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Thud

Member Since: 21 Jul 2012
Location: London
Posts: 667

2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 SW Zermatt Silver

Bolt holes.

I have (or will have on Tuesday) a 2008 Defender with hinged lamp grilles and a rear ladder bolted on. I want to remove them and fill the drilled holes. What is the best way to do this?

21st Jul 2012 6:13pm

ZeDefender

Member Since: 15 Sep 2011
Location: Munich
Posts: 4731

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Baltic Blue

Well, apart from 2-part filler used on any car, the good thing about Defenders is that there are rivets everywhere. I've just added a few to the holes here and there where things have been taken off - you can sometimes buy them in body colour too

Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing...

21st Jul 2012 6:41pm

Thud

Member Since: 21 Jul 2012
Location: London
Posts: 667

I suppose an extra rivet here and there will blend in just fine. LR do an alternative grill, 'front light pack' and 'moulding kit'. I wonder if it would cover the holes?

21st Jul 2012 6:46pm

Killer90
Site Sponsor

Member Since: 09 Oct 2011
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 6478

2016 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS DCPU Fuji White

rivets will be the best thing to put in there but later on you could have them filled and the panel sprayed wouldnt be to expensive to have done

21st Jul 2012 6:54pm

Thud

Member Since: 21 Jul 2012
Location: London
Posts: 667

Thanks for the advice chaps.

22nd Jul 2012 9:17am

leeds

Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582

Ladder bolts are likely to be 8mm so probably 8.5 mm hole, that is a large pop rivet!

Choices include filler ( err no!) blanking grommet, with or without a dab of silicone, bolt, bolt head sprayed same colour as body, bolt with plastic dome cap on, button head bolt.

Brendan

22nd Jul 2012 9:24am

ZeDefender

Member Since: 15 Sep 2011
Location: Munich
Posts: 4731

leeds wrote:
Ladder bolts are likely to be 8mm so probably 8.5 mm hole, that is a large pop rivet!

Very true

Also, filler would not be my first, second etc. choice either.

I meant rivets/rivnuts. M6 rivnuts have a hole size of 8.5 - 9mm and you can buy them closed-ended so they won't leak. They would look tidy (as if they had a purpose) and would be easy to drill out later if you changed your mind.
I think the panels are aluminium there so ally bolts/rivets/rivnuts would be safest...

p.s. As Brendan says, a dab of sealant is a good idea before putting a grommet, rivet etc. in and if you can't get hold of a rivnut tool, JSG has designed an excellent device here: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic8631.h...ivnut+tool

Matt Tell someone you love them today because life is short.
But shout it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing...

22nd Jul 2012 10:20am

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