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Rye54



Member Since: 09 Jul 2017
Location: Scotland
Posts: 48

United Kingdom 
Door bottom paint protection - Helicopter tape?
Afternoon,

I recently changed the rear door retainer bar / threshold for a nice stainless steel one on my 2.4 TDCI 90 hardtop. Whilst I was at it I sanded back the bottom of the rear door, rust converted it and re-sprayed it. However the paint where the contact point between the bottom of the rear door and the threshold bar has once again chipped away and rust is starting to form.

Has anybody got a solution for this, I was considering helicopter tape / bike frame tape which is a clear protective tape and is apparently quite durable, although I'm unsure if it would withstand the chaffing. Obviously it can't be too thick otherwise the door would foul when closing.

Just trying to stop the rust or slow it down as much as possible such that the bottom of the door doesn't rust through completely.

Cheers
R
Post #893167 22nd Mar 2021 12:34pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

United Kingdom 
Perhaps undue the hinge bolts and try and lift the door up a few mm? Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #893175 22nd Mar 2021 1:14pm
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Dinnu



Member Since: 24 Dec 2019
Location: Lija
Posts: 3424

Malta 2012 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 CSW Santorini Black
Or replace the hinges if worn. Unfortunately on tdci they are not rebuildable. Or find earlier Defender hinges, so you can rebuild them next time round. 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing
2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black
Post #893190 22nd Mar 2021 2:09pm
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Rye54



Member Since: 09 Jul 2017
Location: Scotland
Posts: 48

United Kingdom 
I have tried lifting the door up but it would appear there is no more travel to be had. I don't know if the new stainless plate is thicker than the original, or the original had worn and become thinner. Either way its a matter of only a few millimetre or so.

I have some new stainless hinges I will be fitting soon and I'm sure they will help with regards the door rattling and with the paint chipping on the bottom. I was just wondering if anybody had tried the heli-tape as a temporary or permanent solution.
Post #893199 22nd Mar 2021 2:49pm
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lonewolf



Member Since: 23 Oct 2013
Location: North East England
Posts: 210

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 CSW Zambezi Silver
I have the same issues and thought that when I replaced the existing hinges with new that I’d be able to lift the door but there didn’t appear to be any room to adjust the door up.
I now have a stainless thresh plate in place of the existing mild steel one where the problem was first noticed.
I thought of trying to use tape but as the door and thresh touch at the right hand side it would just be rubbed off quickly.
I now just keep and eye on the offending area and rub down any surface rust and recoat with Buzzweld ‘chassis in one’ from a tin (not aerosol).
I’ve been doing this for approx 7 years Confused and it hasn’t got any worse.
I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a wheel carrier as when the spare is removed from the door the door closes far better without the weight of the spare attached.......and a tin of paint is far cheaper!
Hope this helps?
Post #894451 28th Mar 2021 9:23am
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MichaelE



Member Since: 18 Jan 2020
Location: Crawley West Sussex
Posts: 155

England 
Sometimes with Defenders/Series you have to get creative with application and make things fit. Don't let it tell you what you're getting. You tell it what it's going to do. If holes need to be enlarged or slotted then that's what you have to do.

During my recent refurbishment project my rear door didn't go back on and shut first time. Or second. Or third. I'd re-skinned it, put new alternative hinges on, had the latch off, replaced the tub rear offside panel, had the roof/windows raised and put a new window/tub seal on, and put a stainless threshold strip on. After all that there was no way it was going to close without an argument.

After all efforts, it was still catching on the bottom and refusing to lift any further up. Just a tiny bit more was all I wanted. I was working on my own so had to get creative. Hinge bolts slackened off a bit. I put a workmate table thing under the slightly open door. Wooden blocks and a lever/pry bar under the left corner of the door, gave it some application and a clamp to hold the lever in place while I tightened the hinge bolts. Fortunately the door glass and the rear right window were out so I could get to the nuts easily. I got the mm or two that I wanted and now the door closes easily.

I subsequently fitted a swing away wheel carrier. Would it fit without trouble? Like **** it would. Holes in the wrong place. No holes. Anchor nut plates that required grinding and cutting down to fit. No easy adjustment. Appalling instructions and photos. But I made it fit, eventually. Sometimes you just do what you have to do.
Post #894476 28th Mar 2021 12:19pm
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Rye54



Member Since: 09 Jul 2017
Location: Scotland
Posts: 48

United Kingdom 
I have revisited the hinges and there is definitely no more movement to be had out of them vertically (aside from maybe trying to pry them up like you suggest Michael, although I'm a wee bit hesitant to do it, i know my luck with these things and something would end up breaking). The door placement relative to the seal is central with the gap between the door and body panels the same the whole way around. That would suggest that the door isn't sagging on the hinges, though they are a bit rusty hence why I'm replacing them with stainless ones.

Quote:
I thought of trying to use tape but as the door and thresh touch at the right hand side it would just be rubbed off quickly.
I now just keep and eye on the offending area and rub down any surface rust and recoat with Buzzweld ‘chassis in one’ from a tin (not aerosol).


I suspect you are right with regards the tape not holding up, I have filed the edge of the threshold bar to round it off a bit and once I have the bottom of the door repainted I will fit it and see how it fares (having bought it already). If it doesn't work then I guess it will become another of those jobs to keep an eye on like you say.
Post #894499 28th Mar 2021 2:03pm
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