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jules



Member Since: 13 Dec 2007
Location: The Wilds of Warwickshire
Posts: 4879

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 SD4 SE Auto Firenze Red
Structural Undertray ?

I came across this statement about the revised 2011 FL2 and wondered if its really true about the undertray...

"The many functions of Terrain Response are underpinned by the high levels of body stiffness which
provide the best foundation for excellent ride and handling characteristics as well as off-road
performance. A structural undertray on the front sub-frame improves steering precision as well as
protecting the underside of the vehicle and four point engine mounting aids engine stability and
improves refinement." Jules

Post #434345 26th Jul 2023 11:32 pm
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merlinj79



Member Since: 14 Aug 2019
Location: San Diego
Posts: 315

United States 2008 LR2 i6 S Auto Tambora Flame

Yes, you need to put the splash guard back on after you change the oil Whistle

I ran across a youtube video years ago where someone intentionally test drove the car (in a safe location) without the undertray to see what would happen. Steering and cornering were horrible due to frame flex.

There's a reason it's steel, with sturdy locking bolts, as opposed to plastic with plastic push-pins. LR didn't spend the money and weight on steel for no good reason.

Post #434346 26th Jul 2023 11:51 pm
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Bobupndown



Member Since: 26 Dec 2014
Location: Upside down behind the TV!
Posts: 2766

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 SD4 GS Auto Orkney Grey

Didn't realise that before.
On my Discovery 2 I ripped all the plastic under shields off and binned them because they were a pain to remove and refit. Freelander is easy with the impact gun to rattle them off and on.
Wife's VW the oil can be drained without removing it. Sons VW (Polo) I cut a notch out of it so oil can be drained without removing it. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Post #434347 27th Jul 2023 8:58 am
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Rommel



Member Since: 20 Aug 2017
Location: Sandhurst Berkshire
Posts: 607

England 2013 Freelander 2 TD4 XS Manual Fuji White

If the undertray is removed to change the oil it gives you the opportunity to have a good check and look round for any thing amiss, driveshaft gaitors, hoses, leaks, Etc, which is why some MOT testers give Advisories "undertrays fitted" 2013 FL2 XS.
Defender 90 300 TDi.
Defender 90 300 TDi CSW.
1964 MGB Roadster.
1944 Willys MB "Jeep" with bullet holes. (gone)
17 hand Irish Drought Thoroughbred (mostly lame)
Nagging Old Boiler.

Post #434351 27th Jul 2023 11:37 am
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jules



Member Since: 13 Dec 2007
Location: The Wilds of Warwickshire
Posts: 4879

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 SD4 SE Auto Firenze Red

merlinj79 wrote:
Yes, you need to put the splash guard back on after you change the oil Whistle

I ran across a youtube video years ago where someone intentionally test drove the car (in a safe location) without the undertray to see what would happen. Steering and cornering were horrible due to frame flex.

There's a reason it's steel, with sturdy locking bolts, as opposed to plastic with plastic push-pins. LR didn't spend the money and weight on steel for no good reason.


Interesting.
I just thought it was steel because the FL2 has less ground clearance than traditional off-roaders and therefore it needed to be strong for added protection. Never occurred to me that it also significantly stiffened the subframe. Jules

Post #434357 27th Jul 2023 6:48 pm
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Nodge68



Member Since: 15 Jul 2020
Location: Newquay
Posts: 2068

United Kingdom 2009 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Manual Rimini Red

It's common for performance oriented or convertible versions of standard vehicles to steel or aluminium under trays, as they increase structural integrity of the subframe.
The wife's convertible Audi A5 has extra diagonal bracing under the engine and body, which the saloon versions don't get. The Freelander 2 subframe isn't as rigid without the steel guard as it is with it, even though it's only thin. A flat sheet of steel is very strong in tension, which is how it works to prevent lozenging of the subframe. As to if it's detectable on a softly sprung Freelander I'm unsure, but if LR say it's there to increase structural stiffness, then it's probably accurate.
I read somewhere that the Freelander 2 body has 3 times the structural rigidity of the old Freelander 1, which I'm not surprised at at all. The body doesn't creak when 1 wheel is in the air, which is something the Freelander 1 did. Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate. The family car.
2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Gone.
2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE. Gone.
Audi A5 convertible, my daily driver.
1972 Hillman Avenger GT, the project.

Post #434360 27th Jul 2023 7:48 pm
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Dartman the one



Member Since: 04 Apr 2013
Location: Seville, Spain
Posts: 1671

England 

I assume the one wheel in the air is off road not not fast cornering on the road Laughing my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.


Last edited by Dartman the one on 28th Jul 2023 10:50 am. Edited 2 times in total

Post #434365 27th Jul 2023 8:42 pm
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BossBob



Member Since: 30 Sep 2010
Location: Bristol
Posts: 1343

England 2007 Freelander 2 TD4 GS Manual Baltic Blue

The FL2 bodyshell is strong enough not to flex when you open the car doors even when cross axled, that is with only one front wheel and the opposite rear wheel on the ground. On most cars you wouldn’t be able to close the doors again. The Evoque is the same.

Post #434372 27th Jul 2023 10:11 pm
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Simon J



Member Since: 27 Jul 2019
Location: Norn Iron
Posts: 703

2008 Freelander 2 TD4 XS Auto Rimini Red

And presumably the Disco Sport as well?

I recall that with my Volvo C70 Cabrio, if you put one wheel on the kerb, you couldn’t latch the roof to the windscreen frame! All four wheels had to be on level ground.

Post #434374 27th Jul 2023 10:36 pm
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BossBob



Member Since: 30 Sep 2010
Location: Bristol
Posts: 1343

England 2007 Freelander 2 TD4 GS Manual Baltic Blue

No experience of the disco sport but you’d expect so given the common platform used between that and the Evoque!

Post #434378 28th Jul 2023 7:03 am
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Simon J



Member Since: 27 Jul 2019
Location: Norn Iron
Posts: 703

2008 Freelander 2 TD4 XS Auto Rimini Red

My understanding is that the Disco Sport and the Evoke are built on the Freelander 2 platform.

Post #434379 28th Jul 2023 7:26 am
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IanMetro



Member Since: 11 Sep 2017
Location: Somerset BS21
Posts: 3083

United Kingdom 2014 Freelander 2 SD4 Metropolis LE Auto Fuji White

The Freelander 2 and other subsequent small LR vehicles are built on a modified FORD EUCD (original C1) platform.

Scroll down this article to Freelander 2.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Rover_Freelander#Launch

Also I know from the LR Experience session that you can indeed open and close the Discovery Sports door while balanced on just 2 diagonal wheels. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

Post #434383 28th Jul 2023 8:25 am
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NeilTD4



Member Since: 21 May 2018
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 162

England 2011 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Auto Lago Grey

Didn't the FL2 score 5 on the NCAP crash test back in the day too...?

Post #434396 28th Jul 2023 3:11 pm
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3landertwo



Member Since: 27 May 2020
Location: UK
Posts: 1123

Yes, Ford did a really good job in designing the FL2.

Remember the FL1 was a Maestro van.

Post #434399 28th Jul 2023 5:05 pm
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Nodge68



Member Since: 15 Jul 2020
Location: Newquay
Posts: 2068

United Kingdom 2009 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Manual Rimini Red

NeilTD4 wrote:
Didn't the FL2 score 5 on the NCAP crash test back in the day too...?


Yes, it was LR's second safest vehicle behind the RR L322.

It's still considered safe today, although it would loose points due to the lack of accident avoidance equipment. Structurally the body is immensely strong. Hyundai Ioniq 5 Ultimate. The family car.
2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Gone.
2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE. Gone.
Audi A5 convertible, my daily driver.
1972 Hillman Avenger GT, the project.

Post #434408 28th Jul 2023 9:38 pm
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