what is the piece that i'm missing for my drivers side door. there should be a metal bar that helps keep the door propped open or from just swaying freely but as you can see its missing...

 

sorry the pictures sideways

 

I don't think it's missing. Get some pliers and pull it out from the door. That's call a door check. You're missing the pin that holds the door check to the Jeep door jamb. It was probably "clicking" loudly so the PO pulled the pin.

 

Edward......

 

I get what you did there...nice.

 

I luv namin' parts.....
And I'm good at it!

 

door check

 

Yeah everybody else covered it pretty good. As mentioned you are only missing the pin that holds the arm together. I removed mine since it was binding badly everytime you opened and closed the door

 

A new door check is over $50 at Rock Auto even! Don't know why these things are so expensive. I wish they were more universal. Seems to be a Jeep-only edition.

 

The one on my 99 broke a few months ago. I took it out. Going to get one at a junkyard eventually.

 

I pulled mine out a long time ago and forgot about how bad the click click noise was. But I was checking fuses one day and the wind kicked up and slammed my head with the door! so ya, i put the pin back and deal with the noise lol

 

It's funny--you don't really think about how much you rely on the door checks, until you get a Cherokee and experience the common issue of it going bad! Is it just the pin, or is it the whole check that causes the pops? My drivers door pops, but my rear doors are perfect almost like they were replaced. Makes sense because those doors don't see as much action.

Sorry for the hijack

 

It's the pin moving when the bumps are run over that hold the door. I have to hammer them down every once in a while because they work their way up. The 3 I have left anyway..

 

i think its the preset detents that cause the pops. like where the door would stay open at if you only opened it that far. mine does it at the same spot opening and closing. like you said though, you dont really notice until you dont have them lol. i cant remember how many times I got pissed at the door for closing on me when I was parked on a slope when I had the pin pulled out.