One of the most popular ways to change the look of your Wrangler or Gladiator is to take off the doors. Once you get these barriers out of the way, you can have a more exhilarating ride whether you’re in an urban, rural, or off-road area.
Taking off your Jeep’s doors should take you somewhere between half an hour and an hour, depending on the model of your Jeep and your experience, but this guide makes it easier. Learn how to correctly remove your Jeep’s doors.
Necessary Tools and How To Store Doors
Before you begin the job, make sure you have a #T40 and a #T50 Torx head driver. The Torx wrench, also called a Torx key or Torx bit, has a head with the shape of a 6-pointed star. This shape allows you to exert higher torque without damaging the head. The Jeep Tool Kit includes a small ratchet, #T40 Torx bit, and #T50 Torx bit.
Remove your Jeep doors on solid flat ground, such as in your driveway or garage. And, of course, make sure you have a space to put your Jeep doors down safely before you begin the removal process. One possible way to store your doors is to lay them down on blankets on the ground. This takes up a lot of space, though, and leaves the door vulnerable to passersby.
You can also hang your doors on your garage wall. Use hooks rated to hold 50 pounds and up. You can protect your door’s window frames by lining the hooks with pool noodles.
A final option is to use a door storage cart. These carts are portable, so you can use them in locations away from your home. When you take the doors off your Jeep, you can place them vertically in the storage cart and wheel them where you want them to go. Although it’s a space-saving solution, it costs more than other options.
Prepare the Doors
Before you remove the front doors, fold in the side-view mirrors. By making sure the mirrors aren’t sticking out, you’ll have an easier time storing the doors. That way, you’re also less likely to damage the mirrors during the removal and storage process, too.
Next, roll down the windows. If your windows are stuck shut, you’ll still be able to remove the doors. But it’s easier to take the door off the frame with the windows down.
After rolling down the windows, remove the black safety strap on the inside of the door jambs. These straps limit how far out the doors can swing and help protect you from denting your Jeep’s doors and fenders.
Remove the Wiring Harness
If you have power windows and locks, the next step in correctly removing your Jeep’s doors is unplugging the wiring harness that runs electric power into the door. You’ll find the wiring’s plastic access door under the instrument panel. Slide this cover straight back to detach it. Make sure to remove the cover in a sliding motion, since prying it or pulling it outward can damage the plastic cover or the tabs that keep it in place.
Once you’ve removed the cover, you can disconnect the wiring harness. Press down on the red pushpin. Then, push down the safety pin. Finally, press the white piece outwards and up.
While the harness lever is up, pull the harness straight down. This disconnects the wiring harness. You can store the connector in your vehicle’s lower door basket.
Remove the Door’s Hinge Pin Screws and Check Screws
Begin by removing the hinge pin screws. On the outside of your vehicle, use a #T50 Torx head driver to remove the hinge pin screws from your door’s upper and lower hinges. Stow the hinge pin screws in your Jeep’s bolt tray.
Next, open the door to access the door check. The door check, also called a door brake, prevents your vehicle door from closing or opening forcefully. Use the #T40 Torx head driver to remove the check screw, and then stow it in the bolt tray.
Stand on the outside of the vehicle with the door still open. Put one hand through the open window and grasp the handle on the door’s armrest. Then, with your other hand, grab the outside bottom edge of the door. Lift the door upwards so the hinges slide up from the pins, and then pull the door out.
If you’re concerned about damaging the door or the windows or hurting yourself, you can use a Jeep door removal tool. Or, you can let someone else help you lift the door up and out.
Carry the door to your storage area by grasping the armrest handle and holding onto the base of the side-view mirror. Then, remove your other doors using the same process you used for the first one. You’ll want to slide the front driver and passenger seats forward before you remove the back doors so that you have enough room to work comfortably.
Replace Side-View Mirrors
Before you go for the open-air experience, check your local laws to make sure your doorless Jeep is street-legal. Some states require you to have one side mirror, and other states require two.
You can choose between three places to attach your side-view mirror replacement: the door hinge, windshield pillar, and tube doors. The door hinge mirrors are inexpensive and easy to install and remove, but they give poorer visibility. Placing mirrors on the windshield pillars costs more, but they give you greater visibility—and they’re also easy to install and remove.
Finally, installing mirrors on tube doors provides the best visibility, but you’ll have to purchase tube doors. Then again, if you were wanting to create an open-air feeling without completely opening your Jeep cabin to the outside, you’ll want tube doors anyway. And that way, you’ll appreciate the convenience of simultaneously installing your tube doors and side-view mirrors.
Improve Your Jeep With AM Off-Road
Riding your rig without any doors is one of the best experiences of owning a Jeep, and customizing your Jeep is another. AM Off-Road has Jeep Gladiator aftermarket accessories that make it easy to elevate your Jeep’s styling. Shop our high-quality selection today.
