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MihaiB

Member Since: 30 Jun 2011
Location: Bucuresti
Posts: 137

2011 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Auto Zermatt Silver

Martas wrote:
Outside....Im just developing 20mm lift (spacers), custom suspension armor and roof rack with light bar - I will inform you about progress...

Hi Martas,

Can you give more details about the spacers, lift and suspension armor?

Thanks!
Mihai

6th Dec 2011 3:41 pm

Martas

Member Since: 25 May 2011
Location: Havirov
Posts: 39

Since there is no suspension lift for Free II., I found a thread about spacers http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/showth...freelander

I'm discussing it with "JJJ" by email - he got 11mm lift at front, stock rear. I want go higher (all 4 wheels), but there is problem as he wrote about in that thread - lower control arms...

Click image to enlarge

If you go higher than 20mm, LCA will hit bottom plate where the bolt is - it has to be grind, cut or upgrade anyway. Another thing is that there are no camber bolts there, so if you go higher than 20mm again, your wheels will be off-camber.

I will take a look at rear struts soon. For front end you definitely need polyurethane spacers or anything flexi but not much compressable - top plate of strut housing is domed.

I will go up by 20mm (not more), which allows 255/70 R17 tyres for sure. Than the clearance will be around 25-26cm depending on the tyre thread, which should be great (for SUV) and it will pass most basic obstacles (I'm planning trip to Corsica & Romania next year).

Suspension armor will be similar as you can find on the South Africa forum. I'm planning 3mm stainless steel or 6mm aluminium plate, which should be hard enough. Front plate will copy the stock plate, just will be more durable. For gas tank plate I will have to make a cardboard template first. Than I need to find some solution for sides - there is no space for rock sliders.

Last edited by Martas on 10th Dec 2011 9:05 am. Edited 1 time in total

6th Dec 2011 5:15 pm

MihaiB

Member Since: 30 Jun 2011
Location: Bucuresti
Posts: 137

Interesting mods you have in plan. So if I understand correctly, you plan on lifting suspension by 20mm and this requires no other modifications? The tires you plan on installing are quite significantly larger than the standard ones - does this require further approvals from Land Rover or does it affect insurance?

Also, as the car will be higher, some wheel spacers would be good in order to increase the wheelbase and maintain stability, don't you think?

Regarding protections, I installed Mantec for both front and rear (tank area) - they are from 6mm aluminum plate and so far proved quite durable. I managed to hit the rear one in a rock while offroad and it bent a little but it took just some minutes to fix (hammering it back down). Never heard about suspension armor so far - do you think the suspension is exposed to damage?

6th Dec 2011 5:30 pm

Martas

Member Since: 25 May 2011
Location: Havirov
Posts: 39

Thanks...

I will go only for 20mm spacers, that should be enough. If need more, I will have to buy some real off-road .
I'm planning another set of wheels and tyres just for off-road trips - wheels will have different offset to clear 255mm wide tyres with more than few milimeters with stock 17" wheels.

I think that LR won't give you approval for that. Warranty is finished for my car, so I have free hand for making upgrades now . All upgrades won't be so dramatic, it's still just a small changes. I don't want add much stress on suspension parts and engine. Car will still look stock (or very close to it ) after I finish it...

Fuel tank armor will be similar to Mantec, but it will cost me much less. Than I want to add some Al plates around door sills.

Btw. If you have some pictures, how the Mantec tank armor are screwed to body, you can PM it to me. Thank you

7th Dec 2011 5:28 pm

MihaiB

Member Since: 30 Jun 2011
Location: Bucuresti
Posts: 137

Hi Martas,

I added pictures of the fittings to the body in my thread about the modifications, which is here: http://www.freel2.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=122972#122972.

Hope this helps!

8th Dec 2011 8:22 pm

Martas

Member Since: 25 May 2011
Location: Havirov
Posts: 39

Thank you Mihail ...

It looks like I will make a copy of Mantec. Could you make more detailed pictures of rear brackets which are holding brake lines? Are they new one-piece with line hanger or they are using old bracket with some additional one for screwing Al armor?

Should I make L-bracket like this...

Click image to enlarge

...than weld that old piece (line hanger) on it? (green circles are holes for bolts)

Last edited by Martas on 26th Sep 2012 10:39 am. Edited 1 time in total

14th Dec 2011 12:12 pm

MihaiB

Member Since: 30 Jun 2011
Location: Bucuresti
Posts: 137

Hi Martas,

Is this one ok?

Click image to enlarge

It's a crop from the original picture, hopefully you can see better. If not, I will try to make a better one when I get the change to get under the car and it is clean enough

Just please confirm if this is the area you are interested in.

14th Dec 2011 1:04 pm

Martas

Member Since: 25 May 2011
Location: Havirov
Posts: 39

No need to clean Land Rover because of me.....it should be dirty

Yes, that's the area. So it looks that there is additional long bracket with small old one on the top which is holding brake line. This will help, thanks a lot ...

14th Dec 2011 2:20 pm

Martas

Member Since: 25 May 2011
Location: Havirov
Posts: 39

Finally have some small progress with custom armor - just need to bend it, weld it and screw it to the car...
Thanks JJJ for help with sump guard design

6th Jan 2012 9:49 pm

Martas

Member Since: 25 May 2011
Location: Havirov
Posts: 39

So....tank armor is finished. There was 2 cracks after bending so friend welded all the bends for me. Install will be done around 24-26/02. Meantime I'll prepare bolts and washers...

3rd Feb 2012 7:01 pm

Martas

Member Since: 25 May 2011
Location: Havirov
Posts: 39

Spacers are finally home...

20mm front / 25mm rear made from polyurethane.

Click image to enlarge

9th Feb 2012 10:14 pm

MihaiB

Member Since: 30 Jun 2011
Location: Bucuresti
Posts: 137

Hi Martas,

Did you mount the spacers yet? How does it handle?

Also, I wanted to ask if you bought the spacers from a certain manufacturer or you had them custom made.

Thanks,
Mihai.

22nd Feb 2012 5:52 pm

Martas

Member Since: 25 May 2011
Location: Havirov
Posts: 39

MihaiB : Spacers are custom made from polyurethane.

Car is now runing spacer lift for more than 1000km. Ride is smooth as before. I need to get in from tiptoes now with my 178cm . From today's measuring - front chin is 28 cm above ground and lowest point (custom tank guard - could be closer to the tank next time) is 23 cm above ground. I'm very pleased with it...

Click image to enlarge

27th Feb 2012 4:53 pm

iain cooper

Member Since: 27 Aug 2007
Location: north of Glasgow
Posts: 1989

2009 Freelander 2 TD4_e HSE Manual Lago Grey

just measured mine...............standard

front 840mm
rear 865mm

Iain

27th Feb 2012 5:16 pm

MihaiB

Member Since: 30 Jun 2011
Location: Bucuresti
Posts: 137

Hi Martas,

Thanks a lot for the updates. Seems quite an improvement!

Just a couple of questions, if possible:
- I believe the suspension spacers don't help in the ground clearance, but in allowing more space for the tires, right?
- The tires you have mounted on the car are the General Grabbers, 245/70/R17?

Thank you!
Mihai

27th Feb 2012 5:18 pm

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