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Tube Doors

S

SCjeeper

NAXJA Forum User
Location
South Carolina
Ok, so I know people have been making these forever, but I just got a welder and decided this was a good way to start. Any suggestions or legal concerns before I build the other three doors? Thanks.

PICT0120_Small.jpg


PICT0121_small.jpg
 
Check your state laws, thats the first place to start..I''ll give you an a+ for doing your own fab work.. Check out this site for tube doors.. I don't weld so i got mine from warrior...

pic of mine

yep.jpg
 
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Those might do OK for tame trail rides but will offer no protection or structural rigidity in the event of a crash or roll over. I would not ride around with those on the street. I applaude you for starting to do your own fab work, but look into designing a stronger piece for something like a door. Look up how to use gussets and triangulated designs properly and maybe design yourself a strong welding table or stand before jumping into building parts for your jeep.
 
not a bad first attempt at all. It is not real hard to notch the tubes with a grinder or chopsaw though instead of lapping with that small plate, it would be a much cleaner joint. Harbor freight actually has a hole saw notcher for pretty cheap if you see your self working with tube more often.
good luck and keep cracking away, everybody starts somewhere.
 
southernrebel20 said:
Those might do OK for tame trail rides but will offer no protection or structural rigidity in the event of a crash or roll over. I would not ride around with those on the street. I applaude you for starting to do your own fab work, but look into designing a stronger piece for something like a door. Look up how to use gussets and triangulated designs properly and maybe design yourself a strong welding table or stand before jumping into building parts for your jeep.
Click to expand...

Tube doors or stock doors offer very little protection either on the street or the trail...except for flying objects. In a rollover or side impact the presence of a stock door will do little to help. If you feel you need further protection get or build a cage with adequate hip bars.

I think your start is great. Keep up the practice.
 
i need to make some doors so i can be protected in the winter im gonna start with tubes and lay sheet metal on them then make sure it seals properly and rivit some lexxon on them and make them easy removable since factory doors will not fit...
 
southernrebel20 said:
Those might do OK for tame trail rides but will offer no protection or structural rigidity in the event of a crash or roll over. I would not ride around with those on the street. I applaude you for starting to do your own fab work, but look into designing a stronger piece for something like a door. Look up how to use gussets and triangulated designs properly and maybe design yourself a strong welding table or stand before jumping into building parts for your jeep.
Click to expand...
If you take off your doors, your XJ will fold like a taco:lecture:
 
as the post above states, without some sort of decently strong door attached you WILL lose structural rigidity and your XJ will be easily turned into a TACO
 
Wait... lets back up here for a minute....

This was a joke:
Starboard M said:
If you take off your doors, your XJ will fold like a taco
Click to expand...

This certainly sounds as if you are serious:
southernrebel20 said:
as the post above states, without some sort of decently strong door attached you WILL lose structural rigidity and your XJ will be easily turned into a TACO
Click to expand...


If it was a joke, then I just move along and I am an idiot.

If you are in fact serious... You need to get out more. Step away from the computer, and get some fresh air. The doors and hatch ARE NOT structural members of the vehicle.
 
I can see how the door would help in a rollover because the door becomes more metal to crush, but unless the frame around it is already being crushed, I don't see how it will make a structural difference. And I do plan on building a roll cage in the near future.
 
I commend you on learning how to weld and fabbing up something yourself. But for safety reasons I wouldn't run a door like that. It very well could come apart and become something that might impale you or an occupant.

Cut that piece off attaching the 2 tubes and notch/weld it properly. Also add something along the bottom that will attach to the other top piece.
 
Yes I'm sure your jeep won't fold up like a taco because of some weaker than stock doors. I would hate to see any XJ in the shape of a taco! I was goofing with the poster above me because he gave no reason for the statement made and only said if you pull the doors off your jeep it will fold like a taco. The point I was trying to make is that replacing a functioning door with two pieces of scrap metal pulled together with two small straps welded to them is just not a safe decision. Do what you want, but think about making a tube door that can take a beating and still hold you inside the vehicle if for some odd reason you forgot your seatbelt. BE SAFE!
 
southernrebel20 said:
BE SAFE!
Click to expand...

Thats the most important thing. Can't wheel when you're dead.


SCjeeper said:
Any suggestions or legal concerns before I build the other three doors?
Click to expand...

As far as legal concerns, check you're local laws. I have heard lots of different stuff, but it's always different. I have never been hassled about running doorless, even after being pulled over for a burned out tail light.

Others have mentioned that they offer no additional support and that "they wouldn't ride in it on the street". Obviously, while the full doors are not structural, they do offer some added protection in the event of a side impact or even a flop. The bottom line - if you are comfortable running doorless, then you will be just as safe running these.

On to the suggestions... Congrats on your first fab project, everyone has to start somewhere. I don't personally like the design, but if you do, then thats all that matters. The biggest issue I see, as has already pointed out, is that tube intersection. Please, notch that tube! That is NOT the right way to join tube.

Good luck.
 
So I decided to change the design before I build the other 3 doors, this is what I was thinking of, built out of 1 1/4" pipe. The gray would be plates, probably 1/8 inch. would that be a little stronger?

design-1.jpg
 
I would say add a vertical bar in between the upper and lower horizontal bar.

But besides that, looks decent.

and i hope you ment tube and not pipe. Pipe is for poop.
 
yeah, but I don't think I need the vertical bar because the hinges on the frame will keep the tubes apart just as good as another pipe, they're fairly sturdy.
 
Its not only about that, its about the huge empty space that you now have there. That space will allow for large objects to easily pass through and possibly strike you or a passanger.

I would really reconsider adding that bar. Plus i think the doors would look better. Right now, they seem plain and kinda pointless. Might as well just run withut doors all together.
 
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