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a question about structure

D

dork

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Aurora, Ontario
are the doors and hatch structural?!? i've been told no..so i took them off...when i was at a jeep shop in the summer i was told that they are structural, and that i shuoldput them back on?!?

also some dummy backed into me, pretty hard...hard enough to bend one of my tow-hook brackets (they are stock brackets) i wish i could post a pic of it but i don't have a digi cam.

so i was just wondering if that is hard enough to bend the frame....and if so what implications this may have?!?
 
Last edited:
The guys at that Jeep shop were probably thinking that without doors and hatch, the vibrations from your extreme shivering would shake the Jeep to pieces. It's cold in Canada, in case you hadn't noticed!
;)
:D


To attempt to answer your question though, I'd say not likely. I suppose they might add a bit of stiffness, but it wouldn't be enough to call structural in my estimation. The doors and hatch each only connect at three points, with the latch pins not even being a solid connection. Plus the pre-97 hatches are fiberglass.
 
What Rd (f.k.a. ArmStrong) -- haha good call! but in the summer it's DAMN HOT! but cold or hot...nothing a few beers whon't handel! haha

thanks for the info... that's what i was thinking, that the doors only connect at 3 points.
 
well you have no shortage of beautiful scenery to enjoy while partaking in a few of those frosty adult beverages . . .
too bad you have to buy them from the government!
 
dork said:
What Rd (f.k.a. ArmStrong) -- haha good call! but in the summer it's DAMN HOT! but cold or hot...nothing a few beers whon't handel! haha

thanks for the info... that's what i was thinking, that the doors only connect at 3 points.
Click to expand...

It only takes three points to make a triangle. This topic is usually good for a little debate action. I say the doors and rear hatch (steel or fiberglass) act as shear panels, aiding in overall torsional rigidity of the body (box) structure.
 
Having felt how much the doors move apart from the roof, and having seen the latch of rear hatches rip out after badly cracking, I'd say they add little, if any, structural stiffness. :)

Yes, good debate topic.
 
I can't beleive a moving object,like doors could ever be designed for adding strength to the unibody. It just doesn't make sense to me.

However with how far we twist these things up it could be said that when it is all in a bind they could be adding some structure there.

But the next question would have to be is, is that stucture adding strength or putting undo stress on the unibody? Kind of like a big pry bar.

Anyhow it is just plain old DANGEROUS to wheel without doors on your rig. Expecially the rear door.

hinkley
 
yeah, if you are going to remove the doors, I think a tube that goes across the opening, wether you hang it on thestock hinges and latch, or it is part of your cage should be considered MANDATORY.

last year, OT rolled on his side off of a ledge he was skirting, and flopped hard against a tree trunk. OT was smart enough to place a diagonal tube across the opening, right where the passengers hip is.... that tube deflected about an inch or so, as it should have.... and OT's passenger was able to climb out and walk away with his pelvic bone in tact. That one could have been nasty.....

protect yo-self!
 
MaXJohnson said:
It only takes three points to make a triangle. This topic is usually good for a little debate action. I say the doors and rear hatch (steel or fiberglass) act as shear panels, aiding in overall torsional rigidity of the body (box) structure.
Click to expand...

- that makes perfect sense, but while all the doors and hatch may add rigidity, are they essential enough to cause permanent damage if left off for any period of time?
 
I'm not from Canada or anything but I do remember reading something about the legality of taking doors off up there. I think they said that driving without your doors on was illegal unless doors for your vehicle were offered only as an option from the dealer as in old CJ's. Might wanna check into that, it would suck to get a ticket for that.
 
Moto has got a point. Legal or not .... you know you are gonna get hassled.

Isn't Aurora like....Peel (police) region? (They have a reputation to uphold)
 
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