Freelander 1 Getting a feeling for the Freelander

Joe_H said:

Nope - to your general hypothesis - - enjoy your bottle - but still nope...
Lay off the pop dear boy (every night so it would seem) - it does not do you any good.

The VCU is captain cooked.

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If you can't come up with any reasonable reply it's probably best not to reply at all.

You have no luck left to push.

So after driving the hippo a little bit today, it seems it's the back brakes that are binding. it happens in all directions and the car won't coast.

On another getting used to the hippo, it doesn't feel very planted, the steering gets pulled all over the place by drains or dips in the road. I'm guessing a four point geometry check will sort it out?

Mine has the same binding brake problem - I believe this is quite common, particularly on FLs that have been left standing for a while.

The car should be stable and track true, so yes, I'd agree, a tracking check would seem to be on the cards.

Freelander rear brakes will sieze at the slightest opportunity. I left the hand brake on overnight after retrieving the boat and they were siezed very solidly in the morning! Only did that the once! I've also been to view Freelanders that have been left standing for extended times and their brakes are siezed - but that's a general symptom of drum brakes I think.

With mine, once I cracked them (on the engine and with a big bang) they were fine after that - didn't continue to bind, but if its been standing for a while might be different.

Its difficult with Freelander to see if the wheels are spinning freely. Play in the diffs mean you can turn them a little, but really you need to get a couple of wheels off the ground.

However - have you checked all your tyres match and are pumped to the same pressure? If you've got 1 low on pressure it will bring the VCU into play regardless of whether your turning or going straight.

If you haven't done the 1WUT yet I would do it as a matter of urgency.

Well the landy failed it's MOT today, one was a track rod end needs replacing, which may explain the wandering.

A rear brake and a front brake are binding also which will explain the stiffness.

monkfish24 said:

Well the landy failed it's MOT today, one was a track rod end needs replacing, which may explain the wandering.

A rear brake and a front brake are binding also which will explain the stiffness.

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That's a bugger!

You'll need to sort the brakes before any tests of the VCU will tell you anything reliable - unless you whip if off and test it on a bench - or I suppose you could do the 1WUT on the rear wheel that isn't binding Probably not a priority though as the car won't be going anywhere till the brakes are fixed.

Luckily I had a slot booked in at my local self service garage this afternoon so I'll get it up there and do the brakes this arvo.

Binding brakes can also pull the steering about and add to the vagueness as you drive over undulations in the road

Nodge68 said:

Binding brakes can also pull the steering about and add to the vagueness as you drive over undulations in the road

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Oh yesssssssss both brakes had seized on the near side so that would explain why it felt worse on one Side than the other.

For the fronts if your up for it you can get repair kits from a fiver up depending on the issue or a complete refurbed caliper for £42
For the rears buy a complete spring kit along with new shoes and do one side at a time so when you get confused you've something to copy.

Sorry, I've already done the brakes, i stripped the front pad carrier and regreased the sliding sections. Also, the piston had got itself seized from lack of use. popped it into life by removing it from the carrier and stamped on the brakes. it also got treated to new discs and pads.

The rear one, I just removed the handbrake lever bar, wire brushed and emery clothed in between the moving parts. moving nice and freely now.

Joe_H said:

Nope - to your general hypothesis - - enjoy your bottle - but still nope...
Lay off the pop dear boy (every night so it would seem) - it does not do you any good.

The VCU is captain cooked.

Click to expand...

ANOTHER LOAD OF BOLLOCKS FROM JOE-H

More reason for a vote in the annual awards running on Anything Goes!

monkfish24 said:

Sorry, I've already done the brakes, i stripped the front pad carrier and regreased the sliding sections. Also, the piston had got itself seized from lack of use. popped it into life by removing it from the carrier and stamped on the brakes. it also got treated to new discs and pads.

The rear one, I just removed the handbrake lever bar, wire brushed and emery clothed in between the moving parts. moving nice and freely now.

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I like. No point in throwing money at it if a bit of elbow grease is all that's needed.

It's common for caliper pistons to rust, just behind the dust cover. Before I fit new pads, I pull the cover over the piston so I can clean any dist and corrosion off. I then give the piston a smear of red brake grease to help with future binding issues.
I treat the slides to a similar clean and grease treatment.

So the hippo now has an MOT, I'd hate to think how much it actually cost me but it certainly doesn't make financial sense. The only issue I will have now is whether to get an MOT on the tratter and sell one of the Landies. Considering the amount of travelling I'm going to have to do, I suspect the series will be the one that get's sold over the hippo.

That's good news. Cars always end up costing more than you thought!

Well done on getting the MOT. I have bought 4 Freelanders in the last couple of years and every one has cost me hundreds after I bought them. Even the one that came with 12 months MOT.

But then it was a K series.

Alibro said:

Well done on getting the MOT. I have bought 4 Freelanders in the last couple of years and every one has cost me hundreds after I bought them. Even the one that came with 12 months MOT.

But then it was a K series.

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Huh, yeah, K series costing lots of money..... who'd do that !?!

First breakdown!

Damper ring detached from the VCU..... glued back on with Tiger seal.