Thread: Corrosion in door panels

white powdery spots?

Originally Posted by incisor

white powdery spots?

Blisters on the paint surface. I did not disturbed the paint yet

This are the corrosion spots:

Corrosion stimulated by electrolysis between dissimilar metals.

It is an ongoing problem of all Defenders up until the MY08? (which now have all steel doors) and all the series from SII onwards. The reason is that Land Rover don't properly treat the inside of the steel door frames and then don't put an effective insulator between the aluminium skin and the steel frame.

You can treat the current corrosion but it will quickly return, unless you de-skin the door, treat the rust in the steel frame, remove the corrosion in the back of the aluminium skin and then re-skin the frame with an appropriate membrane/insulator between the metals to prevent the electrolysis.

Diana

Thank you Diana for your reply.
Can I get LR new skins for the doors or I have to reapir the old ones?

Originally Posted by Chucaro

Thank you Diana for your reply.
Can I get LR new skins for the doors or I have to reapir the old ones?

It's a parts chain thing. In the U.K. customers have always been able to get new door skins. Land Rover in Australia have never, or almost never, supplied the part preferring to sell a whole new door.

You can de-skin the door by annealing the aluminium using the heat of a propane burner and a broad knife or spatula. BTW I have never done a Defender or County door but have done Series doors and the process is the same although there will be some differences with each type.

With all fittings off the face of the door. Mildly heat a reasonable area along the edge of the door where it's been crimped over starting at a corner (the bottom edge first), then when the alloy is soft prise up the folded over lip working a small area at a time moving the process slowly along each edge. Be careful not to tear or crease the lip where your working and the adjacent area. Fold back till the lip is about 90 deg to the door edge. Do one edge at a time working until the all for edges are completed. You may find that there is a partial barrier between the frame and the skin which may need to be cut using a blade, again working from a bottom corner with care lift off the skin, cutting the adhesive barrier if present where necessary.

When the panel is off, inspect the inside of the panel and frame. Mechanically remove any corrosion. At this point you will be able to determine if the skin and frame are salvageable.

Do any rust repairs necessary, treat both metals and apply a rust preventative to the inside of the door. Apply a permanent barrier to the edge of the door where the skin sits and folds over. This can even be a plastic type membrane. With the door outside down on a flat surface that will not damage the skin, anneal the edge to be re-folded down to the frame making sure the edge finishes crimping the frame tightly.

It may be easier to get a replacement door, but the problem of electrolysis may still occur with a replacement door.

My guess it all depends on how long you intend to keep the vehicle that will determine whether your efforts are worthwhile.

Diana