Right, here we are going to discuss replacing a front door latch on a P38 Range Rover.
1. Lower the drivers door window -you're working on the electrics in the doors and may need access into the car if something somewhere should go wrong - just as a precaution.
2. Open the sunroof fully and lower the window glass on the REAR passenger door (the side that the duff latch is on).
3. Put a ratchet strap through the passenger rear door and sunroof to take the weight of the door in step 4.
4. Remove the hinge bolts holding the passenger REAR door on (the ones actually attatched to the door not the body shell) and the bolts holding the small catch bar that ARE attatched to the body shell. Lift the door up and onto the sill and take it's weight with the ratchet strap. ( I found that the door was fairly closed when I was working on it).
5. Take an angle grinder fitted with a cutting disc and cut through the striker plate bar that is outer most and partially exposed. You will still have to cut the other part of the striker bar that is partially exposed inner most. This is done with a hacksaw blade that has a handle at one end or that has a blade that runs through a small handle. THIS IS ESSENTIAL. If you do not have one like this then go and buy one. I got a lovely one in B&Q for a tenner. The rear most part of the striker bar took me about 10 mins to cut through with that saw.
6. NOW THE DOOR WILL OPEN!!!!
7. Remove the busted/cut striker plate and replace it BUT - DO NOT REMOVE BOTH BOLTS AT THE SAME TIME as a threaded catch plate for the bolts will fall into the hollow recess of the car body and be gone forever! It will likely jump up and down in the hollow of the body when going over speed bumps and drive you crazy. I just took one bolt out which enabled the old striker plate to swing down and then took one bolt and put the replacement striker on. Then I removed the secoond bolt of the cut striker plate and finished the fitting of the replacement striker.
8. Remove the door trim and accessories if fitted.
9. Pull back door seal foam and undo the multiplug/s of the door latch.
10. Remove the rods, cable and bolts from the door latch like this:
I found it easiest to unscrew the plastic pull-push tab at the top of the door (which is attatched to one of the bars) and then pull down and turn the red plastic tab on the other rod (which is attatched to the exterior door handle) with your fingers and pull it out of the latch. Remove the bolts attaching the latch to the door THEN remove that one bar that had the plastic pull-push attatched, afterwards. Some twisting and turning will be needed to get the latch out of the door but it's not difficult.
Refitting of a replacement door latch REALLY IS the reversal of the removal procedure. I would advise a liitle copper grease on the bolts though - just in case the latch breaks down again in the future!
I hope this has been of some help to someone. I did the whole 'removing the door trim while the door is locked' procedure on my other front door a few months ago - what a long winded way of doing things! Take the rear door off - it's not hard and it's a LOT QUICKER (but a second pair of hands is handy for that bit although I didn't have the luxury myself!).
1. Lower the drivers door window -you're working on the electrics in the doors and may need access into the car if something somewhere should go wrong - just as a precaution.
2. Open the sunroof fully and lower the window glass on the REAR passenger door (the side that the duff latch is on).
3. Put a ratchet strap through the passenger rear door and sunroof to take the weight of the door in step 4.
4. Remove the hinge bolts holding the passenger REAR door on (the ones actually attatched to the door not the body shell) and the bolts holding the small catch bar that ARE attatched to the body shell. Lift the door up and onto the sill and take it's weight with the ratchet strap. ( I found that the door was fairly closed when I was working on it).
5. Take an angle grinder fitted with a cutting disc and cut through the striker plate bar that is outer most and partially exposed. You will still have to cut the other part of the striker bar that is partially exposed inner most. This is done with a hacksaw blade that has a handle at one end or that has a blade that runs through a small handle. THIS IS ESSENTIAL. If you do not have one like this then go and buy one. I got a lovely one in B&Q for a tenner. The rear most part of the striker bar took me about 10 mins to cut through with that saw.
6. NOW THE DOOR WILL OPEN!!!!
7. Remove the busted/cut striker plate and replace it BUT - DO NOT REMOVE BOTH BOLTS AT THE SAME TIME as a threaded catch plate for the bolts will fall into the hollow recess of the car body and be gone forever! It will likely jump up and down in the hollow of the body when going over speed bumps and drive you crazy. I just took one bolt out which enabled the old striker plate to swing down and then took one bolt and put the replacement striker on. Then I removed the secoond bolt of the cut striker plate and finished the fitting of the replacement striker.
8. Remove the door trim and accessories if fitted.
9. Pull back door seal foam and undo the multiplug/s of the door latch.
10. Remove the rods, cable and bolts from the door latch like this:
I found it easiest to unscrew the plastic pull-push tab at the top of the door (which is attatched to one of the bars) and then pull down and turn the red plastic tab on the other rod (which is attatched to the exterior door handle) with your fingers and pull it out of the latch. Remove the bolts attaching the latch to the door THEN remove that one bar that had the plastic pull-push attatched, afterwards. Some twisting and turning will be needed to get the latch out of the door but it's not difficult.
Refitting of a replacement door latch REALLY IS the reversal of the removal procedure. I would advise a liitle copper grease on the bolts though - just in case the latch breaks down again in the future!
I hope this has been of some help to someone. I did the whole 'removing the door trim while the door is locked' procedure on my other front door a few months ago - what a long winded way of doing things! Take the rear door off - it's not hard and it's a LOT QUICKER (but a second pair of hands is handy for that bit although I didn't have the luxury myself!).
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