Well, I have decided what my summers project will be, I want to make tube doors for my truck for all those nice days...I'm jealous of all those jeep guys that can just pull their vehicle apart and enjoy the weather hah. but I'm stuck between tube doors, or half doors. Leaning more towards tube because it seems cheaper, but I'm just wondering if there is any better reason to go with half doors over tube.

I've got a basic idea of how I want to do this, and what needs to be done. Since i have pwr everything, I plan on relocating the controls in the drivers side door to the little cubby hole in the dash, and eliminating the passenger side all together, and then fiberglass the door panels to eliminate the things I don't need, I'd then be left with only roughly 8 wires per door (i think at least, not 100% sure how many are there, but speaker, window, lock, mirror) and I can make up some sort of harness for that.

for the hinges, I'm just going to get some junk yard ones off a ranger, and drill out the pin that holds them together and use a hitch pin in there for quick release on both sets.

I'm not sure what to do for the latch though, the only thing I can think of is a gate latch to latch to my rear doors (ghetto!) or get the innards for the latch off a wrecker truck. but that would be messy uncovered, so I'm open to suggestions there....as well as any ways to make a harness or anything like that.

I have never welded so I'm going to have to find someone to do the doors up for me, but I've got measurements and everything, its going to be easy, just a sideways "U" shape. 14"x40" I'm thinking 1.5" tube, and then two vertical supports roughly 7" in from either side.

If anyone has input or ideas I'd love to hear them, or if anyone on here has done tube or half doors and has pics/info that'd be great too!

 

i wouldn't relocate all the wiring, i'd just do quick disconnects. if you did tube on the back doors as well, it would look sweet.

 

i was thinking about it, but the back doors are a little harder to take off than the front doors, and I wouldn't have anything to latch to anymore...

 

true. that would be alot of extra work. might not even be worth it if you loose stuff that was back there if it falls out.

 

haha and my back "seat" is pretty messy, although I built a half **** toolbox last week that has my tie downs, tarp, towels extra clothes and such in it, pretty handy.

 

I have wanted to do the same for quite a while. You should definitely go with disconnects, if you have tube doors I don't think you would need to roll down your window or lock your door so there is no sense in relocating everything.

 

Also remember that top driver side hinge is 04+ specific. So if you pull hinges from a different Ranger make sure you get at least that one from an 04 or newer.

Besides that good luck.

 

i think an older one will be ok because its still the same size as lower, the top one just has a built in door stop and a few things like that....at least I'm hoping thats all it is...i guess i'll find out soon.

and I just counted, theres 17 wires going into the drivers side door, if i relocated the electronics, there would be 8 going in, which would make a quick connect much easier...but I'm not sure anymore that its worth the hassle.

 

There is some weird difference from 93-03 to 04+. Guys that do the 04+ front end conversion have to swap that hinge because of it. Just something I picked up and I thought it might help you out.

 

well good to know then, thanks! i'll have to keep my eye out for what the differences are and find some 04+

 

My vote is for half doors. At least you won't have to worry about relocating or disconnecting wiring

 

id still have to do the disconnect harness to get the half doors on.

anyone know how much a door weighs by chance? I'm guessing at least 50 lbs?

 

Just make half doors that stay on the truck.

Only Jeeps can legally run no doors

 

some vague and inaccurate statement. that varies based on location, and depending on various factors which are also dependent on location. year of the vehicle. if the doors were intended to be removed (structural integrity) or sometimes if they were originally manufactured without doors, etc.

it certainly isnt just "all jeeps and only jeeps"

biggest issue legally, if they would even give you trouble for it, is structural integrity.

since you're in canada, you can read this, but again it may just be specific to BC. I don't know.
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/CVSE/vehicle...able_doors.pdf

 

I didn't mean all Jeeps, I assumed everyone knew what I meant

 

hmm, did some researching came up with conflicting answers so im just gonna head to local police station and ask

 

let us know what they say andrew cause i have been thinking of this for awhile too

 

i was going to pull the doors off the beater ranger i picked up a few weeks back. but at the time when we beat the shiiiiit out of it i didnt have a wrench to pull them off with lol

 

inwana get some newer doors and cut the sum *****es up...then have a friend weld it solid

 

judging by what i'm finding, half doors will be the way to go...mostly legal reasons...I could probably get away with running tube doors, but id rather be safe than sorry. I've found a lot of good tube door designs tho so I just need to find some junker doors.

any idea on what years will fit an 08 supercab? anything 98+? (with the exception of hinges?)

 

i think there has to be lip or guard of some sorts to keep loose items in or loose items have to be secured.

you can always make a tube style and put sheets of metal near the bottom to "keep loose items in" then make the top part open tube.

EDIT: i didn't read the whole thread. i just cut and paste from page one.

 

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say yes, anything 98+ and even 93+

 

sick man, im curious to see how this turns out! find out if its legal! then you're good to go!

 

I prefer half doors (mine are basicaly just the edges of the doors) becuase when you're on the trail, and if you lean the truck into a tree, you will hit the top of the door, protecting your roof from the tree.

Or if something protrudes into the truck a tad (like a root/stump) it will hit the back opening of the half door, and not destroy the back edge of the door jam.

From what I've heard, you need a 3" or 4" I don't exactly rember) lip from the floor pan up, in order to be legal.

But, if I wasn't concerned about functionality, I would have done tube doors instead.

 

do you have some pics of the doors you can post? ive decided to go with half doors for safety/legal reasons so im trying to get some ideas together and hopefully i can get some scrap doors soon to start working