Freelander 1 Re-painting the spare wheel high-level brake light mount

Hi chaps,

K-Hippo-D has the usual problem with corrosion and paint peeling on the rear high level brake lamp mount. It isn't too ghastly, but I'd like to tidy it up.

K-Hippo-K is a 2001 model year - grey bumpers, and the high level brake light is a similar hue. But was it originally black? Or it is was grey, what paint colour to get?

Thanks!

Black!

If matt or satin black, then a doddle. But it'll look different from the rear door handle and, of course, the bumpers? Currently all are a pretty similar hue of grey!

Paint them all, lazy b++++r

Paint it with stone chip. I've done a couple this way and they look amazing.
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/c...ir/stone-chip-protection/?549774241&0&cc5_712
I used a wire wheel on a grinder to clean it up and the stone chip filled the scratches and corrosion bumps really well.

Thanks Alibro - the more durable finish is a good idea on a spare wheel carrier!

I think I used etch primer first but the stuff I linked to was great. I also tried Hammerite stone chip from halfords and it was no use. The other stuff comes out of the tin like rubber and leaves a really nice finish.

Alibro said:

I think I used etch primer first but the stuff I linked to was great. I also tried Hammerite stone chip from halfords and it was no use. The other stuff comes out of the tin like rubber and leaves a really nice finish.

Click to expand...

like that stone chip

i had a tin left over of hammerite smooth , think it was called straight to rust , removed the entire wheel carrier then spent most of the day getting all the crap off of it

used a paint brush and to be honest came up not to bad, as i thought the wheel is going to cover it anyway

whilst there done my rear brake drums, blimey they were a job, well my son kindly volunteered to clean and paint them if i'm honest

paint is still as new and that must be over 2 x years ago

Yes, I was originally thinking smoothrite too.

It may need some alloy primer on the exposed sections of alloy - but I have some on a shelf, so should be fine

rob_bell said:

Yes, I was originally thinking smoothrite too.

It may need some alloy primer on the exposed sections of alloy - but I have some on a shelf, so should be fine

Click to expand...

the hammerite smooth i used didn't need any primer, i just made sure any loose paint and dirt was off

been at least 2 x years and is as good as new, just thought that most of it wouldn't be seen with the spare wheel over it

unless u was talking about another smoothrite , lol

Same stuff

Special metals primers needed if painting zinc, aluminium etc. Probably just sales blurb if yours has lasted so well! Lol

Given that my plan to refit the cylinder head has been sabotaged by the cracked inlet manifold boss, I thought I'd get on with something else as a bit of light relief. Painting the wheel carrier/ high level brake light

Spare wheel removed - happily also a 16" tri-sport, but unlike the others, not marked with the vehicles' registration, so a welcome later addition.



I didn't take a picture of the corroded alloy part of the casting, but you can see it has gone in the usual place, under the light housing.

Removing the wheel carrier is then quite simple: a pair of nuts at the bottom and half a dozen torx head screws.

To finally remove, there are a couple of cable tie/ retainers to remove (squeeze the tongues together and push through) and then the three small torx screws to part the light from the main casting. The light can then be unplugged, and two nuts removed to take out the brake lamp lens assembly.

Dropping the carrier revealed a small organic compost heap!



All cleaned out and the boot door cleaned.

Once the castings had been cleaned, I applied hammerite special metals primer:



Once dry, I hung the assemblies to spray with black satin Smoothrite:



I'm just waiting for it to dry properly before re-assembly and fitting back to the car.

Smoothrite appears to be a pretty good match for the original paint finish that is hidden from direct sunlight, so happy days

rob_bell said:

Same stuff

Special metals primers needed if painting zinc, aluminium etc. Probably just sales blurb if yours has lasted so well! Lol

Given that my plan to refit the cylinder head has been sabotaged by the cracked inlet manifold boss, I thought I'd get on with something else as a bit of light relief. Painting the wheel carrier/ high level brake light

Spare wheel removed - happily also a 16" tri-sport, but unlike the others, not marked with the vehicles' registration, so a welcome later addition.

View attachment 108401

I didn't take a picture of the corroded alloy part of the casting, but you can see it has gone in the usual place, under the light housing.

Removing the wheel carrier is then quite simple: a pair of nuts at the bottom and half a dozen torx head screws.

To finally remove, there are a couple of cable tie/ retainers to remove (squeeze the tongues together and push through) and then the three small torx screws to part the light from the main casting. The light can then be unplugged, and two nuts removed to take out the brake lamp lens assembly.

Dropping the carrier revealed a small organic compost heap!

View attachment 108402

All cleaned out and the boot door cleaned.

Once the castings had been cleaned, I applied hammerite special metals primer:

View attachment 108403

Once dry, I hung the assemblies to spray with black satin Smoothrite:

View attachment 108404

I'm just waiting for it to dry properly before re-assembly and fitting back to the car.

Smoothrite appears to be a pretty good match for the original paint finish that is hidden from direct sunlight, so happy days

Click to expand...

always a good job to get it done before winter sets in

just thought i would try the hammerite as i had a whole tin left over and seems to be doing well

agree with regards to the light area, mine bubbled up where the old paint was coming off

shame it's mostly hidden in the end, lol

i've also got the cb aerial bracket bar fitted and also done that with the hammerite

Generally quite like hammerite/smoothrite - but it can be a nuisance to apply evenly, even when sprayed. POR15 is much nicer to use - although that needs a UV resistant top coat.

Quite pleased with the end the result - although not quite as textured as original. But at least the oxidising alloy is now cleared up and painted!

This was mine after the stone chip



And before



I used a wire brush attachment in a grinder so the whole thing was covered in scratches from that but the stone chip just smoothed the whole thing.

What ever you do - don't paint the plastic - ie bumpers etc. A previous owner of mine did and its all flaking and patchy - looks a right mess.

I agree GG: painting plastic parts makes little sense - although there was a silver FL1 I saw on a thread here that had had all the external plastic in body colour that looked pretty good. I was struck at how well the faded black now matched the grey plastics on the car I actually thought that it might have been like originally! LOL

The stone chip did a lovely job! If I hadn't already had the black smoothrite, I would have bought the CarPlan stone chip you recommended Alibro

Alibro said:

This was mine after the stone chip

And before

I used a wire brush attachment in a grinder so the whole thing was covered in scratches from that but the stone chip just smoothed the whole thing.

Click to expand...

That's another job to add to the list. That looks so much better than my peeling paint effect.
My "to do list" is growing