Bigtone

Well perhaps you need a set of something like these then.................

Aspect ratio at 65% is not the best in fact although they would fit the rims and run. Have a look at these data comparisons to see where the variations are: Size UTQG Load / Speed Item # Meas. Rim Approved Rims OD Section Width RPM Tread Width Tread Depth Weight (lbs) Max PSI (cold) Max Load Reinforced 225/55ZR17 360-AA-A 101W 28923762 7 8-Jun 27.00787402 9.05511811 781 7.874015748 Oct-32 27.99842 50 1819 Reinforced 235/55ZR17 360-AA-A 99W 28923725 7.5 6.5 - 8.5 27.12598425 9.527559055 778 8.267716535 Oct-32 29.2484282 51 1709 - 235/60R17 480-A-A 102H 28921717 7 6.5-8.5 28.1 9.4 753 7.6 Oct-32 29.5 51 1874 235/55 x 17 is a good fitment for the reasons I gave before and go on without any need for spacers etc. You can spend hours on this subject if you're not careful............ bonne chance

The Evolution 17" wheels shown in the attached picture as fitted to my wife's 2005 HSE auto are 7" rim width. The OE fitment from LR is 225/55 x 17 but you can very happily fit 235/55 x 17 as I have done for her. It is a better fitment, is more comfortable to ride on, they are very grippy in the wet and the size simply looks better on those rims, as can be seen. There is NO problem for clearance at any point with this size and it does a smashing job. 235/55 is actually a better fitment in the Freelander 1 arrangement for post-facelift models but of course LR purchase 225/55 because the relatively small difference at OE price when multiplied by the volumes produced, obviously comes to a fair amount. I have fitted Falken STZ01 tyres and these have reinforced casings with mainly rayon breakers rather than the dreadfully high content of steel breakers used in Michelin tyres, which is why Michelin give a very crashy and bumpy ride as well as reduced wet road adhesion when compared to any other brand. These Falkens have now done 12,000 miles and are showing even wear throughout, currently with 6mm of tread left. The car is never allowed to touch or mount kerbs and the geometry is still perfect, pressures are run at 31psi and are checked with a pencil gauge every 3 weeks, then adjusted if necessary with my stirrup pump (never use garage airline gauges because they are never accurate). I have just obtained a set of spare Evolution rims from EBay and I am going to have 255/60 x 17 M+S (not Michelin but still considering what to choose) patterns fitted for winter use next year and they will go on with 15mm spacers to ensure the current level of clearance is maintained. I'll post pictures when done, maybe by July as I have to get the rims refurbished and painted first. Good luck.

It is the USA that will be a significant driver in this policy because of the potential sales numbers to be obtained. American drivers have not a single clue about sophisticated driving formats such as four wheel drive because they are unfamiliar with driving other than in a straight line normally, which is why American cars in my experience all handle like king size beds. Front wheel drive is simply cheaper to manufacture within a vehicle's factory unit cost but of course is essentially an unsatisfactory way to power good cars, at least as far as sophisticated performance packages are concerned. If you stop to think about it, there is not a single quality car made anywhere, which is front wheel drive. All quality parformance cars are either rear wheel or four wheel drive and that is a fact. A new Land Rover with front drive only, cannot be regarded as Land Rover's proudest moment I fear!

Are you certain they are 18" tyres? My 2005 TD4 HSE Auto has 17" OE although I realise the Freelander 2 comes OE with 18". If they are 17" I recommend these http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php?plid=m56b0s2186p9078 Value for money knocks others into a cocked hat and they have now done 5000 miles with 8mm of tread still there, perfect wear pattern, perfect balance maintained and a smooth and comfortable ride plus perfect straight line ability. They are 235/55 17 as per the ad and I paid £68 each for them last August before prices went up. Delivery for the 4 together was less than a tenner and fit and balance at my local Monkeys cost £10 per wheel, which collectively prices them each at todays price, to be around £90.The Michelin Synchrones before these were far inferior on all features and certainly very noisy on the road. Look quite nice and chunky to look at as well...........

Surely you realised what you were buying?? These vehicles are purpose designed to ride higher than conventional cars and that's what you've now got. Stick it in any car park and see how different they are. See the picture below.... I bought ours for my wife because when I became disabled to the extent that she needed to take over most of our driving, she said she had never been happy with the Jaguar X Type 3 litre Sport Premium Estate because it is low when driven in the lanes around us and so I said 'what do you want'? She's like a dog with 3 tails now she's got the Freelander and wallowing and rolling just never enters her head. If you want a performance vehicle, you need something else. It's as simple as that.

As I said, choice always lays with the individual. If you want a bumpy crashy ride with higher mileage then go for your Michelins but I prefer more comfort and grip than you’ll ever get with them. Goodyear is one of poorest comparisons against any brand in my experience added to which you’re lucky if you get a full set of perfectly round tyres, which then leads to vibration issues. Highest mileage is not the only measure and if you have ever had high performance cars, as I have, then the differences mentioned above become distinctly important. As I said, the most important element to obtaining optimum tyre life is to ensure pressures and condition are always maintained, which few people bother to do and then whinge about low mileage life without blaming themselves of course. My last Audi S8 was fitted with it’s OE set of tyres when I bought it with only 14K miles and they were Michelins, which were immediately ready to come off. I replaced those with Falken FK451 and they did 22.5K miles without any issues whatsoever.

Try a better brand of tyre is the best solution. My 2005 HSE had 225/55 17 Michelin Synchrones as OE and when I purchased the vehicle at 19900 miles last July, I found them very noisy travelling home the 100 miles or so mostly motorway. Michelin tyres are well-known as being designed for higher mileage and consequently have harder compounding than others in varying degrees, but aside from the wear factor the demerrits I believe outway the merits. They have poorer wet road adhesion and noisier rolling attitudes because of the harder compound, so as with most things you pay your money and make your choice. I have now fitted Falken FTZ01 235/55 17 reinforced tyres and got shot of the Michelins. The result is straight line accuracy, excellent state of balance, a quieter and more comfortable ride without the bumping and crashing of a hard compound plus some extra balloon effect for comfort with a wider section. They were fitted at 21010 miles and the Freelander has now done 26800, showing a perfect section on all four tyres without any shoulder wear, no feathering and no odd wear pattern whatsoever. I have just used my tread depth meter and I have 8mm on each tyre, so there is an excellent rate of use being indicated plus there is very good wet road adhesion and smooth driving. The main secret with tye wear is to check your pressures every fortnight and maintain them at 31psi always. Pressures are the biggest factor by far with tyre wear and most people just never bother with them or use a garage gauge, which are nearly always all wrong. Go to Halfords and buy a Stirrup pump, sometimes called a Track pump (costing between £10 and £20), plus a pencil gauge and do your own pressure checks easily. Also DO NOT drive up and down kerbsides because they will always mostly likely affect your tracking, camber and castor angle settings, which collectively have an effect on optimum tyre wear if the wheels are not running straight. It's that simple. Michelin tyres are like BMW cars in my experience: overated and overpriced.

2005 55plate TD4 HSE Auto with 26K miles, standard except for stainless steel sidestep pipes and 235/55 tyres instead of 225/55 17OE. Living in the South Wales hills with lots of local narrow lanes is not helpful for good mileage in fact but the vehicle is checked each refill against gallons used and is consistent at 29 to 32. A recent 90 miles each way trip up the M4 to Reading presented 35.5 on the day, so I reckon we're OK with ours. The Auto box is quite nice and the performance is entirely acceptable for a diesel in all honesty. My wife mostly drives the Freelander and she absolutely loves it from start to finish.

It was bulbs after all and despite my having taken them out to look at the filaments. My repair man said these bulbs are very misleading and lots of people are fooled to believe they are still OK when not. Last week in his absence his mate apparently had a look at the job and it seems now he was anyway checking the foglight assemblies rather than the stoplights. What my Grandad used to call a mucking fuddle. So, if you get stoplights out problems, change bulbs as a matter of course because for the few pence incurred, it is'nt worth the worry.

The day after my wife got her 2005 TD4 HSE Auto the windscreen suffered a large stone and had to have a new Pilkington screen fitted. The supplier also fitted new Bosch Aero wiper blades which do look more the part than non-aero I must say. I also had new 235/55R17 tyres fitted all round to replace the 225/55 OE and the stainless steel tubular side-steps put on during the first week, back last July. My wife reckons the whole vehicle looks 'very chunky' now and I seem to have stumbled onto a formula to please wives at last because she's like a dog with two tails when she's out in "Bonny". (Bonetti Grey). We live up in the south Wales hills and apart from a weekly trip into Cardfiff, do mainly hacking around poor quality lanes in the Wye Valley, but she still averages 30 to 33 mpg. Cracking little vehicle!

HERE IT IS......

My November 2005 Freelander HSE Auto has just started having brake light problems and I am mystified what to do. When reversing up to the front glass door about a week ago I noticed the offside tail stop light was out, although the left side and central high mount were working normally. I took the lens off to check the bulb and found it was perfectly OK so I ran it down to my service agent who checked the line with a current tester and found there was no power in the line behind the bulb fitting. He said this could be one of those 'pain in the arse' jobs of trying to find a small nick in the cable, somewhere back down the line beyond the bit that was reachable whilst the lens was off. This weekend the nearside stop light has also ceased functioning although the high central light is still working. Does anyone have experience for this problem that can point me at the likely culprit spot without delay?

My November 2005 Freelander HSE Auto has just started having brake light problems and I am mystified what to do. When reversing up to the front glass door about a week ago I noticed the offside tail stop light was out, although the left side and central high mount were working normally. I took the lens off to check the bulb and found it was perfectly OK so I ran it down to my service agent who checked the line with a current tester and found there was no power in the line behind the bulb fitting. He said this could be one of those 'pain in the arse' jobs of trying to find a small nick in the cable, somewhere back down the line beyond the bit that was reachable whilst the lens was off. This weekend the nearside stop light has also ceased functioning although the high central light is still working. Does anyone have experience for this problem that can point me at the likely culprit spot without delay?