Step or 'NO STEP' on Freelander hood compared to Defender

When I had a Ford Focus, my teenager kids tend to sit on the engine hood, and in doing so, often almost dented it. I encouraged my kids to lean against the hood, but not to sit on it, they can sit on the edge of the boot, stand on the door step.

For past 3 years, I have a Freelander.

I've seen photos of people, mostly women, standing on the hood and/or roof of Defenders, in Pinterest or Instagram etc. I thought that's fine, because I assume the Defender is means to be more robust and their engine hoods could support the weight of a person. Although I've noticed that in most of the Land Rover Girls kind of photos, the women tend to sit on top of the fenders rather than on top of the hood cover.

When it comes to Freelander, I figure the hood is off limits, but can sit in the boot, stand on door step, a few other places. Then I noticed a very few photos on the Internet, showing a person sitting/standing on the hood cover of a Freelander.

Is the Freelander's hood cover really that strong enough to support the weight of a person? I assume, maybe those Freelander in the photos, their engine hood overs were customised to support the weight, but they look like just normal Freelanders, not modifications.

I'm just wondering, because I was planning on doing a photography project, of women with Freelanders, and if the engine hood cover is strong enough, I could get the model to sit on it, but otherwise I figure leaning on the hood is as far as it can go.

Shouldn't they recline decorously in tiny bikinis? Purely in the interest of minimising & spreading the load of course
Probably best not to use 'the larger lady'.

A FL1 or 2 bonnet is quite heavy so I assume quite strong. I think it would take the weight of a normal person but it would certainly damage the paint work. It may leave a minnor dent but a tratter bonnet would do the same without a layer of checker plate.

Why is it difficult to stop people walking all over ya car!!

Those insta models weigh less than a cup of bran so it'll deal with it..

If i caught someone stood on my bonnet i'd break their fookin legs!!

I’ve always stood on my Landies for cutting hedges and stuff. They still dent same as everything else I just don’t let it concern me.

My 90s had marks and dents from walking over them camouflaged by the other knocks, my RR has only one foot sized dent on the hood from the initial heave up

Defender bonnets and rooves will only support light people without bending. You don't need to see many old tratters to confirm that...

Major Eazy said:

When it comes to Freelander, I figure the hood is off limits, but can sit in the boot, stand on door step, a few other places. Then I noticed a very few photos on the Internet, showing a person sitting/standing on the hood cover of a Freelander.

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I Freelander bonnet (hood) will dent if it's stood on, where there's no support under the top skin. It'll probably be ok around the edges, where the frame is strong and supported, but move a couple of inches in from the support, and it'll bend.

I trod on an old FL1 bonnet (was already dented) to test where it was strongest, and shows it wasn't that strong, at least not for my 13 + stone.

I accidentally reversed my D3 over that bonnet one evening, resulting in it being totally flat where the tyre had run. Not a surprising outcome, considering the weight of the D3.

Nodge68 said:

I Freelander bonnet (hood) will dent if it's stood on, where there's no support under the top skin. It'll probably be ok around the edges, where the frame is strong and supported, but move a couple of inches in from the support, and it'll bend.

I trod on an old FL1 bonnet (was already dented) to test where it was strongest, and shows it wasn't that strong, at least not for my 13 + stone.

I accidentally reversed my D3 over that bonnet one evening, resulting in it being totally flat where the tyre had run. Not a surprising outcome, considering the weight of the D3.

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I did figure a Freelander's bonnet hood wasn't that strong compared to a Defender's, so I thought about getting models to pose by leaning against or maybe sit on and around the edges, but not in the middle of the bonnet. I just noticed some photos around on the Internet, where some women have actually posed right on top of the Freelander's bonnet.

Okay, so it's a case of sit on around the edges or where there may be stronger support, but not too far in, oh, I got it, analogy speaking, treat is like you would if it was ice over a pond, weakest and thin spot in the middle of the pond?

Thanks, will keep this advice in mind.

RangeRoller dt said:

I’ve always stood on my Landies for cutting hedges and stuff. They still dent same as everything else I just don’t let it concern me.

My 90s had marks and dents from walking over them camouflaged by the other knocks, my RR has only one foot sized dent on the hood from the initial heave up
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Ouch! Are you too cheap to buy a step-ladder?
You got a problem with step-ladders to a point, you would treat your Range Rover as a makeshift one?

Not sure I'd be allowing teenagers to sit on my car! As for a photoshoot, that's different, get a spare from a scrap yard, or put some supporting material underneath while the engine is off?

Thinking about this some more... it will dent anywhere yer sit or stand on it. I wouldn't even try it. Take pic's of them inside it or putting something on the roof rack instead.

Major Eazy said:

Ouch! Are you too cheap to buy a step-ladder?
You got a problem with step-ladders to a point, you would treat your Range Rover as a makeshift one?

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Yes my Landies always been for work. I’ve stood on them cutting hedges n stuff they’ve all had dents from climbing over them. They ain’t damaged much considering how much I’ve trampled on them (scantly clad ladies welcome).
My RR is just a cheaper betterer replacement for my 90.
Would expect FL to be bit more lightweight and wouldn’t walk on the roof of one particularly if you have sunroof. 90 roofs dent easy too I put a board on it spread weight out.