Offroading in a hippo

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I’m amazed by these photos of Freelanders going in seriously deep water. Have these cars been modified because the Landrover manual says its only good for about 6 inches (something like that anyway).
What about all the electronics in the car, what about breathers on the diffs and things like that. The photos give me a healthy respect for my TD4.

Last winter I was in the lakes for a weekend and there was quite a lot of flooded roads ( a good few inches deep) around Windermere and surrounding areas. I was driving around very worried thinking it might be getting a bit too deep. Obviously I should not have been concerned. A friend of mine who was following in his Zara Piccasso (horrible looking car) went through one of the flooded roads and sucked in water and wrote the car off. Such a shame he wasnt driving a LR. Insurance wrote it off, not just for the engine but all the electrics were screwed as well.
 
rainady said:
I’m amazed by these photos of Freelanders going in seriously deep water. Have these cars been modified because the Landrover manual says its only good for about 6 inches (something like that anyway).
What about all the electronics in the car, what about breathers on the diffs and things like that. The photos give me a healthy respect for my TD4.

Last winter I was in the lakes for a weekend and there was quite a lot of flooded roads ( a good few inches deep) around Windermere and surrounding areas. I was driving around very worried thinking it might be getting a bit too deep. Obviously I should not have been concerned. A friend of mine who was following in his Zara Piccasso (horrible looking car) went through one of the flooded roads and sucked in water and wrote the car off. Such a shame he wasnt driving a LR. Insurance wrote it off, not just for the engine but all the electrics were screwed as well.
Click to expand...
loads of vids on youtube of hippos wading.
 
I've got a Picasso also and I know that I would have to get into some seriously deep water for the engine to take it in. More fool him for trying to enter water that deep in a normal, unmodified car, me thinks. Surprised the insurance wanted anything to do with it.
 
rainady said:
I’m amazed by these photos of Freelanders going in seriously deep water. Have these cars been modified because the Landrover manual says its only good for about 6 inches (something like that anyway).
What about all the electronics in the car, what about breathers on the diffs and things like that. The photos give me a healthy respect for my TD4.
Click to expand...

wading depth is 400 mm, anything over that, all it says is to remove the multichanger ! Nothing about taping the doors on in case they fall off when they get wet or anything.
 
The water wasnt that deep but the car sucked up the water. As I remember, the air intake is quite low and that god awful shape probaly channelswater to where its most distructive.
 
The rear diff has an extended breather.
Extend the gearbox breather on the auto yourself.
Electronics are way up in the engine compartment, keep moving and they won't get wet.
Stop moving and LR have made a halfway decent job of trying to seal them.
Doors don't leak - apart from the rear lets rain in?

I won't deliberately wade deeper than the top of the wheels.
Get some practice in where it's not too deep, drive at a slow but steady pace, let someone else test the depth -Wife?
andy131-albums-desert-picture633-p8050002.jpg
 
Billy-g said:
what adaptations are essential to take a freelander off road with confidence?
Click to expand...

None if you choose your "off-road" route being aware to the freelander's limitations :)

It doesn't have loads of ground clearance, but traction control and the HDC will do a reasonable job of helping you navigate around rough terrain. There are some excellent tips for preparing to go off road (regardless of what vehicle you're using) on this forum; and also tips of going green laning. I've taken my hippo both off roading and green laning and it's a pleasure to drive.

Of course around here, you'll get helpful advice such as changing your freelander for a "proper" land rover :D
 
When i first got my freebie i had fitted pretty much straight away a set of grabber AT2's which gave me a bit of extra ground clearance. First time i went off roading in my own car without any other mods and it followed my brother in laws 90 around fine. He only had to tow me out of some big rangies ruts once when i drove accross them.
 
Get youself a cheap set of steel wheels and 215/80/15 ATS and FL will go most places its bigger rivals can.... If you want to go further then there are plenty of mods available most of which can be knocked up for next to nothing.
 
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