Thread: D1 vs D2 rear barn door comparison of internal mechanisms

totally different.
The D1 has a latch mechanism and then a remotely attached central locking unit(better).
The D2 uses an all in one integrated mechnism and central locking unit. Simpler, but worse design(IMO).

I've pulled my D2 one out and I reckon it's about 2x the size all up of the D1 type(mechanism only).

For my D1, I started having trouble with one of the door central locking solenoids, and replaced it with an aftermarket solenoid unit. Fitted a treat, and cost all of about nothing for the unit itself(as it came in a cheap kit).
Because I don't trust landrover electrics, I kept going and replaced all the locking solenoids with the aftermarket units in the el cheapo central locking kit, including the rear door unit.
The reason the D1 is better is that you can replace the central locking unit cheaply and with a better quality unit.

Thanks for that. Will take your advice and go out and buy a better central locking unit. Much obliged!

The original lock unit I replaced when the pass rear door stopped working was from an OLD!! Dick Smith Electronics central locking kit I bought about 20-ish years ago(for an XF Falcon).
Car was so crap I sold it a few months later, so central locking kit was stored away .. forgotten.
Found when I did a bit of a cleanup about a year back .. and then stored again, this time where I could find it.

While the original large lumps of useless solenoid in the D1 look a bit different(larger, fatter, thicker, goofier! ) , the important point to note is that the mounting holes line up perfectly!
You may have to wiggle it this way or that way to get the actual alignment spot on, but all in all, the LR units used in the D1 seem to be of a type/mounting type that seems to be an industry standard of some kind.

That old kit I had for 20 years was never used, the solenoid replaced is about 10 orders of magnitude more powerful than all the other solenoids, that all still worked.
So my thinking thereafter was, that the original solenoids have had their day(they just sounded weak as ... pee!! ) so I decided to change them all, except that I only had 4(and needed 5!).
So I had the bright idea to also add a remote control(my D1 is very basic, no remote locking, but key activated only) .. so I got to Supercheap and got one of their own branded wireless remote locking kits. Mainly for the remote but also to have spare solenoids if ever needed.
Once again all solenoids in the Supercheap kit also fit without issue, and all work as powerful as the DSE kit solenoids .. which is 100x more powerful than the LR originals!

Obviously the wiring colours are different, but I mucked about and found that the wiring colour adaptation to maintain correct lock/unlock process is Blue(solenoid)=Orange(vehicle) and Green(solenoid)=Pink(vehicle).
This is assuming that if you get new solenoids they use the common blue/green wiring for the slaves, and blue/green/black/white wires for the masters(which go on both front doors).

I had a quick browse through ebay after I got mine going how it is now(but I got the new kit from SCA because I wanted it 'yesterday' .. before a camping trip) .. and the ebay kits at about 1/2 price all look identical to any that you'd buy from a reputable store .. so save you're $s and search ebay for the solenoids of you're not in a rush.

side note: I've had this idea to add one of the spare solenoids to the front of the D1 to use it as a remote/electrical bonnet release. I'm thinking hard wired electrical rather than remote, but the kit I got also does a boot release via a specific wire(thinking that this may be an option too).
I reckon that these solenoids seem to have the guts/power to just pull hard enough on the bonnet release .. it's very tedious having the bonnet release on the LHS, and so low down!
Because the bonnet release action is a simple one way type(ie. not dual like a lock/unlock action that a solenoid usually does, I thought that it'd work in a hard wired setup with a hidden momentary push button somewhere on the drivers side.

5 x Metal Repair Springs Door Lock Latch Set For Land Rover Discovery MK1 | eBay

check to see its not just a broken spring on the lock mech....

If it's the central locking actuator you can get them individually from jaycar Slave Door Lock Actuator | Jaycar Electronics

Thanks for that. Might have to pop into Jaycar tomorrow.

Originally Posted by cripesamighty

Hey all,

Just wondering if the rear barn doors on the Disco 1's and 2's are interchangeable - or the internal mechanisms at least. My rear door handle has just started acting up whereby I can't open the rear barn door without holding the nib up from the inside. Am hoping to get this fixed before I have to refit my cargo barrier. I have found a suitable rear door off a D2 to swap the internals over, but only if they actually fit. Anyone know if this is a viable option? Ta muchly.

Have you tried prying the Land Rover green oval off the door handle, and then squirting WD40 or your favourite lubricant towards the nearside and up, to lube the mechanism. This is sometimes necessary when the door stays shut and cannot be opened from the outside. Happened to me and once i'd done this, which worked, I could open it take it apart and lube it properly. Nothing to do with the solenoids etc. It just might be nothing to do with the electrics.