mad_pete Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 Driver door always needed a good few slams and the hinges were super worn so thought that was the hinges. Got new hinges and the door still doesn’t shut. Goes to latch one okay but not to full latch. If I remove the latch from the body and try and slide it onto the latch it still won’t go but it does on the passenger side. If I use a screwdriver in the latch it does latch to position 2. I don’t see anything blocking the door. Is there secret adjustment options? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 Is the lock suitably lubed up? Friend's one was a bit 'sticky' and the door would bounce off it rather than shut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_pete Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 I’ll try that. Seems strange it will click easily with the driver though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 I had a similar issue on 45 when we had it. Lub helped but I ended up just replacing it and adjusting the keep to suit. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 I had this issue. Cleaning it and lubricating it just delayed the inevitable by a couple of months. I then replaced it with a pattern part and then had to revisit the job shortly after with the genuine part. The blue box ones are terrible. Save up for a genuine latch and also get the x-eng striker. The difference is amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickwilliams Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 I found the problem on mine was the entire door was bent. Jamming a broom handle in the hinge side and pushing it shut seemed to fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 3 hours ago, monkie said: I had this issue. Cleaning it and lubricating it just delayed the inevitable by a couple of months. I then replaced it with a pattern part and then had to revisit the job shortly after with the genuine part. The blue box ones are terrible. Save up for a genuine latch and also get the x-eng striker. The difference is amazing. I had this on both doors a few years ago, the mechanisms do wear out, just changed out with genuine new latch mechanisms and never looked back, its a bit of a fiddly job but its not all that difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_pete Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 Well any excuse to get some x eng stuff. Is there any adjustment on the latch in the door ? Maybe I have multiple issues here. Imagine that a Land Rover job that spirals into loads more. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 The latch is held inplace by 3 screws IIRC, the adjustment is via the door hinges and the striker in terms of in and out, up and down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_pete Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 Maybe mine is just shot them as even with the striker in my hand I have trouble making it latch to the second position. Feels like something is blocking it going all the way but I don’t see anything in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 Maybe the latch has had it. I would treat yourself to a new genuine latch and the x-eng striker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Try taking the door seal of and testing the lock - an excessively hard or thick door seal (I’m looking at you, Britpart) stops the door itself from closing to the position needed for good latching, but even new genuine seals can do this (which is why it was so common to see new Defenders have the back edge of the doors sick out a few mm when shut, and leak around the top in the rain). You might get away with moving the door striker pin outboard a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chambo110 Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 As snagger says, move the striker out a fraction or even up/down. mine used to take a good slam to shut but after a few speed humps and the latch let go by 1 click. Didn’t fly open as second click held it. But makes ya jump a little. I can’t remember if it was the up or down that fixed it, it’s just trial n error good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litch Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 "an excessively hard or thick door seal (I’m looking at you, Britpart)" Not the case. They may have been thick & hard in the past but I researched this thoroughly earlier in the year and satisfied that they were as good as genuine I bought a pair and they lived up to expectations. Soft & flexible with air-holes and reinforcing where necessary they fit & seal well while allowing the door to close fully. Also they clip into place very well and are in no danger of coming loose, something my old ones were doing all to easily. I agree that my genuine ones had lasted well (I bought & fitted them 18-years ago) but they were past there best and the BP ones do the job perfectly while being very competitively priced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_pete Posted December 16, 2020 Author Share Posted December 16, 2020 The door does seem to stick out a little bit. I don’t quite understand why I can’t trigger the catch by hand. Maybe it expects the weight of the door behind it. I’ll see how long the x eng ones take to turn up and see if they help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 Have you removed the door seal just to see if that makes any difference? I don't know if Britpart have altered the door seals they sell but I have had them in the past and they didn't resemble the genuine part in any way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litch Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 "I don't know if Britpart have altered the door seals they sell but I have had them in the past and they didn't resemble the genuine part in any way." As per my earlier reply, there is quite a lot about the new BP seals on-line and it certainly looks like they have changed the design. Bearing in mind they only cost about £10 each they resemble the genuine item and feel / act exactly the same way. Of course having only had mine fitted since earlier this year I can't tell whether they will last as long as genuine (18-years) but at a fraction of the price they could be replaced several times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted December 16, 2020 Share Posted December 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Litch said: "I don't know if Britpart have altered the door seals they sell but I have had them in the past and they didn't resemble the genuine part in any way." As per my earlier reply, there is quite a lot about the new BP seals on-line and it certainly looks like they have changed the design. Bearing in mind they only cost about £10 each they resemble the genuine item and feel / act exactly the same way. Of course having only had mine fitted since earlier this year I can't tell whether they will last as long as genuine (18-years) but at a fraction of the price they could be replaced several times. Please can you add a link to detail their design change? As per my reply, I don't know if they have actually altered them (when this happened, why it happened and when what exactly happened). But as you say they are significantly cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giles Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 (edited) Since we're talking seals... (Defender 20tdi) I got fed up with driving around with doors half closed (half open?). Took both (destroyed, 30-y/o) seals out and checked/replaced the striker plates, oiled the catches and made sure that both would click onto one then two without too much force. Then reattached strikers to the body and filed out the holes where needed until i was happy with door closing, still without the seals. Now for the innovation.... I have a 2-door defender and am using trimmed-down middle-door seals from a 2000 Ford Galaxy/VW Alhambra. Cost me 0€ and seal perfectly.... Obviously, if you're a Defender2 type then this won't help you, but if you're looking for cheap and cheerful solutions, it's a winner Edited December 17, 2020 by Giles 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 On 12/16/2020 at 5:22 PM, Litch said: "an excessively hard or thick door seal (I’m looking at you, Britpart)" Not the case. They may have been thick & hard in the past but I researched this thoroughly earlier in the year and satisfied that they were as good as genuine I bought a pair and they lived up to expectations. Soft & flexible with air-holes and reinforcing where necessary they fit & seal well while allowing the door to close fully. Also they clip into place very well and are in no danger of coming loose, something my old ones were doing all to easily. I agree that my genuine ones had lasted well (I bought & fitted them 18-years ago) but they were past there best and the BP ones do the job perfectly while being very competitively priced. The BP tailgate seal for my RRC was so thick that I put the tired old one back on - it didn’t pop the upper tailgate open going over speed bumps like the BP one did. Mike at Britannica Restorations did a few videos about their seals, comparing them to genuine with his “pen of truth” and had similar experiences to me, so you may have been lucky. Of course, contracts and sources change, different batches may come from different sources or be made to vary specs, and more recent Gen Parts appear to have taken a significant dip in quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_pete Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Shiny 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_pete Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Okay, quick trial latching with just the x catch in my hand and pushing into the door latch and it will latch nicely on the drivers side so maybe my other latch got a bit mangled with the alignment being out but the loose hinges letting it slam / bounce into place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 22 hours ago, mad_pete said: Shiny They are nicely made and should prevent so many clothes snagging and tearing on the catches, but they shouldn’t affect lock operation at all. That is down to adjustment of their position on the B pillar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkie Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 Unless he had the old ones with a plastic roller that got mangled out of shape over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_pete Posted December 19, 2020 Author Share Posted December 19, 2020 Mangled yep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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