Freelander 1 Is my tailgate handle too far gone???

rob_bell · Nov 12, 2019

Having a tailgate handle hanging off has become just too irritating to leave any longer and I’ve started to investigate the enormity problem.

luckily the release button still works fine.

Watching the bodgit YouTube video, I went to release the 8mm head screws that hold the rubber seal at the base of the glass

The screws just spun uselessly - if there’s a captive nut behind there, it is not longer captive. This was starting to set the tone for activities, as the screw at the other side was exactly the same.

luckily, you don’t have to remove the rubber trim, and I released the lower four screws and removed the tailgate trim:

Removing the trim was then pretty simple - a good tug pulled it free - noting that the trim has pivots along its top edge:

andyfreelandy · Nov 12, 2019

Looks repairable to me! Drill and tap what is left in handle. Insert studs and fix with nuts. Good luck.

rob_bell · Nov 12, 2019

Someone had been here before - the water shedder membrane had been pulled free at the top corner - the same corner I needed access too.

I then disconnected the release switch and number plate lamp connectors:

I could then pull the handle free revealing the corrosion damage behind: a massive hole that has been festering and hinder from view for years:

rob_bell · Nov 12, 2019

Next to remove old fixings. One sheared off, the other two nuts came off easily. A staggering amount of corrosion wasting evident on one of them:

It’s looking rank.

rob_bell · Nov 12, 2019

andyfreelandy said:
Looks repairable to me! Drill and tap what is left in handle. Insert studs and fix with nuts. Good luck.

thanks Andy, that’s my plan for now:

rob_bell · Nov 12, 2019

Hopefully the copious epoxy I’ve used will hold? Worth a shot - cheaper than an oem replacement. The sheared stud I’ve replaced with a stainless bolt (being held with a pair of pliers in the picture above)

rob_bell · Nov 12, 2019

I don’t have time today to repair the hole in the tailgate - it’ll require a sizeable repair panel making. For now, I’ve removed the worst of the loose rust and have applied a coat of smootrite to slow down the tin worms until I get time to mess with the hot metal glue gun

paint:

rob_bell · Nov 12, 2019

The epoxy was taking an age to set, so I stuck it in the oven at 50C for 20-30 min (home alone obvs) which seemed to help.

Of course, in that time the weather changed and it tipped down. With the rear door open (I was too scared lest the electrics decided to stop playing!)

However, good news: for now its back together again and working.
Noticed that one of the small door button springs had corroded through and that one of the number plate bulbs wasn’t working (corrosion).

Handle will be coming off again. I’ll hold judgement on replacement for now

131commando · Nov 12, 2019

rob_bell said:
The epoxy was taking an age to set, so I stuck it in the oven at 50C for 20-30 min (home alone obvs) which seemed to help.

Of course, in that time the weather changed and it tipped down. With the rear door open (I was too scared lest the electrics decided to stop playing!)

However, good news: for now its back together again and working.
Noticed that one of the small door button springs had corroded through and that one of the number plate bulbs wasn’t working (corrosion).

Handle will be coming off again. I’ll hold judgement on replacement for now

View attachment 193931

It may be worth looking out for a tailgate door skin on Ebay that's what I did mine rotted in exactly the same place behind and below the handle and I was lucky enough to get a bare door to swap my bits into and I even rubbed down and sprayed the bottom before reassembling, I also put a new window regulator in and powder coated the spare wheel carrier so it's as new and only cost me £50 plus regulator and a mornings work also waxoiled the inside.

rob_bell · Nov 12, 2019

I haven’t seen whole door skins advertised: good thought, although my current thought is to make a repair panel. It’ll be mostly hidden by the handle, so a good place to practice

Nodge68 · Nov 12, 2019

rob_bell said:
It’ll be mostly hidden by the handle, so a good place to practice

There's actually a handle available that has a large rubber number plate holder as part of the handle. This will cover the rusty area without all that messing with metal or filler and paint.

rob_bell · Nov 12, 2019

Really? Not seen that one?

GrumpyGel · Nov 12, 2019

Good work. These handles and the corrosion behind them are a right PITA.

Nodge68 · Nov 12, 2019

rob_bell said:
Really? Not seen that one?

I found it by accident while looking for a sensible price replacement handle for mine.

I did keep a note of the part number CXB000270PMA. I believe it's a US spec handle, which included the helpful rubber pad (called a plinth), which I think could be sealed to the boot panel with silicone, preventing further water ingress and hiding the rust at the same time. Looks like they're more expensive than I remember though.

saxavordian · Nov 12, 2019

rob_bell said:
View attachment 193898
Having a tailgate handle hanging off has become just too irritating to leave any longer and I’ve started to investigate the enormity problem.

luckily the release button still works fine.

Watching the bodgit YouTube video, I went to release the 8mm head screws that hold the rubber seal at the base of the glass

View attachment 193899

The screws just spun uselessly - if there’s a captive nut behind there, it is not longer captive. This was starting to set the tone for activities, as the screw at the other side was exactly the same.

I you are scrapping the Freelander could I have first dibs on the Freelander Decal

luckily, you don’t have to remove the rubber trim, and I released the lower four screws and removed the tailgate trim:

View attachment 193900

Removing the trim was then pretty simple - a good tug pulled it free - noting that the trim has pivots along its top edge:

View attachment 193901

rob_bell · Nov 13, 2019

Nodge68 said:
I found it by accident while looking for a sensible price replacement handle for mine.

I did keep a note of the part number CXB000270PMA. I believe it's a US spec handle, which included the helpful rubber pad (called a plinth), which I think could be sealed to the boot panel with silicone, preventing further water ingress and hiding the rust at the same time. Looks like they're more expensive than I remember though.

Thanks - they are a little pricey from Rimmer Bros, but a neat hole (or welded repair) disguising solution

Freelander 1 Is my tailgate handle too far gone???

rob_bell

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