FL2 aftermarket accessories

[LR2Luver]

I'm searching (with no success so far) for anyone who has fitted a dual battery system to their FL2, specifically a TD4. Other itmes of interest would be a long range fuel tank, fuel tank protector, in fact just about anything that would fit a FL2. No-one does a bullbar, or rear bar that might take a wheel carrier. Snorkel? Cant find one of those either. I'm not skilled enough to make any of the items I want, and having them custom made would cost a bundle, I'm sure.
Does anyone know of a list of after-market accessories that are specifically for the FL2 ie commercially available? Cant help but feel we're missing out on a lot of choices here in Australia. :(
Any ideas, thoughts, web sites (that I haven't been to) would be appreciated! Thanks people! :)

[inside]

Hi,

Good to see that you need these things to go to the places you want to. I think the FL2 can be a tourer provided you do a bit of research, it's never going to carry the load of a Defender or be as capable but I'm certain it can see a lot of Australia.

So here is my list be sure to add to it if you can.

1) Extra fuel. This unit (http://www.dolium.com.au/view/page/120/item/FTU50P.html) will fit based on the measurements given. The problem is that it will take a bit of boot space but 50 litres is 50 litres so needs to take some room, based on my measurements it will fit behind the rear seats and the taper will ensure there is no wasted space.

2) Dual Battery. I'm sure there is space in the engine bay, although tight, but would require a custom bracket, which as you've discovered no one makes one. There is the option of a portable battery pack which depending on the camping you do could have the added benefit of being portable. Thumper, 105 Amp Hour Dual Battery System - Jumpstarter - eBay 4x4 Accessories, Exterior, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 12-Feb-10 19:07:17 AEDST) (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Thumper-105-Amp-Hour-Dual-Battery-System-Jumpstarter_W0QQitemZ250548332357QQcmdZViewItemQQp tZAU_Car_Parts_Accessories?hash=item3a55d82745)

3) Bullbar. Certainly no one makes one for them in Australia. There is a Romik nudge bar (http://www.romik-usa.com/Romik-USA_LAND_ROVER_LR2.html) available from the US but it may not be suitable. There was talk about east cost bullbars (p://www.ecb.com.au/dhtml/index.htm)making one but they decided demand wasn't enough, although they did ask very soon after the FL2 released and not many had been sold. IMO their bars look ugly anyway (http://www.ecb.com.au/model/prado.htm).

4) Mantec (http://www.mantec.co.uk/productdetail.cfm'theProductID=E92AF85F-15C5-F4C0-992AA4BD3EFA0258) make sump and tank guards (http://www.devon4x4.com/products_a/p13582c-2/0/mantec-freelander-2-tank-guard.html) (~$1800 for both) for the FL2 but these could be made in Australia for far cheaper. I have contacted fabricators and have been advised they would be relatively simple to make but have not received costs.

5) Roof racks are available. This is mine with a Frontrunner rack available through Oppositelock (http://www.oppositelock.com.au/index.php?next_page=product/product_detail.php&product_id=8511&category_id=610).
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2469/fl2beach1of2jj6.jpg

6)Camping stuff. This Drifta Kitchen (http://www.drifta.com.au/setDCB.php) will fit in the back between the strut towers, I have one and they are good. 40L Engel should fit on folded down seat behind driver, measured but have not confirmed with actually placing it there. 2 x 20L Jerries fit lengthwise inside boot. This fridge (http://www.norcoast.com.au/utepics/46L.jpg) should fit lengthwise.

7) Tyres. If you have 17" plenty of AT types available, Bridgestone D694 (I have these) or Pirelli Scorpion AT are recommended. Goodyear make a Wrangler MT/R but I doubt you'll be able to get them as they weren't available when I tried and they couldn't tell me when.

8) Snorkel. Well this may not be needed as the air intake is in the indicator vent which itself is quite high. From what I've read if you get the vehicle that deep then clean air is the last of your problems as flotation becomes the primary concern. If dust is the reason then an air filter is $20 so take one with you on a dusty trip.

[LR2Luver]

Hi Inside,
Thats a heap of info, many thanks. You mentioned a 50 litre tank for fuel. Any pics or links? And yes, I agree, the FL2 has great potential as a tourer, which is what we want. I really appreciate the info and links. :D
Cheers

[inside]

Tank is here Poly Fuel Tank 50 Lt Taper - Dolium Pty Ltd (http://www.dolium.com.au/view/page/120/item/FTU50P.html)

*Should* fit nicely behind the rear seats as the width matches but I'd make sure before buying it sight unseen. But there is always Jerry cans and it'd be a lot cheaper.

[djhampson]

Snorkel. Well this may not be needed as the air intake is in the indicator vent which itself is quite high. From what I've read if you get the vehicle that deep then clean air is the last of your problems as flotation becomes the primary concern. If dust is the reason then an air filter is $20 so take one with you on a dusty trip.

I'm not sure but I don't think the air intake comes in via the indicators. I think they are cosmetic only.

http://www.carwale.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/engine-bay.jpg

From the looks of this pic the airbox isn't plumed into anything that leads to the indicators.

[inside]

If you feel under it you can feel the bit that does the uturn. However I've read that some of the early models didn't have this, mine certainly does.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[djhampson]

Oh cool.... here was I thinking LR took the easy option on the FL2.

I'll take a closer look tonight.

[Jono70]

Thanks for the great post.

What do you put on the roof rack? Tyres, 20Lt fuel containers? Any idea what the maximum weight would be?

Where have you been camping?

Has anybody been able to buy anything like the G4 Freelander 2 roof rack?

[inside]

Anything and everything can go on the rack tyres, jerries, bags, camp table, check dolmium.com.au or go to a Opposite Lock store. The weight is the only issue. 75kg max including the rack according to LR but with a rack like this you could go over that however insurance may be an issue if you flip it.

[Jono70]

How did you fit the rack you have? From the photo it seems that the feet are equally spaced whereas the Land Rover roof rail feet are one at the front and two at the back? Did you have to drill?

Thanks.

[inside]

The rack comes with mounting channels which are fixed to the mounting points of the roof and the rack feet then slide into this. Two holes need to be drilled in the aluminium channel cover which runs from the front of the car to above the rear door. The FL2 actually has five mounting points in the roof, essentially an empty bolt hole waiting for a bolt to go in.

[djhampson]

If you feel under it you can feel the bit that does the uturn. However I've read that some of the early models didn't have this, mine certainly does.

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/3846/filtru.jpg

I had a look and mine is the same as this.... which means a DIY snorkel isn't such a far fetched idea ;) Or a 3rd party one even.

[LR2Luver]

No, this is not about condoms. It has taken me some time but I found an A Bar (read nudge bar) to suit the FL2. It is available from Equipe Automotive 4X4. Just add .com.au to get their web site.

I have also been in touch with Andrew Dolan, of Dolan Australia, who is a Bullbar Broker, of all things! His website is dolan.com.au He has informed me no-one at this time has a bullbar to suit the FL2. If the car could be in Brisbane for 2-4 days :eek: drawings could be done and a bar manufactured. I suspect the supplier would ECB or their new subsiduary Barjo. I hate to imagine what the cost would be.

As we are in the middle of a $5,800 repair to the front end of our FL2 we will be investing in an A Bar. Would have been a good investment for less than $600 :( (thats bar and delivery, no labour).

Hope this helps someone else.

[djhampson]

I might be able to make my FL2 up available for a few days later on this year if someone wants to do some measurements.

I wouldn't want a bullbar fitted to it but it will probably be sitting around for some time while its regular driver is overseas. So I could arrange for it to be available for some R&D work.

[LR2Luver]

Cheers for that, djh. My guess is, it will all come down to a question of demand, which will affect cost. The more made, the less expensive they will be. That said, unless someone does make a car available for measurements and drawings to done then there will never be a bullbar made, in Australia at least.

It would be a huge gesture on your part to make your car available, and I, for one, would be most grateful :D. Would there be any other folk interested in having a bullbar, I wonder?:(

Andrew Dolan, the Bullbar Broker, can be contacted at andrew@dolan.com.au and he would put you in touch with the manufacturer offering to do the measurements. I have no idea who it is.

[PaulP38a]

If there is some demand for a Freebie bullbar, I'm happy to speak with my fabricators for a production run. I have (well, my wife has) a Freelander 1 TD4 that has been nigh impossible to get a nudge/bullbar for.

I currently do a limited range of "roo bars" for P38A Range Rovers through my hobby/business Hard Range (http://hardrange.com) and could add Freelander stuff to the stock if you guys/gals(?) think there is sufficient demand.

The fabricators are based in Brisbane so I'd be looking for a local donor vehicle for design specs and a "very special discount" ;) to meet with them for measurements and tooling.

BTW: Andrew Dolan is a good bloke that I have regular dealings with, and if you have already kicked off something with him I'll just bow out gracefully :)

Cheers, Paul.

[LR2Luver]

Thanks for that Paul. I personally haven't kicked anything off with Andrew Dolan, other than making an enquiry. But judging by all the responses :eek: there doens't seem to be much demand. Which I can understand, why mess up the handsome front of a FL2? :D
And while I would happily make my FL2 available, not practical from Katherine....:( (thinks; what an awesome drive to Brisbane it would be...)
Cheers,
Andrew

[gghaggis]

We make a front plate for the FL2, protecting the radiator/intercooler, but you have to cut out the lower front plastic to fit.

Cheers,

Gordon

[akbush]

Hi,

Equipe Automotive 4X4 is getting in front nudge bars for FL2, should be in Aus Feb 2011. See their website (http://www.equipeautomotive.net.au/store/product.php?productid=109&cat=30&page=1)


Mod Edit: Link added

[jimbof1975]

Anything and everything can go on the rack tyres, jerries, bags, camp table, check dolmium.com.au or go to a Opposite Lock store. The weight is the only issue. 75kg max including the rack according to LR but with a rack like this you could go over that however insurance may be an issue if you flip it.

Inside,

Thanks for the links, i have been looking for an after market rack for the wife's FL2 as the OEM is far too expensive.

[Alan7140]

Just to confirm the air intake being from the off-side indicator vent, but have read elsewhere that some work would be required to render the ducting watertight and secure enough for serious wading requiring a snorkel anyway (that's a front guard off job as well). It only takes a small amount of water to destroy the engine, after all. Water ingress into the cabin is also a no-no if you have earlier sat-nav, the DVD player which holds the program disk being 'conveniently' placed at the lowest point under the driver's seat. Short that out and apparently that's the end for the whole sound system as well, it being part of the loop.

The FL2 will do a brief immersion more than 500mm provided forward momentum is maintained (unintended personal experience with this). I dropped mine into an unseen hole whilst crossing the river out of Bendethra, deeply enough to see water flow over the bonnet and to bend the front number plate completely vertical (the dealer had only fastened to the bumper with the to uppermost screws). This dip was only momentary, though, and not as if I'd tried to drive up a deep river or long mud hole, and the intake vent was downstream to the direction of the water flow of the river, something I considered before entering the water (it was just too cold to wade the whole way across to test depth, and of course the hole was just before the opposite bank... naturally. Had the intake been on the upstream side of the current the outcome might have been less pleasant with the consequent build-up of water there during the immersion, which is something to bear in mind if the water is possibly deep in places and the current flowing strongly.

The position of the intake stopped me crossing the Avon River in Gippsland more recently as the river was flowing fast and from the left. Although I've crossed there many times in the past, the first 7 metres or so gets deep briefly in the middle, and it wasn't worth taking the risk.

Funny how I never gave such things a thought when driving any of the Toyotas or Range Rovers I've had in the past through rivers, but because LR says "500mm" these days, something I never saw a warning about on any of the earlier 4x4's I drove, anything deeper than the bottom of my knee now has me sweating with worry... ;)

[NovaRover]

I found a link for a nudge bar in stainless Steel , it looks alright quality

Equipe Automotive 4x4 :: nudge bars :: LANDROVER :: Landrover Freelander 2 2008 - 2012 Stainless Steel Nudge Bar Mid Height Design (http://www.equipeautomotive.net.au/store/product.php?productid=109&cat=30&page=1)

Nice for fitting diving light lights.

[fanaki]

Hey all,

On the topic of accessories, does anyone know if a hard parcel tray is available for FL2? I want to be able to stack things in the back and the soft slide out cover can't carry any weight. I've googled high and low to no avail and am considering making a shelf out of some MDF?

Any info would be appreciated.

[TheLowRanger]

I know I'm dragging up an old thread, but I am seriously considering selling the D1 and purchasing an FL2. I can't find anything anywhere as far as real accessories are concerned, but there is an FL2 for sale in QLD at the moment that has a bulbar mounted on the front. It appears to be aluminium and it sits over the bumper with the bottom section cut away to improve approach angle. Anyone know where these are being sold? I too would be interested in a G4 rack but can't seem to track them down. If I purchase an FL2 I will be looking to customise it as I can't seem to keep anything standard for long and coming from a well decked out touring D1, I want a suitable replacement.

[RIN03]

I think I know the one you are talkimg about. Nudge bars are avaliable from j and j bullbars the mounting isn't too bad and you could always specify that you don't want to loose your approach angle. Accessories are a bit scarce but hopefully the more intrest there is the more likely someone will do something.


Sent from my GT-I9506 using AULRO mobile app

[mikehzz]

Seriously, the best mod you can do is put 245/70/17 AT's on. A bullbar isn't going to make it better off road. Carrying a winch up there on the front would have the car leaning forward for sure and there are no alternate springs that I know of...I could be wrong, it's a while since I looked. The ONLY thing that stops an FL2 is ground clearance and the suspension geometry is no good for anything other than a 20mm spacer lift AND you have to fabricate that yourself. If you put any guards on underneath then they knock out clearance. Side steps will hang you up just about everywhere. I think a snorkel would be good but there's nearly no chance of that. Having said that, mine and others have done some of the toughest tracks on offer. Vesko's effort going up Mt Pinnibar in the Vic High Country on a muddy day was first class...I was there to see it. There were big Jap forbys taking several runs at a few sections where he had no trouble.

[TheLowRanger]

This one wasn't a nudge bar, it was a full bulbar. It was powder coated with a hammertone finish but I'm sure by the way it had been fabricated that it was ally. I wouldn't necessarily want a bulbar to mount a winch on, I would want it more for frontal protection on road than off it. Between my wife and I, in the last 18 months we have hit 4 roos. The 2 in my D1 were no worries because the full barwork stopped any damage, but the couple in the wifes X-Trail both caused damage. The second time needing to replace the intercooler. I'm just lucky the roos up here in the Kimberley aren't too big.

[TheLowRanger]

I emailed the guy and he has told me that the bar was made by J and J Bullbars. I checked out their website and it has a couple of photos of bars that they have made for FL2's. Not the sexiest of things, but a bulbar none the less. If I end up buying this one I am looking at, I think I may well end up designing and fabricating my own