Defender door top removal

Rob 90 · Apr 26, 2019

Tried to remove the door tops from ex military 90 and results were poor, got one nut off eventually but snapped one and the other two seem to be spinning in the door top but not undoing. I had been soaking in WD40 for a week and heated the nuts up before trying to remove.
Any other experience of this? If i end up snapping two in one door does that mean a replacement door top needed or is it possible to get the studs out?
Was intending to refurb the sliding window rubbers felts etc but now think perhaps better just live with the rattles and leaks.

flat · Apr 26, 2019

I think the studs go into a threaded insert in the alloy door top.

I can take one of mine off and look tomorrow, I changed my studs for stainless - well worth doing when you eventually get them off.

If the stud snaps there will probably be enough to either drill out or use a pair of grips/weld a nut on when the door tops is off

Huddy84 · Apr 26, 2019

Mine fortunately came out but we’re fairly corroded. If they are spinning you may need to cut the nuts off. Unfortunately I couldn’t remove the glass from mine because the strip has been tigersealed in

Litch · Apr 26, 2019

When I replaced the 2-piece doors on my ex-MOD 90 I also found that the nuts were rusted onto the studs and the studs just turned in the frame.
Can't remember how I did it but I eventually separated them (I removed them nearly 20-years ago and went 1-piece) and sold the alloy door-tops for an obscene price (they were very sort after even back then).

nobber · Apr 27, 2019

I coat my studs in copper grease, keeps them right.

jee · Apr 27, 2019

I've got to remove my tops to fix the rattles etc. I know that the studs are threaded both ends so it will 'just' be a case of gripping what you can to undo them if they snap. I'm waiting for a day I can devote to this because it will no doubt be more trouble than it should be!

Rob 90 · Apr 28, 2019

Cheers all I think I will cut the nut off the side I managed to get the other off. At least I can run a die down it and put a new nut on to reinstall (with plenty of copper grease) and see how it goes. My worry though is with the insert turning in the door top it would not be possible to cut off the stud drill out and re tap the thread as it will spin when trying to run a tap in the hole.
FLAT I saw the thread with the stainless studs you got will definitely get some made up if I ever get mine out.
JEE I will post some pics on what I find may help you with yours.

Rob 90 · Apr 28, 2019

OK got drivers side off by grinding off the nut that would not move.
Took quite a bit of levering and hammering to get the studs through the holes in the door bottoms they were jammed full of rust.
Got some stilsons on them to try and remove studs but one would snap if tried harder and the other started to spin so will leave these two studs as they are and cover in copper grease, will just remove the door tops once a year to keep greased up.
One thing learnt though, does not give any more access to remove windows, was expecting some screws under door top.

Huddy84 · Apr 28, 2019

Mine are very much the same.

Access to remove the glass is via a riveted panel on the inside of the door top. Unfortunately it’s common practice to use sealant when redoing these so in my case I’d destroy this panel trying to remove it. However I have managed to get all the old felt out and replace it with new by sliding it in place with the glass in situ. Fiddly but manageable

dag019 · Apr 29, 2019

Just putting it out there but you do not need to remove the glass to replace the felts, I have now done mine twice, and a friends. If you remove the old felt one at a time you can carefully feed the new felt behind the glass and then by moving the window back and forth it will feed the full length of the channel.
Although removing the door top is not needed for this it is worthwhile job as the stainless studs are definitely the way forward. The ones that are just turning in the top are they turning to unscrew for removal or just turning and not moving?

Rob 90 · Apr 29, 2019

Got the other side door top off by grinding the last nut off, the one that was spinning was actually sheared off in the door top (so the inserts were not spinning which is good) Managed OK to remove the glass by drilling out the rivets and it all came out easily I do not think they have ever been removed before so no sealant present. Have drilled the snapped stud out and waiting for some taps to arrive to re-thread it. I got M8 as it looks smaller than the M10 end of the stud. I will see how tapping out and installing a new stud goes before I attempt to remove the other three as they are all going to snap off and need to be drilled out.

Huddy84 · Apr 30, 2019

Well done, sense of accomplishment conquering that!

Rob 90 · Apr 30, 2019

Huddy84 said:
Well done, sense of accomplishment conquering that!

Cheers its always good getting another part off and refurbed. Eight years into ownership now and must have had at least 80% of it removed and refitted by now.
Its as good a hobby as driving it. Have been wanting to get the door tops of for about 5 years now so can remove hood / tops and fold screen down for a summer day driving Thetford & Kings Forest green lanes.

flat · Apr 30, 2019

Windscreen down isn’t that great, anything about 20mph and my eyes were watering.

Door tops and roof off is cool AF though

Defender door top removal

Rob 90

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