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Old 15th September 2020, 00:09   #1
buster12
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Default Tailgate strip

Can anyone tell me how to remove the painted tailgate strip on my ZTT, I've tried lifting it but I'm worried I will break the securing clips and not be able to replace them.
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Old 15th September 2020, 15:31   #2
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Hello Buster 12,
I can help you . I suddenly have a laptop problem and cannot copy and insert the way to remove your strip. I will have to type it out again in this box, so please bear with me.

I have the lower section of the tailgate in front of me but not completely split so I will follow this up soon with the method, that will give you the strip with undamaged fittings. ... Back soon.

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Old 15th September 2020, 15:34   #3
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Hello Buster12,
I have the part you are referring to already removed from the main body of the tailgate. To get at the part you want to remove,
Remove all the lining of the lower part of the tailgate to gain access. Open and raise the tailgate. In the centre is a drop down cover held in place at either end by two fasteners, just turn these 90degrees, they will only go one way to allow the cover to open. Inside, you will see two screw which secure this storage facility to the tailgate. Remove them and take the panel away.
You should now have access to the inner parts of the securing the bottom section and see 8 nuts securing the lowest section of the tailgate to the upper part. There are 4 in the middle and two at either end set obliquely. Undo these and the bottom box section will be freed.
On the inner side there is a moulding held in place by 6 small screws that run along the coloured edge that folds under the bottom. I have removed the 6 on mine, but still can’t split the two sections apart. Looking at the inner side, where all the bolts are, there are other spikey things with flat edges protruding through rubber washers. Ignore these.
Finally, at the very outer side of the of the larger cavities, there is a Philips screw, which at present I can’t free. This should release you’re the two halves.

I will come back once I have freed the two parts and hopefully the painted strip.
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Old 15th September 2020, 16:38   #4
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I have done it. The strip removed undamaged, The clips though are not quite so good although very rusty should still be useable. There are 6 of them

Following on from the earlier entry, the philips screws were so rusted in, but after forcing the two main panels and holding them apart with small wooden blocks, I was able to split the two parts held by the philips screw with a wide bladed long screwdriver tearing the inner panel's plastic, but this won't be seen when you put things back.

You can then see the final clips holding your strip in place.
I could then reach down between the two panels and access the clips that hold your strip in place. These are of two types, the middle ones have a double catchment design going through two long rectangular holes, the end ones are shorter and without the double catchment. With a pair of angled fine nosed pliers, I was able to remove the clips and your strip just slides out backwards without any force.

Sorry I have no pictures. I still have to master the art of uploading them.

Best of luck

Last edited by GeoffWW; 15th September 2020 at 16:49..
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Old 15th September 2020, 17:18   #5
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Correction to the above entry, all the clips are the same, one of the ends was rusted so badly, one of the claws had broken off.
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Old 16th September 2020, 16:05   #6
Ken Lion
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffWW View Post
Correction to the above entry, all the clips are the same, one of the ends was rusted so badly, one of the claws had broken off.
Hi Geoff, just seen your posts after I'd posted elsewhere about accessing the tailgate because it's getting (and retaining) water.

https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=307911

Being as it sounds like you've been busy dismantling yours, have you any insights about what there is inside it that may be preventing it from draining or where the water is most likely getting in?
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Old 17th September 2020, 08:50   #7
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Hello Ken,

How are you keeping? Hopefully you are free from the the coronavirus, but not the rust bug it seems.

I had bought the whole tailgate for the window and then took off all the removeables including the bottom section. Having got "the box" off the upper part of the tailgate, I just put it with my other spares collection. When I saw the entry asking for help, I decided to separate the inner and outer sections.

The hardest part was the two tiny philips screws, one at either end, both in a tiny recess. They were both beyond unscrewing, but I managed to prize open the underneath middle sections, screws along the underside easily undone, and block it open. I tried accessing the screws with a hacksaw, but there wasn't enough room so I used a long-handled wide bladed screwdriver to "twist" them apart, only damaging the inner section which could be repaired with "hotmelt" plastic. I already had a kit to repair the rera light unit fixing brackets

Regarding your question about drainage, whenever I open my tailgate, after rain, I get some water running out of 1 drain-hole at either end . the only way water can get in there is through the join betweeen the bottom "box section" and the section above it, or,
If your number plate is screwed on rather than stuck on, water could get in through the screw-holes. you have a rubber sealing washer on the screw below it's head but nothing behind the number plate and the bodywork. your decals are stuck on. Finally, could the water draining from around the tailgate window seal, flow over the vertical sides? and then drop to the base of the tailgate.

I still haven't sorted out getting the pictures on to entries.

Best wishes,

Geoff.
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Old 18th September 2020, 09:09   #8
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Hello again Ken,

I was out shopping yesterday, and when I was back at my car, loading my purchases through the tailgate window, I suddenly thought of your question about water ingress.
Well, starting at the top of the window, there is,
the window hinge mounts,
the convoluted twin cable cover where it is set into the main tailgate.

I think these are minor possibilities when you compare them individually to the strip along the bottom which Buster12 was asking about. The rain catchment area on the tailgate is massive, all draining down to the bottom where it reaches the strip. Behind this, there is nothing to stop water dripping down between the strip and bodywork and then in though the slits where the strip securing lugs pass

I hope this stops your water ingress. Try this first, without doing anything to the higher possibilities. If no more water, you've cracked it, if still some present on opening the tailgate, do the next one up and so on until you have no water getting in.

Best of luck,

Geoff.
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