Member Since: 24 Sep 2013
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 198
Fitting the frontrunner ladder - before I get the drill out!
Started to fit the ladder today, after reading the instructions and watching youtube, to be sure.
First job is to remove the 4 T30 screws that do their part hold the number plate light onto the tailgate… er no. Didnt force them but the middle 2 just spin and the outers seem to be trying to come out.
So consequently I had to give it up as time was running short.
So…are the internal threads captive in plastic? And the only way they are coming out it to take the heads off the screw and fix them when I can get to them?
Or am I missing something?
If I do have to drill off the heads, will the other M6/10mm nuts hold it on anyway after?,
3rd Sep 2021 3:55 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 13900
They are captive bolts. Its a known problem and is a pain. When you get them out re seat them with araldite.New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!)
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3rd Sep 2021 4:20 pm
Ed Snow
Member Since: 30 Jul 2014
Location: Norwich
Posts: 55
Member Since: 24 Sep 2013
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 198
Thanks all, sounds like the captive nuts/inserts are spinning then..great. So looks like I will have to take the heads of them off to remove the housing. All good fun.
Im presuming there is no way of getting the outer skin of the lamp unit off to gain access to them?
3rd Sep 2021 5:01 pm
Ed Snow
Member Since: 30 Jul 2014
Location: Norwich
Posts: 55
Do not waste your time drill the heads off. If the captive nuts spin then the unit will pry off and leave them behind.. then once out to way you can get the captive nuts off with mole grips or similar
Also if I remember correctly it’s not just held on with the 4 along the edge, it’s also held on with a couple of nuts behind the plastic trim
As Ed said above, no need to drill as the handle will come off leaving the bolts and captive nuts on the tailgate. There should be 3 M6 (10mm) nuts holding the top part of the handle, so you need to remove the interior trim on the upper tailgate and these before prying the handle off to leave the bolts behind.
I've just put mine back together after replacing the release switch and was looking at replacing the 4 bolts with stainless ones, but the tailgate is alloy, so that would have been a bad move.
If you destroy the inserts are available from Screwfix and similar.
Regards,
Steve
3rd Sep 2021 6:55 pm
Mk1Rally
Member Since: 24 Sep 2013
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 198
Thanks all, ordered new inserts and bolts. Will make sure they are properly loose before taking out the M6 nuts above them. That way when I do force/pry it of, it should offer less resistance.
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