Apart from being an off-road vehicle, the Jeep Wrangler is also known for being convertible. This vehicle will allow you to take the top down and the door off during the ride. The ability to remove the Jeep’s door provides a unique experience and adventure for the Jeep owner.
But how to take Jeep doors off? Removing the doors of the Jeep vehicle requires some mechanical skills, but overall, the removal process is easy. In this article, we have listed a step-by-step guide to properly removing the vehicle door.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Preparation
When learning how to take doors off a Jeep Wrangler, you will need to take some preparatory steps to make removing the door smooth and easy. The initial step that you can take is to fold the side mirrors in. Since the side mirror is attached to the door, you must make it safe and protect it during removal.
All you have to do is press the mirror towards the door and make it rest flat on the door’s surface. Doing this will protect the mirror from being damaged when you start removing the door of the vehicle.
Another preparatory step that you can do is rolling down the window. Pulling the door up and off will allow you to reach it easier with an open window. Start by turning the window crank counter-clockwise to make the windows lower.
Step 2: Taking Out the Safety Strap
The next step is to take out the safety strap attached to the door. The use of this safety strap is to prevent the door from going too far. So, to allow you to remove the door easily, the safety strap must also be removed.
Disconnecting the strap is easy. All you have to do is unhook it from the vehicle’s body. The other end of the connector or hook will be connected to the door and left behind. This step will make the removal process a lot easier.
Step 3; Unplugging the Wiring Pigtail
If your Jeep Wrangler does come with power windows and door locks, you can skip this step. However, if you have, the next step will be to unplug the wiring pigtail. This wiring pigtail is composed of various wires that are grouped, pass through the door, and are connected to the vehicle’s dashboard.
Unplugging the wiring pigtail is easy since it is equipped with a plastic lock. All you have to do is press the release of the plastic lock while pulling it back to disconnect the wirings. But make sure to do it carefully to avoid breaking the plastic lock.
Step 4: Locating and Removing the Door’s Bolts
The next step is to locate the bolts that connect the door to the vehicle. The bolts are usually fastened on the outside and should be easy to find. First, you need to close the door without latching to allow you to easily adjust the door opening to have the best access to the bolts and the nuts that are holding it. The bolts are usually found in a place that meets the body of the Jeep Wrangler.
Once you have located the bolts, the next step is to remove the nuts that are holding the bolts. The nuts are located at the bottom of the bolts. Removing the nuts will allow you to quickly take the doors off the vehicle’s body. In removing the nuts, you will need a six-point socket. Position the socket to fit on the nuts and turn it counterclockwise to make them loose until it is removed.
As a reminder, be careful in unscrewing the nuts so as not to damage the paint in them. The nuts are painted similarly to the color of the Jeep. A damaged paint will be prominent and can lead to surface rust.
Step 5: Disconnecting and Removing the Door
Once the nuts are removed, you can now disconnect and remove the door away from the vehicle. All you have to do is reach the door handles through the window but make sure that you have a good grip to pull it off.
Then, pull the door straight up to disconnect it from the vehicle’s body. Doing this step will also make the bolts out of the brackets that hold them in place. Be careful not to pinch any of your fingers in the space between the door and the vehicle’s body.
Step 6: Keeping the Door Safe and Removing the Other Door
Once the door is removed, you need to lay it in a soft material to protect it. A soft blanket is a good material that can be used to make the door safe while it is detached. You can even wrap the door if you plan to remove it for longer.
The most important thing is to keep the door in a safe place. A location where the door will be protected and safe. Position the door with the painted surface facing up to prevent scratching or damaging the paint.
Once the door is safe, you can now proceed to remove the door on the other side. Repeat the same process in removing and safely keeping the door. Make sure that the doors are safe while it is not in use.
Conclusion
There is a unique experience when it comes to driving your Jeep without any doors. But, you must first learn how to take Jeep doors off correctly. Our step-by-step guide will help you not only learn how to do it but also guide you to store it when the door is not in use for a more extended period.