This is our introduction and the first of many questions. My wife and I just bought a 97 Disco. SE this past Wednesday and we got such a good deal on it we want to put a lift, new axles and new tires on it. Diff guards, bumpers and rock sliders go without saying. We're currently wheeling a Series III and the Disco. was just the next logical step.

We are thinking about a RTE suspension kit wit the 2" or 3" lift. We've searched this site for about two hours today looking at old posts and from what we see RTE has a very good reputation. The reason Iwe're looking at the whole kit at one time is that we "assume” most of the vibration/mating up problems will be straightened out this way. Also we believe a kit will be easier for us to install. We've got limited shop skills but almost unlimited space and tools and all of the time in the world. The axles will be Great Basin HD and I'm sticking with 33" MT's.

What are y'alls opinions about the RTE kits? The majority of our wheeling will be rocky/muddy trail type of stuff and if we could we would go out every weekend and wheel somewhere so it will get used a good deal.

Thanks,
Michael & Harriet

PS: Berate and flame us where needed.

Invest in your series as it will retain its value. Keep your disco for shopping trips.

Is your wife a looker? Maybe we can help.

We love swingers here.

JP

Michael/Harriet:

I have RTE springs on the back of my rig. I also have the Bilstein shocks. I also have OME springs on one truck and Bearmach on another with the OME shox. Of them, I prefer the RTE springs and the OME shox.

Go with the RTE springs and OME long travel shocks.

At first, don't worry about the vibes, lift and see what you end up with-AFTER you replace the universal joints. Do not attempt to lift the truck without replacing the universals and making the universal joint conversion for the rear. I have replaced two rear driveshafts and am finally on the third with u-joints at both ends. On the front, I am now on my third front driveshaft and countless universal joints. Someday, I'll get that CV shaft on the front (shut up Pendy, maybe I'll do it before Moab).

With open diffs and careful application of that skinny pedal on the right, you won't need the axles-yet.

I have the ARB bumper and like it even though it does act as a bulldozer at times.

I'll let Pendy comment on sliders as he is the expert.

I like my slides slippery

I'll let Pendy comment on sliders as he is the expert.

He's White Castle's best customer...

Sell the disco and put the money in the Series.

Standards seem to be falling around here. Allow me.

:flipoff2:

Welcome newbie!

Since Discoweb is down :flipoff2:

I personally would go with 2in RTE and 10in shocks all around. I would also get the RTE trailing arms but leave the radius arms alone for now.

If you do have the rotoflex rear driveshaft (97 was a split year) replace it with the u-joint one (I have a U-joint rear shaft you can have for $100). If you are going 3in I would replace the front with a DII shaft with greaseable U-joints.

With 33in tires you will want to use all the spacers on the RTE trailing arms and move the axle back 3/4in or so. Then do some hacking and you will be ok. This is the main reason to ditch the rotoflex as with the spaced trailing arms it will not last.

33x10.50 boggers on 16x7 wheels would be good for down south wheeling.

Don't spend anymore money than this until you are locked and ready to go.

Ron

Oh ya, keep the disco stock and wheel the series!

OMG, if the SIII is gonna increase in value, why wheel it?

Why wheel a truck that gets wet when you go plowing through water? Gets cold when it's cold out and hot when hot out. And, you can't hear the stereo because you've become deaf from driving to the place to go wheeling.

Why wheel a truck you can't realistically drive to where you're gonna wheel?

Keep the SIII stock and wheel the Disco.

I love my Series trucks, but love to wheel the Disco after driving it ten hours to where I wheel. I may have driven the SIII from Jersey, but I'm sure as hell not driving it to Utah!

Peace,
PT