Hi All,

Very much a beginners question here.

I'm due to pick up my 2010 SD4 this weekend and have booked into my regular garage to have a towbar fitted.

They usually suggest to save time and money I order the bits from PFJones and have them delivered to them.

Easy Peezy you might think.

Except I have no idea what I need to order.

Universal bypass kit? Or vehicle specific? The difference is a few quid.

I'd quite like to have double electrics, both 7 and 13 pin so it's newer caravan compatible (I know there are adaptors), no idea if ordering both is a thing or whether you can only fit one type.

Can you explain what I need as if you're talking to a 5 yr old??

Order a vehicle specific electrics kit. The FL2 is ready prepared for this with appropriate connection points and extra fuse and relay positions in boot. Any competent fitter should know how to do this.
Depending on model year, some additional configuration may be necessary in the car electronics to enable functions. This will require someone with LR diagnostics equipment.
For modern caravans go for 13 pin. You can't have both 13 AND 7 pin. You can buy an adaptor that plugs into car 13 pin socket and has the two (black and grey) 7 pins sockets for older trailers. Andy
Freelander2 HSE (59 Plate, MY10 spec)

I’d agree with Andy. I got a Witter detachable from PF Jones along with their vehicle specific 13 pin cable harness for my 2008 FL2. The cable harness is a doddle to fit and I think for your model year it doesn’t need coding to get everything to work, but you’d need to check that. The cable harness is either 13 pin or two 7 pin. The 13 pin connection is much better and you can always use an adapter if need be.

Witter detachable & 13 pin  Jules

Mine came with a LR towbar and twin 7 pin electric sockets already fitted, just use a 13 pin adapter lead for my caravan. Suppose I could change to 13 pin socket but trailers still have the 7 pin. Works for me. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Using a 7pin to 13 pin adapter you still dont have the full functionality of a 13 pin system, unless you have a twin 7 pin.
Better to install 13 pin loom and use a 13 to 7 pin adapter for a trailer. Jules

Simon J wrote:

I think for your model year it doesn’t need coding to get everything to work, but you’d need to check that.

Thanks for clarifying the model year for the plug 'n' play wiring.

With the PF Jones vehicle specific cable harness on my 2008 model, the recoding was needed to switch off the reversing sensors. But the trailer symbol warning light on the dash for the indicators worked, as did the rear fog light switch off to avoid reflections on the front of the caravan or trailer. It is an urban myth that the gearbox shift points are altered when a trailer is connected. I checked this with Land Rover as it seemed to be utterly illogical and they confirmed that no changes are made to the gearbox software.

I was always sceptical about the gear box claim too. (Hence the 'reputedly' against the claimed feature )

My 2nd FL2 needed coding to stop the rear parking sensors going off when reversing with the trailer. But I never bothered to do it as the beeps didnt irritate me . Jules

Simon J wrote:

Thanks for clarifying the model year for the plug 'n' play wiring.

With the PF Jones vehicle specific cable harness on my 2008 model, the recoding was needed to switch off the reversing sensors. But the trailer symbol warning light on the dash for the indicators worked, as did the rear fog light switch off to avoid reflections on the front of the caravan or trailer. It is an urban myth that the gearbox shift points are altered when a trailer is connected. I checked this with Land Rover as it seemed to be utterly illogical and they confirmed that no changes are made to the gearbox software.

This is the reply I received from Land Rover when I queried the issue of altering the mapping of the auto gearbox for my 2008 Td4:

“I can confirm it does not alter the Engine or Transmission. I have had this verified with our technical department.”

They made no suggestion that the Sd4 was different but perhaps it is. Maybe worth another query to them?

Bobupndown wrote:

Simon J wrote:

Thanks for clarifying the model year for the plug 'n' play wiring.

With the PF Jones vehicle specific cable harness on my 2008 model, the recoding was needed to switch off the reversing sensors. But the trailer symbol warning light on the dash for the indicators worked, as did the rear fog light switch off to avoid reflections on the front of the caravan or trailer. It is an urban myth that the gearbox shift points are altered when a trailer is connected. I checked this with Land Rover as it seemed to be utterly illogical and they confirmed that no changes are made to the gearbox software.

I can say with certainty my Sd4 does have a totally different shift pattern when towing, it revs much higher, holding onto gears much longer before changing up. I noticed it the first time I towed with it. I regularly put it into command shift so that I can over ride it and change up sooner. It feels similar to sport mode. It is like that whether I'm towing a 1500kg caravan or a small trailer, I can only suggest that it senses the electrical connection when a trailer is plugged in and adjusts a map accordingly.

Another thing to maybe think about.
The power/torque curves of the SD4 and TD4 are quite different.
The TD4's torque falls off rapidly above 2500rpm and here power flatlines whereas the SD4 power keeps going up to 4000 rpm and so the SD4 benefits from being revved more than the TD4.





So you'd expect the SD4 autobox to be programmed to use that extra power at higher revs whereas the TD4 auto would not be programmed in the same way. Jules