Greetings new Jeep Wrangler owner (or prospective Wrangler owner).
If you’re reading this, it can only mean one thing: You wish to realize your Jeep’s true potential. How will you do that? By ditching those doors. Before we tell you how to take them off, let’s deal with another question you might be asking if you’re on the fence.
Why should I take the doors off my Jeep Wrangler?
Resisting the best answer one Jeep person can give to another – “Why not?” – we’ll let the following list handle this question:
- Flexibility – A Wrangler is the ultimate vehicle when it comes to flexibility. By not taking the doors off at least once in the course of owning a Jeep, you are denying yourself an essential experience.
- Practicality – There are practical reasons, too. Each door weighs about fifty pounds, so taking the doors off your Jeep will shave off precious pounds. Slimming down in this way will not only help you on the trail, but it will also improve your fuel economy.
- Purity – Finally, who needs climate controls? Feeling the wind in your hair and hearing the roar in your ears is one of the purest sensations this planet has to offer, and the best exposure you can get to that sensation is in a Jeep sans doors.
How to take the doors off a Jeep Wrangler
Now we can get down to business. To do this right, you’ll need a ratchet set with a T40 Torx driver bit and two mirror relocation kits. You can order the mirror kits via our Parts Department at Leith CDJR or the Mopar eStore.
- Remove the lock nuts – On the bottom of each door hinge, you’ll find a lock nut. These are normally here to prevent people from stealing the doors off your Jeep. We’re tempted to say they would be doing you a favor, but doors are also expensive (which is a why you should be careful while you’re doing all of this).
- Disconnect the door straps and electronics – Open the door and find the black strap near the bottom. Follow this to the latch inside, then follow the cable up underneath the dashboard. You should be able to easily disconnect the cable and then put some slack in the strap and lift it over the latch. Make sure you’ve rolled your windows down before disconnecting the cable as it’s generally better to store your doors with them lowered.
- Remove the doors – Again, these weigh fifty pounds apiece, so if that’s more than you’re comfortable with, ask someone for help. Make sure you watch the fenders as you’re opening the door as they’ll bang right into them without that retaining strap. All that in mind, lift straight up and your Jeep will be door-free.
That’s really all there is to it. Like anything Jeep-related, simple is best. These instructions will work on both sides of the vehicle, and they’ll even work on the rear doors if you have a Wrangler Unlimited (the electronics cable will be hidden inside the B-pillar).
To move your side mirrors from the doors to the frame of your Jeep, consult the instructions on whichever relocation kit you picked up.
Is it safe to take the doors off my Jeep Wrangler?
Your new Wrangler is equipped with all the modern safety features you would expect to find in any vehicle. That includes multistage front airbags, body-on-frame construction, and on-road/off-road four-wheel disc Antilock Brakes. Side-supplemental airbags with sensor detection are also available.
That said, Jeep advises you to only take the doors off your vehicle when engaging in off-road recreation. If you’re simply commuting place-to-place, you should keep the doors on, just in case.
It also goes without saying that you should always buckle up when heading off-road, especially if you’ve taken the doors off.
If you have any other questions about the Jeep Wrangler or Jeep life, you’re always welcome at Leith Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Wendell. Get in touch with our Parts and Service Department if you’re vehicle needs maintenance before or after you hit the trail.
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