I want to remove the trim panels on my front and rear doors to replace the lock cylinders. I encountered some problems. 1. while attempting to remove the rear door trim panel I could not figure out how to remove the 8 clips that hold it on. How do I get these clips out w/out scratching up my paint? 2. when removing the front door panels the defender pictured has a window crank with a small removable plastic cover in the middle hiding the bolt. My truck has no such peice. How do I get these off? Third, do the stock door speakers pertrude out of the door panel b/c the one's in the manual do not.
For those of you that have no idea what I am talking about here is my artistic portrayal
The window cranks are held on by a clip, lightly push in on the panel arround the crank and pull out on the handle (have in light or flashlight) you will see a clip kinda like a giant wide bobby-pin - use ring clip pliers, a screw driver or similar to push the ends of the clip back. If you get it most of the way you can use a small hook type tool to pull her on out. you'll see
There are to gray button pins (top R bottom L) that work like rivets you have to carefully prise them out of the sockets (I used side cutters with dbld mask tape to protect the interior panel)
The other pieces are self explanatory (simple i.e. door pull) The lock trim is a pain and you have to be careful! use a heavy dull putty knife or screw driver to force it upwards until it "pop" off. It can break but if it does no worries 4-5 bucks @ RN
The panel will pop off them work your fingertips in from bottom pull outward once they start they'll keep just popping out. Once off you will see that the black male fasteners snap onto the trim panel and then snap into plastic sockets in the door. If any break and you want them all back in. . . . they have at RN. If you need part#'s let me know. Or just ask for Arthur he knows the fasteners and the snap sockets. The rivet style grey buttons you can get as well.
if you need me to post imge for you I can, mine are still off from new door.
Larry, thanks for posting this way back when. I found your post today and was able to finish a tweeter install in my door this morning thanks to you. Onward!
The holes around the edges is where the fasteners snap (I have not put the small sockets in the new door yet but the large socket shown is what accepts the larger rivet button (2 in each door) (might want to get some new ones from RN if planning . . .they can be a bitch if they are newer) once they rivet-style ones are removed you'll see you can simply push the expansioon pin back out and reuse.
Ok, those two problems are solved, thanks alot for the help. Two more questions. Do you need the oringinal key to remove the tumblers? If no how do you get those thigs out? 2. what about the plastic sheet? Rip the whole thing off and make a new one or what?
I dont think you need the key but youll need to be able to rotate the keyed sction in the housing with say a screwdriver to line up the release pin with the hole. There is a small hole near the rear of the lock wihich you use a small tool (micro driver or pick tool) to press in to release the lock guts.
You can cut and retape . . . but the plastic will prob be brittle and will tear easy. They used window weld to mount it . . so I did as well on the new door with new plastic. (You can get 3 mil plastic in the form of a "3mil dropcloth" from Lowes thus avoiding the purchase of an entire roll of plastic. They sell .75, 1, 2 and 3 mil in "dropcloths". 3 mil is as heavy as the blue'ish OEM
If it were me, I'd carfully cut the old plastic away from the butyl rubber sealer - shaving the top of same, thus being able to reuse it. Have some cloth tape around when you do it so you can retape any spots as needed.
BTW: I have posted about "Tarminator" before (a product by Stoner - http://www.moreshine.com/) if you can find a local vendor there I would get some - it'll easily and safely remove adhesive, butyl, tar etc . . . (I know advanced just started selling their window cleaner and tire shine - I buy direct by the case)
No problem. It hangs soely by the retainers shown. You obviously must remove all the trim pieces though including the crank
PER LR
CHASSIS AND BODY: REMOVING THE DOOR TRIM - Front and rear
doors
1. Prise off the two finishers and remove the two
screws securing the door pull.
2. Remove the single Screw behind the remote control 6- Using a screwdriver, the trim away
lever. from the door.
3. Prise off the remote control lever bezel.
Fitting door trim
4. Prise off the door locking button bezel.
5. Lever off the window regulator center finisher and
remove the retaining screw and withdraw the
handle and bezel.
6. Using a screwdriver, carefully ease the trim away from the door
Fitting door trim
7. Remove any trim fasteners held in the door panel
and insert them into the back of the trim or use new
ones.
8. Ensure that the anti-vibration pads are in position
and offer-up the trim to the door, lining-up the
fasteners with the holes in the door and push the
trim into position.
This type of window crank was very common on GM products of yester-year. As a 20 year locksmith, I removed many. The way to re-install the handle, 1st making sure that the handle is where you want it when fully closed, Put the clip on the handle then press it on the crank stud with your palm smartly.
I once saw a mechanic remove the window crank retaining clip in under 5 seconds. He held a shop rag by two corners and dragged one edge of the rag between the crank and the escutcheon. Then he pulled the rag back and forth, moving around the spindle, until the rag caught an end of the retaining clip and popped it off.
I've used the same method a few times since then. Much less fiddly than pliers.
FWIW.
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