Here in WI you have to have something but no one cairs. There are a ton of trucks without tail gates. But why not just do the next best thing its legal, looks better, has the same effect, and is quicker and eazyer. Just take out the rear window. Now someone try to say that I'd structural too!

 

No, but it still raises the issue of exhaust and keeping stuff in the back from flying out and killing a nun.

Why do you guys want to take the blasted thing off anyway? Jeep put it on there for a reason.

 

your fiberglass lift gate provides ALOT of support. here is a test. open your lift gate and then flex the suspension out, now try to close your lift gate. Your liftgate will not shut and will be off by like 3 inches or more.(depending on how much your flex your suspension.

 

the exhaust fumes are a real concern, I know first hand because when I bought my jeep it had no back window, and the fumes were so strong me and my brother started to feel some of the effects of the carbon monoxide.

and I don't think passing out behind the wheel would be a good thing!

 

take the doors off an the tailgate,ive had no problems with mine...but i do see ur point about about the convertable.....im thinking about rerouteing the axhaust so that it comes out the mini bed...kinda like stacks or stack

 

I'm gonna take all 4 doors off also.. So that won't be a problem

 

Thank You!!! This is what I was saying.

 

I don't see the point either, but hey if it floats your boat, go for it. Like others say, biggest concern would probably be exhaust fumes. Also, if gonna be a somewhat permanent thing, I would do as others have said and reinforce the frame around opening.


As for those of you who talk about people flying out and what not if got in an accident, GIVE ME A BREAK!!! Unless he's planning on driving backwards down the wrong side of the road doing 65MPH and hits someone head on, no rear hatch isn't really gonna be a factor. Lack of tailgate would have no bearing on a front collision and if your going fast enough backwards to get thrown out, your likely gonna be dead or in bad shape before you exit the car due to having to go THROUGH the 2 sets of seats. lol

Like others have said, other than fumes, not any less safe than a wrangler or convertible.

JUST MY OPINION THOUGH, WHICH PROBABLY ISN'T WORTH MUCH!!!

 

If you actually read the iowa law it never states that you have to have a front windsheild. It states that you must have one windsheild wiper. Granted a cop will pull you over anyway, but its legal to run no windsheild if you have a wiper. pretty stupid huh

 

Not saying your opinion isn't worth much, but your reasoning is pretty flawed. What happens if your vehicle flips forward? Centrifugal force can fling you out the back. It's a safety issue is all we're saying. Sitting there and saying 'NAH THAT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN YOU'LL BE FINE' is just ignoring it until it actually happens, and that's when people die.

We're just being safety-conscious. I know I wouldn't want to hear on the forum that he died because of advice we gave him.

 

this is funny... about a week ago, i had to move my Jeep at work. I was in a hurry so i backed it up with the lid up and the drivers door open.

It didn't take long to realize that visibility is Awesome...
and XJ's are COOL!!!

 

Not to pick sides or anything... If there was enough force and "Centrifugal Force" to throw you out the back of an XJ so through/Over both the front and back seats. You're pretty much exiting the car weather there is a rear hatch or not. Let a lone the force of such an event would more than likely either tear the hatch off, or at least tare it open. (As stated before the pree 97 are just fiberglass and therefore aren't the "strongest".)

All of that is not even mentioning having the hatch and doing the same as 99% of people with an XJ and having that back area full of "projectiles" again in such an event they would be tarring the hatch off regardless the material it was made of.

No I'm not saying taking the hatch off with no other effort is the best or even all that great of an idea "No Offense" If you are planning on taking the hatch off I would recommend cutting the rear section off, and making "A simple Soft top" for it, take it off in the Summer/Good day when the other windows are down, put it on in the Winter/Crappy weather. Then all the worrisome exhaust fumes are all taken care of, but in the unlikely freak accident the hatch "Would have saved you" you're still screwed...

 

Jerseyjeeper was referring to unibody twist strength.
The closed tailgate provides a diagonal link from the roof hinges to the latch, a sort of "V".
Have you ever tried to open the tailgate with a wheel on the curb? It will "pop" out of the frame and you will not be able to close it unless you descend from the curb.

 

Didn't say you'd be fine or that it was safe. Said if your going fast enough backward, or forward for that matter, having no hatch will probably be least of your worries.

 

Exactly what I was saying.