Thread: Side Chequer Plate installation

I guess the answer depends upon the reason, and how long you want to keep the Defender for.
Personally I only used a gasket and the supplied tapered bolts on the wing tops as it was supplied , on the bonnet and rear corner side panels I used solid(not hollow as the defender has enough leaking holes with out adding anymore ) aluminum pot rivets straight to aluminum body.
I don't intend on selling the defender so don't care for future prettying up ,so never worried about gaskets ,also the tapered bolts where much more of a pain in the butt than pot rivets. One other thing I did with the rear panel was get the shaped cheq plate and also get a large aluminium cheq plate that I roughly (in my case VERY roughly)cut to size to fit behind the side rear panel making a sandwich out of the body panel, held it all together with clamps, drilled and pot riveted away.

Originally Posted by frantic

One other thing I did with the rear panel was get the shaped cheq plate and also get a large aluminium cheq plate that I roughly (in my case VERY roughly)cut to size to fit behind the side rear panel making a sandwich out of the body panel, held it all together with clamps, drilled and pot riveted away.

This is a good tip - thanks for this and the other feedback.

So I received the chequer plate for the rear quarter panel and the rear quadrant piece that sits just in front of the rear wheel arch. That second piece is not a very good fit for the space, and it looks like I'll have to grind some of it off (and repaint it since it's black) so it fits neatly. If I don't, it would either intrude over the door slightly, or overlap the rear wheel arch.

On top of that, for some odd reason that same piece only came with one hole drilled in it, in one corner, and no destructions, so I guess they want you to drill the other ones yourself.

Before I start exposing bare metal, want to check if anybody has an obvious suggestion I'm somehow missing, or any tips from their own experiences.


Cheers

I had a similar thread a few weeks back.
I did some testing with 3M VHB tape RP45.
Adhesion is strong as buggary when you do some surface prep. Its a double sided tape about 1mm thick, and has a strong adhesive and a closed cell foam core.

My testing suggested it would be suitable for the application if drilling and reveting was not a suitable option.
Removal should be easy enough if you use a modest amount of tape, and chill the chequer plate with dry ice (-80 celsius) before removal by prying off. Removal with strong fishing line slid underneath may also work. Remaining residue is removed easily enough with isopropyl alcohol or just pick it off.

Cheers Avenger!

Will have a think about that direction too.

Don't do it El Rey! Keep it for IF the panel gets damaged. But if you must and it doesn't fit, take it back!