Body Side Panel and Rear Quarter Panel (3 Door Vehicles)
Body Side Panel and Rear Quarter Panel (3 Door Vehicles)
Remove
NOTE: The procedure for removing right or left hand body side panels is identical except for disconnecting the fuel filler pipe on the right hand panel.
1. Disconnect battery negative lead.
2. Remove the rear bumper assembly.
3. Remove the sill finisher.
4. Working inside the vehicle remove the side facing rear seat.
5. Remove the rear side, alpine light and front body side trim panels.
6. Remove the body side opening window, leaving the hinges in-situ. If renewing the side panel remove the rubber seal from the window aperture.
7. If renewing the side panel remove the fixed side window and its mounting rubber.
8. Remove the rear lamp assembly and displace the rubber boot from the outer panel.
9. Drill out the two pop-rivets securing the rear speaker mounting bracket to the body side panel.
CAUTION: Prior to disconnecting the fuel filler and breather hoses check the level of fuel in the tank. drain as necessary to prevent spillage.
10. Working under the vehicle loosen the jubilee clips securing the filler and breather hoses and disconnect the hoses from the tank, RH body side panel only.
11. Disconnect the fuel filler negative lead, RH body side panel only.
12. Remove the capping from the 'B/C' post and remove the two bolts securing the side panel to the post.
13. Remove the six countersunk self tapping screws securing the rear quarter panel to the 'E' post.
14. Remove the three bolts securing the bottom of the side panel on the exterior of the vehicle. (One adjacent to the rear mudflap and two between the rear wheel arch and the sill finisher).
15. From the interior of the vehicle remove the twenty one bolts securing the side panel.
16. Starting from the 'B/C' post and working towards the rear of the vehicle, ease the panel away from the body to break the seal. When the seal hold has been completely broken, push the panel towards the rear of the vehicle, to disengage the rear quarter panel from the 'E' post, and lift the side and rear quarter panel assembly clear.
17. If the panel being removed is a right hand panel and is being renewed, remove the fuel filler pipe.
Cleaning/painting
18. Thoroughly clean all traces of existing sealant from the mating faces of the body and panel.
19. Paint the cleaned surfaces with etch primer.
Refit
20. Apply a 6 mm bead of 3M 8645 Auto Joint and Seam Sealer to the areas of the monocoque illustrated.
21. Apply 20 x 20 mm squares of 3M 8572 Bolted Panel Sealer to the inner faces of the six securing screw holes in the rear quarter panel and strips of panel sealer to the inner faces of the panel as illustrated, ensuring that sufficient clearance is allowed at the bottom of the panel to prevent the blockage of drain holes.
22. Locate the panel with the body, ensuring that the sealant is not displaced, and loosely fit the twenty one bolts securing the panel from inside the body.
23. Loosely fit the six countersunk self tapping screws securing the rear quarter panel to the 'E' post and the three screws securing the bottom of the body side panel.
24. Starting with the five bolts securing the top of the panel evenly tighten the bolts to draw the panel upwards to its correct location.
25. Tighten the remaining bolts and the six screws at the 'E' post ensuring a satisfactory seal between the mating faces.
26. Clean off any surplus sealant from exposed surfaces.
27. Thumb 3M 8572 Bolted Panel Sealer into all corners of the window apertures to seal any panel mismatches.
28. Apply a bead of 3M 5651 Flexseal to the joint at the lower portion of the 'B/C' post, tooling the bead to produce a smooth cosmetically acceptable finish.
29. Paint as necessary, referring to the paint manual.
30. Refit the capping to the 'B/C' post and reverse operations 1 to 11 to refit the windows and internal trim etc.