Any interest in some trail doors?

[backcountryislife]

I've got a fab guy here in Denver (local guys may know Brody) who is willing to build some basic doors for me.


I'm looking for a "1/2 door" with canvas covering the lower section to keep mud/ dust out.


This is a rough idea of what I'm looking to have built, but in steel frame/canvas wrap:

or like this, but reaching lower in the door opening

If anyone else is interested obviously it would bring prices down, but I'm also curious to hear any other ideas on what/ how to build them.

I know there was a company (vertical escape???) who made them, but can't find them... I'd love to buy some if someone has them sitting around!!!


Any interest in this?

 

[Happy Hummer]

Ya know i had made 1/2 doors for my '06 jeep tj and used em very lil. Just a real pain in the azz to remove and reinstall. Very heavy and cumbersome. It was just easier to go with windows down or door off.
Chris
Im wondering with all the electronic crap if doors will be even harder to take off and on H3.

 

[backcountryislife]

I run without doors pretty much every day.


On a Jeep it's one thing, because they've got intelligent windows, but with the turret slit GM gave us... I take the doors off nearly every time.


For me it's one 10mm bolt, pull the handle for the electronics, then take the door off. about 15 seconds a door.

As to putting the 1/2 doors on... can't see why that would be a challenge? They should weigh about 15 lbs or so... easy as pie.

 

[06 H3]

That was offroad escape and he went out of business...Idk how to contact him. Looking forward to seeing the final product as I want to do this one day

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[backcountryislife]

I had sent him a PM on a couple different forums last year... no response.

Running without the doors, I worry about people sticking a leg out without thinking, just a general safety thing really... and I'd like to keep the mud out some. No doors works very well, especially the rear door, when you pull it, you have perfect line of sight to the rear tire without the front of the fender in the way.

 

[ReconH3]

Remember that the H3 has the BCM right on he floor next to the passenger's feet. Anything slightly humid and the electronics goes nuts. Ask Griff about it. He had to replace his BCM. I would love some half doors, but with a solid skin on the outside. One to keep water/mud out, and second to keep any external objects from entering the cab and tearing into any body parts. Soft doors wouldn't stop a branch from stabbing you. In my TJ, I had an aluminum panel right behind the soft doors. Same under the bikini top. Had an aluminum panel strapped down on the roll cage. Just two things to consider. My main reasons for wanting half doors are: 1. Weight saving. Lowers COG. 2. Like mentioned by others, so I can see around better.


"Ex Umbris Venimus"

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[backcountryislife]

So sounds like a sheet metal panel instead of the canvas would be a good idea huh? I just see so many heepers with just a basic "holding cage" like this one a buddy of mine runs.

I see very few that really are a skin like what I want & you're suggesting.

 

[ReconH3]

Jeeps have tubs with drains in them as well as they don't have sensitive electronics so low. This allows them to have tube doors. I wouldn't trust my health and that of my family to tube or canvas doors. I've seen a branch barely miss a friend's gut when his Jeep toppled over in its side onto some brush. Left a gouge on his thigh. In the events I participated in, they didn't allow soft tops or canvas doors without some sort of solid panel to stop intrusions in a roll.


"Ex Umbris Venimus"

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[ReconH3]

I'm definitely game if you get some made.


"Ex Umbris Venimus"

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[backcountryislife]

yeah, a panel would be nice... right now any time I go somewhere more technical (not mab-ish, but real rocky) I get rid of the doors, so I've got nothing protecting us.


Also lucky to be in CO, not much of an issue with moisture. (especially THIS year :sigh so not too worried about that.



Curious, could the bcm be relocated? Where exactly is it, under the carpet in the center? (don't have the truck here, so can't look right now myself) Could it be wrapped to avoid water intrusion? Seems like a spilled drink would be more likely to be an issue than wheeling would be.


Btw, what would you expect to be a reasonable price for a set of doors? (just thinking 2 for right now at least.) I think brody is thinking $300 each right now, but I'm hoping I can get below that.

 

[ReconH3]

It sits right next to passenger's right foot in the kick panel.

I'm looking into relocating it or waterproofing it. There's a whole thread going on about it right now.

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2525

"Ex Umbris Venimus"

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[ReconH3]

Btw, what would you expect to be a reasonable price for a set of doors? (just thinking 2 for right now at least.) I think brody is thinking $300 each right now, but I'm hoping I can get below that.

I pay whatever I think something it worth. If it's cheaply made, I expect to pay very little. If something is well thought out, and well made, I'm willing to pay what it's worth. Something else to consider. We are not a Jeep market, where thousands of these doors would be sold. Ours would be a small production item, which in turn makes it more expensive. Let's see what the final price and product look like before jumping to conclusions.


"Ex Umbris Venimus"

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[backcountryislife]

Let's see what the final price and product look like before jumping to conclusions.

Yeah.... That's the problem for me, I've got to pay either way, so I don't have the luxury of waiting to see how they look to decide if they're worth it.


It's this guy... http://www.brodyfabricationanddesign.com/4x4fab&design.html
his references & recommendations are friggin endless on the front range forums, but not sure what to expect as, to an extent, I'm not even sure what I want.


All I know is I want a door that sits slightly above the top hinge... and covers the lower part of the door.

 

[bebe]

Funny you bring this up, my neighbor has a Tube Bender so I was going to run the bebemonster to his place and see if he wanted to fab me up a set of doors for the summer.

We'll see how they turn out.

He built this:

 

[backcountryislife]

well... let me know if he'd be interested in making another set!

I'm not super picky about what I get, I just want something. If what you get is good enough for you... it'll be good enough for me, if he's willing to make another set!

 

[bebe]

Monday - dropping the truck off

 

[06 H3]

I took off my doors and was bored so I made this...

 

[06 H3]

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[Happy Hummer]

Lol! I should of clarify... have bad back .... so the factory doors are real hard to lift, not tube.
06H3 good proto type.

Chris

 

[backcountryislife]

AAAH... got ya!


Chris, how did you make them, tough to tell what you made them from. Personally, that's about all I want, something that generally covers the door area, keeps legs in, and keeps some mud out... that would work great for me!


Beebs, keep me in the loop... if making an extra set brings the $$ down for you, I'm all for that!

I'm hoping to talk to the local guy here in the next few weeks.


btw, getting mine back tomorrow, new shocks/ mounts in rear, all disconnected, extra bushing on steering rack... I'm stoked, gonna be a fun weekend. Also got a locker coming next week I think. It's a cheapie, but it'll get me through the summer, then when we throw the winter tires on, we'll pull it out for winter.

 

[bebe]

I'm getting mine made from a buddy, not sure if I'll pay any more than materials, beer and some bbq. But I will add to my build thread. Shouldn't take him more than a couple of days.

 

[06 H3]

The suckers are heavy! I will weigh the doors sometime soon...possibly 100lbs. I am not finished yet, I made this out of scrap steel I had laying around. The frame is all square tubing then thin sheetmetal on the outside. I really wish I had a tube bender! Its on the list and it would produce better products probably with less effort...you just have to know how much distance you lose in a bend.

I can get pics up of the frame tomorrow. For DIYers who don't have a welder could probably make something similar.



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[backcountryislife]

I'm getting mine made from a buddy, not sure if I'll pay any more than materials, beer and some bbq. But I will add to my build thread. Shouldn't take him more than a couple of days.

Well... I guess ask him if he's interested in making another set... I won't be building them myself, so I need to find a set somewhere.

 

[bebe]

Well... I guess ask him if he's interested in making another set... I won't be building them myself, so I need to find a set somewhere.

Will do...

 

[ReconH3]

Make that 3 sets. If he doesn't mind of course.


"Ex Umbris Venimus"

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