Hi all,

I used to drive around in an X3 and the car had no problems going to fast over speed bumps. I know it's a bit of an abuse, but with an suv you usualy don't hit any of the bodywork while doing that.

But yesterday i drove my new (10k on the clock) Freelander2 with a decent speed over a speed(40km/h) bumb (maxspeed would be 20km/h with a normal car) and had a huge bang under the car. It really scared my. At that speed the only thing that happend with the X3 was that the spare tire jumped up in the booth when the rear landed back.

I tested the problem a bit more and even when you take a speedbump slightly to fast you feel a shock coming from under the car. Now after some more testing i realised that the buttom of the car (lowes part seems to be some metal tube down the middle of the car) didn't touch anything. It seems like it comes from the front axle/wheels. You feel a small shock in the front wheels. It feels a bit like when you just drive up a sidewalk way to fast when you go slightly to fast over the bump.
When you go really fast (40-45km/h on that bump) it feels really bad (only tested that 2 or 3 times) through the whole chasis. Then you can't even feel where the shock comes from.

What would be the problem? Suspension? Or is it just that the Bmw X3 has a slightly better chasis for that kind of abuse?

And a little off-topic. I prefer driving a bmw X3. The steering on an X3 feels a lot more firm and you get a bit more feedback from the steering wheel. But the ride in de FL2 is way better than in the first generation X3.

Having owned both an X3 and the FL2, I have the opposite opion on the cars. The X3, for me, had less focus, a car designed to look like it could go off road, but had dynamics design for the tarmac. The problem with that is you end up with a car good at neither. Sure the X3 handled better that a FL2, but a 3 series out handles the X3 and since the X3 is not designed for the rough stuff, why not pick the 3 series, a question I asked myself every time I had a courtesy car from the BMW dealer.

I am sorry I can’t answer your question as to why you can drive at higher speed over speed bumps in a X3 compared to a FL2, but you should remember the FL2 has a off road bias to it suspension setup, and this may explain it, but I doubt the X3 can take more abuse compared to the FL2, since I don’t remember a metal sump guard on the X3 only a plastic one. Then I suppose it depends on your definition of abuse

The X3 has a more sport suspention which would mean that driving over spead bumps and potholes actually feels abt the same> The FL2 has a softer suspension which means that a pothole will feel different than a speed bumper.
Used to have a 407 and drove an A4 over speed bumps and to me they all seem to ride them worse than the FL2.
Might also depend on what alloys you have. FREELANDER 2 TD4 SE (XS UK) IZMIR BLUE SIDE STEPS COLD PACK BI-XENON TINTED WINDOWS - AND PROUD OF HER

It's just an idea. But could it be that my suspension has a problem? Just took my Renault Clio for a drive today and took that same bump at the 'slightly to fast' speed and it didn't felt that bad (except the front bumper smacked on the pavement on landing but it's used to do that).

I'm starting to guess there might be something wrong with the suspension.

First thing...no more Evil Knievel style speed bump jumping . Do you have mudflaps? or a towbar that may have hit the bump?
Try getting a friend to lie on the bump as you drive over it , then see which part of the fl2 has blood on it ..problem solved  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Somebody had posted elsewhere that there was fix for this, it was some uprated rubber components. Can't remember enough to go search ....

AndyP wrote:

Somebody had posted elsewhere that there was fix for this, it was some uprated rubber components. Can't remember enough to go search ....

The FL2 is supposed , and has a very smooth ride so if you feel like you are riding a X3 than there is a problem.
Over here the speed bumps are not ramps but a serie of small rubber cones (popularly called titts) and these are way bumpier than the ramp sort. The FL2 is riding them way better than my last 407 or Crerokee so it appears that you might have a problem. The good thing about our system - with titts is that when they clear the snow every winter the titts are usually all cut by spring so we only have these speed bups for a couple of month a year. FREELANDER 2 TD4 SE (XS UK) IZMIR BLUE SIDE STEPS COLD PACK BI-XENON TINTED WINDOWS - AND PROUD OF HER