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Karls

Active Member
I’m trying to fit the doors at the moment and took the advice about buying genuine LR door seals. What I’ve noticed about them is that where they follow the tight curve of the panel (where the panel curves out about bottom window height) on the b-pillar, they contain an inner foam type material to help the seal keep it’s shape. The trouble is the door doesn’t sit anywhere near flush because of this harder part of the seal. The rest of the door looks like it will be fine but the back edge of the door around this area sits very proud. I haven’t yet attached the door striker assembly but I can see it’s going to need one hell of a shove to try and get it to latch. That’s even if it will.

Is this a common problem and are there any solutions?
 
Not at the moment...I thought it didn't need one having seen so many threads about door misalignment / closing issues. I'll get one next time I'm there.
 
Karls said:
I’m trying to fit the doors at the moment and took the advice about buying genuine LR door seals. What I’ve noticed about them is that where they follow the tight curve of the panel (where the panel curves out about bottom window height) on the b-pillar, they contain an inner foam type material to help the seal keep it’s shape. The trouble is the door doesn’t sit anywhere near flush because of this harder part of the seal. The rest of the door looks like it will be fine but the back edge of the door around this area sits very proud. I haven’t yet attached the door striker assembly but I can see it’s going to need one hell of a shove to try and get it to latch. That’s even if it will.

Is this a common problem and are there any solutions?
Click to expand...
I didn't use genuine on mine, but my doors took a hell of a shove to get them to shut when I first did them. No bother now so they have obviously squashed down over time.
I can't picture the 'inner foam' thing either.
 
The inner foam thing is where my problem lies. I guess it’s in there to prevent the seal from creasing/semi collapsing as it follows the contour of the body but crikey, it’s such a hard foam and makes the area of the seal it’s in feel solid compared to the rest of the seal. What a crazy idea!

I will defintely remove it from my seals as that’s what’s holding the doors off but I’d like to replace it with something softer, don’t know what yet though.
 
I think you should try it with the strikers on first. Genuine seals are recommended by people because they actually seal.
Mo
 
Fair comment; I’ll fit the strikers and try it but I know it will be a mile off. You can call me Susan if it isn’t so
 
The tens of thousands of Defenders running around with genuine seals that close up okay would suggest otherwise.

If you struggle to get the doors to close up then I would suggest there’s a problem with your alignment perhaps.
 
I think quite a few boys would like to be named Sue. There's probably a sh@t song in there somewhere.
 
Update: After time away from it, I was back on the case today with the doors and seals. I fitted the door striker as was suggested and pushed the latch assembly slightly in the hinge direction to clear the tub. After that I still got the mismatch at the rear edge of the door as pictured.
You can see the front edge is good.
So what is causing this?
 

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Last edited:
Have you aligned the bulkhead, door and rear tub so that they’re all in line?

They all move on their mounts and will all need tweaking to get things straight.
 
The bulkhead hasn’t been unbolted so it’s in it’s original position. The tub was off and refurbished as well as the rear cross member but everything was solidly jigged before removal. The tub is tight against the rear cross member.
I’m pretty sure it’s all mostly straight.
I have read that once I’ve got the door striker in line, I should try moving it inboard to help the door pull up against the seal, so that will be my next plan of attack.
 
In the first picture the door looks like it needs to come up 2 or 3 mm at the handle side. The bulkhead may not have been off, but it may still have been moved a bit.
 
The bulkhead ‘a’ pillar and the rear tub ‘b’ pillar need to be parallel to one another and at the right height so the shape lines up. They also need to be the right distance apart. The door then needs to sit square to both pillars and roughly central in the gap. Then you need to use the hinge spacers at the front and the striker position at the back to set the closing position flush with the adjacent panels.

It’s a pain in the backside, but worth doing right. I’ve found using a piece of string helpful to ensure a straight line along the body side, here it’s in use on an 88” but same principle applies on a 90:

09FA8FD6-1C34-46C7-B263-EBF4573E05F6.jpeg


From your photo it would seem that the front of the tub needs to come up, or if that is already in the correct position then the door isn’t straight in the gap.
 
Hi. I have similar doors - it looks like you have similar locks, and new escutchions (the bit around the kethole) Ive been lookng for one for ages, where did you get it?
 
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