to your ?, answer is NO. Like I detailed several times. The strut spacer literally sets the range of motion higher while retaining the correct travel in the air spring and damper.
If you do nothing to settings, the sensor will automatically set the struts to neutral length which results in 2" higher ground clearance. You do not adjust "normal" height for this outcome. You do however have to compensate for the height sensors getting too close to their un-happy place. So you then install shortened rods simply to get the height sensors arms into their happy range again.
It seems like you've been missing the whole idea of semantics but just ******* around with the computer is ZERO different than simply moving the factory height lever into off road mode then also getting it to induce "extended mode". That is not a "lift" because it is not beyond what the factory parts provides to anyone.
The word "lift" implies more than available from factory. I can make the lr3 reach it's max without an iidtool or rods or anything extra. Therefor it's not a "lift".
Strut spacers or body lift are literally lifts.
The air springs do "lift" the vehicle up, but that does not mean they are what the 4x4 industry refers to as an aftermarket lift.
Correct, but not just by my rationale. It's basically everyone in the industry. You keep missing that your examples of "trickery" are just that, trickery, and therefor not lifts.
The spacers, whether it be body or strut, allow the vehicle to be higher than the factory limits. I tested this extensively with shorter rods, etc.
Basically the struts have a max length. The control arms and axle also have their own max angles. Yet theirs is farther out than the struts so that the struts cannot push out beyond limits of the other parts. This is why the strut spacer guys also have the limit straps. With 2" added to achievable strut length, the limits of the other parts becomes within reach. Thus the need to for careful use and/or limit straps.
This system allows greater ground clearance than any factory parts via computer trickery. Thus is a "lift" whereas without it is not. Stop misleading other people. You sound almost as mad as that ****** rod guy claiming all sorts of BS about what tire size requires you to buy rods. What a loser.
I think you can stop calling people names. I'm not trying to mislead people, I am questioning your answers. I'm not TRYING to tick you off in the process, though it appears I am failing in that. I get the feeling you are the type of person who doesn't like to admit they're wrong, I am as well.
If you insist that a "lift" must be aftermarket, then I concede. I did not add any aftermarket components to raise the ride height of my LR3. Although, one could argue that my GAPtool is aftermarket... The thing about the LR3 that sets itself apart from from "basically everyone in the industry" is its ability to raise itself on it's own. If I add ~1" of height to my vehicle because I don't want it to look like it's riding on the bump stops due to much larger than stock tires, have I increased the ground clearance? Why in fact I have. In 2 ways. 1) I have added ~1.5" of clearance due to ~3" larger tires and 2) ~1" of GAPtool adjustment still results in ~1" increase ground clearance at the center of the vehicle.
If you want to get that technical, I will stop calling it lifted. It will forever be referred to as "ground clearance increased". The LR3 height selector button is superior to industry definition of a lift kit because it does increase ground clearance, on it's own, which a lift kit (assuming there's at least one solid axle) can not do without larger tires. I'm pretty sure at least some in the industry would admit that there is occasionally wiggle room on the term "lifted".
I don't use sturt spacers, I have no real world experience with them. I do, however, think i have a good handle on what they do. I understand the spacers will give you maximum height not capable without them. I also understand they also limit how far the vehicle will drop in total air failure, allowing you to run larger than 33"ish tires. What I do not understand is how they affect the relationship between the upper control arm and the frame where the ride height sensor is mounted. The height sensor has a set point in its arch that is considered normal. This can be manipulated, as discussed. If you add spacers, this lowers the top of the strut. However, the ride height sensor still wants to sit at "normal" and will decrease the volume of air in the strut to set the vehicle at the correct height. What am I missing that causes the ride height sensor to know that it should ride 2" higher? If the sensor reads how long the strut is, I'd get it, but it doesn't have any idea how long the strut is. It only knows the angle at which the upper control arm is sitting.
I would love it if you leave out the personal shots and condescending tone since I am sincerely asking what I am missing. If not, maybe someone else who is running the strut spacers can chime in and explain it to me. I get the feeling you feel you are explaining it perfectly, but you glossed over the part I just don't understand by saying "the sensor will automatically set the struts to neutral length which results in 2" higher ground clearance." As a side note, I'm curious how much more height is possible with the spacers, since they need to be strapped to not overextend the CV shafts? I do see their benefit in the case of total air system failure.