Hi, I have just fitted a set of Land Rover roof rails to my newly acquired 2011 Freelander 2. I wanted to share my experiences in case it helps anyone thinking about attempting the same job. It's basically very straightforward providing you have the right tools and a bit of common sense. Like all 'DIY' jobs the challenges come when you meet unexpected problems, more of that later. The supplied instructions are pretty good and detail what is required. The steps I followed where;

1) Remove the four plugs that fill the rear holes in the roof trim, using the plastic trim tool supplied with the roof rails lift the edge of the plug up and get your finger underneath, turn the plug anticlockwise and it will unscrew from the hole. Be patient and ease the plugs out. They push in but because the holes are threaded they will unscrew. Well three out of the four unscrewed the fourth one wouldn't budge, eventually when I thought it was starting to move the top of the plug sheared off leaving the stem in the hole. At this point you can swear a little and then think of plan B... Plan B involved either heating up a needle and breaking up the plug stem or taking a small drill and drilling it out - taking great care not to damage the thread because you will need that later !! After a couple of passed with the drill the plug stem was out. You may of course have no such problems but if you do, don't panic there is a way around it.



2) Next the instructions show you how to remove the rear gutter trim to enlarge the existing holes, I'd read in a couple of places that you don't need to do this and after looking at the existing holes and the metal spacers you put in them I agreed, the spacer fits inside the existing hole and clears the trim so cutting it away wouldn't achieve anything.



3) The next step is the most nerve racking, especially as I'd only had the car a week. Follow the instructions and lift the front part of the gutter trim. put a towel on the roof and a suitable piece of wood to stop you modifying the roof by mistake. Drill a pilot hole on the cross moulded on the roof trim and then with a hole saw cut a 24mm hole, I only had a 22mm hole saw and that did the trick just fine! Remove the existing Bolt and replace with the one supplied in the kit, seal it with Polyurethane sealer as shown - I bought a tube of Tiger Seal from Amazon for £8 and used about 50p worth, but at least I know its waterproof, don't get it on your hands or its there until you grow new skin! You will need a 21mm socket for this (I had a 20mm and a 22mm but went out and bought the right one as you don't want to round off a corner or slip at this stage. Once the new adapter is bolted in replace the trim, I put a small blob of sealer underneath to ensure it was stuck down but as the rail bolts down on top of it it isn't going anywhere.




4) Thats the hard bit done, now to bolt down the rails. Fit the rubber pads as shown in the instructions and carefully lift the rail on to the roof, the front fixing slides onto the new adapter that is sticking up through the hole you cut. Put in the three bolts on each side and finger tighten. Check it all looks right and there are no unusual gaps. It seems well made and fitted very well in my case.




5) Next fit the cross brace, this bit is quite fiddly. When the advances in genetic engineering have been made and you have the experience of a 60 year old mechanic, with the strength of a 25 year old and the hand size of a six year old this job will be a doodle! just make sure you cover the roof with a towel to stop any damage, lift up one end and align the holes and loosely insert the Allen bolts, then lift up the other side and repeat. Take your time and if you get frustrated, go and have a cup of tea and try again! One you have the bolts in go round and tighten the rail bolts and finally the cross brace bolts.




6) Fit the trim pieces, five of the six aligned very well, the final one wouldn't clip in place initially but putting the back edge in place and then the front did the job. Some people have suggested putting some sealer underneath the trim peaces to stop then coming off but mine seemed to clip on very tightly so I did this for the first two but not the last two.


7) Stand back and admire your work, I think the rails give the car a purposeful look and very soon you don't notice the rails.

Hi Botanics,

That's a great write up, many thanks for that because I have been considering fitting some myself.

Were yours genuine Land Rover ones ?

Neil.

Hi Neil, yes genuine Land Rover parts, I know there are copies around but compared to the cost of the car I'm not sure if I would be happy saving a few pounds, they might be just as good but I'd know

Jonathan

Any other mods planned Jonathan?

Hi Chris, I dont think so, but I always say that then the mist comes down and... I do fancy a rear view camera though Got to get used to her first and get some miles under my belt, I'll find out what I really need then.

Now and then i sometimes remove my roof rails, due to height restrictions in some car parks. I find it easier to remove and refit rails with cross brace attached , you need an extra body, but its far easier than trying to unscrew cross brace and later refitting while working above the roof. Rails are light and easy to lift off.

I did wonder about taking them off when I don't need them but clearly they are not designed to come on and off regularily and I figured sooner or later I'd strip a thread or break a cover so I thought just leave them on. Everywhere I usually go has a 2m height restriction so I'm ok at 1.83m... well until I go somewhere new and hear that dreaded crunch...

Good " how to" guide

I just leave my rails on (now over three years) and only fit the roofbars when needed - not had a height problem with car parks

added to the common links at the top of the maintenance & modifications section

Great write up and will be useful to others  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Thanks for the write-up .... good description and nice photos.  2002 Honda VFR800
2002 Toyota Celica 140 Silver (mid life crisis - again!)
2007 FL2 GS Manual Army Reconnaissance Green + freel2.com sticker
2004 Toyota Celica 140 Black - Gone
2000 Toyota Celica 140 Silver - Gone
1998 Toyota Celica ST Pearl Green - Gone
1996 Nissan Primera 1.6 - Gone
1994 Rover Montego 1.6 Auto - Gone

Regarding Step1 Removal of blanking plugs, I had two that initially refused to budge but I found that giving them a bit of WD40, going for a cuppa and then I was able to turn them while apply a lifting pressure.
Certainly agree about the cross bar fitting - as my wife said, "Must have been designed by a man". Tattoos - Why would you choose to look like the wall of a public toilet?

Hi Botanics,

Thanks for that write-up. I have a set of the bars that I got with the car - but not installed - and never bothered to put them on. I may just do so now.

Can you hear the bars at all while driving, in terms of wind noise?

This is a great and informative write up. This is something that I will be doing come spring.

Hi JJJ, I don't notice any extra wind noise at all with the rails on, there is some when the roof box is added but I expected that

Thanks for that. I've been thinking about fitting some and worried that it was either an expensive dealer job or a potentially car damaging home job. Now I can have a go.