offroadnut36

I did the removable doors too. Its pretty simple, Remember though, After you are done cutting through both hinges, the doors will be hard to get off the first couple times, because they have never been off before. I took a 4x4 and stuck it between my jack and the bottom of the door and jacked the door off. No pun intended. Just make sure, if you use a jack and block of wood, to place the wood as close to inside of the door(hinge side) as possible. x2 Cherokees don't have real frames.

Gibby_91_XJ

All points duly noted, thank you! I do appreciate it since this is my first time doing just about anything so I need all the help I can get. I have almost gotten one door off today. Had to do a lot of other non-Jeep related projects so I didn't have enough time to get it all done. Whoever had my Jeep before me stripped out one of the freakin torx bolts so I'm in the process of grinding the head off and then I'll cut the bottom hinge while the whole door is off. I like that method better. Un-bolt, cut, reassemble and align, then take em off and go have fun.

Anyone know how to get at those inner torx bolts more easily? The darn bit + ratchet are too big to get straight on at it (probably why previous owner ruined it and decided to quit there).

Gibby_91_XJ

I found an '89 XJ Waggy for $400 today on Craigslist. I'm pretty tempted to get it and turn it into my DD. It's got an engine from an '89 Cherokee that's just sitting in the engine compartment, not hooked up yet. Body looks to be decent. Think it's worth it?

offroadnut36

Thats the exact reason I cut the hinges while the door was on the jeep. It's much easier if you ask me. The hinge is already perfectly aligned unless someone else was already in there. Just cut, hit with a punch and hammer, jack it off(no pun) and your good.

Looks like it might be.

Gibby_91_XJ

I'm getting my second Jeep!! A 1989 XJ Wagoneer.

Talked to the guy today and got him down to $300! So in the near future I'll be goin to pick it up. Pictures and a separate thread will most likely follow lol.

tuxfan212

Really its just so the passengers wont complain about the noise. I turn mine off while I am driving so I can hear the shift point better. I have the gay gauge cluster with no tach and dummy lights with a manual trans (what were they thinking) and I can shift smoother with the radio off. Its strange I know.

offroadnut36

Sweet!!! Did you finish doing the door mod yet?

Gibby_91_XJ

Well sorry for the inactivity of the past couple days, been busy! Easter was awesome, got to spend some good time with the fam.

Anyway, I finished the driver door mod and it turned out great. Closes great and I'm glad for that cause now it's supposed to rain a lot and I'll need it for awhile!

Selling my Subaru today, and I'll be picking up the new Jeep sometime in the next two weeks when I have a little time and can borrow a friends trailer!

Pics of the door mod process to follow today!

offroadnut36

Sweet! Do you have any plans for the waggy yet?

Gibby_91_XJ

Heh heh, well first plan is: get it running! After that, restoring it and makin it look good. Getting rid of all rust, repairing floorboards, painting, definitely new wheels and tires, really good sound system, possibly re-carpeting and that kind of thing. It's gonna be more of a street vehicle/daily driver that has the ability to go way beyond where most street vehicles could dream of going!

offroadnut36

Haha sweet! So its gonna be like a DD ?

Gibby_91_XJ

Ok, here's how I did the removable driver's door mod.

Didn't have a dremel, so I went over to my uncle's shop and starting working away with all his pro tools. I used one of these (made by Mac Tools) for the cuts:


Didn't even use a whole grinder attachment for the whole process.

Here's the hinges ready to be worked on, door catch is off already and the rubber wire cover is detached from one side.






After I got almost all the way through the upper hinge I was getting a bit frustrated and it was hot and sweaty so I went and grabbed the socket wrench and torx bit and got off all but one torx bolt. That one was already stripped out on the head so I ground it off with the air tool, tapped out the lower pin and took the door off.

Next I cut the lower hinge while it was still hanging on the side of the Jeep. Then I cleaned up both hinges, got all the burs off and put the pins back into both hinges, then cut the plates that they sit in so they would be easier to put back on. Very glad I did that. I also cut both pins down a little bit to make it easier to put the door on. And after getting all the burs off of those I greased up the pins and the holes really well and put the door back on. Then it was a matter of aligning it very carefully. Seeing where it needed to be, tightening the bolts up little by little and finally getting it to close just like stock. I had some help messing with that, and I recommend having an extra set of hands to help guide the door while you tighten down the torx bolts.

Here are some after shots so you can see the finished product and the cuts on the bottom of the plates that the hinges sit in.










And then here's my door off!







Anyway, it was a rough but good experience and I will definitely suggest trying to follow everyone else's advice and NOT UNBOLTING YOUR HINGES!!! EVER!!! If you can at all help it! Lol. It can be done as I've proved, but it will be a pain in your butt. So for my passenger door I shall try to use what I've learned to make that one go much, much easier.

Gibby_91_XJ

Hah hah! Exactly! A DD built Jeep style!

offroadnut36

Good Job man, looks great!

Gibby_91_XJ

Thanks!