Removing the kick plates

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acmsb
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Removing the kick plates

Post by acmsb »

Hi everyone

I have a 1969 Morris Traveller (1098cc).

I'm attempting some small restoration work - nothing major, but it includes a new carpet. To fit this, I need to remove the kick plate from the doors. I'm aware this should be a small quick job but I'm struggling. After taking off the screws on the top, they wouldn't budge, so I assumed the bolts on the inner underside of the door frames were holding them in place. I tried to undo these bolts but even after two coats of penetrating spray, two different kinds of spanner and a lot of grunting and swearing, they wouldn't budge.

Has anyone else had this problem? And am I even undoing the right bolts?

All advice very gratefully received!

Alex
busguy
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Re: Removing the kick plates

Post by busguy »

If you have taken the two self tappers out towards the top of the kickplate, that leaves four or five nuts and bolts nestling under the channel below the door aperture. These can be pigs and clamp the kickplate tight. If all bolts loosened the kickplate can slide upwards as the ' holes' are in fact a cutaway to enable easier removal. I just did this job and I had to shear two bolts off as they were seized solid. Two other came undone with a real struggle, and I took the sill channel off before removing the kickplate. Hope that helps, and I hope you don't find any nasties when you can see in there!
ianmack
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Re: Removing the kick plates

Post by ianmack »

Unless they’ve been removed in the not too distant past these are a real pain. If they wont undo and the hexagons haven’t corroded away snapping them off is a good option using well fitting ring spanners. With a bit of extended leverage you don’t have to be Superman to do this. If there isn’t a good hexagon to grip then the angle grinder is the last resort.

Years ago I picked up a big bag of m6 stainless steel nuts and bolts and use these for the sill covers and also the grille panel and anywhere else exposed to damp and mud.
jaekl
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Re: Removing the kick plates

Post by jaekl »

Just to be clear, the channels are slotted holes. The kick plates have complete holes. If you are ready to shear the bolts, tightening them is rather effective in shearing a rusty bolt and it doesn't take much to shear a 1/4 bolt.
kennatt
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Re: Removing the kick plates

Post by kennatt »

any sign of them being welded at the base of the pillars/?
kevin s
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Re: Removing the kick plates

Post by kevin s »

Ours came off easily, complete with lumps of sill and a pile of rust!

Assuming yours is OK make sure you have plenty of protective wax to spray around when you put it back together.

Kevin
acmsb
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Re: Removing the kick plates

Post by acmsb »

Hello everyone

We finally removed the kick plates today! Hooray!

Following the very helpful advice received on here, we had a go this morning. We managed to undo two of the bolts on the passenger side by hand. The first sheered in half (not entirely unexpectedly) and the second came out clean. For the others, we went straight to the angle grinder because of the time it was taking - this proved to be the right decision because it was so much quicker - we had them all off in half an hour!

Photos attached - particularly loving the spray pattern of the where the water has got in from behind the front wheels!

Kickplates and finishing rails now out for cleaning and respray :) Planning to replace the bolts with M5 stainless hardware/locknuts.

Does anybody know what the code is for the silver on the kick plates? If not, has anyone got any suggestions for off the shelf paint which they have successfully used? All advice very gratefully received!

Thank you again for your help!
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ianmack
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Re: Removing the kick plates

Post by ianmack »

Glad the job went well. I’m a little concerned that the black paint plus the small visible sticker looks like a panel as supplied in primer that has not been painted or rust treated properly. While they are off it is a good time to spray Waxoyl or similar into the sills and box sections.

I seem to remember being told that there is no correct shade of silver. Even from the factory it varied over the years. I did mine with a spray can from Screwfix.
ManyMinors
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Re: Removing the kick plates

Post by ManyMinors »

I agree, shocking lack of attention from whoever replaced the kick plates last time :-? I wouldn't worry about the correct shade of silver. Anything will be better than nothing. Get the rust off then prepare and prime them properly first. One of my cars still has the original paint and it is more of a hammer finish - a bit like silver hammerite sprayed on rather than a normal car finish.
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