So I have been thinking about the rear breaks on a FL2, I am no fan. The drum break inside the disc has never struck me as the best idea and of the 3 Freelander’s I have only one has ever been affective.
I have been considering options for what feel would be an improvement, well the snow is building up outside and I cant do any this is where boredom has taken me. Firstly could you up grade to an electronic hand brake? I would think that the caliper would go straight on to the rear hub. You may have to replace the disc to suit, bet you don’t thou. That would give you the right balance to the breaking system as the breaking side thing will remain all FL2. But could you operate the hand break motor just by adding power. I know on newer Land Rover’s the communication is via the ECU, can this be bypassed. Will a simple 12v feed work? I must be honest I have no knowledge of these new fangled devices. But IF it where that simple it would make life a lot easier when you come to work on one.
Or the mechanical route some thing like you would find on VW/Audi and so on. The chances of one of these going straight onto a Land Rover hub I am not going to hold my berth on. You would have to mount brackets, but to be honest that not too hard to do. Rally preparation firms have been doing that for years. You then have to find the best one for the disc; you would want to stay with the original disc. The cable itself I don’t see as a great issue. The biggest hurdle surly must be the balance of the breaking system, if it where a competition car we would just throw brake bias values. But the dual system takes that option away. You would not have to use any particular manufactures caliper, off the shelf ones are out there Demon Tweeks? So is worth the bother or just carry on with the same old system, may learn how to do it better.

I think you will find that the discs and calipers are different. Don't know if it affects the ABS or traction control though. You would need a warning light to come on to stop driving off with the EPB on as there would be no self release mechanism.
Remember that the electrics on a post MY13 are very different (it's an Evoque) so there could be other issues.

PS Mods like this would need to be declared to the insurers. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

I am working on the idea that the ABS ands so on are a hydraulic system and have no bearing on the hand break as long as the ABS sensor is left alone. It would keep doing it own thing I guess managing the break fluid. AS for the park light you should you could set that up to work with the switch you use to engage the park break, sending power via the original switch on the hand break lever to give the light on the dash as usual? But I had never consider the warning light thanks.

I have always though that the Freelander 2 had a very good handbrake set up and it always worked very well for me. If the handbrake shoes are in good condition and adjusted properly ( Run back handbrake cables then adjust at the drum, then readjust cables)then the handbrake should be excellent with no need to carry out any mods to get it any better. Mine would lock up and hold on any hill on 3 notches. If your current car has a poor handbrake then you should be able to make it better by cleaning/adjusting /replacing the existing set up. Even if you were able to fit something different and get it to work without an engineers report on the modifications I don`t think you would be able to get insurance for it without a big premium increase(if at all!)

you can get cover for anything you just have to pay for it. There are a lot of competition cars out there used every day, That I don't see as any great problem.

My handbrake is crap too but about to fit new cables and shoes, for £40 of parts its got to be worth a refresh

Rear shocks are different on EHB models, an extra bracket. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

Bob what does it hold?

Cable for EHB but there may be some slight other differences in the suspension settings etc as the MY13 on car shares the same set up as the first Ewoks. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

When I saw the title, "Hand Break", I thought you'd broken your hand and was about to offer you my sympathies.

My handbrake was totally ineffective until last weekend when I freed off and lubricated the seized shoe expanders on both sides. I replaced the disks, pads and shoes last year but the handbrake had still not worked very well because I had missed the fact that the expanders weren't working correctly. My handbrake is now working brilliantly, holding the car on steep hills at 3-4 clicks, as described by Dondiddy above. Personally I wouldn't consider the difficulties of changing to an electronic system when the existing system can be transformed fairly easily. Just my 2p worth, it's your car after all

Totally agree with many above. Nothing wrong with the existing mechanical handbrake system which is brilliant when correctly cleaned, adjusted and lubricated and MUCH cheaper to out sort out than an EPB. FL2 HSE Auto Galway Green
Evoque SD4 Auto Blue.
FL1 HSE TD4 Manual Black - Gone.
RR Classic V8 EFI - Gone

My 2007 Freelie 2 handbrake has worked perfectly from new with only routine servicing. Nuffin wrong with it engineering-wise as far as I can tell.

I'd agree with the replies above. Incorrectly adjusted, it's a terrible hand brake. But correctly adjusted and set up, and its, well, a hand brake. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

Indeed, if well adjusted.

But also the EPB version is better from efficiency and reliability point of view.
The EPB doesn't have the internal drum stuff, so it's simpler.
The calipers have only the piston inside and the EPB will push when necessary the piston towards the disks through a screw driven by the motor.
Much more efficient to hold the disc through the main piston and pads than with the drum, where the dust can accumulate inside, the mechanism to rust and seize, etc...