How to make Cherokee doors come off like the Wrangler. Any bright Ideas. Serious OFF ROADER HERE. God BLess?

Question

I have my doors off my 4th cherokee now and I still have yet to come up with a way to make them go on and off easily like the wrangler. I know there's a way and I'm very determined. ANy hints dude. The Jeepster. God Bless

Answer 1

Oversimplifying the job, I'd do it this way.

Cut any wiring and install weatherproof connectors, or doorjamb contact buttons. Cut the welds off of the door hinges so you can remove them. Get two pairs of TJ lower door hinges and put them next to the XJ's hinges. You'll have to modify the TJ hinges to match the theckness and any weird angles of the original ones with spacers and creative welding. The new hinge pins will stick out of the body so you'll have to trim back a bit of sheet metal from the door and maybe hammer back a bit on the body for clearance. When you weld the hinges back to the body make sure the pin holes are perfectly aligned or you won't be able to lift off the door.

Ramblin Robert is right about the unibody. If you're a SERIOUS OFF ROADER, you'll have a roll cage installed. If not weld on some angle iron under the carpet and on the roof under the headliner. Both from front to back with LOTS of welded contact points.

Answer 2

I can't give you an answer to your question, but i can give you some good advice. The CJ/YJ/TJ's have full frames, boxed on the TJ and YJ. The Cherokee (ZJ?) is a unibody constructed vehicle. That being said, much of the strength of the vehicle depends upon those doors being closed while driven. Have you ever opened it's doors while only the front end was lifted by a floor jack? Chances are that if you did, the doors wouldn't close right, if at all. Put the vehicle back down and they close again (hopefully). You take away those doors and you take away much of the inherent strength of the vehicle. The pros who modify Cherokees build in full cages to eliminate the problem. Here's a website/forum that has lots of dedicated Jeepers. Hundereds of years of experience between the super nice folk there.

www.4x4wire.com

Answer 3

I seen a Jeep Chrokee with half doors like a Wrangler in the Boise, Idaho area, and I believe depending on where you live your best bet would be to contact Bucks 4X4 in Boise, Idaho they can more than likely give you an idea on how to do that, or where to get the parts you need, as they deal with a lot of Jeep Modifications. You can find their contact info at http://www.bucks4x4.com.

Good luck on your modifications.

Answer 4

very carefully is how you do it !