Stuck Door (little advanced)-

Ok so in the process of cutting the doors on my 99 xj into ½ doors a piece of slag fell onto the door on the inside part of the handle/ striker/ lock (im having a brain fat on the name!), and it melted it, and now the rear drivers side door is stuck closed. We have tried all the obvious, locking unlocking, manually opening it, prying up and down on the door etc… Its got to be the mechanics inside the door handle.

Anyone have any ideas on how to get it back open? The top of the door is open so I can get at if from almost every angle if needed. Im really hoping someone comes up with something, because my next solution is the plasma cutter, but even then I don’t know how id cut it without screwing up the door and or the Jeep.

So what you're saying is that you probably welded your latch to the striker?

If you can get a torch on it, heat it up till the slag melts off?

No I think the plastic melted onto the inner mechanics of the latch. Im not exactly how the inside works. Since the door handle bolts from the inside of the door I cant just take the latch off with out opening the door. LOL


I may try heating the whole dam thing up and manually opening it as a last resort before getting out the plasma cutter. I have 11 other door latches so melting one is no big deal if I can save the door.

well i cant think of a way to open it. but if it comes down to it i have some doors. let me know if you need one. or all 4.

Hmm I think you can pop the panel on the inside and get to the latch. I'm not sure but I know someone who had two rear frozen doors. I'll call them up and let you know if you dont get it till then. Good luck

99xj4x4 said:

Ok so in the process of cutting the doors on my 99 xj into ½ doors a piece of slag fell onto the door on the inside part of the handle/ striker/ lock (im having a brain fat on the name!), and it melted it, and now the rear drivers side door is stuck closed. We have tried all the obvious, locking unlocking, manually opening it, prying up and down on the door etc… Its got to be the mechanics inside the door handle.

Anyone have any ideas on how to get it back open? The top of the door is open so I can get at if from almost every angle if needed. Im really hoping someone comes up with something, because my next solution is the plasma cutter, but even then I don’t know how id cut it without screwing up the door and or the Jeep.

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I really don't have any good advise. I was just thinking maybe you should have taken the doors off before you started.

I got it, it just took a lot of encouraging. I had a buddy holding 2 3ft pry bars and pressing down the latch, while I was inside kicking the door. Now im afraid to close it LOL.
The plan is to use YJ half door paddles, so Im just going to take all the latches out of the door.


JXPEEJ: I have a full set of doors for the winter, and I have another set of doors I plan to someday make 1/2 doors out of just to sell, but thanks anyways.

Thanks to all who responded