Rear Safari Door Options

[Philip Tonkin]

My (new to me) Defender is a 2000 plate TD5 90. The only sign of corrosion is on the inside to the rear crossmember (recently painted by someone else) and the frame of the rear door. I also have a big chunk of weight hanging off the back of it in the shape of a freestyle Alloy shod in BFG A/Ts.

The squeeking of my rear door can in no doubt be accredited to this cumbersome load which can be solved by a swing away carrier. My question really is not how to solve this problem but when?

The rear door changed in 2002? to one that sounds a lot better on paper has anyone any experience of these?

If the new door mounts in the same way why are swing away carriers different for these 2 different doors and why are they so much more expensive?

I don't want to shell out the money for the carrier and then in the future decide to change the already rotting door for a later one (and need to replace the carrier) or to find myself stuck with the old design door.

Suggestions?

Phil

[BogMonster]

The rear door changed for 2002 model year to one that will still fit in the hole but you need to change it as a complete unit including the door carcass, the interior trim, interior handle, new rear window glass and new spare wheel carrier. I.e. it is not cheap.

The post 02 swingaway spare wheel carriers are different because the fitting of the carrier onto the door carcass is totally different in terms of bolt spacing etc. As to why they are more expensive - you would have to ask the suppliers that! but there is no valid reason for it as the metalwork is much the same!

If the door is squeaking it is either loose on the latch (5 min to adjust), or possibly the frame is cracked internally, you would have to take the interior trim off to check this out. You can weld them up and reinforce them relatively easily and this is often done.

I would suggest repairing the door if required, and fitting a swingaway carrier - this is likely to be the cheapest and best option. The new doors are stronger but not infallible especially if your passengers have a habit of slamming the door hard as this is what usually kills them.

[GL88]

Phil,

You are in the same situation as me. I suspect that you'll find that on closer inspection the strengthening frame in your rear door has cracked between the window and wiper hole and at the bottom below it. After a bit of thought and asking the forum I have just (last weekend) fitted a Mantec wheel carrier. So far the effect of this has been to silence the rear door completely - before I put the jarring squeaks and creaks down to the fractured frame ends rasping against each other. As to the Mantec carrier, the design seems very good but why don't they put stainless fixings in with it? At £200 I'd have thought they could manage that at the very least. But fitting was straightforward (once I'd sourced the right stainless bolts - though I still haven't managed to find similar large ones for the pivots).

I chose a carrier over a new door because a new old door would probably have cracked again and a new design door would have required new glass, lock, liner card and wiper motor! When I've a minute spare I'll weld patches over the crack on the top rail of the old door and let in new metal to replace the bottom rail. I think that the wheel carriers fit either old or new style doors because the frame is different and hence the strengthening plate.

Although Land Rover claim the new style is stronger I suspect it was also cheaper to manufacture with pressed rather than welded up frame. After all they could have just strengthened the old frame and bothered to corrosion proof it but chose a complete redesign instead.

[Philip Tonkin]

Thanks for the replies,

As the rear door is the only thing suffering from tinworm I would quite like to replace it in the future. The rear door card is tatty so replacing it with a 2002 door would mean replacing things there is nothing wrong with, such as the glass.

Do you think it would be worth while buying a swingaway carrier for a post 2002 door and re-drilling the holes in my existing door to allow me to upgrade to this in the future.

I have seen the new doors on Ebay (bare) for around £200

Phil

[GL88]

I suspect that the main difficulty with fitting post '02 carrier to a re-drilled pre '02 door will be alignment between the plate that fits to the door and the swinging bit of the carrier. I had to drill a few holes anyway but only once the plate was bolted to the door using most of the existing ones. The interface between door and carrier is with a horizontal piston attached to the carrier running in a block attached to the door so there isn't much scope for error. But you might be able to speak to Mantec and find out if it is just the door bits of the kits that differ and buy a kit with both door mounting bits in - it is just a powder coated metal plate with some holes in it (and the cheapskates expect you to re-use the original bolts of that bit, carp, grumble, rant).

[Marco]

I do suggest a spare wheel carrier and modify the plate fitted toward the door. It should not be to difficult to make up a new strengthening plate for the inside of the door (if needed). Just make sure you get one of the better carriers with grease nipples etc.

Cheers

Marco

[Andrew Chua]

I've a 2002 rear door (on a 2002) defender and after 6yrs, the door card starts to rattle and the door shakes under the load of the 235 alloy. Usually I'd run around without the spare wheen on the rear door.

However, the 02 door still is a good bet as they are a single piece and they are definately firmer than the earlier ones. I've seen a sorry state 01 door on my friend's defender after carrying the same weight for 6yrs. literally, the 2 piece door seems to be falling apart.

Yes, slamming the rear door upsets the door catch and causes it to shift hence when the door is loose it rattles badly too.

Wheel carrier is the best bet. but the guys at LTA (the equivalent of the MOT) will not pass it at the inspection as they claim it stick out over the specificed dimentions of the vehicle.

[dantd5]

..Tailgate Rattles are the most annoying thing in the world. I got my other half always sticking her fingers in her ears the moment she entered the "Black Shark" I did get this problem solved. Luckily the fellow I bought the car from delivered A Scorpion Swingdoor tyre carrier. Cost almost £250 (inclusive p&p to Norway)... you must however be very acurate when drilling holes else you end up with many holes in the tailgate...I changed all 3 hinges + carrier and tyres (which also had a little wobble and and "Elvis" shaky-rock-and-roll movement).. I advice you change the carrier...it is like heaven now.. take a look at this...

[mmgemini]

Phil,

You are in the same situation as me. I suspect that you'll find that on closer inspection the strengthening frame in your rear door has cracked between the window and wiper hole and at the bottom below it. After a bit of thought and asking the forum I have just (last weekend) fitted a Mantec wheel carrier. So far the effect of this has been to silence the rear door completely - before I put the jarring squeaks and creaks down to the fractured frame ends rasping against each other. As to the Mantec carrier, the design seems very good but why don't they put stainless fixings in with it? At £200 I'd have thought they could manage that at the very least. But fitting was straightforward (once I'd sourced the right stainless bolts - though I still haven't managed to find similar large ones for the pivots).

I wouldn't thank you for stainless steel screws/bolts to carry a spare wheel and carrier.

SS are nowhere near as strong as 8.8 bolts and IMO 8.8 bolts atre not as strong as carrots.

mike