Freelander Project IV (Bertie)

The VCU almost certainly should be a service item it would seem - although there seems to be enormous variability in terms of life span of these units.

Is there a difference in the VCU life-span on early cars versus later? There has been some mention regarding differing ratios on the front and rear axles between pre- and post-2001 FLs?

rob_bell said:

The VCU almost certainly should be a service item it would seem - although there seems to be enormous variability in terms of life span of these units.

Is there a difference in the VCU life-span on early cars versus later? There has been some mention regarding differing ratios on the front and rear axles between pre- and post-2001 FLs?

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This is where the boundaries of urban myths and reality get fudged!

It has been said that LR issued a service interval on the VCU of 70K miles - however there have been scans of "official" LR service schedule sheets for Freelander posted, and the VCU is not mentioned at all. I'm sure though somewhere LR have given the VCU a 70K mile service interval.

Its also been said that the pre MY01 cars and a IRD gearing drop on the rear pinion of 0.08% - this is not in doubt - but from MY01 the gearing was changed to be (IIRC) 0.02%. However pre MY01 cars have I believe the same part number for the IRD as MY01+ diesel and 1.8 petrol cars, but the 2.5 does have a different IRD and that may have the different gearing. @Hippo did put up a thread asking people to "count their teeth" for different IRDs of different aged cars, but I'm not sure whether any info came out of it, or how reliable it would have been - given IRDs may have been replaced on people's cars before they got them.

helijohn said:

Before I bought one I read somewhere that the VCU is a service item and I asked about every car I went to see if it had been changed or was on any records of work done and nada. It has eaten up the money I was allocating to the lift so like you it'll be a while before I do owt.

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I did the same its only really people who are into LR that know of the problem, The bloke I bought my FL from had had a rear diff bush changed about 3 months before I bought it and written on the bottom of the receipt by the mechanic was " please note diff bush wear is a sign of major IRD wear " which is why I suspect they decided to get rid obviously a little knowledge is a dangerous thing

Guys please remember this is my build thread.

Ah yes, sos.

Bu@@er
I just called my insurance company Admiral and was told they will no longer cover me cause I have a lift kit fitted. Then started checking online and calling around to find the price for insurance has gone up by around £300 just cause of the lift kit.
Worse than that some companies are refusing to quote cause my no claims is with Admiral multi-car.
Waiting for NFU to call back but not expecting much.

Adrian Flux insures modified vehicles and was fairly painless for my previous Mk4 remapped Golf 1.8T.

The trouble with modified is you are now down to just a few insurers and it costs because there is less competition. I got a reasonable quote from them and then had a questionnaire to fill out about the mods and who did them. You must fill this out... Other than that I found them professional and easy to deal with. But, like I said, it is going to cost you.

The good news is you can remap it on top of your lift and it is unlikely to increase the premium.

Alibro said:

Bu@@er
I just called my insurance company Admiral and was told they will no longer cover me cause I have a lift kit fitted. Then started checking online and calling around to find the price for insurance has gone up by around £300 just cause of the lift kit.
Worse than that some companies are refusing to quote cause my no claims is with Admiral multi-car.
Waiting for NFU to call back but not expecting much.

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argh! Really sorry to hear that mate.

Welcome to the world of modified cars. Fortunately there are a number of specialist insurers - Adrian Flux is a big name in this market place, but there are others who specialise in Land Rovers. Check out the magazines.

My Hippo is on Admiral multi-car as well, and this is one of the reasons why I haven't immediately fitted a turbo on it!

Will be interested to hear other people's experience with Landie specialist insurers - is bound to come in use sooner or later!

Bandit127 said:

Adrian Flux insures modified vehicles and was fairly painless for my previous Mk4 remapped Golf 1.8T.

The trouble with modified is you are now down to just a few insurers and it costs because there is less competition. I got a reasonable quote from them and then had a questionnaire to fill out about the mods and who did them. You must fill this out... Other than that I found them professional and easy to deal with. But, like I said, it is going to cost you.

The good news is you can remap it on top of your lift and it is unlikely to increase the premium.

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Perhaps it is my age ? - I don't know... ? - but I would never DREAM of telling an insurance company for a vehicle about a 'remap' or indeed, a lift kit !. never in a million years. Unless the vehicle looked RADICALLY different from standard, Sod 'em.
They are already rip off con artists. It is the 17-21 age group - with back to front baseball caps - that causes most issues in bloody saxo's and other pieces of cr&p. That is why premiums are so high.
NEVER tell them anything unless it is totally obvious. - you just end up getting ripped off for absolutely nothing. A total con.

I fear a 50mm lift will be pretty obvious?

rob_bell said:

I fear a 50mm lift will be pretty obvious?

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I wouldn't give it a second look personally - doubt many others would. I wouldn't consider that anything to tell them about at all Rob. Sticking HUGE rims and tyres (if they can get them to fit - well, that's different. As for remaps etc - even a turbo kit, I wouldn't give that a second thought. It is not even as if anyone is interested apart from the money grabbers, the cops and trumptons certainly ain't !
Joe

About 20 years ago SWMBO had a head on with a transit. The assessors went over both vehicles with a fine tooth comb. The worry is if they find anything out of the ordinary they could use it as an excuse. Things like rear seat removal which I think to be trivial is declarable.
Extra insurance premium is enough to stop me doing a lift.

I think that the third party should be covered.
However it's not worth taking a chance. It's safest to get insurance from a specialist company.

Nodge68 said:

I think that the third party should be covered.
However it's not worth taking a chance. It's safest to get insurance from a specialist company.

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You could end up having to pay for any damage done if your insurance is void.

helijohn said:

About 20 years ago SWMBO had a head on with a transit. The assessors went over both vehicles with a fine tooth comb. The worry is if they find anything out of the ordinary they could use it as an excuse. Things like rear seat removal which I think to be trivial is declarable.
Extra insurance premium is enough to stop me doing a lift.

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Hi John,
The assessors are hardly ever involved unless your vehicle is fully comp (even then it is to assess the damage - which, on a freelander a slight bump would be a right off in the UK.. Fully comp on a freelander would imo be a waste of money. The 'other' parties assessor has absolutely no right at all to look at or even touch your vehicle. They are simply not interested. The cops are not interested. Much ado about nothing really. Tell them beggar all.

Joe

I haven't been TPF&T or TPO for years. I always get comp as the difference is a matter of a few quid and in some cases comp has been cheaper. If TPO was half cheaper or maybe 25% I'd take it for my FL which is only a plaything.

I always insure fully comprehensive. Mostly for the windscreen cover to be honest. A heated front screen for a Freelander is over £500. I don't need to worry about it getting damaged, apart from loosing a £75 excess.
The insurance for my TD4 SE auto about £200 PA. I seriously doubt that TPFF will be much less, and I'll sacrifice window and lost key cover too. So comprehensive it is for me

Nodge68 said:

I always insure fully comprehensive. Mostly for the windscreen cover to be honest. A heated front screen for a Freelander is over £500. I don't need to worry about it getting damaged, apart from loosing a £75 excess.
The insurance for my TD4 SE auto about £200 PA. I seriously doubt that TPFF will be much less, and I'll sacrifice window and lost key cover too. So comprehensive it is for me

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'Fairy Nuff' , - but this is regarding telling insurance companies about ANY change you make - in theory you should tell them if you add a 'ronbox', if you change to silicone hoses, if you delete the EGR, if your tyres are slightly wider than production for THAT vehicle, if the wheels have been changed to greater diameter etc etc etc... it is all B0ll0x really.. and still nobody is going to bat an eye at a freelander with a 50 mm lift kit. The vehicle probably was already down an inch or maybe more from production due to spring sag over the last 15 - 18 years ... the lift is hardly noticeable unless off road. ABSOLUTELY nobody - AT ALL will bat an eyelid at it. Most guys here are (I am guessing) probably 40 - 60 years old - not the demographic of boy racers and white van men. The vehicle is a Land Rover , an old one at that. It is not a 19 year old in a sports car, or a sh!t tip they are trying to make look like one.....
ps, Sorry Ali mate - - 'tis your build thread. - maybe a topic for another thread - just do it and say nothing more to them. no mods declared.

I wouldn't bother telling them about something which is hidden and easily removed like a Ron box but a 50mm lift kit is very obvious and would result in major issues in the event of a shunt if discovered. It's not worth the risk and since posting I've been able to get the quote down to £350 3rd P F&T or 380 FC so now not much more than a hundred over standard. Part of the price for modding your car I guess.
Companies like Adrian Flux are useless when you live in Northern Ireland. I've tried them before and they're quotes were hundreds higher than GoCompare and Compare the Meerkat so no point in going to them.
Anyway no more about insurance please, I've wasted enough time today on that subject and on to more important things. I've managed to crack the rear hub nut with my new 3/4" breaker bar socket so can now get the new studs fitted. It took me and my mate to swing on the bar with a pipe extending it but we got there.
Also while out shopping last week I found this in B&Q.

I'll need it to sand down the ugly pigeon poo welds I'll be making to the chassis arms after having butchered them. I already have a MacAllister grinder and am very happy with it so hopefully this well be as good. I didn't get much done today but plan to crack on tomorrow.

I was amazed that fully comp is often cheaper than 3PFT! May be they think you're more careful with more insurance cover? It's bizarre.

Back to the build thread: sounds like you've got an insurance solution. A power file is one of my absolute all-time favourite tools. Unfortunately frequent abuse leads to sanding belt failure, but these can be picked up really cheaply at shows...