket lift like the Kemimoto brackets along with the S3 hd springs? I’m looking for around a 2-3” lift but don’t want to go the puck route. I’ve heard good things about the S3’s but want a little more lift for clearance than just the springs would do.

This is on my 2018 Defender Max HD8. I’ll be using it a lot at the deer lease with 4-5 passengers and a lot of corn so I think I could use the beefier springs. But it’s very rocky and rutted. With stock height, I’ve been scraping the bottom a lot.

Edit: I should add that my current clearance unloaded is right at 10 3/4”

 

[BombardierBomb]

Just gonna throw this out there: in "stock" configuration, your shock absorber is your effective travel limiter. It's possible a bracket lift can allow your suspension to over-travel the CV axles ability to stroke, and you can pop 'em outta the diff. Just do some research (and I'm fairly sure the defender guys can offer their input) before settling on that bracket lift.

 

[SuperATV]

@BombardierBomb is right. The springs give you lift already, and I'm afraid adding a lift would put your axles at too steep an angle and bind up the CV's.

Your best bet would be forward A-arms and bigger tires to get that extra ground clearance. Or....portals if you want to go really big.

 

[jchristian79]

Thanks for that info, I certainly don't want to be killing my CVs. With my suspension at 10 3/4" clearance right now (and stock is 11" I think), how much lift would the S3 springs realistically give me? I know it states they fix the suspension sag and sometimes gives extra lift, but I'm not sure how much I could realistically get.

 

[mallard2]

What setting are your shocks currently set at?

 

[jchristian79]

They’re at the stock setting I believe, the lowest/softest.

 

[mallard2]

I went from 11 to 14” of ground clearance by
1. switching to the can am hd springs
2. Setting the front to the stiffest, rear to middle.
3. Switching from stock to 30” tires with forward a-arms

 

[jchristian79]

I guess going from stock 27” to 30” tires would give 3” of lift, but I was hoping for something a bit less expensive.

 

[BombardierBomb]

I guess going from stock 27” to 30” tires would give 3” of lift

Not to get too far off into the weeds, but you'd technically only achieve 1.5" of lift, going to 30's from 27. Gotta split the 3" gain, remember. 1.5" to the ground, 1.5" to the bike.

 

[jchristian79]

Lol, duh. Geez🤦‍♂️

Dang, so the safest way to achieve a 2-3" lift without damaging the CV's is probably going to be the S3 springs and bigger tires. That's gonna be around $1500 I guess. I just don't think I can justify that cost right now after everything else I've just done to it. Maybe I'll start with the springs and see how that goes.