Tyre noise or more sinister!?

I've just bought a Freelander 2 2007 with 73000 on it. Overall very pleased with it. However, above 50mph it develops a sort of droning noise. Disappears completely below 50. It's fitted with Marauder 2 Maxxis tyres which have worn on the outside of the front tyres. Has anyone any experience of these tyres? I'm thinking it could just be tyre noise from these particular tyres and hope it's not something more serious.

Are you saying the tyre wear on the front is uneven?

sounds like it's toeing out to me....get yer tracking checked

Sounds like your wheel alignments out! It doesn't tend to cause a noise unless really bad? But your tyres can go out of shape which will cause a rumble! Without seeing them its hard to say

if it an s model they can be noisy, better trim levels do seem to have more sound deadening, also they are noisier if you don'tclose the rear boot cover

Many thanks for all your advice. It was my intention to get the tyres checked because of the wear on the outside of the front tyres. Hopefully that'll be the problem. They're a little worn anyway so two new ones might cure the problem.

Make sure the noise is only the tyres and not the rear diff or rear wheel bearing failure which is common on the Freelander 2
The rear diff bearings can now be replaced as a kit.

Freelaner said:

sounds like it's toeing out to me....get yer tracking checked

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Sounds like it's toeing IN to me

I had a simular noise on my landrover defender, I let the tyre pressure down a little a the noise went away. I still go tthe tracking done which was fine.

My 2009 Freelander 2 also developed a vibration/droning sound at 80kph. After checking all the obvious, and replacing the front diff bearing, as a last-grasp idea, the dealer swopped my tires around, putting the 2 new ones onto the rear, and vice versa.
Problem solved - no noise. I'm still awaiting a rationale explanation from Land Rover South Africa, but no response yet.

David Macfarlane said:

My 2009 Freelander 2 also developed a vibration/droning sound at 80kph. After checking all the obvious, and replacing the front diff bearing, as a last-grasp idea, the dealer swopped my tires around, putting the 2 new ones onto the rear, and vice versa.
Problem solved - no noise. I'm still awaiting a rationale explanation from Land Rover South Africa, but no response yet.

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int it in ya handbook? tiz on FL1's.

David Macfarlane said:

My 2009 Freelander 2 also developed a vibration/droning sound at 80kph. After checking all the obvious, and replacing the front diff bearing, as a last-grasp idea, the dealer swopped my tires around, putting the 2 new ones onto the rear, and vice versa.
Problem solved - no noise. I'm still awaiting a rationale explanation from Land Rover South Africa, but no response yet.

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Exactly the same for me. I was convinced it was a bearing or differential but my garage simply swapped the front and rear tyres and the noise stopped. This was about 8k miles ago and it’s starting to make the noise again on rougher roads - I may try swapping them back - perhaps the set up of the rear tyres makes them wear differently to the front?

Hmm you're responding to a thread from 2012.

Yes, on the Freelander 1 new tyres are supposed to go on the rear axle. All four tyres should be the same size, brand and inflation. A tyre pressure monitoring system is a good idea and I've fitted one to my 1998 FL1.

There is lots of info' on here about the Viscous Coupling Unit [VCU] on the prop' shaft. These 'stiffen' with age/use. Ideally when the front wheel/s start to rotate faster than the rear wheels the silicon fluid inside stiffens and 'locks up' allowing drive to go to the rear wheels = 4WD. When all wheels are again turning at the same speed that fluid relaxes and the vehicle reverts to FWD.

As the VCUs age... the silicon fluid inside thickens / stiffens and drive power can be transferred to the rear when it strictly isn't required. In addition, if that fluid has thickened and/or if the rear tyres are smaller due to miss-matched or worn tyres then 'drive' is sent forward. A 'good' VCU will allow for some slippage but an old/er one will send that drive power forward to the transfer box [= Internal Reduction Drive / IRD] and will cause it to fail internally = very expensive!

So - matched tyres in brand, size and inflation is very important on the FL1.

Your VCU can be checked - there is lots of info on here about that. The simplest test is to slowly drive it in circles in a large paved carpark. Both forwards and backwards [1st & rev gear] at idle speed [= no throttle]. Do it on both steering locks. If the car stalls or if feels as if the hand brake is on then it's quite likely that your VCU has stiffened. Others use the 'one wheel up test = OWUT. A time for the bar to move down to the horizontal of under 30 seconds is desirable - over a minute then things are not right, 1 & 1/2 minutes+ means it probably best to remove the prop shaft assembly to protect the IRD.

htr said:

Hmm you're responding to a thread from 2012.

Yes, on the Freelander 1 new tyres are supposed to go on the rear axle. All four tyres should be the same size, brand and inflation. A tyre pressure monitoring system is a good idea and I've fitted one to my 1998 FL1.

There is lots of info' on here about the Viscous Coupling Unit [VCU] on the prop' shaft. These 'stiffen' with age/use. Ideally when the front wheel/s start to rotate faster than the rear wheels the silicon fluid inside stiffens and 'locks up' allowing drive to go to the rear wheels = 4WD. When all wheels are again turning at the same speed that fluid relaxes and the vehicle reverts to FWD.

As the VCUs age... the silicon fluid inside thickens / stiffens and drive power can be transferred to the rear when it strictly isn't required. In addition, if that fluid has thickened and/or if the rear tyres are smaller due to miss-matched or worn tyres then 'drive' is sent forward. A 'good' VCU will allow for some slippage but an old/er one will send that drive power forward to the transfer box [= Internal Reduction Drive / IRD] and will cause it to fail internally = very expensive!

So - matched tyres in brand, size and inflation is very important on the FL1.

Your VCU can be checked - there is lots of info on here about that. The simplest test is to slowly drive it in circles in a large paved carpark. Both forwards and backwards [1st & rev gear] at idle speed [= no throttle]. Do it on both steering locks. If the car stalls or if feels as if the hand brake is on then it's quite likely that your VCU has stiffened. Others use the 'one wheel up test = OWUT. A time for the bar to move down to the horizontal of under 30 seconds is desirable - over a minute then things are not right, 1 & 1/2 minutes+ means it probably best to remove the prop shaft assembly to protect the IRD.

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Thanks, that’s very useful info. I’ll check out my VCU when I can find a suitable place to do it.

Fizzykoi said:

Thanks, that’s very useful info. I’ll check out my VCU when I can find a suitable place to do it.

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Says your profile that you have an F2, so you don't have a VCU.

You have a 'Haldex' unit which is bolted to the read diff that performs the same function. It uses clutches rather than viscous fluid. Dunno if it can be tested in the same way an F1's VCU can, but it can (and should) be serviced.

GrumpyGel said:

Says your profile that you have an F2, so you don't have a VCU.

You have a 'Haldex' unit which is bolted to the read diff that performs the same function. It uses clutches rather than viscous fluid. Dunno if it can be tested in the same way an F1's VCU can, but it can (and should) be serviced.

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That makes sense as I’ve only just had the haldex unit serviced after a “reduced traction” warning on the display - new filter and oil. I didn’t think it was connected with the tyre noise but perhaps it’s failure has been causing uneven tyre wear front/back for some time…

Fizzykoi said:

That makes sense as I’ve only just had the haldex unit serviced after a “reduced traction” warning on the display - new filter and oil. I didn’t think it was connected with the tyre noise but perhaps it’s failure has been causing uneven tyre wear front/back for some time…

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The rear diff isn't particularly robust in design or manufacture, and fail for a past time. It's possible the diff is causing your noise.
I'd pull some oil out and have a look at the colour. It's also possible that the wrong fluids have been put in the wrong places, as the diff/Haldex assembly has 2 fill points, both needing different fluid.