# Lifting a Touareg



## cheddardip (Jun 1, 2007)

Why can' we to this?
http://jalopnik.com/5462681/my...thing


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## RvDUB (Apr 25, 2002)

Or even this! http://johnsonrods.com/index.html
I know we can change the height via a VAG-COM but wonder if there is something mechanical that can be used !!??


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## schubie (Mar 26, 2009)

*Re: (RvDUB)*

There's a lift kit that at least one Club T'reg member (AndrieK) has been using.


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## jwestpro (Feb 6, 2008)

*Re: (RvDUB)*

I don't mean to be insulting but you obviously know very little about the design of your air suspension or you have simply not tried to fully utilize it yet ?? 
That shortened rod approach is for vehicles that cannot reach their maximum height on demand by the user. One brilliant thing VW did do was allow you to use every cm it has to offer. When in the upper most air selection, you can even feel it maxed out as it has almost zero downward articulation left and rides like a stiffy.
The reason they are being made by people for the LR3 (I have an lr3 and made my own) is that Land Rover or someone decided the driver wouldn't have enough sense to not misuse the available suspension height and leaves the very uppermost range up to the computer to choose. The ridiculous thing about that is it has to get high centered or otherwise hung up on something which will cause the system to "notice" less up force on a wheel. It then gives you a dumb warning and raises the vehicle another 2-3" (I forget exactly). 
This was found unacceptable to many owners who go into rough tracks. The bad thing about the rods is that while installed, it is a permanent lift to all standard settings. This IS great off road of course but the highway handling changes from poor to truly unsafe with the modification. Not to mention this also places the various parts in greater stress conditions in all settings. Camber is well off, etc.
So, aside from an air suspended Touareg being refitted with longer travel dampers and other parts, it would be completely useless to shorten the rods it uses. (shorter is what results in higher lift on the lr3, the Vw may be similar considering the longer rods have been a ride height lowering solution for a while on Touaregs)
All of this is aside from the fact that the Touareg would drive like crap at speed if you sat much higher all the time. Would you really want your tightest driving feel to be as sloppy as in comfort / high? Using those rods would result in that or worse.


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## cheddardip (Jun 1, 2007)

*Re: (jwestpro)*

I have steel suspension. And it "might look cool" lifted. Some times logic doesn't fit.


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## jwestpro (Feb 6, 2008)

*Re: (cheddardip)*

Actually a custom kit using steel springs would be more appropriate for a lift. You can only go so far being limited by the independent suspension parts but you'd still gain useful height and with proper dampers and springs, retain good handling.


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## RvDUB (Apr 25, 2002)

*Re: (jwestpro)*

Jwestpro - Not insulting at all! Looking at your website you have obviously done more offloading then I! I have attended the last four Colorado 4x4 Rally's in Ouray and did exercise the Air Suspension in my Treg to the max. Your right about the stiff right when your in Xtra Level ! That's a literal pain!
As someone that is looking at possibly adding a LR3 to my stable let me ask you this. Will your LR3 (when stock)actually sense what wheel is in the air and extend the suspension to lower the wheel? Or do you need to add the Johnson Rods to achieve this?


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## jwestpro (Feb 6, 2008)

*Re: (RvDUB)*

so you know then that the touareg air suspension design gives you full height available and then drives home at 100+ with total control and safety. it allows for more control but it has it's limitations too - mainly articulation and wheel travel which are very limited. but it's awesome on the highway too so...there you go.
in stock form the lr3 will "reach" down where a wheel has space under it, the rear wheels especially but the fronts do well too. 13" or so in the rear! they reach so far it looks bizarre. more tires on the ground = more traction and less strain on any single wheel location. the touareg relies on the one or two with traction to do the whole job, regardless of the vehicle, more tires touching is better than fewer. this is an engineering feat though, to get great articulation while having any decent handling at speed. 
one of the best designs is in the rr sport supercharged or one that has the dynamic chassis control (or whatever lr calls it) it is only on the supercharged model or special order. it gives you GREAT on road handling and cornering but actually disconnects when you select low range gearing. you get the best of both worlds with this.
for the lr3, the rods are a band-aid and not a very good idea long term. if you care about your own safety or that of passengers, you will not use the rods on the highway not to mention, if you roll or otherwise wreck the vehicle while using them, it is doubtful land rover would cover any of the damage or warranty anything. the rods are simply this: they place the pre-set heights higher than normal such that in "off road mode" you are closer to the limits of the suspension similar to how the touareg gets there simply by you turning the dial. the lr3 could do this but has limits built in so we don't f-it up i suppose.
with rods installed, you can reach the top limit and get that same stiff experience you found in "extra" lift. what is ironic is that the rods give you no more articulation and therefor no more traction. when lifted closer to it's limitation by suspension angles and parts, you have no more reach left in the system and end up going over cross axle stuff no better than the touareg! the only good thing about the effect of the rods is clearance under the center and your angles (approach, departure, breakover, etc) these are a great idea for specific types of terrain, not everywhere. i.e. deep snow on basically regular gravel trail/road, deep rutted road, boulder ramp over, etc. 
make sense? the rods actually limit what the system can do in terms of reaching down to gain traction because the rest of the vehicle is too high and all the reaching gets maxed out before you cross the ditch.
it is unfortunate but the lr3 was not designed with high lift in mind. it is not a discovery or defender where you can really "lift" it. it is however a great compromise in usability and comfort and size for 7 passengers.


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## RvDUB (Apr 25, 2002)

*Re: (jwestpro)*

Understand completely! Thanks for the detailed explanation!


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