Land Rover Lightweight height....help, please..

[matchlesswdg3]

I have a vertically challenged up and over door on my lockup garage.  Will a Lightweight Land Rover fit?  The height I have  to clear the door is 1.81m and I know that is about 0.15m too low according to the max dimensions listed on the net.  But is it possible to partially dismantle the tilt - lower the load bay hoops - and have clearance?  I know I could dismantle the lot - rainwater channels over doors, lower screen, etc, but that is a heck of a job just to get it in and out.  What is the lowest height that can be easily achieved with a bit of quick spanner work?  Can some kind soul measure up on their truck for me?  I would be v grateful.  Thanks!

[sirhc]

The height also depends on which size tyres are fitted!

[matchlesswdg3]

Yes, but I can let air out so I have a few cm to play with there.  But someone has advised me that its a 5 min job to lower the back temporarily to screen height.  So can any kind person give me the height to the top of the windscreen?  (and your tyre size) Thanks!1

 

[ruxy]

On the only correct tyres  6.50 x 16  for a British Ex-MOD  Lightweight (basic standard) ,  you should have no problems getting under a nominal 6ft - 6" up-n-over door (the actual measurement from FFL will be abt. 2" to 3" under 6ft. 6". -  You should have no problem at all in entering - just take care entering first time , esp.  if there is a downward slope on the drive.      I have to remove hood & sticks (hoops)  + galv. thingies above door tops , this with a garage I have with a 6ft U & O door + slight slope on drive. BUT - no need to drop the screen , this is just a 5 min. spanner job and gets the height right down to just under 5ft for steering wheel clearance.

Edited May 28, 2020 by ruxy
spelin

[matchlesswdg3]

Thanks.  Problem is its a low door and belongs to the Council so am stuck with it, but looks like it will shimmy under with partial tilt collapse.

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Ferg,

Had a similar problem about 28 years ago, shipping a Land Rover Station Wagon to Australia for a car rally. We had sponsorship from a container company where we could use an insulated container as they leave UK empty, problem is there is less headroom, what to do, ended up borrowing some 13 inch wheels as used on the Series 2A SAS patrol and put on some old low profile car tyres. That brought the height down, then fitted original wheels once it arrived at destination.

 

[matchlesswdg3]

Thanks, Richard!  I was advised on another forum that all you need to do is pull out the sticks from the tub and squeeze them inward so they slide down into the tub.  That also angles down the rainwater channels so that the tallest part remains the windscreen plus a couple of cm for the front tilt securing bar.  Thats a 5 minute job and gives the required clearance.  

[Richard Farrant]

7 minutes ago, matchlesswdg3 said:

Thanks, Richard!  I was advised on another forum that all you need to do is pull out the sticks from the tub and squeeze them inward so they slide down into the tub.  That also angles down the rainwater channels so that the tallest part remains the windscreen plus a couple of cm for the front tilt securing bar.  Thats a 5 minute job and gives the required clearance.  

Hi Ferg,

Your solution sounds easier than swapping wheels over !!!

[ruxy]

12 hours ago, matchlesswdg3 said:

Thanks, Richard!  I was advised on another forum that all you need to do is pull out the sticks from the tub and squeeze them inward so they slide down into the tub.  That also angles down the rainwater channels so that the tallest part remains the windscreen plus a couple of cm for the front tilt securing bar.  Thats a 5 minute job and gives the required clearance.  

Not a trick I would try -  because , you would have to well slacken the associated fixings ,you could damage the galv. rainwater channels (new genuine are more or less unobtainium) copy part are rubbish in comparison , also you could damage the rear door-top seal strip and the shark-tooth rail into the bargain (read as for rainwater channels -  ££ ) . Into the bargain I doubt if you could slam the doors shut.   Into the bargain  - if houseproud of internal tub paintwork ,  btw - the stick hoops are already squeezed in a bit more (abt. 5/8" ) in comparison to a civvy model  (compare distance over sockets) - this is all to do with design flog of the max. o'all width being 5ft max. across bodyside cappings.  Plus to a certain extent you are pitching camp in the dark  LoL