Ready to make the jump from stock to mods...

[SlimGrim]

Damn so much to take in! Haha thanks for all your replies, it seems there's a lot more options to consider lift wise than I thought then correct me if I'm wrong but to just accommodate some slightly larger tyres (not sure if I'll go up to 31's just yet) that some 2"lift rear springs would do nicely as with some rears for the front? I may need a run through once I have accumulated all the necessary parts for this as I'm guessing there's a good weekend or 2 of work in this? So I'd have to re-insure and drive my X-90 in the time it's off the road.
As for a winch bumper I really like the design of the one that some guy recently advertised on here and it's the one you see plastered all over eBay on the first page of results I'll post a reference photo later once I'm on a of not my phone, still waiting to find a hard top so if anyone has any ideas or yards to call up then I'm all ears

[twiss]

For tyres like 235s the rears up front and 2" lifted rear springs will fit and give a nice lifted appearance. I'd go for it.
I doubt it will take 2 weekends. The most annoying part is getting stuck bolts out. and removing the bushes

If I were you, before you even have any springs I would have a go at un-sticking the bolts for the springs. Apply lots of WD40!
If you can get them cracked off and then tightened up again it will make it a hell of a lot quicker than battling with the old bolts and changing everything at once

[ScottieJ]

You will need some fabricating skills to do a rears up front (ruf) conversion properly with the best results! You need to move or make a new front shackle hanger.

tbh if you are planning on getting a new front bumper you won't need any lift for the 235/75 tyres so I probably wouldn't bother with the suspension for now, just get the bumper, trim off the old bumper mounts and fit the tyres.

[twiss]

The springs will make it slightly better off road though. I'd fit them just for the improved breakover angle

[andyrew]

Id go spring over axle with a minimum of 12 inch shackles.
Make sure you point all your diffs up to alteast 45 degress.
Dont forget to bend the shit out of your steering link for
A wicked ź bar, weld a shedload of angle iron or plate on for good
Measure and extra kudos.

Or go for a wee lift on some 235s or 30x9.5 15s. But as scott
Mentioned previously they will clear with minimal clearance on standard springs. Rascal or Supercarry rears used to be populr as a cheaper lift on the rear.

[ScottieJ]

The springs will make it slightly better off road though. I'd fit them just for the improved breakover angle

Just the increase in tyre size will increase the breakover angle a bit, the extra lift from the springs will make a minimal difference tbh, it's not like sjs really suffer from a lack of breakover angle very often.

Id go spring over axle with a minimum of 12 inch shackles.
Make sure you point all your diffs up to alteast 45 degress.
Dont forget to bend the shit out of your steering link for
A wicked ź bar, weld a shedload of angle iron or plate on for good
Measure and extra kudos.

Dunt 4get sum drop shakles/Dflex/missing links 4 sum hektic flex

[ROBBIE]

Id go spring over axle with a minimum of 12 inch shackles.
Make sure you point all your diffs up to alteast 45 degress.
Dont forget to bend the shit out of your steering link for
A wicked ź bar, weld a shedload of angle iron or plate on for good
Measure and extra kudos.

Dunt 4get sum drop shakles/Dflex/missing links 4 sum hektic flex

If you going to use angle iron just make the front shackles out of it, much cheapness and an epic look

[twiss]

Just the increase in tyre size will increase the breakover angle a bit, the extra lift from the springs will make a minimal difference tbh, it's not like sjs really suffer from a lack of breakover angle very often.

I still managed to beach mine on the chassis rails with 235s on

I also manged to break the little nub off the bottom of the tcase.... the one that is supposed to protect the drain nut.
Driving up a 45* concrete slope onto flat road.... the things I do for free parking lol

[ScottieJ]

that's why one of the best mods you can do is a tbox lift.......an instant extra 50mm clearance and no tbox bellow the chassis rails that gets hit on things.

[SlimGrim]

Hey back at home at last, (long day out) thanks for all the great tips & ideas, I think I understand the general notion that I need a 2"rear lift & rears on front, however this:

tbh if you are planning on getting a new front bumper you won't need any lift for the 235/75 tyres so I probably wouldn't bother with the suspension for now, just get the bumper, trim off the old bumper mounts and fit the tyres.

confuses me about that previous statement. On llama4x4's website they also have a "add-a-leaf" kit that just basically what I can see adds new leafs to your old ones & from the before/after photo's on their website look like it gives it a good 2" lift anyway as my springs are almost as tired as the ones in the before photo (something to do with sitting still in a garage for 4 years I assume) and at £45 a pair that looks like another cheap alternative to stick on some 325/75's especially with the new bumper?