Front door rubber buffer change on Defender

Vehicle ➔ Defender 90 Td4 2013

Difficulty ➔ Easy

Time ➔ 1 hour

Summary

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When opening, the front door of your Defender is retained by a rubber buffer. This buffer is located in the door stop mechanism. Unfortunately, during a violent door opening (in strong winds for example), the rubber buffer can be crushed by the mechanism. Result : the door opening is greater than normal and the door is no longer perfectly immobilized in the open position. This is not dramatic but for a few euros and a few minutes of work we will correct this.

Required Tools

Locate where the door rubber buffer is.

This one has been badly deformed (2nd photo). It is completely out of the door check link slide.

Op 02

Open the door without passing the door retaining torsion bar.

In other words : stop the door from opening as soon as you feel resistance.

If we open the door to its maximum, the door check link will be stuck between the torsion bar and the rubber buffer. It will then be very difficult to remove during Op 06.

Open the door without passing the door retainer

Op 03

Remove the split pin. Use the needle-nose pliers.
Recover the pin and washer.

Op 04

Remove the door check link pin. Use the needle-nose pliers.

You have to push the door trim slightly to free the passage of the pin. It rubs a little but it goes through.

Op 05

Remove the dashboard fixing screw closest to the door check link slide. Use the T20 torx key.

We must remove this screw because in the next operation, we will pull slightly on the bottom of the dashboard to extract the door check link.

Op 06

Remove the door check link. Slide it by hand.

Pull slightly on the bottom of the dashboard to free the way of the link (3rd photo).

Slightly spread the bottom of the dashboard

Remove the Defender front door check link

Op 07

Remove the door rubber buffer. Slide it by hand.

We can see that this buffer was really worn (2nd photo).

Fit the door rubber buffer

Op 08

Position the new door rubber buffer (MWC5759) in the door check link slide.
Slide it to the door retaining torsion bar. Slide it by hand.

The rubber buffer is blocked in its travel by the torsion bar (3rd photo).

Position the door rubber buffer in the guide rail

Position the door rubber buffer against the spring

Op 09

Spread the torsion bar (1st and 2nd photos). Use the flathead screwdriver.
Slide the buffer to its final position (3rd photo). Slide it by hand.

The torsion bar is very resistant. Don't hesitate to force on the screwdriver.

Lever on the torsion bar with the flathead screwdriver

Op 10

Position the door check link. Slide it by hand.

Position the Defender 90 front door check link

Op 11

Screw in the dashboard fixing screw (FYP500570). Use the T20 torx key.

Op 12

Position the door check link pin. Push by hand.

Op 13

Position the washer (WA108051L) and the split pin (BYC500060).

Position the washer and the split pin of the Defender door stop

Op 14

Open the door and check the correct operation of the door rubber buffer.

When the door is open, the door check link must be immobilized between the torsion bar and the stop. The door should not be able to move.

Fin

The front doors of your Defender open correctly. Well done !
Please feel free to ask a question or to write a comment at the bottom of the page if you wish.