Doorless XJ Q's

ctavel · 01-26-2004, 03:22 PM

I just recently posted in the FabShop about quick release doors for our Cherokee's. This is what I found out--
Doorless XJ
What do yall think? The cold weather has made me do more thinking than wrenching and this is what has popped in my mind as my must do next mod. If any of yall have any experiance in removing the doors or any advice I would love to here it. Thanks

ctavel · 01-26-2004, 06:26 PM

come on yall I know you have opinions

AMK · 01-26-2004, 06:59 PM

Well, being as your XJ is your daily driver, I would hold out on doing this just yet. Doors are heavy, once you take them off there is no gurantee that you will be able to get them back on perfectly and have no leaks.

Then again, you don't have power options so it might not be as big of a deal. I'm still curious if the doors actually provide the unibody with some rigidity, and if taking them off completely is a good idea. Carolina Rock Shop makes tube doors for the XJ, that might be a better option than removing the doors and wheeling without.

However, I am not completely sure that the doors do provide rigidity. I have thought about going the tube door route, but man is it cold and I like wheeling in the winter just as much as in the summer.

Fletch · 01-26-2004, 07:02 PM

As soon as it starts getting warm I am going to remove mine. Not gonna make any brackets or anything like that, just gonna leave them off till it gets cold again. I am only going to remove the front doors. Im also building a rollcage that will be done before I take my doors off. I am getting a TJ windjammer to put behind the front seats that will strap to the rollcage. This will keep rain and mud front getting in the back.

ctavel · 01-26-2004, 07:02 PM

I brought up the rigidity arguement awhile back and everyone seened confident that the doors were not a part of the Unibody strength. As for the leaking--they already do that. And the cold--well I would like to be able to throw the doors on and off, but we'll see. All I know is that I love wheelin in my dads TJ with the doors off, so I thought I'd give it a shot

ctavel · 01-26-2004, 07:04 PM

Fletch are you just going to unbolt the hinges from the door and leave them on the body? Got any sketches of the proposed roll cage?

AMK · 01-26-2004, 07:07 PM

Yeah Chris, I used to wheel my YJ hard with the doors off and the top down and come home covered in mud, I matched the YJ. I'll be interested to see how this goes, if you do it.. Hell, if they really don't provide rigidity I may remove all four of mine and install a 12V heater like RVs have

The lady friend may not appreciate that though, as she does ride with me occasionally

jon campbell · 01-26-2004, 07:07 PM

as soon as my xj isnt a daily driver I will be doing the same thing. I will also be taking the hatch off as well. I like the way they did it on the rustys offroad rig.

ctavel · 01-26-2004, 07:16 PM

Yeah I like that rig (rusty's) I was under the impression that the hatch was a structural part though? Jon--how are you going to take them off?

Fletch · 01-26-2004, 07:22 PM

I am just going to unbolt everything. As for the cage. I am either going to take a stock cage from a TJ and Fab it to fit my XJ or I will just get some steal, Ive got a pipe bender and a welder at my buddy's house.

ctavel · 01-26-2004, 07:28 PM

yeah that sounds like the simplest solution--just to unbolt everything. How hard can it be to realign the doors, right??

Cherokee Wanted · 01-26-2004, 07:33 PM

Im learning to do body work at school. It's really not that hard to align doors. XJ doors can't be as heavy as the crown vic doors I have practiced with.

ctavel · 01-26-2004, 07:35 PM

CW--whats the trick to getting them lined up properly?

Cherokee Wanted · 01-26-2004, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctavel

CW--whats the trick to getting them lined up properly?

Bolt it all up and close it to see how off it is. The loosen the proper bolts and move it up or down or front or back. You can probably just line it up with the paint lines from the factory, that is the way we cheat at school. It's really not that hard. Although I have never tried it on a lifted truck. You may need some help lifting it and holding it there. The first bolt normally takes sometime. But once it is in it is easy.

ctavel · 01-26-2004, 07:48 PM

Sounds even easier than my original idea of making a quick release. How to you get the pins out of the hinges? Bang the crap out of the or something?

01-26-2004, 06:59 PM	#3
AMK Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Grayson, GA Posts: 890 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Well, being as your XJ is your daily driver, I would hold out on doing this just yet. Doors are heavy, once you take them off there is no gurantee that you will be able to get them back on perfectly and have no leaks. Then again, you don't have power options so it might not be as big of a deal. I'm still curious if the doors actually provide the unibody with some rigidity, and if taking them off completely is a good idea. Carolina Rock Shop makes tube doors for the XJ, that might be a better option than removing the doors and wheeling without. However, I am not completely sure that the doors do provide rigidity. I have thought about going the tube door route, but man is it cold and I like wheeling in the winter just as much as in the summer. __________________ YJ->donated; XJ->donated; XJ->in progress.

01-26-2004, 07:02 PM	#4
Fletch Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Atlanta Posts: 544 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	As soon as it starts getting warm I am going to remove mine. Not gonna make any brackets or anything like that, just gonna leave them off till it gets cold again. I am only going to remove the front doors. Im also building a rollcage that will be done before I take my doors off. I am getting a TJ windjammer to put behind the front seats that will strap to the rollcage. This will keep rain and mud front getting in the back. __________________ 98XJ, Front leaf spring conversion, 35x12.50 BFGs, dana44s front & rear,geared, locked. 87MJ, work in progress

01-26-2004, 07:07 PM	#7
AMK Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Grayson, GA Posts: 890 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Yeah Chris, I used to wheel my YJ hard with the doors off and the top down and come home covered in mud, I matched the YJ. I'll be interested to see how this goes, if you do it.. Hell, if they really don't provide rigidity I may remove all four of mine and install a 12V heater like RVs have The lady friend may not appreciate that though, as she does ride with me occasionally __________________ YJ->donated; XJ->donated; XJ->in progress.

01-26-2004, 07:07 PM	#8
jon campbell Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 402 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	as soon as my xj isnt a daily driver I will be doing the same thing. I will also be taking the hatch off as well. I like the way they did it on the rustys offroad rig. __________________ [SIZE=1]94 XJ 4.0 HO/inline 6 5sp Rusty's 6.5" lift w/ 2" spacers, Rustys steering conversion, RE Control arm drop brackets, RE Hack n Tap SYE, Tom Woods Driveshaft, 33" Tires, 4.56 gears, TJ fender flares, BPI Front winch bumper, CRS rear bumper, K&N air filter, Flowmaster exhaust, M.O.R.E "bomb proof" motor mounts, Surco roof rack [/SIZE] [B]MY PICS[/B] www.northeastcrawlers.com/rides/jon.htm [B]MEMBERS OF...[/B] NORTHEASTCRAWLERS.COM BLWA.ORG (BLACKLISTWHEELERSASSOC.)

01-26-2004, 07:22 PM	#10
Fletch Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Atlanta Posts: 544 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	I am just going to unbolt everything. As for the cage. I am either going to take a stock cage from a TJ and Fab it to fit my XJ or I will just get some steal, Ive got a pipe bender and a welder at my buddy's house. __________________ 98XJ, Front leaf spring conversion, 35x12.50 BFGs, dana44s front & rear,geared, locked. 87MJ, work in progress

01-26-2004, 07:33 PM	#12
Cherokee Wanted Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 13 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Im learning to do body work at school. It's really not that hard to align doors. XJ doors can't be as heavy as the crown vic doors I have practiced with. __________________ My '90 Jetta lives in a barn for now. I'm looking for a Cherokee to buy. I need a daily driver.