One of the perks of getting a Jeep is taking out the doors and the windows, however just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Read on for driving your Jeep without windows or doors and more.
Before you bring out the tool box and start working on taking out the doors or windows to your Jeep, there are a few things that you must know about going doorless and windowless. We are going to discuss the legal implication of taking out your doors, and afterwards, how you can safely remove and store these parts.
Legality of driving a Jeep without doors
As crazy as it may sound, yes it is perfectly legal to drive your Jeep around without doors. In fact no laws dictate that you must have doors on your Jeep. However, there are mirror laws in every state that require every Jeep to have a minimum set of side mirrors or mirrors in general.
This is where the trouble comes in. Because the mirrors on a Jeep are built into the doors, taking off the doors leaves you with no mirrors. Driving your Jeep in that state would be a violation of mirror requirements in many if not all states in the USA.
Mirrors are an important part of safe driving and law enforcers take extra caution to ensure that you are abiding by these laws.
This way, you can enjoy the thrill of staying doorless without putting yourself and other drivers at risk. Therefore, don’t be offended if you get pulled over once or twice on account of your doorless Jeep.
Mirror relocation options on your Jeep
In order to enjoy the perks of driving a Jeep without doors, there are certain measures you must take to ensure you’re within legal parameters. Regardless of the model you drive, there are replacement mirror options available that you can purchase and have installed. Take a look at the types of mirrors and locations you can have them attached.
- Door hinge
This is a common relocation point for side mirrors because it utilizes the door hinges. Installation on this location is both cheap and quick. However, installing your mirrors using these hinges means poor visibility location which may be uncomfortable to the driver.
- Tube door
These are a great option because they allow you to directly relocate the factory mirrors. You will however need to purchase the actual tube doors.
- Wind shield pillar
Wind shield pillars position the mirrors perfectly in line with the manufacturer’s mirror location. However, these mirror kits are prone to wind noise and tend to vibrate.
TIP: Before you install these replacement mirrors, familiarize yourself with your home states mirror laws. As we mentioned, each state has its own specifications for mirrors on your vehicle, so get to know what you need to have done to avoid redoing the attachment or even overdoing it.
Removing the doors off your Jeep
Taking out the doors on your Jeep might vary depending on the model that you drive. Usually, removing the doors involves taking out T50 cap nuts on the door. Some Jeeps are equipped with power windows or mirrors that have a wire harness which must be unplugged.
Take the Jeep wrangler for example, a popular model among Jeep lovers. Some of the more recent Jeep wrangler models are conveniently made for an easier door removal process. In fact some of them come with the tools necessary for removing the doors.
To remove the doors on your wrangler, you need only roll down the windows then remove the door check arm. Proceed to carefully unplug the wring and then drop the two hinge bolts.
Next, pull off the limit strap and lift the door free. The limit strap slides over a hook inside the car and has to be removed while the door is mostly closed. This will mean you have enough slack to get the loop free of the hook.
Note that the front doors have a different wiring harness compared to the rear doors. The wiring harness on the front has a flip down release mechanism and is more elaborate than the rears. You will need to flip down the connector clasp and taking out the door will be easier.
Lastly, store your bolts safely in a labeled box where you can easily keep track of them.
Storing your doors
Apart from safely putting away your bolts, you must also store your doors properly. One common storage method is using hangers. These are a type of wall mounted hinges that utilize the door hinge.
Hangers help avoid stress to the door frame and rubber. Another way to store your doors is by using floor brackets. These protect the underside of your door but will be problematic when you need to lift the door for reinstallation purposes.
Driving Jeeps without windows
We’ve talked about doors and mirrors and how taking these off will influence your driving experience, what about windows? We cannot discuss windows without first talking about Jeep tops.
The type of top on your Jeep will influence the ease with which you can take out your windows. The rear window on the Jeep Sahara Unlimited for example will basically slide out of you have a soft top.
Hard tops however will need some work. Your Jeep model will also influence hoe easily, if at all you can take out the windows in your car. Some models allow you to go into safari mode which means removing the side and back window, leaving only the top on.
Importantly, there are no state or other laws inhibiting you from driving without windows on your Jeep. However, you are advised store the windows in a very safe place to avoid them getting damaged or dorked up.
Final word
One of the main reasons some people purchase Jeeps is to enjoy driving doorless or windowless. However, there are some implications that come with such alterations.
You will have to reinstall your mirrors in accordance to state laws for proper or safe driving. Once you’re done taking out your doors or windows, it is advisable that you store them properly so they will maintain their factory quality.
