Ping Ray

Ray, I want to drill one or two holes through the bottom of the rear license plate - is there anything other than air or an inert filler between the two layers of sheet metal in the door? j

Reply to
joe
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The answer to your question is no. I am not a fan of breaking the seal on the factory paint when it is not necessary, but if you want to drill, mark the shank of the drill bit with paint or tape so that you do not go too deep. I would remove the inner panel on the hatch so that it is not damaged and so that you can vacuum out the metal shavings from the inside of the door. If you do not, the shavings at the bottom of the inside of the hatch will eventually start to rust. Also, apply touch-up paint to the inside and outside surfaces of the hatch skin, paying particular attention to the edge of the hole. After the touch-up paint has dried, apply some lithium grease as additional rust preventative.

Personally, I would get some of the gasket material used to seal truck caps - it usually has tape on one side. Apply some of that gasket material just below the license plate mounting holes and also just above where the bottom edge of the plate would be. When you install the plates, apply a little lithium grease to the screws so that they do not rust, and tighten the screws so that the plate is squeezed against the gasket material and the gasket material applies tension to the plate. That trick should work, and even if it doesn't you can peel the gasket material off and clean any residue with Goof-Off, bug and tar remover, or brake cleaner.

I use stainless steel Allen head cap screws so that they do not rust and so that they are a little more secure than regular slotted or Phillips head screws. An even more secure alternative would be the tamper-proof screws used in toilet stalls.

Reply to
Ray O

Luckily rust has never been an issue in So Ca except perhaps on the very coast. Whatever bolts (3/16" or larger) I use - will be double nutted on the inside and a bent stem to prevent loosening due to vibrations.

I have various kinds of silicone caulk and various gasket products floating around - will use whatever I find first. You guys in the "rust" areas must panic every time a shopping cart or door 'bangs' the side of your car? I view it as just one of those things - and perhaps start gathering insurance info to scare the other person - reminding them not to be tempted to make this a 'hit and run felony' situation or perhaps offer to do the same for their car - while they watch.

On the tailgate there is a small 4"x4" 'snap out' door for access - to god knows what - or for what purpose??? It provides perfect access so no panels need be removed and a couple of cables can be pushed safely out of the way - just for you Ray I will insert a rag or sponge to catch any drill cuttings and employ a small vac before I remove it .

I have dismantled GM and Ford doors 20 or so years old. (A really lousy unrewarding job). There was plenty of road dust, gravel and cutting from mechanical parts such as locks, motors and mechanical parts for windows. NONE had any significant rust - even next to drain holes provided to let out water that goes past all the window seals that will all fail over time.

j
Reply to
joe

I would not bother bending the stem - you'll probably end up with deformed sheet metal. To prevent loosening due to vibrations, use a star washer or a wavy washer and apply some Threadloc on the threads.

You're fortunate to live in an area where rust is not a big issue and fortunately, the steel used in modern vehicles have a coating very similar to galvanizing that slows down rust considerably.

Reply to
Ray O

On Tue, 1 Aug 2006 16:40:53 -0500, "Ray O" wrote: snip

snip

Do you know the purpose of that small door? If I had children or others sharing the vehicle then I would see it as a problem. j

Reply to
joe

I haven't seen the door so I'm not sure. Those panels are usually placed to provide access to lights like the tail lights or center high mounted stop lamp or to the lock cylinder.

Reply to
Ray O

Installed the two stainless bolts with no problems - two nuts and lock washer between them - I did grind the exposed head round so there is no way to remove them from the outside. There really only was one layer of steel plate and spot welding ...

The interior trim panel has no visible screws or fasteners. Is it safe to simply pry it off using a large screwdriver or does one need one of those 'universal' small crow bar looking trim pry tools? Perhaps there is a special tool for Toyotas?

Does one then need to replace the old snap-in buttons with new ones to reinstall the panel or will the old ones reinstall just fine? Are all the panels installed in the same manner?

I generally always regretted accessing doors from the inside .

j
Reply to
joe

Without looking at the panel first hand, I can only guess how it is held in place. It is probably snapped in place but don't hold me to it! A trim removal tool comes in handy and does less damage to snaps but it is not absolutely required for most trim removal tasks. You should not need any special tools to remove the cover, just your finger tips.

You should not need to replace the old snap-in buttons as long as they are not broken or lost during the removal process. I re-use them all the time. Most panels are installed in the same manner.

No big deal once you get the hang of it.

Reply to
Ray O

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