Freelander 1 Skid Plate Bolt Sizes

Hey all!

I spent the last 5 ish hours getting bolt sizes and ordering hundreds of bolts for not only spares but since replacing the engine gearbox and Prop I have lost many-a-bolt

Mainly the skid plate bolts, I had them in a tub, and as the car has been off the road for about 6 months during this whole thing I have no idea where that tub is... I wasn't even in the same house when I put them in there...

Now I found bolts and sizes for every bolt on this stupid car... except the skid plate, Land rover don't have the bolt sizes after I called them and asked for some the best I can find is:

But this does not even start listed bolts just silly bits for the plastic cover and arch lining protectors or something that are still in the car... maybe...

If anyone has the bolts to hand and are able to measure the size, length and thread pitch for me, that would be great!!! and really appreciated.

Just trying to fill all the bolt holes before she goes in for MOT next year...

Also side note, the replacement engine has a fair amount of Blowby and seems to lack a fair amount of power however could the lack of power be linked to the fact it is in 2WD and the weight distribution is all over the place and is the blowby fairly normal? I am not opposed to doing a rebuild, however I'd like more than a week before rebuilding the engine I just installed I don't mind blowby as long as the car starts (Yes I know a rebuild is not cost effective but last I heard the VVC Rover 1.8K Series is a nice engine chuck some forged internals in that I'd have a mix between track and off road Freelander 1... One Day...)


Thank you!

I'm not 100% sure but i think they are M10 and about 25mm in length thread capped heads.

From what i read below I'm wrong about item 2 so have changed it, from M8 25mm you would have thought i know because yesterday i spent 6 hours working on a FL1 TD4 which included removing the under body tray frame and modifying the plastic tray so in the future only that needs to be removed to do an oil change, not the alloy frame, amongst other things.

Friday will see me removing injectors due to grey smoke, but that's for another thread.

They are different sizes…

2 at the rear are smaller than the rest for sure. 10mm I think.
4 in the ‘centre’ (2 each side) - this is item “2” in your parts picture. M10 x 25.
Then 2 up front are bigger I believe.

The facelift and pre-facelift have some vacancies in bolt dimensions.
Side bolts that go near the wishbone mounts are M10 X 25mm. The rear bolts to the subframe are M6 X 15 IIRC. The front bolts are longer, and possibly M12, but I can't remember. And the bumper secures to the guard by screw or M5 bolts, depending on it being a facelift or pre-facelift.

Do a compression test to check for engine health, all cylinders should be about 175 PSI, and all within 15 PSI of each other. All engines have blow-by, but determining how much is too much is difficult. A comparison check is the best health check though.
It's nothing to do with 2 WD or 4 WD, normally the K1.8 is a bit more nippy as a 2 WD, but it spins its front wheels more readily.

Fitting VVC engine isn't easy, as the ECM from the VVC motor doesn't work with the Freelander wiring or immobiliser.

Nodge68 said:

The facelift and pre-facelift have some vacancies in bolt dimensions.
Side bolts that go near the wishbone mounts are M10 X 25mm. The rear bolts to the subframe are M6 X 15 IIRC. The front bolts are longer, and possibly M12, but I can't remember. And the bumper secures to the guard by screw or M5 bolts, depending on it being a facelift or pre-facelift.

Do a compression test to check for engine health, all cylinders should be about 175 PSI, and all within 15 PSI of each other. All engines have blow-by, but determining how much is too much is difficult. A comparison check is the best health check though.
It's nothing to do with 2 WD or 4 WD, normally the K1.8 is a bit more nippy as a 2 WD, but it spins its front wheels more readily.

Fitting VVC engine isn't easy, as the ECM from the VVC motor doesn't work with the Freelander wiring or immobiliser.

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Thank you! Looks like in my order for bolts I ordered most of those bolts.

Compression check is a very good idea didn't think of that, will get on it.

My thought is that the engine say for a while and ib didn't take it apart before installing just ran an engine flush through it and a cylinder may have some stuck rings.

I've found that the front bolts are the same as the ones that fit to the brackets by the wishbone. However, I may have mixed and matched with bolts from the parts car so shorter ones have ended up on the front.... cos they are a PITA to get in and out, so the shorter they are the better!

They hold well though and I have the A Bar bottom bracket to go through as well.

Actually, if I'm totally honest, they don't go through those brackets because that is to much of a PITA, they just pinch the bracket as lining it all up so they slot through the holes would result in me killing anyone who happened to be in the area at the time.

Actually, if I'm absolutely & totally honest, the undertray is standing up against the wall in the garage.

Life's to fecking short!

GrumpyGel said:

I've found that the front bolts are the same as the ones that fit to the brackets by the wishbone. However, I may have mixed and matched with bolts from the parts car so shorter ones have ended up on the front.... cos they are a PITA to get in and out, so the shorter they are the better!

They hold well though and I have the A Bar bottom bracket to go through as well.

Actually, if I'm totally honest, they don't go through those brackets because that is to much of a PITA, they just pinch the bracket as lining it all up so they slot through the holes would result in me killing anyone who happened to be in the area at the time.

Actually, if I'm absolutely & totally honest, the undertray is standing up against the wall in the garage.

Life's to fecking short!

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Cheap tap and die set to clean the threads, I can put them in by hand. A strategic hole under the front 2 bolts saves taking off a layer of skin.
But the tray often doesn't get put back on straight away, getting it lined up on your back is worse than a gearbox install. The spanner is always just out I f reach.

J_D said:

Cheap tap and die set to clean the threads, I can put them in by hand. A strategic hole under the front 2 bolts saves taking off a layer of skin.
But the tray often doesn't get put back on straight away, getting it lined up on your back is worse than a gearbox install. The spanner is always just out I f reach.

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‘Tis one of the improvements on the F2… a smaller (and real metal) undertray that just bolts on to the car.
Why they needed all that metal framework just to hold some plastic on the F1, I’ll never know!

Modified mine. Removed fibre board. Made checker plate replacement. Fitted with 4 hex head self tappers into clips on the brackets that held the fibre board. 4 bolts and a lightweight ally sheet comes off.

andyfreelandy said:

Modified mine. Removed fibre board. Made checker plate replacement. Fitted with 4 hex head self tappers into clips on the brackets that held the fibre board. 4 bolts and a lightweight ally sheet comes off.

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I always wanted to do something similar - just never got round to it!

Freddie17 said:

‘Tis one of the improvements on the F2… a smaller (and real metal) undertray that just bolts on to the car.
Why they needed all that metal framework just to hold some plastic on the F1, I’ll never know!

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The aluminium side rails and front cross brace form part of the front crash structure, which is what they're so well secured to the body.

The lower pan on the FL2 also adds strength to the front subframe, keeping it rigid with high suspension side loads.