No, I was always going to take it, but when gravel gave way to rocks I was going to park up and jump in with someone else....

Which I did....

But I didn't judge rocks soon enough! I was committed to finishing a 'section' - which I did, but in doing so I think every part of the underside of the car had been walloped and dragged along boulders! It as quite alarming, I seriously though I'd stuffed the car up, but happily the only casualty was the electrics for the tow bar (I hope). However....

Whilst completing this section, at one point we dropped off into a channel cut by water, and at the time I thought... "how the f**k and I going to get back up that"! and...

On the way back I got rather stuck :)

After I got hauled up by a 130, I had a dose of the 3 Amigos. At some point they switched to just 2 Amigoes - that may have been when I saht myself as a rock hitting something forward sent reverberations via the peddles and my legs to my bottom!

The 2nd recovery is far far far to embarrassing to re-tell...

But I might put some dash cam footage up tomorrow once I've downloaded it :)
 
GrumpyGel said:
No, I was always going to take it, but when gravel gave way to rocks I was going to park up and jump in with someone else....

Which I did....

But I didn't judge rocks soon enough! I was committed to finishing a 'section' - which I did, but in doing so I think every part of the underside of the car had been walloped and dragged along boulders! It as quite alarming, I seriously though I'd stuffed the car up, but happily the only casualty was the electrics for the tow bar (I hope). However....

Whilst completing this section, at one point we dropped off into a channel cut by water, and at the time I thought... "how the f**k and I going to get back up that"! and...

On the way back I got rather stuck :)

After I got hauled up by a 130, I had a dose of the 3 Amigos. At some point they switched to just 2 Amigoes - that may have been when I saht myself as a rock hitting something forward sent reverberations via the peddles and my legs to my bottom!

The 2nd recovery is far far far to embarrassing to re-tell...

But I might put some dash cam footage up tomorrow once I've downloaded it :)
Click to expand...
You need one of DD's lift kits and some MT tyres mate!


Go on, you know you want to. :p. I was shocked at the places I could go with no scraping underneath at all.
 
LoL - stuck at the pub! Looks like a great trip. With mud tyres, slightly more height, bash plates and working 4WD would a FL1 have made it in with its' big brothers'?
 
Alibro said:
You need one of DD's lift kits and some MT tyres mate!
Click to expand...
Assuming the 4WD was sorted - that is what would have made the difference. On this track, low range was used by the bigger trucks, but lack of it wouldn't have stopped anything I don't think.

However, I had a couple of moments coming back down the road in terrible conditions where if I'd had those installed I might have gone off at hairpins and down into gullies! The turn at 2:45 in the vid at the end of the "Road up to Mesopotania" section was one of them - I really didn't think I was going to make it!
 
htr said:
LoL - stuck at the pub! Looks like a great trip. With mud tyres, slightly more height, bash plates and working 4WD would a FL1 have made it in with its' big brothers'?
Click to expand...
Yeh, it would have made it no problems. Most of the groundings were 'glancing blows', it wouldn't have taken much more clearance at all to get past them without incident. Further along the track was no worse really - or at least it didn't seem to be sitting in the back of a P38 :) Some of the groundings as well were the tow bar - that needs to come off for future trips - it poked out way to far (although may have protected the exhaust and bumper to an extent!). Also the tow bar electronics broke off and was swinging around until I was told and I pushed it up under the bumper - but I think in swinging, that was whacking the subframe or exhaust.

I did go through a couple of fords, 1 of which had a reasonable amount of water in. Even out on the track, we didn't get to any of the main Rangitata channels, and the Havelock channels between the braids were drivable, probably with a standard spec Freelander, but definitely if it had some lift. The river was low though - and I had one eye on those clouds all day!

Its my first time out like that. I take the Freelander down the Waimak - but keep to places I know are safe. As there were all those other cars to help out - I got a bit adventurous - maybe a bit to adventurous. But we learn :)

Definitely got to pull my finger out and get the 4WD working before the next trip - to restore some faith in Freelander within the group! Looking back at the video as well, maybe I could have done things differently - a bit more run up when getting stuck for example. But in the pub carpark, I was to worried about reversing further onto the grass and just getting stuck further back!
 
Looks like a good trip GG. I'm with Htr on tyres and 4X4 though. With a good set of ATs and a working 4X4 system. Your Freelander will keep with the big boys better. The Freelander's limited axle articulation as a hindrance without 4X4 in operation.

If off roading is going to be commonplace. Then it might pay to get some larger tyres and maybe a small lift. This will help out when the going gets tough.

However for a FWD Freelander, I don't think you did too bad at all. Except for maybe the pub carpark.:p
 
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Nodge68 said:
Looks like a good trip GG. I'm with Htr on tyres and 4X4 though. With a good set of ATs and a working 4X4 system. Your Freelander will keep with the big boys better. The Freelander's limited axle articulation as a hindrance without 4X4 in operation.

If off roading is going to be commonplace. Then it might pay to get some larger tyres and maybe a small lift. This will help out when the going gets tough.

However for a FWD Freelander, I don't think you did too bad at all. Except for maybe the pub carpark.:p
Click to expand...
Hi Nodge, yeh, I think where I got to was the limit (you could say beyond the limit) of any non-lifted Freelander - regardless of whether its 2WD or 4WD - it simply didn't have the clearance. It was cool though as when you're by yourself, you can't push to find that limit - but when there's 25 other trucks around, you can push it knowing you've got help :)

The tyre thing is a bit catch 22 - go bigger you get more clearance and can reduce pressures, but with no low-range it will make steep bits more difficult and lessen the turbo assistance out on slow parts. Its a real dilema.

The pub carpark experience is definitely payback for me not sorting the transmission out - the Landie's way of embarrassing me in front of my peers into fixing it :)
 
Hi GG. For a car running 2WD I thought it did well but it would have sailed through everything I saw in the video with working 4WD. A set of taller tyres would have helped avoid grounding if you don't want to fit a lift kit.
BTW I saw a car with a 40mm lift kit yesterday and he didn't have to cut anything so would be well worth installing. I'm sure DD wouldn't be too hard on you for postage.
 
Alibro said:
Hi GG. For a car running 2WD I thought it did well but it would have sailed through everything I saw in the video with working 4WD. A set of taller tyres would have helped avoid grounding if you don't want to fit a lift kit.
BTW I saw a car with a 40mm lift kit yesterday and he didn't have to cut anything so would be well worth installing. I'm sure DD wouldn't be too hard on you for postage.
Click to expand...

I don't know how the authorities are in NZ when it comes to mods. I understand that lots of mods need approval, before they are highway ready. This is why I thought a 25mm lift and slightly larger tyres would do what's needed.
 
GrumpyGel said:
Hi Nodge, yeh, I think where I got to was the limit (you could say beyond the limit) of any non-lifted Freelander - regardless of whether its 2WD or 4WD - it simply didn't have the clearance. It was cool though as when you're by yourself, you can't push to find that limit - but when there's 25 other trucks around, you can push it knowing you've got help :)

The tyre thing is a bit catch 22 - go bigger you get more clearance and can reduce pressures, but with no low-range it will make steep bits more difficult and lessen the turbo assistance out on slow parts. Its a real dilema.

The pub carpark experience is definitely payback for me not sorting the transmission out - the Landie's way of embarrassing me in front of my peers into fixing it :)
Click to expand...

Thinking about this, I am building a picture of my next Freelander Adventure. I am thinking diesel auto would be the way to go, along with lift and the right tires. And also thinking a KV6 Auto torque converter would give better performance at lower speeds as it should be more slippery than the stock diesel one.
 
Tony Reeves said:
Thinking about this, I am building a picture of my next Freelander Adventure. I am thinking diesel auto would be the way to go, along with lift and the right tires. And also thinking a KV6 Auto torque converter would give better performance at lower speeds as it should be more slippery than the stock diesel one.
Click to expand...

I did have the stall speed data for both TCs somewhere. I'll see if I can look it out. I can't guarantee I'll find it, as it was on paper.
 
Nodge68 said:
I don't know how the authorities are in NZ when it comes to mods. I understand that lots of mods need approval, before they are highway ready. This is why I thought a 25mm lift and slightly larger tyres would do what's needed.
Click to expand...

We are allowed up to 50mm blocks, and any lift or lower as long as they are standard aftermarket springs and/or shocks which fit the stock mounts. Not allowed to change body or other bits to accommodate the lift without further certification. So 40mm should be OK.
 
Tony Reeves said:
Thinking about this, I am building a picture of my next Freelander Adventure. I am thinking diesel auto would be the way to go, along with lift and the right tires. And also thinking a KV6 Auto torque converter would give better performance at lower speeds as it should be more slippery than the stock diesel one.
Click to expand...
The auto is a good idea, a lot more flexibility in the Freelander - the red 3 door that was for sale recently would have been a good car to build from. I'm not sure which of the V6 or TD4 is most likely to expire when you're 50kms from tar seal or up to the doors in water. The TD4 is more reliable on road - but which is more likely to suffer problems on low crawling revs for long periods and getting wet?
 
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