Anyone offroad a Freelander?

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MikeV8SE

MikeV8SE

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OK, I don't know why but I've always fancied the idea of offroading a Freelander! I think it was seeing the pic below, and it's always stuck in my head:

images


Anyway, does/has anyone offroaded a Freelander before? I'm thinking a 3-door hardback TD4 or V6 would make a great offroader - remove the top in the summer, full external roll cage, snorkel + wading kit, Old Man Emu suspension upgrade + lift, full underbody protection and some decent M/T tyres and it'd be relatively light, nimble and fun offroader!

So, is this a good idea or am I clearly a closet gay for wanting to offroad a Freelander? Answers on a postcard... ;)
 
Yeah, I've seen a few vehicles with Freelander bodies but who-knows-what running gear! Sure there was a V8 Disco with a Freelander body on somewhere?

I don't really have the time or inclination to go that far to be honest, was more interested in what can be done with the stock car and some choice upgrades!

How much of a problem is the lack of a locking diff? I've HDC works OK, but hardly suitable for offroading I guess....?
 
doobreydog regularly offroads his and so do a few of the othe r gaylander faithful, possibly howardo...
 
only limitation is the ground clearance aslong as you are aware of that most lanes can be tackled, just don't expect to go to the same places that Defenders etc. can get to. The FL does suffer in one respect the same as any slitty off road - handbrake on the rear only so parking on any hill has to be considered carefully - also can make moving off again a bit more of a clutch slipper especially with no low box
 
Check out the photo bucket on my sig go to freelander theres pics and vids of mine Totally Stock apart from Falken Land/air mud snow tyres,

Not done any thinh like the one in the pic you put up

I found the if you ride the top of the rutts if you can
you have to concentrate as with the lack of all the diff locks and all that a bit quick on some bits discoverd my HDC wern't working due to previous owner hadn't replaced the switch in the gearstick head.

had some good fun with that as said before just ground clearence is the problem as you can here on one of the vids, and the vcu does get damaged pulled the rubber dampr off mine ended up angel grinding half the metal ring of to get it of the prop than ran 6 months with out the damper there no difference with it not there

Suprised a lot of people there where it would go and I Never got towed out

In the Aldermaston album there is a Freelander 3 Door that the Body had been put on a Disco 1 Chassis with I think it was a 300tdi lump in it.

Looked good apart from the Colour Scheme Don't know the chap that owns it he was a guest of the Guy that hired the site for us
 
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Agree with you there Rob, that colour is hideous! Also, although the body is high up, the chassis still looks quite low?

In last months LRO there was a feature about rallying Freelanders, and they reckon you can do it all for £2k - I'd probably budget another grand on top of that as these features are notoriously optimistic, but even so that's some cheap motorsport and green lane/pay & play fun I reckon!! Hmm....
 
doing something like that i would of lifted it about 2 inch and some nice muds. Mind you though It might be a bit top heavy with a lift on it..

Sorry had to do additions like tis as works pc if i click edit it takes forever to change screen:mad::mad:
 
freelanders are very capable off road, but as said earlier groung clearance can be an issue. be advised tho if you are going to buy one avoid the l series engine go for one with the bmw diesel, ensure the vcu is working and that both prop shafts are present. often the rear prop is removed as the vcu is stuffed making it a 2wd.
 
landy1uk said:
doing something like that i would of lifted it about 2 inch and some nice muds. Mind you though It might be a bit top heavy with a lift on it..
Click to expand...

Would of thought that it would of been less top heavey then a lifted Disco, as the body is smaller and not as tall, I may be wrong.

I had a Freelander for four years, and it is quite capable all bar the ground clearance, diff lock and the low range box.
 
Big Stu 12 said:
Would of thought that it would of been less top heavey then a lifted Disco, as the body is smaller and not as tall, I may be wrong.

I had a Freelander for four years, and it is quite capable all bar the ground clearance, diff lock and the low range box.
Click to expand...
Your probley corroect actually, I was just basing that on looks,lol

I agree about Freelander being capable had mine 5 years, It started playing up big time and i Wanted to get a trailer to take my Series 2a to site and would have been too heavy for the Freelander I think
 
As others have said, the main problem is ground clearance. The exhaust is quite exposed and isn't neatly tucked up high like on a Disco. Mine has several dents in it, so I always inspect it after I've been off road/laning.

If you do get a Freelander, I'd avoid getting one with 17" wheels because the only suitable tyres for them are road tyres.
 
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