Hello All,
Appreciate all of the helpful advice on here.

Wondering if anyone who has replaced the door lock actuator on the
left front door has any helpful advice?

This is my first attempt at replacing this mechanism.

I have a new one in hand and need to get to taking the door apart.

I would like to avoid breaking the plastic retaining clips which hold the door panel on.

And, there are probably a few tricks you all have learned on how to do it.
Or at least survive it with minimal frustration and breakage of other related parts..

Many thanks in advance,
J

 

hey jfall,
I just did this about a month ago on my disco II. However I replaced the rear passenger side door actuator. I know the driver's door is a little different, but I imagine the mechanisms are the same, just a bit of a different look. You can read my write up on how I did it here:

https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...s-47296/page2/

If you have any questions about what I did, feel free to ask.

 

Wow, that was a great writeup.
I went down and tackled it.
Took a few hours.

On the USA Discovery - Drivers' door....

Removing the door panel is not hard.

This how it went for me...:::

Trick is to get a door panel removing tool. This tool is a little pry bar
with a V face. There is a V cut that hooks the little plastic door panel studs.
Pulls them right out.

Lisle has it

Lisle Corporation

1) Then remove the plastic cover over the door latch.
2) Remove the 3 torx screws for the door latch.
3) Remove the bottom window frame 10mm bolt in the door which holds the bottom of the window frame to the door.
4) now remove the top lock handle from the door - the one that goes up and down and that a person can grab with their hand. This is pressed into a green fitting.
5) Now reach up and look at were the door opening handle from the outside operates a rod that goes down to the latch. The rod is held on by a white plastic keeper at the door handle. Pry the keeper in toward you. The keeper is captive and will stay in the latch. Pull the rod out toward the back end of the door.
6) Now the hard part. Bend the window frame toward the middle of the door. This is NOT RAVE approved method. Don't really bend it - just hold it there.
7) Wrestle the latch around the frame and try to rotate it out of the door. This is very very hard.
8) Once the latch is free - disconnect the black plug from the white connector by pressing IN the edges of the top of the plug.
9) Remove the cable to the door handle by pulling the sheath free and then
disconnecting the end of it.
10) Now the old latch is free in your hand. Put in the new one the same way be reversing the steps..

I found this on another board. Very useful..
Other guys did it like this:

1. removed panel with flat face crowbar, no clips broken!!!!
2. cut plastic shield on inside of panel where the lock actuator and right below...
3. unscrewed 3 T25 tork screws holding actuator
4. unhooked line to inside door handle and wire harness for auto locks
5. unhooked steel rod from outside door handle by lifting the black plastic that is holding the rod then popping it out with a screw driver...make sure you have good lighting!!!!
6. unscrewed the bottom 10mm screw of the door/window frame, no other screws needed, you are supposed to completelyremove the frame from both side and the window...
This is what I did....I move the actuator down a little from where it was origianlly placed, pulled on the window/door frame up as much as I could without damaging anything, about 2 inches and from the inside of the door I pulled the door frame to give more space where the door frame and actuator meet, took about 15 min of jaming, pulling, shifting the actuator and door/window frame from the inside an eventually squeezed the lock out.....pain in my ***, but easier then taking apart the whole door.....
7. Then suprisingly easy to put the new acutuaor in...squeezed in pretty easy...after that...lined up the acutaor put the t25 screws to hold in place, pushed back the door/window frame and screwed that back in from inside the door, then tightened all screws, did a test and put back the panel....all in all about 30 min, to do it...and the god damn dealer wants $400, so it takes them over 2 hrs...supposedly....thanks for the help guys...

and this

series 2 has the actuator built into the latch.
1. Remove inside door panel.
a. remove 7 phillips screws (4 on bottom, 2 in center, and one behind inside door handle)
b. pry panel off. the door trim tool does come in handy here.
2. Remove window frame. (You can do it without this step but it is way more of a headache.)
a. remove 2 torx (t-40 i think) screws on the fore and aft of door.
b. remove bottom of plastic weather shedder for access.
c. Remove 2 10mm bolts at bottom of window frame.
d. Remove 1 13mm bolt just below where the mirror is at.
e. Remove the inside black piece in front of the window glass.
f. Remove trim behind mirror.
g. Disconnect mirror connector. You have to push it though the hole when you pull the frame up. It is a tight fit but it goes through.
h. Pull window frame up and out. The glass will be fine in the up position, don't worry about it. It will be difficult to pull the frame past the bolt hole bungs welded to it, but it isn't that bad.
i. Remove inside door lock rod from latch. It pops out towards the outside of the car.
j. Remove outside handle actuator rod from the outside handle. I think this has the fold over kind of holder, can't really remember.
k. disconnect electrical connector.
l. Remove 3 t-25 screws holding latch to door. They will be very tight. Make sure to use a nice torx bit in a socket.
m. Pull latch out and open little door to get to the inside latch cable.
n. Move the outside door handle latch rod to new latch.
o. Install is reverse of removal.

 

Glad you were able to get it done! I am embarrassed to say I think it took me about 4.5 - 5 hours to get mine done. After I got the original out, of course the door didn't stay closed, so I had use some zip ties to keep it closed for a couple days until I could get enough time to put the new one in but all was well it works...

appreciate the write-ups... I am looking at replacing my driver's door actuator in the next little bit, so I think these will be very helpful!

 

Cool.
Well, the driver's one must not be too hard if I could figure it out.
An independent shop replaced all the rest in the truck before I owned it.
Girl who owned it paid a lot to have all those replaced.
About $173 per latch and about $150 in labor.

I think that guy who told to wrestle it is the post that gave me the confidence to do it.

Yeah, you'll get it.
You really gotta twist it around. There are a few screws that hold the
latch beside the 3 torx screws. There is a phillips and I think another one.
Once you get those loose- the latch will bounce around but still held in by the window frame.

The trick is to move the window frame toward the center of the door
and back toward the outer door. I jammed a big screw driver
in there to keep it where I wanted it.

What is tricky-
The little up/down button that is visible and that you *a human* uses to lock unlock the door - mine broke off at the green clip.
Lucky they supply a new green clip in the latch..

And, the little white clip at the door handle for the rod that goes down to the latch from the door handle. That little white keeper needs to be carefully removed.

A flat blade screw driver and prying it toward the inside of the door will unclip it from the rod.

Then pull the rod out. The white clip stays with the door handle *lucky for you*.

The trick is to force it out.
And, force it back in.

Or, take the WHOLE window frame out..
Yuck. I did not want to do that.

I paid about $132 for that assy.
Best to you,
J

 

Good write up by jfall. I had to replace my front passenger side latch/motor assembly out (2003 discovery II). I took the route by removing the window frame. Fairly easy.

Note: The rover manual (the version I have) did not mention the bolts just below the mirror (inside behind the plastic). Glad jfall has it listed " d. Remove 1 13mm bolt just below where the mirror is at."

So using the rover manual "latch and motor - front door" then double check with the posting here for the real reference.

now i'm waiting the actuator to come.

Thanks everyone.