ALTERNATIVES TO EXHAUST GAURDS

[HAMISH JOHNSTONE]

Hi All,

I am new to the Club / Forum.

I have a 2002 Td4 S/W - Fitted with the Mantec Sump & Fuel Tank Guards - Is there an alternative to fitting an Exhaust Guard - I.E. An alternative Exhaust System that does not have the vunerable Tail Box - My FL is at around 129,000 Miles (Had it from new) still will the original Exhaust System and I anticipate the System will require replacement in the near future - It appears that the Mantec & Bearmach Exhaust Guards actually reduce Ground Clearance - Thus keen to consider an alternative approach,

Also does any manufacturer make a Heavy Duty Clutch for the FL ?

I look forward to your responses.

Kind regards,

Hamish

[s.stirley]

Hi Hamish,

There's not an alternative exhaust off the shelf I don't think, but quite a few of us have modded systems. Local exhaust places will make up the right bits for you - I myself took the tail pipe from my rotted back box and attached it straight to the exit of the middle box just behind the axle, which worked great ! Ian's V6 has a small silencer exiting on the left I believe (to miss the LPG tank) and Les's XEDi, like mine, had a direct exit from the middle pipe.

Heavy duty clutch is available from JE Engineering in Coventry.

http://www.jeengineering.co.uk/

Cheers, Simon

[HAMISH JOHNSTONE]

Simon - Thanks & Appreciated - Regards - Hamish

[landy_bug]

or don't bother at all! i have hit mine quite baldly a few times now and haven't even dented it yet. they are surprisingly strong and probably cheaper than a guard, otherwise remove all together. i haven't even lifted mine yet!!

[landy_bug]

and also welcome to the club

[freelaner]

Yes my XEDi is a side exit and runs straight through apart from the cat, and will go through an MOT without a silencer.....Its not too noisy either

[HAMISH JOHNSTONE]

Thanks landy_bug & freelaner - Appreciated - I agree that the "Standard" Exhaust appears reasonably robust - As I stated in my initial post - Mine still has the "Original" Exhaust from New (10/2002) and has certainly taken some punishment over the Years - Less so in recent times as I had the Bearmach Lift Kit fitted earlier this summer.

I would like to take my FL to Pyrenees or Morocco next year (Still to convince the good lady ! ) and thus was considering the vunerability of the Exhaust & Protection / Alternatives accordingly - Also on the look out for a SD Roof Rack (Hens Teeth etc)

Thanks again.

Regards,

Hamish

[landy_bug]

no probs. rich or scott are the ones to talk about pyrenees trip as both have been before and phil about morocco. i do have to say i fancy these too when funds allow.

chris

[Rich]

Hi Hamish.

I wouldnt worry too much about the exhaust, as Chris has all ready said they take alot of beating before any real damage is done. My first freelanders rear box was virtualley square by the time I sold it. I wouldnt bother with protection either. I had a Mantec gaurd for a while but it actually lowers your clearance and is a major mud trap. The best alternative was Les's straight through pipe.

Totally off topic.

The pyrenees isnt as rough as you might expect, there are a lot worse in the uk but the terrain is obviously steeper and higher. My manual commercial didnt want make it a week out there, partly due to the clutch master cylinder but even without that problem there wouldnt have been much clutch left. Scotts auto on the otherhand had no problems. Unfortunatly I lost all my photos when my last pooter died.

[Rich]

This is what Les did with his exhaust, I think you can see the pipe clear enough. Hope you dont mind Les.

[freelaner]

No not at all Rich I'd never have been able to get a picture on here, been a bit of a technophobe........GEORGE,,, wheres that boy gone now!!!!

[Rich]

I wrote the distructions down for you once, what you done with them?

[HAMISH JOHNSTONE]

All - Thanks - Much Appreciated & Food for Thought - Anyone know / have experience of a Heavy Duty Clutch (JE Engineering) being up to the Pyrenees - My Clutch / Master Cylinder replaced at around 85,000 - Now around 130,000.

Also - Hannibal Roof Rack as an alternative to the SD Rack ?

Thanks / Regards,

Hamish

[freelaner]

I still got them Rich, ummm urrr yeahhhhhh