P38A Changing doors?

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Jerseyp38

Active Member
Posts
240
Well having my beloved faded bronze dt with missing tail gates next to the 97 4.6l hse with immaculate panels but farting engine, lopsided suspension and missing headlining made me wonder about a complete face lift for my DT. Since I have to change the tailgates it made me wonder about the doors , bonnet and wings (nice blue colour). Doors though, becm outpost? And door locks? Can I just change over the drivers door lock? Or will the doors need syncing with the becm? I only use the key on my car as the remote part has never worked.

My doors have corrosion on the window surrounds and both back doors have small dents, one mine, one some else's.

Thoughts and suggestions welcome.

Thank you.
 
Thanks guys, will give it ago then. Started tonight with the tailgates, the reason I bought the doner car. Enjoyed having a little drive of a 4.6. ran lovely once warm and cleaned the MAF before starting to take to bits and much improved starting. Also very damp in side has been left standing with leaking sun roof for some time. Have been looking at links for removing the door handle, any pointers? Hopefully ok weather tomorrow and can crack on in the car park!
 
Thanks guys, will give it ago then. Started tonight with the tailgates, the reason I bought the doner car. Enjoyed having a little drive of a 4.6. ran lovely once warm and cleaned the MAF before starting to take to bits and much improved starting. Also very damp in side has been left standing with leaking sun roof for some time. Have been looking at links for removing the door handle, any pointers? Hopefully ok weather tomorrow and can crack on in the car park!

Download RAVE all is in that.
 
As Wammers has already suggested the 'Bible' has most of the answers but - I have just 'serviced' my passenger locks this morning, (now having a break whilst my fuse box casing dries)!

Before you start just bear in mind that you do not want to short any of the electrical connections, (once you disconnect them), although this is very unlikely as they are well protected within their receptive plugs and sockets but do remember that some will be live even when the ignition is switched off, (central locking, etc).

Also bear in mind that you will be causing the central locking to cycle, (every time you move the locking lever to and fro), I didn't have this issue as I have my battery disconnected, (and the fuse box is currently in a number of pieces currently)!

1/. I removed the three lock mounting screws, (Torx), on the outside of the door - this allows you to 'manipulate' the lock assembly into suitable positions to undo the inner door release catch cable and the outer door handle push rod, (the inner door lock button can be left alone at this time).

2/ Manipulate the lock mechanism in order to remove the inner door release catch cable, (it is just like a bicycle brake cable where the outer sheath is a 'press fit' into its holding bracket), and you then twist the inner cable end, (which is angled to locate into the hole in the actuating arm), until free.

3/. Next remove the outer door handle push rod - this is a pretty standard design where a red plastic 'grip' is used to hold the end of the rod, (which is angled), securely - if you look at it you will see that it just clips around the rod and it will 'twist off', (in one direction only - you will see once you look at it), thus allowing you to remove the rod - a very simple but effective design!

4/. Untwist the inner door lock button, (which will have been 'bobbing up and down' at the top of the door frame whilst you removed the other two connections), as it is simply screwed onto the threaded actuating rod - you cant remove the other end as it is the rod loops back on itself and you would have to really twist the lock mechanism to get sufficient clearance - I just left it until now!

5/. Undo the two electrical connectors - you may have to remove them from the door skin, (they are held by plastic spigots that just clip into their respective holes), it is well worth checking the contacts of the two connectors - just in case they have suffered water ingress, (causing all sorts of potential issues), and a touch of WD40 wont go amiss either way, (they are good quality water proof connectors so the connectors should look as good as new)!.

6/. The hardest part is getting the lock mechanism out of the door carcass - I spent an hour, (last night in the dark), with no success, (the assembly is not flat - it has the motor body and one of the actuating arms both sticking out), thus not allowing the assembly to be removed, easily, via the small gap between the inner door skin and the window runners!!!!

7/. Once I learned the trick it now it only takes 10 seconds to get in and out!!!

8/. The secret is to angle it so that the motor body and the pertruding lever are pulled through the gap first and, as it clears, you then rotate the rest of the assembly and it comes straight out, (very difficult to explain but once done you won't forget)!

9/. You can now remove the inner door lock rod - should you so wish!

10/. I then gave mine a good clean, some greasing and then sprayed WD40 into the innards, (where the switches are), as a final touch.

11/. I also removed my door handles as the front handles are now very 'tired' and they do not return 'flush' with the trim, (purely cosmetic as they work fine but just look bad), and dis a touch of filing and then re-greased and they now look good and the locking action is much sweeter!

Apologies if my procedure is contrary to the Rave instructions however!

Right back to the fuse box!!!
.



.
 
As Wammers has already suggested the 'Bible' has most of the answers but - I have just 'serviced' my passenger locks this morning, (now having a break whilst my fuse box casing dries)!

Before you start just bear in mind that you do not want to short any of the electrical connections, (once you disconnect them), although this is very unlikely as they are well protected within their receptive plugs and sockets but do remember that some will be live even when the ignition is switched off, (central locking, etc).

Also bear in mind that you will be causing the central locking to cycle, (every time you move the locking lever to and fro), I didn't have this issue as I have my battery disconnected, (and the fuse box is currently in a number of pieces currently)!

1/. I removed the three lock mounting screws, (Torx), on the outside of the door - this allows you to 'manipulate' the lock assembly into suitable positions to undo the inner door release catch cable and the outer door handle push rod, (the inner door lock button can be left alone at this time).

2/ Manipulate the lock mechanism in order to remove the inner door release catch cable, (it is just like a bicycle brake cable where the outer sheath is a 'press fit' into its holding bracket), and you then twist the inner cable end, (which is angled to locate into the hole in the actuating arm), until free.

3/. Next remove the outer door handle push rod - this is a pretty standard design where a red plastic 'grip' is used to hold the end of the rod, (which is angled), securely - if you look at it you will see that it just clips around the rod and it will 'twist off', (in one direction only - you will see once you look at it), thus allowing you to remove the rod - a very simple but effective design!

4/. Untwist the inner door lock button, (which will have been 'bobbing up and down' at the top of the door frame whilst you removed the other two connections), as it is simply screwed onto the threaded actuating rod - you cant remove the other end as it is the rod loops back on itself and you would have to really twist the lock mechanism to get sufficient clearance - I just left it until now!

5/. Undo the two electrical connectors - you may have to remove them from the door skin, (they are held by plastic spigots that just clip into their respective holes), it is well worth checking the contacts of the two connectors - just in case they have suffered water ingress, (causing all sorts of potential issues), and a touch of WD40 wont go amiss either way, (they are good quality water proof connectors so the connectors should look as good as new)!.

6/. The hardest part is getting the lock mechanism out of the door carcass - I spent an hour, (last night in the dark), with no success, (the assembly is not flat - it has the motor body and one of the actuating arms both sticking out), thus not allowing the assembly to be removed, easily, via the small gap between the inner door skin and the window runners!!!!

7/. Once I learned the trick it now it only takes 10 seconds to get in and out!!!

8/. The secret is to angle it so that the motor body and the pertruding lever are pulled through the gap first and, as it clears, you then rotate the rest of the assembly and it comes straight out, (very difficult to explain but once done you won't forget)!

9/. You can now remove the inner door lock rod - should you so wish!

10/. I then gave mine a good clean, some greasing and then sprayed WD40 into the innards, (where the switches are), as a final touch.

11/. I also removed my door handles as the front handles are now very 'tired' and they do not return 'flush' with the trim, (purely cosmetic as they work fine but just look bad), and dis a touch of filing and then re-greased and they now look good and the locking action is much sweeter!

Apologies if my procedure is contrary to the Rave instructions however!

Right back to the fuse box!!!
.



.
I'm sure Rachel replaced her return springs on the front handles, worth a search
 
Thanks for all the replies and especially your detailed description, Martian. Have managed one side and think I am pleased. More work than expected and thank crumbs for axle stands and folding wedges. Other side next weekend! No sounds though but will start another thread, if that is ok.

Cheers.
 
Just to update, all doors changed and pleased. Bonnet was the biggest head ache as one of the catches would align and BECM thought bonnet was openand no air suspension. Ended up taking the latch from the bonnet and putting it into the catch. Then put masking tape on bonnet and white paint on top of catch so that it would mark masking tape when bonnet lowered. If that made sense but managed to get it to work. Phew!
 
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