Rear door handle Rain Shedder - Advice needed.

[Stellaghost]

1 hour ago, PolarBlair said:

Like the kid eating paste at the back of the class it appears I also can't be trusted with glue.

It looks worse than it is but I was hoping to avoid having to paint it. Some sanding and primer and I'm sure it will be fine.

Serves me right for messing around before I've had my morning coffe 🥲 

If that was mine I would be delighted with it regardless

Brilliant work regards Stephen

[Mossberg]

Well done, looking good!

[PolarBlair]

Thank you for the kind words. I did at least discover that acetone can somewhat clean up super glue. You live you learn.

[Mossberg]

5 hours ago, PolarBlair said:

Thank you for the kind words. I did at least discover that acetone can somewhat clean up super glue. You live you learn.

Acetone can clean up many things, including things you didn't want to clean up.

I managed to get some super glue on a kitchen worktop. Got some grief from my good lady! Was there for about 2 years then got some acetone when refurbing my axles, tried it on the superglue and off it came - so an end to the odd comment from the better half!

[PolarBlair]

Forgot to say - I was a lot more careful with the acetone than I had been with the superglue! As a warning to anyone starting off 3D printing - Acetone melts most filaments that I'm aware of.

Although I've never done it myself, you can use an acetone vapourbath to dramatically smooth the surface of prints albeit with some loss of resolution. Works better on some filaments than others. So direct contact has the potential to be disastrous.

Use with caution!

[elbekko]

I think it's commonly used to smooth prints by wiping the print with an acetone rag. Haven't tried it myself though.

[PolarBlair]

Well look what I found! I haven't found one for the rear door latch so hopefully I haven't completely been wasting my time.

https://www.4x4overlander.com/product/defender-fuel-cover-by-trekfinder-defendoor/

At £15.50 (£21.50 Inc. postage) it looks like it's worth a punt. I'll report back when it arrives.

Edited December 12, 2022 by PolarBlair

[simonb]

And what stops anyone else walking off with it?

[PolarBlair]

2 hours ago, simonb said:

And what stops anyone else walking off with it?

Not a concern where I live but I appreciate thats not the same for everyone.

[PolarBlair]

Well, turns out it's a bit sh*t. For me anyway - others might have more luck.

To get it to sit flush I had to cut out part of the seal.

On my truck there isn't a lip at the top of the recess for the seal to grab onto.

This also means when the bottom lip is seated, the top edge can just flop out.

I think I can 3D print a couple of hooks/tabs to lock into the recesses either side at the top and provide some downwards pressure so the bottom edge is seated and the panel retains itself again.

Edited December 18, 2022 by PolarBlair

[Mossberg]

So does this just push in and then pull off? If I'd does I feel it's a bit flawed. Unless it's a really good fit I could see the potential for it coming off if you hit a pot hole or speed bump. Also likely to be left on top of a petrol pump after filling. I would have thought it needs to be hinged or at least have a cord fastened to the vehicle.

Would it not also need to vent in some way or is it not fully sealed.  I would also think a drain would be required on the lower edge (which could also be the vent).

Perhaps a PB version is on the horizon........?

[Snagger]

I had one of these Defendoors when they first came out.  Good in principle, and an elegantly simple idea - they are an interference fit that simply clips itself in place.  The plastic was fairly soft, giving it the springiness to hold itself fairly securely and not damage the paint.  I think an eye moulded on the inside for a tether would have been very useful, if nothing else to stop it being left behind at fuel stations.  
 

The comment about drain holes is a good one.  I didn’t look closely at Defenders, but on SIIIs, the bottom corners of the slanted panel with filler neck have small drain holes(really more of a gap where the panel is folded for the spot welded flanges), so spilled fuel and any water runs down the inside of the rear wing.  The Defendoor doesn’t interfere with them.

I stopped using mine because the diesel eventually distorted it and it just wasn’t necessary for my use, but if going to the Arctic desert, I’d use one again.

[PolarBlair]

On 12/19/2022 at 5:15 AM, Mossberg said:

So does this just push in and then pull off? If I'd does I feel it's a bit flawed. Unless it's a really good fit I could see the potential for it coming off if you hit a pot hole or speed bump. Also likely to be left on top of a petrol pump after filling. I would have thought it needs to be hinged or at least have a cord fastened to the vehicle.

Would it not also need to vent in some way or is it not fully sealed.  I would also think a drain would be required on the lower edge (which could also be the vent).

Perhaps a PB version is on the horizon........?

It did immediately make me think I need to look at flexible filaments - some very interesting stuff there. Yep, no retention other than the flexible lip which I'm sure would actually work pretty well if it could grip all round. Could easily make a ring with an eyelet to go around the filler neck and tie the flap to it with some Paracord so it doesn't get forgotten at the petrol station/ fall off.

Some form of vent might be a good idea to help it air out as I'm not convinced it's going to seal well enough to keep all moisture out.

Still an improvement against debris/ snow.

It's nearly a great idea and I don't think it would take much to improve it.

[Snagger]

The edges were rounded, with a groove and then raised lip around the sides and top to engage on the body panel.  The bottom edge had a deeper groove to get your finger tips into for removal and did not engage on the panel.  There were regular shallow ribs bridging the groove between the the edge of the face and that locating lip to give  the lip a little more rigidity.  The plastic was really quite flexible, probably ABS - you could easily twist the cover through 90 degrees over its length or fold it around on itself end to end without damage.  As memory serves, it was about 3/4mm thick.

There was no way it’d ever form a vacuum or need extra venting, but the possibility of a ice thaw and re freeze causing it to be stuck to the body panel exists.  A thin film of Vaseline in freezing conditions should prevent that.

[Jocklandjohn]

I may have already replied to this thread and I'm having a small tipple currently and can't be bothered going back through all the pages (!) ....but I had a frozen filler cap on several occasions a couple of decades ago on the 110 and one particular year and it was a right nightmare. I solved the problem by cutting an oblong piece of old mudflap, put a finger-hole in it, and shoved it into the filler aperture where it neatly rubber-flips round the edges and stays put. Same piece of 'flap has been in there for 15 years now, through serious snow and well sub-zero temps and I've never had a repeat cap lock freeze. I pop riveted another flap onto the back door handle and it's performed the same function. Cost = zero, time = 10 minutes!

Edited December 24, 2022 by Jocklandjohn

[Bowie69]

Very clever!