Hello good weather, goodbye prop!

"Dear Prop,

Thank you for always being there, transferring power to the rear wheels when needed last week after a brief period of snow.

Unfortunately since then the weather has been better and I'm sorry but being around you recently has felt like something of a drag.

I think it would be best if we spent some time apart. How about we catch up again later on in the year - maybe around November when you would probably feel more valued and I'd really appreciate having you around?

I think we both know that it's for the best.

Until then - lots of love,

Andy. x."

:lol:

Hello light and sloppy steering

Hello wheel spin on wet shiny tarmac at traffic lights.

Hello wheel spin on exiting roundabouts.

Hello tyre smoke on Alpine-style hair-pins.

Goodbye off-road capability.

Otherwise everything's fine.




Just teasing -

Off camber bends on slip roads a scary in mondo mode

Hmmm.... I'm now wondering whether there may have been something wrong with my prop because now I'm experiencing the following;

1) Reversing feels a lot more "free and smooth"
2) When going around tight corners it also feels more "free" somehow
3) Steering feels lighter
4) (and this is probably just me thinking it...) It seems that it changes up at a lower engine speed

I'm going to start a brim fill test tomorrow - Prior to making the change I have been consistently getting 240 - 250 miles per tank. It'll be interesting to see if this changes by any noticeable amount.

Andy.

You're not listening are you!!!!!

You will also notice it dive into corners, cos it's not set up for mondo as it's a four wheel car being dragged around by it's front end.

Having said that if you like it that way, job done.

Umm, when did you last check your VCU?

The symptoms you've described, well, some of them, are classic signs for a dodgy VCU.

As to the other things suggested above, I've yet to drive the wifes in 4x4 mode as ours came sans drive train (to be fitted on Sunday ) but if it's going to handle better when converted I'll be having some fun

The wife's has 225 55 17s on it though, if they help grip and steering precision?

You'll be having some fun matey, mines like the proverbial through the corners

Freelaner said:

You'll be having some fun matey, mines like the proverbial through the corners

Click to expand...

As I'm used to arse on the floor sports cars, or motorcycles, if I want to go quick it's going to take me a while to 'convert' my brain to drive fast while sitting up off the floor

I'm up for the challenge just saying, it's gonna feel most odd

It won't feel odd, trust me, solid as a rock and very nippy.

TRXnMe said:

As I'm used to arse on the floor sports cars, or motorcycles, if I want to go quick it's going to take me a while to 'convert' my brain to drive fast while sitting up off the floor

I'm up for the challenge just saying, it's gonna feel most odd

Click to expand...

I understand how you feel.

I still have my elderly BMW 528i, but with ContiSport2 tyres in the summer this HSE with all the little tweaks could easily keep up with it on the twisties.

If you were to exceed the speed limit then of course the BMW walks away with the prize.

It's a big shock to some folks how speedy the Freelander can be.

It's a completely different handling technique, which you have to learn, but in the wet, ice or snow Freelanders are King. My daughters X5 even with Snow tyres can't keep up. I'm on Conti4X4Contacts until summertime.

As for taking the prop off in the summer - no comment.

Enjoy.

Singvogel.

Don't forget to tell yer insurance.

i had the prop off my one a few weeks back waiting for a new vcu and the small saveing in fuel was just not worth the sick handling you will eat trough front tyres from wheel spin and under steer it just not worth it

Thanks for all the comments. Maybe while the prop is off it'll be a good opportunity to get it checked before it goes back on.

As for wheel spin and diving into corners I don't think I'll be affected by these as I'm a very sedentary driver (so much so that even elderly Sunday motorists get frustrated if they're unfortunate enough to be behind me at a set of lights). If you imagine a driver who never lets the engine rev above 2,500 rpm ever (unless on the motorway in top gear) you'll get the idea.

I should also point out that I'm not knocking the Freelander - This thread was just a bit of humour. I bought it specifically because I live at the top of a long and winding hill and for the past two winters I have been stuck at the bottom due to snow and last time that meant carrying a large and heavy network server up to my house from the car (and then going back down the hill to carry up the second one that was in my boot). I don't do any off road driving so when it isn't snowing I don't actually need four wheels being driven. Leaving the Freebie SORNED and sitting on my driveway for 12 months isn't really an option either hence the decision to try 2wd mode. I also expect that the life of the prop - vcu - ird is likely to be significantly extended if it is only being used for two months or so rather than all year round.

I'm not mechanically minded so I could be completely wrong in my assumptions though. All I can say is that it "feels" much smoother (and probably more car - like) with the prop removed.

why bother removing total waste of time

just to say you have for got 2 things first one winter is not really over yet and second one do not for get to inform your insurance company should you "forget" and you get into a accident they could refuse your insurrance sorry to breaker of bad news and if you see a rustie in trouble you can not pull it out in 2 wheel drive mode

upstream said:

Hmmm.... I'm now wondering whether there may have been something wrong with my prop because now I'm experiencing the following;

1) Reversing feels a lot more "free and smooth"
2) When going around tight corners it also feels more "free" somehow
3) Steering feels lighter
4) (and this is probably just me thinking it...) It seems that it changes up at a lower engine speed

I'm going to start a brim fill test tomorrow - Prior to making the change I have been consistently getting 240 - 250 miles per tank. It'll be interesting to see if this changes by any noticeable amount.

Andy.

Click to expand...

Your VCU is worn it needs replacing fella, when you have a new / recon VCU the car drives a bit more like mondo mode I drove me sport mondo for a while and loved it and put prop back on for snow

Test the vcu before replacing it.

Hi again,

These comments have me thinking... Is it possible to test the VCU with it removed from the vehicle? How "spongy" should the rubber things that connect the brackets to the front and rear of the VCU be? On mine I can easily move them all around by hand without using hardly any force at all.

Also - Is it possible to test the rear diff and IRD without the prop in place?