back door rust (aka tail gate)

[Firewout]

hi guys,
There are 2 rust holes in the body next to the left rear hinge of the backdoor of my 80.
I want to weld them up but I have to disconnect the wiring to be able to get the back door off the truck.

Do you guys have any tips and tricks to tackle this as smooth as possible so I don't burn or cut anything?
thanks already.
Wout

 

[Derek]

Took my back doors off just the other night to stone chip and paint the sills.

You need to take off the inner pillar trim to access the 2 multi plugs.

You do this by removing the kick plate on the sill front and rear as they over lap it. These are just held on with clips. Wedge a plastic trim tool between it and the sill and pull them up.

The trim itself is slid over the door aperture edge and seal. Grab it at the bottom and slid it upwards, its narrower at the top than the bottom so slide it up a few cm until you can bend the edge of the trim over the aperture edge.

Then you just pull the wires out through that grommet hole.

Re-fit is quite simple, just make sure the notch at the bottom of the pillar trim tucks behind the bolt for the bottom of the seat belt.

I like to spray waxoil into the pillar and sill while that trim is off.

 

[Firewout]

Hi Derek,
Thanks for the reply, but I think I didn't make myself clear enough.
I want to take off the swing up back door of the luggage compartment and I guess you are talking about the passenger rear door.

 

[clivehorridge]

Hi Derek,
Thanks for the reply, but I think I didn't make myself clear enough.
I want to take off the swing up back door of the luggage compartment and I guess you are talking about the passenger rear door.

I’m guessing you have the ambulance doors like on mine Wout?

The left door has a bunch of wires going into the “C” post, and IIRC there’s a multi plug in the paneling you can disconnect, and pull the wires through the grommet hole.

What I can’t remember is how the rear screen washer tubing fits. I think there’s a plastic connector close to the plug, so you simply pull the plastic tubing off the connector piece.

I had the hinges re-pinned, but the repair shop did the work so I don’t know the set-up first-hand.

Pull the trim off the inner panel behind the fuel filler pipe, it’s a hatch panel to access the bottle jack. If you can’t locate the plug through the hatch, remove the whole interior side panel trim, it’s only he’s on with plastic peg clips, but you’ll find some get damaged so be prepared to source some spares.

Once off, you should have no problem finding the plug connector.

 

[clivehorridge]

This is a crappy photo, but I presume you mean the wires that connect the left door where I’ve (very crudely) circled below, hiding behind my fire extinguisher....

 

[clivehorridge]

And if you’re welding, the c pillar, the rear light cluster will have to come out and secure the wiring to that.

Are you welding the door or the pillar?

I think it’s time for some photos, I don’t think I’ve seen your 80 on here Wout!

 

[Firewout]

Hi Clive,
Thanks but no, it's not the ambulance doors, it' s the swing up type door.
I guess I just start pulling the trimming off and then it will become clearer.
Next time I'll take a photo to begin with.

 

[clivehorridge]

Hi Clive,
Thanks but no, it's not the ambulance doors, it' s the swing up type door.
I guess I just start pulling the trimming off and then it will become clearer.

Ah, ok, can’t help you then, sorry...

 

[StarCruiser]

The top tailgate door has a connection for the screenwash tubing and the wiring for the high level stop light. Both connect into the roof line around the hinge area with a short length that rolls as you open and close the top door.

For the wiring, pinch the rubber cover as it enters the roof line and gently rock it side to side until it comes free from the hole it is in. Gently pull the wires through, there's a short length then a small connector that will pull gently through the hole. Separate the connector and leave the roof side hanging out.

The high level stop light has two or three plastic rivets. Push the centres of these in until they click free and they can then be removed. The cover can then be pulled away from the rest of the light as it is on push pins at 90 degrees from the plastic pins. The light removes with a couple of screws and the wiring will disconnect IIRC with another connector. The wiring to the rear demister also runs round inside. I've not removed this look but if you attach a piece of scrap wire to the connector that goes to the side demist connector, remove it from the glass connection and pull it back with the draw wire behind it, you should then be able to do the reverse when reassembling it.

This should get the wiring loom out the way of your welding. There may be some little clips or other fixing that stop the wires moving about but you should see these once you're in there.

Post up some pictures of the process and good luck with it.

 

[Firewout]

SC, this is exactly what I was looking for! thanks a lot.
some pictures from last years trip in the alps :

 

[clivehorridge]

A very nice unmolested truck there Wout, beautiful!

 

[Derek]

Ah you mean tailgate yeah changed one of them over as well, make sure you fire blanket the roof cloth.

 

[Firewout]

Tailgate! That's the word!
My apologies for the confusion. Since I natively speak barbarian, it's sometimes hard to get the right words.
But nevertheless I got there, pulled the wires out, got the tailgate out without breaking the glass, wirebrushed to the bare metal, used a galvanised plasterboarding profile to weld over the holes and now the bondo is curing. Pictures will follow.

 

[Firewout]

without pictures it didn't happen :

 

[StarCruiser]

Ah, I gave you instructions thinking your rust was on the tailgate. You found the head lining easy to remove though and there's plenty of metal there so it looks like all went well with the welding.

That's rather a nasty/ unusual spot to get a rust patch Wout! Hopefully you've held it back for a good number of years and that the door seal now seals.

 

[Firewout]

Ah, I gave you instructions thinking your rust was on the tailgate.

tailgate is also on the program. when I put the tailgate aside, I heard a lot of flakes moving around in the tailgate. also the paint starts to bubble around the window....

 

[StarCruiser]

tailgate is also on the program. when I put the tailgate aside, I heard a lot of flakes moving around in the tailgate. also the paint starts to bubble around the window....

Uh oh! Maybe time for a swap with one thats more sound!

 

[Firewout]

dismantled the tailgate yesterday. more welding in order. but thankfully nothing too dramatically. the metalworking will be quite straightforward.....hopefully...
so instead of sourcing another, risking to get the same problem, I'll have a go to repair this one. the rest of the tailgate is still solid.

most of the rust is under the weatherstrip, which will hide the repair.

dents in the upper left corner

view from the inside

 

[clivehorridge]

Nasty, but as you say, not irreparable.

You’ll be getting good at splicing steel in by the time you’ve finished with that!

 

[Firewout]

welded and leadloaded