Freelander 2 '08 LED & AC Advice

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nx0691

New Member
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7
Good morning everyone,

I have had my 2008 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 for just less than a year and its my first toe in the water with a 4x4 and I love it.

A friend has just given me a set of these (https://www.ledperf.co.uk/led-light-bar-cree-double-row-36w-2600-lumens-for-4wd-atv-ssv-p-30302.html) along with a wiring harness. I would like to install them myself, I don’t know much about cars but I would like to use this an an opportunity to start to change that!

I was just wondering if anyone might be able to help me out as to where I would start and how I would install them?

Also I have just had my AC regassed and had freon leak from the bottom left of the grill. Just wondering if anyone knows of a known issue or what part would have given up on the bottom left? Long shot I know!

Many thanks in advance!

Nick
 
Welcome. Just for reference, a Freelander is an All Wheel Drive, not a 4x4, there is a difference. ;)

You can buy brackets to mount the lamps to the grille, which saves cutting and drilling into the body.
I prefer a full length light bar, as they're more rigid when mounted, and produce much more light than individual spot lights. How easy the wiring is depends on what headlamps you have fitted.

The AC condenser doesn't have any inherent design weaknesses, but they are susceptible to impacts from stones, much like any car.
The intercooler on these can also be damaged by stones and debris when off road.
 
Welcome. Just for reference, a Freelander is an All Wheel Drive, not a 4x4, there is a difference. ;)

You can buy brackets to mount the lamps to the grille, which saves cutting and drilling into the body.
I prefer a full length light bar, as they're more rigid when mounted, and produce much more light than individual spot lights. How easy the wiring is depends on what headlamps you have fitted.

The AC condenser doesn't have any inherent design weaknesses, but they are susceptible to impacts from stones, much like any car.
The intercooler on these can also be damaged by stones and debris when off road.
Thank you very much for the quick reply.

Ah is it! I will have to explore the difference between them, thanks!!

As far I can make out, from what I have managed to find, is wire the LEDs in to the main beam via relay? Just looking for a bit of a how to.

Roger thanks, think I might have to take it in to a specialist to have a look at the AC. Prob slightly out of my skill set.
 
Thank you very much for the quick reply.

Ah is it! I will have to explore the difference between them, thanks!!

As far I can make out, from what I have managed to find, is wire the LEDs in to the main beam via relay? Just looking for a bit of a how to.

Roger thanks, think I might have to take it in to a specialist to have a look at the AC. Prob slightly out of my skill set.
Yes you can wire spots to the main beam, but depending on the type of headlamps you have, you may or may not have a main beam circuit. If you have separate main beam bulbs, then you can "break out" the wiring from those to feed a relay. However if you don't have separate main beam bulbs, you'll have a shutter circuit instead, which needs to be used.

AC issues need to be sorted by someone who knows what they are doing. The front bumper needs removing to access the AC condenser, but it's not a difficult job for someone used to working on modern cars.
 
Hi Nick. The installation of a light bar sounds like a great way to start 'fiddling' with cars.

It sounds like an easy task, but will be more complex, hopefully you like challenges - which in many ways is what maintenance of cars is all about!

Some then become happy to just do as much of their maintenance as possible, others go to more complex mods, rebuilding and power conversions etc. Get out of it what you want, and the pace and speed you are comfortable at.

In the "old days" it would have been easy to trace wires going to the main beam, however the F2 is a modern car and the wiring will be contained within looms that the manufacturers really don't want you breaking into - so don't stumble at the first hurdle. Take as many cups of coffee as necessary to become confident in what you're doing and use as many words as your mum would not want you to use to curse Land Rover. The ultimate result will give the satisfaction.

@Nodge68 could probably fit that LED lamp in 20 minutes, it may take you a weekend (or 2). By the time, you have lost all your friends and emptied your bank account doing stuff on your F2, you to will be able to fit them in 20 minutes :D

Good luck.
 
I couldn't fit an LED bar in 20 minutes, I've not got round to fitting mine in 2 years.
You are correct about the harness though. There is about 50mm of visible wiring at the headlamp plug, which is just enough to tap into. Unfortunately there's no main beam relay in the Freelander 2, as its MOSFETS.
 
Yes you can wire spots to the main beam, but depending on the type of headlamps you have, you may or may not have a main beam circuit. If you have separate main beam bulbs, then you can "break out" the wiring from those to feed a relay. However if you don't have separate main beam bulbs, you'll have a shutter circuit instead, which needs to be used.

AC issues need to be sorted by someone who knows what they are doing. The front bumper needs removing to access the AC condenser, but it's not a difficult job for someone used to working on modern cars.
Roger! I have separate bulbs for the main beams. Is it as "simple" as that, breaking out the mains wire and tapping in?

I think I will seek someone to do it, probably a bit too much for me at this stage.
 
Hi Nick. The installation of a light bar sounds like a great way to start 'fiddling' with cars.

It sounds like an easy task, but will be more complex, hopefully you like challenges - which in many ways is what maintenance of cars is all about!

Some then become happy to just do as much of their maintenance as possible, others go to more complex mods, rebuilding and power conversions etc. Get out of it what you want, and the pace and speed you are comfortable at.

In the "old days" it would have been easy to trace wires going to the main beam, however the F2 is a modern car and the wiring will be contained within looms that the manufacturers really don't want you breaking into - so don't stumble at the first hurdle. Take as many cups of coffee as necessary to become confident in what you're doing and use as many words as your mum would not want you to use to curse Land Rover. The ultimate result will give the satisfaction.

@Nodge68 could probably fit that LED lamp in 20 minutes, it may take you a weekend (or 2). By the time, you have lost all your friends and emptied your bank account doing stuff on your F2, you to will be able to fit them in 20 minutes :D

Good luck.
Hey,

Thanks very much for the reply! It definitely seemed like a starting job. And hopefully leads to a few more jobs I can do / try.

Hahaha, I will give it a go. A few weekends well spent I think. So it would be tap in to the main beam -> relay -> split to main beams and LEDs? An over simplification I'm sure.

Thank you
 
Im just wondering if anyone who has a Pre-facefit F2 (with added lights) might have some photos of the wiring?

Thanks
 
I've got a pre-facelift, but not got round to adding my light bar yet, actually there's not really a need for it as the headlamps are already pretty good. I will do it one day, but I plan on using a 24" light bar behind the grille, as I want a discreet install.

I have wired in some DRL / fogs, which were easy enough to wire in with the controller included in the kit.
Screenshot_20230714-154121_Gallery.jpg
 
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