My 1990 110 Defender doors froze yesterday - got them unstuck eventually and then they stuck in the uncatched position so the doors swung freely. Much faffing about sorted it but it was minus 11 at the time ! Almost made us late for the pub!!!
Exactly - we're not progressing! These handles are worse than anything that I've had before - Series, RRC (both versions). It's straightforward poor design.
The same one who made that left the gap around the door frame and body that collects snow that gets drawn into the car and onto the seat when you open the door?
Or maybe the one that designed the diameter of the steering wheel and the position of the binicle switches such that you can't see the switches or their tallys because of the steering wheel?
Can't say I have that problem and we have been below freezing all day every day for the last week. I think this might be one of the rare cases were WD40 may actually be useful. I use WD40 on the anemometer and wind vane as a deicer/water displacer when they ice up.
Graphite grease. WD40 will not do the locks any favours. Or Silicone spray to deter the water in the first place.
Also to add my FFRR has the same issues if untreated and will pull door seals clean off if not treated.
Another crap design on the FFRR, the freshly defrosted slush (if you use deicer its worse) runs down the window felt and on to the lock mechanisim. The lock being super cold refreezes. Also cables are then liable to water ingress.
Loads of us on Fullfatrr.com are having this problem. Result is strip down the door car, remove and lube up the lock mech with a suitable lubricant that will also deter water ingress in the future. Grease dare I suggest it,
Here it happens every winter. Two years ago it shredded the door seal from the top of the door and again by design the seal will freeze solid to the door frame even in single figure -c temps. The manual also states the seals should be treated each winter to prevent issues such as the above. I don't use the LR recommended can linked but a similar brand which has the same contents at a cheaper price.
Because in the case of thew FFRR it happens every winter! You unlock the car, deice the windows. close the door and the latch stays open regardless of where the handle is. You then have two choices, wait for it to defrost and leave the car insecure or risk driving trying to hold the door shut which I would not recommend.
Me to, but then again I have better things to do than de-ice multiple cars in order to try and get to work on the of chance one is going to get me there.
Have you considered the possibilities inherent in building a shed big enough to park in overnight and keeping a bulb burning (or lighting a paraffin 'greenhouse heater') in it?
I find thumping the door near the seals will give enough movement in the seal to break the ice joint or at least weaken it. Worked on the old Mondeo and the old DII, this one hasn't had frozen door seals (yet).
Grease and locks don't really go together, grease captures dirt, that gets worked into the grease making a nice grinding paste... A dry lubricant is best, powdered graphite (not grpahite grease) being the recomended stuff for normal door locks.
B-) Especially in sub-zero temperatures. If the lock mechanisium is jamming in the open position I doubt you have any real alternative than a strip down, clean and lubricate in the long term. WD40 will only be a short term solution.
Get a grip, I can't afford a Garage / Car port AND a Range Rover ;0) ...... To be fair I do have a garage (soon to be a Kitchen!) but it aint big enough to get either the 110 or FFRR in to.
Other problem is the return from work on a night Shift, no such luxury as shelter, but at least it narrows down the choice.
:0)
Since using the product I have this year , no problems with the seals, however I do need to still grease up the lock mech and the door declined to unlock the other day.
On or around Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:57:30 +0000, Dougal enlightened us thusly:
give 'em a clout and they open. they don't freeze up as convincingly as the defender pushbuttons do. But Andrew's right, the lift-up type never freeze.
I'll tell you another one on the DII: the rubber seal on the lower part of the back door can freeze onto the body and rip itself off the door. Luckily, it was possible to put it back but I dunno if it's going to stay.
Yes, I did mine on the drivers door last year, when i had recourse to strip the door because the window froze and the motor ripped the lift channel off the bottom of the glass.
This year the passenger door lock ais refusing to budge.....
Yes, RRC door locks are just as bad, as they're now all at least 15 years old the grease has long since departed and the lock mechanisims freeze up, and then when you do get the door open it refuses to shut as the lock is iced up in the open position.
15 years!!. My Defender isn't 1 year yet and the rear door doesn't unlock with the central locking in this weather. I can just turn it by key so it's not actually frozen
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