bushwwacker
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:hysterically_laughi
The one in ponty does look rough and a propper bitch to get into...
freelander body discovery chassis build Info
- Thread starter themadmechanic
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:hysterically_laughi
The one in ponty does look rough and a propper bitch to get into...
Creeeg
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What the hell is that engine covered in, copper grease??
GrumpyGel
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I dunno, but it must be good - its held together with a bungy cord.
The wheels some how do not look big enough on that orange one.
Where abouts in ponte are you guys?
Like the North D-Lander?
This is a tubular space frame, with disco 2 running gear. It's not a discovery chassis.
blackstrat
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would look loads better with bigger tyres (pushing the diff upwards a bit too) i suppose the floor could be cut around the chassis so it fits lower down too im looking to get this done too now then lolCube from lro did a similar thing:
Hippo
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Would need a gearing change if the tire's were too big.
Jayridium
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The D-Lander is my favourite landy of all time, have a look at this video to see why:
I reckon a "poor boys" version of a d-lander could be made by using a freelander body and a discovery chassis but would require properly notching the floor to match the chassis to allow the body to drape over the chassis rather than be perched atop it. Someone has done a nice job along these lines before:
Which compared to this:
you can see the body is much lower for the same ground clearance, so lower roll centre / centre of gravity, so much better handling, but without compromising the off road ability.
Last edited:
Jayridium
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That can be easily done with a change of transfer box from a disco/RR one to a 'fender one, Disco's and RR's run ~1.2:1 ratio transferbox, 'fenders typically 1.4:1 or 1.6:, but if you start to get into that territory, you really need to uprate the axles as the bigger tyres that caused the need for a change of gearing cause more torsional forces to be exerted on things like drive flanges and halfshafts, so they need upgrading to cope. But it's a whole snowball effect, best to start with 24 spline axles from a 300tdi as they are stronger to begin with, that should be fine for upto ~32" tyres such as 265/75/16 or 32.12.50x15. To go bigger than 32", say to 35" then the halfshafts and drive flanges need upgrading, plus the UJ's/swivels and diff pegging if you are going that far you might as well throw an LSD or a locker at it. Buy this point you have thousands wrapped up in the axles to gain an extra 1.5" ground clearance - and you talk about diminishing returns...
If e46lad wants to build something nutty, there are options:
- keep the freelander as a freelander and sort the current transmission with a new VCU then accessorise it with all the offroad toys
- 2" suspension lift kit
- 29" overall diameter offroad tyres such as 205/80r16 or 225/75r16 or 235/70r16 (1.5" extra lift)
- sump guard upgrade
- exhaust guard
- optionally winch kit
With all these bits on, in conjunction with the traction control it is a surprisingly capable vehicle offroad
- frankenstein it into a hybrid using a disco or RR chassis and running gear
- I'd start by saying this approach is virtually impossible without a two post ramp and or a forklift
- best not to perch the FL body atop the new chassis but drape it down to keep COG low and improve handling / stability
- this will be a heavy vehicle, look for ways to lighten it at every opportunity
- look for a '94+ donor vehicle to get 24 spline axles as they are much stronger to begin with
- P38's have a longer wheelbase than the Freelander
- Disco/RRC = 100" wheelbase
- Freelander 102" wheelbase
- P38's 107" wheelbase
Use this to your advantage if you use a P38 chassis as it will enable you to stick the axles 2.5" further forward and aft, ie towards the extremities, improving approach and departure angles and giving you room in the arches for bigger tyres / longer travel suspension for the same vehicle body height
- scratch build a monster / challenge truck / truggy (truck/buggy) / bobtail / tomcat
- Freelander would not be my choice of vehicle for a truggy, better with something with live axles, and meatier transmissions/drivelines
- Being honest with you, most truggy's or vehicles of that ilk change hands for less than the price of their parts, so you'd possibly be best served to buy a disco trayback, then modify it to taste/spec/style rather than start from scratch with a near original spec vehicle and starting the daunting, and often underestimated task of building it.
Hippo
Lord Hippo
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Some interesting thinking there. I would keep the Freelander standard but I like the look of standard vehicles. not keep on the bling factor and the ride would be orrible with lots of mods. Buying a second vehicle would be my preference.
Jayridium
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I like the FL1 as well, that's why I've had it for fourteen years now, and its still "cherished", including mods, but the mods are done "right" so as not to compromise the characteristics.
BTW I thought you had your hippo lifted, on 205/80r16 tyres and similar bolt ons? But, if built within reason, and set up correctly ie geometry and wheel alignment corrected etc, even a heavily modded D1, or a heavily modded FL1 still drives nicely, it's only when done "wrong" you compromise the characteristics of the vehicle. And I can say that with confidence as I've got both a heavily modded D1 and a modded FL1, but while both have suspension lifts on them, both have the geometry correcting hardware to bring their handling back to a "stock" feeling. When lifting a FL1 camber and toe are affected, so tracking needs done, and the "crash bolts" securing the hubs to the struts need replacing with CAMber bolts, so that's just straight bolt on stuff and a wheel alignment and the vehicle is now back to stock geometry just with a few extra inches of underbody clearance.
When lifting a disco the changes are a bit more severe, the front axle swings to the right, the draglink from the steering box to the front left hub is now at a different distance having the effect of pulling the steering wheel out of centre when travelling straight, and both axles casings rotate, affecting front caster and prop shaft angles as well as putting extra strain on the rear arms bushings. So the list of parts required to bring it back is more extensive, comprising adjustable/extended Panhard rod, new front axle trailing arms to correct the castor angle for restoring the steering self-centre effect, cranked arms on the rear axle and adjustment or replacement of the draglink.
If you fit the "supporting mods" parts as well as the extend springs/shocks or spring packers then the vehicle's handling will be near original, however modded landies get a bad wrap as people often times do them on the cheap, or not fully informed. For example, when LRO lifted a freelander 1, they knew about the camber bolts, but commented they couldn't get the handling back to par, that was because when the suspension droops the track rods pull the backs of the front hubs inwards, creating toe out, so their vehicle would have a penguin stance with quite a lot of toe out. Similarly at the back, the suspension is a multi link affair, so the efffects aren't quite as pronounced, but there will be a change in alignment arising from the downwards movement of the suspension from the lift kit. In addition to the camber bolts, both the track rod ends and rear suspension rear adjustable links need wound out, moreso the fronts, to make a lifted freelander drive nice. But LRO didn't know or do that, so if a "land rover specialist magazine" working in conjunction with "britpart - the independent landrover parts specialist" who were sponsoring the workshop features cannae fathom out how to make a lifted hippo steer straight, it's nae wonder the layman doesnae fully appreciate the full intricacies of a suspension lift, and thus you often see discos with just the springs and shocks, but sock arms. Even my father had that same config on his disco
So, because the weight of the body has been draped down over the chassis, and as far as I can see it's not had a suspension lift, I'd see no reason that say that olive drab hybrid wouldn't drive like a stock(ish) discovery, albeit experienced through a freelander cockpit. However the silver one would most likely be woeful to drive as it's body sits a lot higher up, and it appears to have extended springs and shocks on stock suspension arms, meaning it's going to have a silly high roll centre and suspension geometry that's gone to hell on a wheelbarrow. If Memory serves, that silver one was built for a guys wife, but it didn't last long before it was itself dismantled/cut up? Which was a shame after all the work he had put into it.
Hippo
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The mods I had on my FL1 were: mantec sump guard, level sensor in the coolant reservoir and general grabber AT2 tires which were great but a horrible ride so I removed them. Most of my driving was always on road with oft road for fun occasionally. Grabbers had to go as I couldn't put up with the tire rumble any more. I'm not really into lifting etc. To me a FL isn't really built for that and it's not type approved so I prefer not to do it myself to my daily ride. I always had insurance issues with mods until I bought my castle. Strange that. My tires were always standard size for 16 inch wheels but we always chose our route oft road carefully and got over most obstacles while still having fun. I first got hold of my FL1 in early 2004. I never went mad oft road but as you can see from my video's he was quite capable in standard form, doing what most LR vehicles could only dream of as their owners won't let them.I like the FL1 as well, that's why I've had it for fourteen years now, and its still "cherished", including mods, but the mods are done "right" so as not to compromise the characteristics.
BTW I thought you had your hippo lifted, on 205/80r16 tyres and similar bolt ons? But, if built within reason, and set up correctly ie geometry and wheel alignment corrected etc, even a heavily modded D1, or a heavily modded FL1 still drives nicely, it's only when done "wrong" you compromise the characteristics of the vehicle. And I can say that with confidence as I've got both a heavily modded D1 and a modded FL1, but while both have suspension lifts on them, both have the geometry correcting hardware to bring their handling back to a "stock" feeling. When lifting a FL1 camber and toe are affected, so tracking needs done, and the "crash bolts" securing the hubs to the struts need replacing with CAMber bolts, so that's just straight bolt on stuff and a wheel alignment and the vehicle is now back to stock geometry just with a few extra inches of underbody clearance.
When lifting a disco the changes are a bit more severe, the front axle swings to the right, the draglink from the steering box to the front left hub is now at a different distance having the effect of pulling the steering wheel out of centre when travelling straight, and both axles casings rotate, affecting front caster and prop shaft angles as well as putting extra strain on the rear arms bushings. So the list of parts required to bring it back is more extensive, comprising adjustable/extended Panhard rod, new front axle trailing arms to correct the castor angle for restoring the steering self-centre effect, cranked arms on the rear axle and adjustment or replacement of the draglink.
If you fit the "supporting mods" parts as well as the extend springs/shocks or spring packers then the vehicle's handling will be near original, however modded landies get a bad wrap as people often times do them on the cheap, or not fully informed. For example, when LRO lifted a freelander 1, they knew about the camber bolts, but commented they couldn't get the handling back to par, that was because when the suspension droops the track rods pull the backs of the front hubs inwards, creating toe out, so their vehicle would have a penguin stance with quite a lot of toe out. Similarly at the back, the suspension is a multi link affair, so the efffects aren't quite as pronounced, but there will be a change in alignment arising from the downwards movement of the suspension from the lift kit. In addition to the camber bolts, both the track rod ends and rear suspension rear adjustable links need wound out, moreso the fronts, to make a lifted freelander drive nice. But LRO didn't know or do that, so if a "land rover specialist magazine" working in conjunction with "britpart - the independent landrover parts specialist" who were sponsoring the workshop features cannae fathom out how to make a lifted hippo steer straight, it's nae wonder the layman doesnae fully appreciate the full intricacies of a suspension lift, and thus you often see discos with just the springs and shocks, but sock arms. Even my father had that same config on his disco
So, because the weight of the body has been draped down over the chassis, and as far as I can see it's not had a suspension lift, I'd see no reason that say that olive drab hybrid wouldn't drive like a stock(ish) discovery, albeit experienced through a freelander cockpit. However the silver one would most likely be woeful to drive as it's body sits a lot higher up, and it appears to have extended springs and shocks on stock suspension arms, meaning it's going to have a silly high roll centre and suspension geometry that's gone to hell on a wheelbarrow. If Memory serves, that silver one was built for a guys wife, but it didn't last long before it was itself dismantled/cut up? Which was a shame after all the work he had put into it.
About 5 years ago I took my FL1 apart and completely rebuilt him with FL2 parts. So I still have my fearless FL1, but like a tratter (not a rusty one), he has been completely rebuilt with newer parts and is therefore still the same vehicle I started oft with before the rebuild. He just looks like a FL2 instead.
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