Freelander 1 Flip Key Conversion

I've seen a few threads where folk were buying these from Ebay, but none to say they'd completed the switch over.
Are they any good, has anybody genuine experience of them? Are there alternatives?
This is what I'm talking about...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191441506348?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Interesting, my existing keys are looking a bit banana like.

I did a similar conversion for my old VW van, but that was a remote locking kit which came with flip key remotes. Same sort of thing though, get the blade cut (I used timpsons in my local tesco's) and swap the transponder chip over.

The problem I would have is I have a non genuine remote fob, which may not fit inside the flip key.

Must be worth a punt though.

I havent used that but like NeedleNose I fitted a remote kit with blank flip keys to my Escort which looked to be the same quality as that link - ie cheap Chinese ****e.
It works ok but I dont expect it to last long.
Also the dude who cut the key profiles said it was very soft metal and would wear quickly.

I did this a while back. I like it, but the range seems to drop a bit with this conversion.

Is that a genuine casing or pre threats for using the logo?
Shaft from a bendy key and pcb from a two button remote fitted to the new case?
Range seems pretty poor to begin with, just how much closer do you need to be?

Its not genuine. With the key un-flipped sometimes it wont open before im a few meters behind the car. With the key flipped the range is better. I think its the key that limit the range.

And did you cut up a 'proper' key to fit? That would certainly bypass any claims of weak metal from the locksmiths!
They would probably be happier cutting and selling you one of their own too...
Thanks for your advice.

Thats awesome. For £4 Ill see if I can fit my Defender TD5 key in there!

Edit -

Bought one, I shall see and update.

Yup, bought two myself. Now the wait for them to arrive begins....

The Docmeister said:

And did you cut up a 'proper' key to fit? That would certainly bypass any claims of weak metal from the locksmiths!
They would probably be happier cutting and selling you one of their own too...
Thanks for your advice.

Click to expand...

Yeah. First i did visit a locksmith and he told me he couldnt duplicate my key with the on that came with the casing. I didnt believe him because the profile was the same. So i went to another one, but he told me the same thing, So i just got a "proper" copy of my key and cut/grinded it to the same profile as the flipkey with my Dremel on the milling machine. If you look on the picture with both keys. You can see how much harder the steel on the "proper" key is. Both have been hold in the vice.

A word of warning - I got a pair of flip keys the other day and today I got a duplicate key cut (same song and dance "weak metal, wrong profile").

The duplicate I had was one with a plastic handle but you want an all metal one like JRNORWAY used. The plastic ones only have a short stub after the key and a hole for the plastic to hold onto. Once removed there isn't enough "meat" before this hole to recut the profile to fit into the key.

Found out mine wouldn't go far enough into the ignition barrel to turn...

Good info, thanks for the heads up.

Mine arrived. TD5 fob fits properly, black key is wrong however so going to cut up one of my old ones to try and fit.

Well, I hoped to have pictures of all of this coming together, but the locksmith had the whole thing cut and fitted to the case for me within half an hour!

Points to note were that the blade that came with the key was, as JRNORWAY's picture shows, much longer shoulder to shoulder than the standard key which would leave a much shorter section to be cut.
The key ordered was a special order version for an LDV van which was all metal - no plastic - and had the most metal of any similar keys to give the best chance of cutting it down safely.
The cast piece that the blade fits into was the locksmith's biggest concern - they can apparently be notoriously hard to remove the original blade from without breaking up. It seemed to be a case of simply finding exactly the correctly sized drift to remove the split pin that holds the blade to the fitting.

I managed to pick up a secondhand Hawkeye cheaply this week, so my next job is to try and programme a new secondhand fob to the car and fit the innards to the new flip case.

To be continued...