Solid rear door conversion?

[Axel-ander92]

Anyone ever done this or seen it done? Where instead of having the glass lift up and the door swing out, it all just swings out? I may just bit the bullet and take a whack at fabbing it up myself. Reason is I'm currently building something that would be way easier to use if it were a solid 1 piece door.

Thanks in advance!

 

[sota]

how would you get it to "latch" at the top instead of the bottom?
What's going to support the glass since it's currently frameless?

that's the 2 biggest elephants in the room I see.

 

[Axel-ander92]

I would replace the glass with plexi and weld in a frame and do away with the latch. I'm Thinking magnetic weather seal like that on screen doors. I think I could make it work I'm just curious as to if anyone has tried this

 

[sota]

I don't think magnets are strong enough for the kinds of pressures that panel will experience when you open the windows, or even turn the blower on high.

 

[GitEmSteveDave]

I don't think magnets are strong enough for the kinds of pressures that panel will experience when you open the windows, or even turn the blower on high.

What about just closing your door. My Dodge doors would fail to latch properly if the passenger window wasn't just a little bit down to equalize the pressure.

 

[Axel-ander92]

Almost every vehicle I've seen has little vents some where in the cab. I believe on the kjs it comes out where the rear bumper cover is. Also I believe if I build the frame strong enough the rear door being latched shut should be no problem keeping the plexiglass firm to the seals. There are tons of different shapes and sizes of weather stripping available. I think I could find some that would slightly overlap the plexi on the outside so it water and such doesn't pool along the top and leak in. I think its do-able

 

[Axel-ander92]

I've done custom work like this all the time on tons of different vehicles so its not a matter of IF I can make it work. I know it will work. I'm not just gonna half-ass it. That isn't my style. My main question is if anyone has tried it. The main reason I want to do it is so that I don't have to fight the rear glass with my jack and jerry can mounted on the rear door.

 

[profdlp]

Judging by how much crud I scrape out of my 3rd brake light every spring, I'm guessing it gets pretty soggy in that area.

Not to dissuade you. If you pull it off it would be pretty cool. One thing I hate is not being able to use the rear step to get at the rear of my roof rack because the glass is in the way.

 

[Axel-ander92]

Judging by how much crud I scrape out of my 3rd brake light every spring, I'm guessing it gets pretty soggy in that area.

Not to dissuade you. If you pull it off it would be pretty cool. One thing I hate is not being able to use the rear step to get at the rear of my roof rack because the glass is in the way.

Right? I don't have a roof rack yet but I feel your pain. When I first got my Libby I loved the separate glass. Now I hate it haha

 

[LibertyTC]

Ya once you are lifted with basket, I just normally access from the side.
I really like the folding white one it's taller, but the tire ones works too.
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[profdlp]

That's what I've taken to doing. (The ladder.)

Kind of like the wheel-step thing, though. It looks more Jeepy.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I just stand on the rear tire or the rock rails when I'm loading the skis on the ski rack.

 

[Axel-ander92]

That's pretty cool I like the tire step. For some reason my phone doesn't like to post pics on here but ill try to do one from my computer when I get this thing built. Basically what I'm doing is adding on to the tire carrier to hold a hi lift on one side and jerry can on the other side. So far the only complications are the glass and getting the can mounted low enough under the door handle. I guess I could mount them opposite of my original plan.

 

[Axel-ander92]

I just stand on the rear tire or the rock rails when I'm loading the skis on the ski rack.

i'd do the same when I build my sliders lol. I've kinda taken to building all the major stuff myself. So far my front bumper cost is up to about 200 total and the rear carrier set up is about 270 with all the accessories