theoptimist Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Hi guys, I wandered if any one can help me out? I have been using my freelander more and more off road, shooting and towing trailers full of logs through woods. I have a set of mud terrian tyres on, and try to take the best lines i can, However due to the rain we have had the ground is very boggy and i can't get through the mud holes i would like to, or get the trailer up the steeper hills, it seems to me that the traction control only aids so far, and with the high gearing on the gear box, the freelander is more likely to spin. Has anyone heard or seen a way of giving the freelander a low and high gear ratio? Is there a different gear box that will fit? I realize that it would probably be cheaper just to buy a disco or defender but i like the freelander, and believe it has more potential, And i have spent alot of money beefing it up all ready. many thanks the optimist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 As far as I know, there isn't a simple option for this! A Freelander Rear Diff will fit in the front, and connect to the front drive shafts un-modified. You could potentially lift the engine to clear the diff and fit a Suzuki SJ or Jimny Transfer box in the middle - driving the diffs at either end. This would give you selectable 4 wheel drive. The transfer box, depending on year will give you 1:1 or 1.3:1 in high range and 2:1 or 2.145:1 in Low. Pre 2005 models give you the lower gearing - which might be useful for slightly bigger tyres. You would just leave the original drive to the front wheels disconnected. ABS, TC & HDC would still work. It's a lot of work though - but it could give you something a lot better than a Disco! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoptimist Posted November 8, 2012 Author Share Posted November 8, 2012 brilliant thank you, i'm putting her up in the air again tomorrow, and seeing where space can be made, the other thought i had was to make the diffs manually lockable, some how, i will keep posted on my progress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Another option may be to add some sort of selectable underdrive in front of the current transfer box, something like a Klune or the Toyota doublers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 The layout of the freelander drivetrain doesn't lend itself to these sort of mods. My best idea so far was to stick a hydraulic pump on the engine and then, with gearbox in neutral, add a hydraulic motor driving the IRD, that would give *very* slow low-box driving all four wheels. I'm not sure locked diffs would help over and above the ETC, which is very good. Could be worth looking at lower gearing in the main gearbox swapping in gears from other cars, TD4 has the Getrag box, no idea what they're like for interchangeability or which other cars they're in. Putting in a very low 1st & reverse would help. Smaller tyres would do something, an autobox would let you go slower thanks to the torque converter, but you may as well buy a different car for all the effort it'd be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi_110 Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Run tubes in your tyres and deflate to 6lb when in the clague. That will double your pad area and lower your gearing a bit, both of which will make a big difference to your traction. Carry an electric pump to restore tyre pressures before you hit the tarseal again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris007 Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 On 11/8/2012 at 10:29 AM, simonr said: As far as I know, there isn't a simple option for this! A Freelander Rear Diff will fit in the front, and connect to the front drive shafts un-modified. You could potentially lift the engine to clear the diff and fit a Suzuki SJ or Jimny Transfer box in the middle - driving the diffs at either end. This would give you selectable 4 wheel drive. The transfer box, depending on year will give you 1:1 or 1.3:1 in high range and 2:1 or 2.145:1 in Low. Pre 2005 models give you the lower gearing - which might be useful for slightly bigger tyres. You would just leave the original drive to the front wheels disconnected. ABS, TC & HDC would still work. It's a lot of work though - but it could give you something a lot better than a Disco! Si I know this is old forum but what shafts did you use from the transferbox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 4 hours ago, Chris007 said: I know this is old forum but what shafts did you use from the transferbox The nice thing with Suzuki transfer boxes is they have drive flanges on the input & output - so you make your own prop shaft out of half a suzuki welded to half a Freelander prop shaft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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