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equipe59

Member Since: 02 Jun 2013
Location: Cotswoldshire
Posts: 38

Defender door cards - stop the flap!

Not exactly a ground-breaking or technically challenging one, but I thought I might share with people how I went about sorting out the usual Defender problem of flappy, rattly door cards

This is what I started with:

Click image to enlarge

Usual stuff - card didn't fit properly and the lock surround was broken, and the factory tabs weren't holding the card in place any more.

So off came the card to reveal the remnants of the plastic lock fixings:

Click image to enlarge

Then I took out the remains of the plastic receiver fixings to the holes at the top and bottom of the front edge of the door, and in the bottom rear corner. Note lack of rust due to high build-quality of doors:

Click image to enlarge

Conveniently, the holes are just the right size to accept an M5 rivnut

, so these were duly fitted into the holes.

The door card then needed the old fixing drilling out from the bottom front corner:

Click image to enlarge

and then I thought I was all set to start putting it back together. Then I noticed the top rail of the actual door structure was fractured, explaining the flappy twang noises as the door was closed

.....

Click image to enlarge

..... so out came the MIG welder and a repair was made. A plumber's soldering mat avoided the glass getting splatted with weld. Whilst it cooled down, a break was in order

Click image to enlarge

then it was a case of fitting a new lock support bracket (I used a Britpart unit which was fine), re-fitting the door card and securing the three corners by the rivnuts with some M5 stainless pan-head allen bolts to supplement the remaining 'fir-tree' fixings. Add a new surround to the lock and it all looked good as new, doesn't rattle and makes the inside a wee bit more pleasant to be in.

Click image to enlarge

All in all, it took about an hour to do both doors, and the stainless allen bolts only cost a couple of quid, so I reckon pretty good results for the time and money invested

4th Sep 2013 9:15pm

WarPig

Member Since: 05 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey

Good work. My door fractured in the exact same place. I reckon its because the doors don't always close properly due to the striker bar needing adjustment, meaning you have to slam the door. Mine got welded up and is fine now.

4th Sep 2013 9:27pm

Cracka

Member Since: 08 Dec 2012
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 129

Good job. whats the trick to getting the door lock surround undone without breaking. And also what holds the door card along the top edge. I've been able to get the rest undone but got scared

when I got to those 2 spots that I couldn't release, so put it back.

Mick

4th Sep 2013 10:28pm

WarPig

Member Since: 05 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

If I remember correctly, when you lift up the lock catch there is a little horizontal slot in the surround, that lets you insert a flat screwdriver to prise it up and out. Dont forget to remove the door opener surround, the door handle and the window winder. The top of the card is held in more plastic presstud type fittings that allow you to just pop the door card off.

My door cards are off at the moment, so I could take some photos for you tomorrow?

4th Sep 2013 10:35pm

Pickles

Member Since: 26 May 2013
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 3755

2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 CSW Keswick Green

equipe59...brilliant clean professional job.
With skills like that, if you lived next to me, I could keep you very busy, "practising yor skills"!
Well done, Pickles.

4th Sep 2013 11:06pm

Go Beyond

Member Since: 30 Jan 2012
Location: Headcorn, Kent
Posts: 6676

The trick to removing the door lock surround is a piece of 2x1 timber or similar approx 12" long, place the flat of the 1" side under the lowest point of the surround and hit the timber from beneath with a hammer.

5th Sep 2013 7:18am

Cracka

Member Since: 08 Dec 2012
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 129

Thanks for that info WarPig and Matt, I'll have a crack at it. I've got a little rattle in there, plus I haven't done the sound proofing in them yet.

What's the trick to getting the top edge of the card off, along the window edge. I'm assuming there is some form of retainers there.

I'm in the middle of 'flattening' off the rear area to store my 4 Wolf packs that arrived today. Got lots of ply and carpet and 3 1 metre load rails to go in.

Mick

5th Sep 2013 10:00am

Go Beyond

Member Since: 30 Jan 2012
Location: Headcorn, Kent
Posts: 6676

No secret there really, there are four (or five

) clips exactly the same as the others on the door along the top.

These are probably the easiest to remove and rarely break, just pull the panel away from the door starting at the hinge end at right angles rather than lifting the panel upwards if at all possible.

5th Sep 2013 10:03am

Cracka

Member Since: 08 Dec 2012
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 129

Ahaa, I had tried previously and had taken both sides and the bottom off but got scared off when I saw the lock clip and also couldn't see anything along that top edge.

Thanks Matt, I'll have a go when I finish the current project.

Mick

5th Sep 2013 10:18am

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