Soupy1957

I would expect that the Engineers at Jeep HAVE to realize that MOST (not all, admittedly) of the folks who will buy a Wrangler, will remove the doors. Maybe once, maybe multiple times.

Back in 2008, when I bought my first one, I could take them off and re-install them with relative ease. Typically, with the glass down, I could support the weight by reaching thru the window with one arm, and grab the door pull, standing on the outside of the door, and get the job done.

Fast forward to the 2013's, like the one I brought home on Saturday, and GONE is any convenient place to grab on to on the inside of the door, and the weight of the door itself seems to have increased at least DOUBLE what it used to be!!

Granted, eight years has passed, since I bought my first Wrangler (new that year), and I can't speak to what the Engineers have changed on current (2016 - 2017) models. Perhaps they have returned to a lighter door, with better holding locations for transport. It COULD be that I am just getting old and feeble.

Nevertheless, I had to really struggle to elevate the door, find a reasonable hand grip on the inside, and solicite the help of my wife to line up the pins for re-installation of the doors.

Talk about taking the joy, ease and speed out of stripping down the Wrangler for those beautiful fun days of Summer!!!

It doesn't matter if it is only one removal and one re-install, or multiples; lighten up those doors guys, and give us lifting straps or reasonable hand holds for toting!!

jedg

Yup... this is why my doors come off as soon as it's consistently warm enough for me to be okay with it.. and they don't go back on until it's too cold to take!

Soupy1957

Thus the reason that I bought a canvas cover in 2008 ( which I no longer have ) to put over the top of the Wrangler, in case it should rain.

No matter what the reason that I might need to or want to take the doors off or put the doors on, it's still a pain that needs to be improved on.

jedg

Agreed. Mine are power (not sure if yours are) and so that adds weight. The factory half doors are pretty light.

Soupy1957

this particular Wrangler that I bought has manual windows. I suppose half doors would in fact be lighter but this vehicle did not come with them and I bought it secondhand

Jeep801

Yeah the doors are heavy. I run Bestop 2 piece soft doors in the warm weather and put the hard doors back on in the fall.

Speaking of heavy, I keep the back seat out of my 2 door 99% of the time but on occasion put it in for passengers. I find this seat very heavy and awkward. I had a TJ prior and didn't find this to be the case.

saharaharry

Hows the wife?

Gman*2007

The only way to make them more easily to handle is to roll the windows down before lifting them off. They can be hung on wall brackets in the garage then.

Soupy1957

You obviously only skim read my OP, because if you had it completely, you would know that the "window down" is something customarily done. The storage of them, is a non-issue for me, but thanks for the suggestion.

Soupy1957

I've been aware that I could order half doors, but the cheaper option of a cover is my choice. Those " Bestop 2 piece soft doors" are $499.00 a pair!! Too dang expensive for the ordinary budget in MY world. Not that I couldn't buy them, but hey......

It was good for my wife to be actively engaged in putting the Jeep back together, to help her see the easier option of the cover.