Freelander 2 (LR2) Freelander 2 Brake Maintenance.

The handbrake setup looks almost identical to my E39, when i bought it the seller told me "handbrake needs adjusting".
When i took it apart there was no lining at all one one side, I assume it had come adrift and he decided to just bin it and bung the wheel back on

Kev12 said:

The handbrake setup looks almost identical to my E39, when i bought it the seller told me "handbrake needs adjusting".
When i took it apart there was no lining at all one one side, I assume it had come adrift and he decided to just bin it and bung the wheel back on

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It's basically the same system that used on lots of vehicles, including the wife's old E46 convertible.

I from time to time run with the handbrake on intermittently to clear all the crap n rust out of these types of rear drums brakes, the shoes should last for ever as there's no wearing force on them...

Yours did look quite rusty thou nodge

On the FL1 I've had a rear lock up just by spraying a water hose in there, reversed out ok but on going forward one wheel locked up..had to fwd/reverse it until it broke free. Can shoes get hydro locked in some way as this is what I felt happened,

jedi said:

I from time to time run with the handbrake on intermittently to clear all the crap n rust out of these types of rear drums brakes, the shoes should last for ever as there's no wearing force on them...

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That's what I've been thinking about over night. Unlike drum foot brakes, these don't get "run" so there's bound to be heavy rusting on the drum surface.

I think occasionally gently applying the PB while driving is a good move. Or maybe adjusting the shoes so they are slightly dragging all the time, would be another method to keep the drums clean.

jedi said:

Yours did look quite rusty thou nodge

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I've never seen a PB in such bad condition.
They're the originals looking at them, and should have been changed years ago. It's an out of sight, out of mind type thing.

jedi said:

On the FL1 I've had a rear lock up just by spraying a water hose in there, reversed out ok but on going forward one wheel locked up..had to fwd/reverse it until it broke free. Can shoes get hydro locked in some way as this is what I felt happened,

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Yes it's common for the FL1 drums to lock after submersion in water.

I actually drove the FL2 through three 1 foot deep fords on Saturday, I wonder if it’s related?

Henry_b said:

The springs are the worst, i've lost a few nails and knuckles doing them..
A stupid design in all honesty.
The lower shoe is almost impossible to remove due to the pins being obscured by the backplate etc etc

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Do you remember what way up the adjusters are on yours?

Mine the nearside (LH) adjuster was screw up.
The offside (RH) was screw down.

I can't find any reference to this in the service manual, and the pictures in the are of the nearside, where the screw is up.
So being unsure of the correct orientation, I put it back the way it came out.

Have found pics from my 5 series, I only took photos 1 side though. Best guess would be so its easiest to get to the star wheel through the hole , although I seem to recall the notches in the shoes only allowed it to fit one way

Nodge68 said:

Mine the nearside (LH) adjuster was screw up.
The offside (RH) was screw down.

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So if the threads are not handed like the FL1 then fitting opposite ways around would allow a standard instruction for tightening the shoes. E. G move towards caliper, or move towards rear of car. If both fitted same way up the instructions would need to be handed..... I think!!!!

Nodge68 said:

Do you remember what way up the adjusters are on yours?

Mine the nearside (LH) adjuster was screw up.
The offside (RH) was screw down.

I can't find any reference to this in the service manual, and the pictures in the are of the nearside, where the screw is up.
So being unsure of the correct orientation, I put it back the way it came out.

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Hi Nodge.
here are photos of when i changed over my brake shoes & pads, discs, i always do this as matter of cause when i purchased any car, knurled adjuster at the top, NS
1

As you can see also the brake shoe as started to wear away on the edge.
2

set up before fitting.
3

I used an hook pick to remove the spring.
4

close up of adjuster.
5

OS the adjuster faces up also, you can see the letter R on the back plate.
6

7

a bit of copper slip on the back plate where the shoes touch is good also.
8

i always remove the drum discs at least once a year to clean it out of dust etc, and every month drive with hand brake on a little for about 500 yards to help keep the inside of the drum free of rust build up.

Glad to hear you got it sorted

andyfreelandy said:

So if the threads are not handed like the FL1 then fitting opposite ways around would allow a standard instruction for tightening the shoes. E. G move towards caliper, or move towards rear of car. If both fitted same way up the instructions would need to be handed..... I think!!!!

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Standard right hand threads on both adjusters Andy.

I've studied the relevant sections of the manual again, which does actually give the the position of the access holes through the bell to the relevant sides. Looking at the hole positions, it appears the LH adjuster toothed wheel goes at the top, and the RH toothed adjuster goes at the bottom, which is how I found it.

Arctic2 said:

OS the adjuster faces up also, you can see the letter R on the back plate.

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Edit: No it doesn't. The page from the manual shows both adjusters in the lower position, which is different to the exploded view.

In reality, it makes little difference, as it'll do the same job either way up.

Here's some pictures from the manual.

Ok. So it's broken down again, same issue, only this time both rear wheel locked up, giving me quite a ride!!

It's a good job I was on the ball, or I'd have been in a Cornish hedge (grass covered stone wall).

So I'm thinking the issue is more than the parking brake.
Rear diff failure spring to mind.

The RAC say they're up to 3 hours away, so I've go to wait. The FL2 is only just off the road, which isn't good as it's another dangerous location, annoyingly only 1/3rd of a mile from home.

I've edited the thread title, as this issue clearly isn't parking brake related.

Bloody thing.
I'm beginning to think these later Freelanders aren't as reliable as the earlier ones.

Sorry to hear you're in trouble again. Your experience has put me off FL2s altogether!

Was worried that I couldn't see a real cause of previous failure in photos.

Hope you get home soon.

andyfreelandy said:

Sorry to hear you're in trouble again.

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So am I Andy, so am I.

andyfreelandy said:

Your experience has put me off FL2s altogether!

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I'm thinking along the same lines now Andy. I've never had this much trouble with a FL1 in such a short period of time.

andyfreelandy said:

Was worried that I couldn't see a real cause of previous failure in photos.

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They were in a bad way, but the design actually prevents locking on, especially with such force.

andyfreelandy said:

Hope you get home soon.

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Apparently the RAC are 10 miles away, so hopefully the rain holds off until they get to me.

I'm sitting in the passenger seat, with the seat heater on, and the climate control to 24°C, so although it don't drive, I still have a luxury waiting room.

Nodge68 said:

Apparently the RAC are 10 miles away, so hopefully the rain holds off until they get to me.

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He's arrived in a van, so has called the local duty garage (who I used to work for), to come out with a flat bed. So I'm in for another wait now.
What joy.

Dangit man - that sucks balls :-(

Are you sure your not adjusting them too close to locking up setting??? Maybe back them off a bit nodge with more travel in the lever or what ever it is called on the FL2.

Just to cheer you up.

I got a puncture in the rav today, had to change the wheel in the pouring rain. But couldn't fit the Bottle Jack under the car as the tyre was flat....20 mins later still in the pouring rain I remembered about the standard scissor Jack under the seat.

jedi said:

Are you sure your not adjusting them too close to locking up setting??? Maybe back them off a bit nodge with more travel in the lever or what ever it is called on the FL2.

Just to cheer you up.

I got a puncture in the rav today, had to change the wheel in the pouring rain. But couldn't fit the Bottle Jack under the car as the tyre was flat....20 mins later still in the pouring rain I remembered about the standard scissor Jack under the seat.

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It's not the brakes. I can rock the car backwards and forwards a few inches, before it locks with a bounce back. It's transmission related, which would also explain this message.

Hi John.
Wow broken down again sorry to hear of your woes with the FL2 my ownership so far as been almost trouble free, just the power steering pipe failed due to corrosion, but you can expect that after 13 years, i am sure you will find the problem and solve it quickly, with both wheel locking up i doubt its the handbrake shoes, if it is then maybe the expanders. did you change the rear diff oil, and Haldex oil recently or not yet.

Arctic2 said:

Hi John.
Wow broken down again sorry to hear of your woes with the FL2 my ownership so far as been almost trouble free, just the power steering pipe failed due to corrosion, but you can expect that after 13 years, i am sure you will find the problem and solve it quickly, with both wheel locking up i doubt its the handbrake shoes, if it is then maybe the expanders. did you change the rear diff oil, and Haldex oil recently or not yet.

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It's not off to a good start with this one, that's for sure.

The wife isn't too pleased I can tell you.

At least I was driving, as this time it was mid bend, causing the rear to do an unintentional rear slide.


The PB is fine, as I can rock the vehicle, but the drive shafts are only turning so far then stopping.
I heard a loud howl from the rear, just a second or so before a loud bang and everything went all slippy on the back end, and I was a passenger.

No I didn't get round to doing the rear fluids, but I guess I'll be taking the diff out now, so I'll see what's gone wrong with it then.

That can wait for a bit now though.

When I get it home, I'll be parking it up until I feel inclined to take any remedial action with it.

Nodge68 said:

I'll be parking it up until I feel inclined to take any remedial action with it.

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That's what I've done with the FL1 with it's slipping gearbox, 2x locked shut rear doors, and clumping sunroof...while I decide what to do with it..... really don't like crawling around on a wet cold floor in the dark...