The Freelanders did surprise me with their off road ability when we S*L*U*Ts did our recent 'Newbie Trip' on Salisbury Plain.
They have limitations where it is deeply rutted but on wet grass they are pretty much unstoppable......
Each to their own guys.....each to their own......

Cheers Boomer that was some good fun, I am looking to lift the body for that very reason. Even I was surprised at being able to traverse the thick mud on road tyres!!!:D
As for the Tratty drivers, I too have owned other models (V8 and 300TDi) and driven Her Maj's fleet over the years. I cant afford to keep a tratter just for playing with like some and the Freelander suits my current lifestyle (99% road driving) perfectly.
The offhand slagging of Hippo's on our own thread is quite frankly ..... boring!
 
Sorry for thread revival but fancy taking mine off road and been warned against it since it only has the standard tow points which I'm told would probably pull out if tugged too hard so been told I would have to fit a tow bar and jate ring on the front which apparently you cant do and sump gaurd?

Would it not be good enough as standard with the Geolander A/T tyres?
 
They are perfectly good on standard road tyres.

The towing points are rated around 4.5 tonnes I understand.
 
I'd have thought that ATs would give much better capabilities than HTs on stuff like sand, mud and snow where they would get clogged.

The standard points should be good enough for winching if not a snatch.
 
Jate rings only fit on our big brothers....

The tow bar is a good idea but the towing eyes are more than adaquate for most (if not all) situations.
 
Just sold mine to a guy who races motorbikes as he's been navigating recently for Nick Lines in his Freelander . Strange how the Freelander, so berated for being crap off road, now seems to be fast becoming the vehicle of choice for off road racing.
 

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Just sold mine to a guy who races motorbikes as he's been navigating recently for Nick Lines in his Freelander . Strange how the Freelander, so berated for being crap off road, now seems to be fast becoming the vehicle of choice for off road racing.

Those are some aggressive tyres.

What is the black strip above the rock sliders attached to the sill?
 
Sorry for thread revival but fancy taking mine off road and been warned against it since it only has the standard tow points which I'm told would probably pull out if tugged too hard so been told I would have to fit a tow bar and jate ring on the front which apparently you cant do and sump gaurd?

Would it not be good enough as standard with the Geolander A/T tyres?

Loads of peeps will tell you what a Hippo can't do & what you musn't do but most of them have never driven one off road, I would recommend larger AT tyres & a 2" lift, some underbody protection at least a sump guard & go & embarass your friends in their Disco's, lol ;), I've snatch recovered a Disco 2 with the standard rear recovery eye & been winched up a 45 deg slope with 4 in the hippo after attempting something rediculous at a Land Rover show with the standard front recovery eye :)
What Hippo have you got ?
 
I have a 1998 Land Rover Freelander 1.8 XEi (5 Door).

Should I at least buy a tow rope before I think of going?
 
I have a 1998 Land Rover Freelander 1.8 XEi (5 Door).

Should I at least buy a tow rope before I think of going?

If you have TC, you should be ok. The 1.8 isn't ideal as the torque curve is wrong. It will get you were you want to go through.
I've recovered my green lane buddies Disco 2 from mud, twice!!
 
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Off road in 1.8 K :scratching_chin:
You should buy a tow rope, and some spare engines :D

Or:

208165_3750700255152_1257382711_n.jpg
 
Off road in 1.8 K :scratching_chin:
You should buy a tow rope, and some spare engines :D

Or:

208165_3750700255152_1257382711_n.jpg

The 1.8 isn't any more likely to break off road then on road really. It's just not an ideal engine for the job. For a capable large off roader, you want low down torque to keep the thing moving without spinning the wheels. A Freelander is a little different. I find that you need to carry a bit more speed to get through tough areas. This is where the TC works best to keep the momentum up. However it's easier to control the vehicle with an engine that has low down torque.
You will find that you are always slipping the clutch on the 1.8 which will obviously reduce its life.
I prefer an auto box off road, this makes up for the lack of low range.
Obviously I'd choose the V6.
 

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