Freelander with prop or not?

i am on the lookout for a 3 door freelander td4 mk1.
Every single one I have enquirer about has the prop removed.
I definitely want to have a prop fitted, do I buy a freelander without a prop and buy a 2nd hand one or is it best to buy with prop installed?
Any help would be appreciated

The props are normally removed to hide some transmission issue.

If you don't mind taking a chance that there might be an IRD or diff issue and don't mind sorting that out. The a 2WD Freelander is fine. Just be prepared to replace or recondition the IRD and diff. Add to that the cost of a replacement VCU, as that's a wearable component anyway.

If you buy 1 with props, there's a very high probability you'll need to buy a (recon) VCU for it. You also don't necessarily know its history, so there's a chance the IRD is on its way out and possibly the rear diff - if it hasn't been looked after properly. You can tell this by the number without props!

So the VCU (and support bearings) cost you could look at whether it has props or not. The price of the props themselves from a breakers should be small or you may find the props are supplied "in the boot". A recon IRD will be about £650 - but you know it'll be good.

So if you get 1 without props - budget on £1K plus your time with the spanners and you should have a Freelander with good strong transmission.

If you buy 1 with props you'll pay more and possibly still need to spend £1K.

When they were newer, you could save over £1K buying 1 without props - now though £1K is often as much as the car so its not quite so attractive.

If you're buying the parts mentioned here - don't just get them from anyone - there are cowboys supplying these parts. Go for someone like Bell Engineering who are know to supply good product.

Thanks for the replys.
So is it a very slim chance that I could just buy a 2nd hand prop and just bolt it on and all will be ok or is the full recon a definite?

It does happen that you can just bolt some props back on - usually because the VCU support bearings wore out - but I wouldn't budget on it.

That's about the only reason.

If they said that it was for fuel economy, the only way it can improve fuel economy is if the IRD was just about to go bang (to much wind up). So even if it didn't go bang, it may well do soon.

However, if it hasn't actually gone bang, you may get away with just renewing the bearings in the IRD - kits can be bought for about £150 (but need to be fitted!). If it has damaged the teeth on the crown/pinion gears though, then they are expensive and a full recon is the best option.

If, as well as the props, the rear pinion on the IRD has been removed and replaced with a blanking plate - the recons can be more money as they are on an exchange basis and your IRD needs to be complete and the case not cracked.

So go for 1 with the rear pinion still in place. You could give it a wiggle - I think I'm safe in saying that if there is any lateral movement, its definitely dud.

Not sure what to do now.
My budget was approx £2000 did not want to put much more into 1.
I don't think seller will discount £1000 if I point out propshaft is missing

You can buy a pre-facelife 3dr for under £1,000. Then you'll have some spare cash in your budget, for any necessary repairs/ improvements.

Mine cost me £275 with all props in tact. That price is low because the head gasket had gone, taking the cylinder head with it. And I am still fixing various other faults now, but enjoying every minute of it It's a very easy car to work on IMO.

Depends what you're after. But if you are looking at TDis without props fitted, you are certainly buying a project, as the guys have very clearly explained above!

Thanks for all the replys.
Managed to buy me a 3 door td4.
Props intact and I presume ok.
I think it's a gamble if all ok, the more I read I find they suffer with quite a few faults.

Next check - the famous "One Wheel Up Test" to check on the condition of the VCU! Best replace the VCU before it causes problems - and much cheaper that way too

Already found a few probs.
Drivers door remote locks but does not unlock. Pas side and rear door work fine.
2 lights are on the dash lit up constantly. TC and the hdc both amber colour.

You found those faults after you bought it?

Nodge68 said:

You found those faults after you bought it?

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Yes unfortunately I did, lights were not on.
I did not really lock/unlock it while viewing it

Locks are common and easy to spot when buying. However if missed, it's easy to sort too. It just needs a new lock actuator, in the door that isn't working.

2 amegos are more difficult to fix. It could be a variety of faults causing it. Does the ABS light illuminate when the ignition switched on?


I'd definitely be doing the One Wheel Up Test. If obvious faults have been ignored. What other more serious faults are waiting in the wings.

I have just been reading that the TC and hdc is a knackered brake light switch in most cases, hopefully it's that simple

hocky said:

I have just been reading that the TC and hdc is a knackered brake light switch in most cases, hopefully it's that simple

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The brake light switch shows 3 lights, not 2. The ABS, TC and HDC. If you have TC/HDC, then the ABS LED in the dash could have been blanked or removed/ damaged.

Nodge68 said:

The brake light switch shows 3 lights, not 2. The ABS, TC and HDC. If you have TC/HDC, then the ABS LED in the dash could have been blanked or removed/ damaged.

Click to expand...

Abs light comes on with ignition as it should.
Brake lights are not working now so must be switch, Sod's law these were working when I bought it.
It must be intermittent that makes sense as the 2 dash lights were not on when I drove it home.

Well done @hocky - glad you got the sort of spec you wanted.

Every car will have its issues. I paid for an AA inspection on a car I bought a while back. They said it was fine... and it then went and and died 3 weeks later and was sold for scrap. So if you miss a few bits, its expected. You had the foresight to ask about possible major issues on here first, which is a lot more than most would do.

I's also strongly advice doing the 1 wheel up test - it is a no-brainer thing to do as it doesn't cost anything and will either give you peace of mind or save you a collapsed transmission...

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/tests-new-freelander-owners-should-do-on-their-car.312863/
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/tests-new-freelander-owners-should-do-on-their-car.312863/
I would also be tempted to change the oil in the IRD. If it comes out still looking like oil then once again you have peace of mind. If it comes out with a greyish tint, that's a sign the bearings have been worn at some point by mismatched tyres and you may consider getting the bearings replaced before the gears go which is then a much more expensive job.

About your 2 Amigos - in this case you are probably right that it is the brake switch - but when ever the Amigos light up, getting the codes read is what I would say to do first - there are so many different things that can cause them, its a bit of a lottery if you don't know explicitly whats wrong.

There is also a rule on LZ, that if there's no pictutres, then it didn't happen - so at this point in time, you do not own a Freelander.

rob_bell said:

Next check - the famous "One Wheel Up Test" to check on the condition of the VCU! Best replace the VCU before it causes problems - and much cheaper that way too

Click to expand...

What should happen with 1 wheel up? Should it spin, I read somewhere that you would not be able to spin it by hand anyway whether vcu was bad or not.

hocky said:

What should happen with 1 wheel up? Should it spin, I read somewhere that you would not be able to spin it by hand anyway whether vcu was bad or not.

Click to expand...

What should happen is shown on the video in the thread that GG linked to above.

If the VCU is good. Then you can most definitely turn the wheel by hand. Although you'll only be able to turn it very slowly. The faster you try to turn a VCU. The more it resists being turned.