One of the reasons the Jeep Wrangler is so iconic is that it offers an open-air driving experience that no other vehicle (until the new Ford Bronco) could match. You can remove the top and doors from your Wrangler, and you can even fold the windshield down. Whether you're on a trail or driving down the beach, there's no better way to enjoy it than with a doorless and topless Wrangler.

Jeep Wranglers come with a few types of doors, including full doors and half doors. The latter type is paired with a soft top, so when you remove the top, half the door goes missing too. You may choose to ride completely doorless, or you can also replace your doors temporarily or for the long term with aftermarket Jeep parts like Enthuze tube doors.

 

How to Remove TJ/YJ/CJ Doors

The Jeep CJ isn't technically a Wrangler, but the CJ7 and CJ8 were the direct predecessors to the Jeep Wrangler YJ that spanned the 1987 through 1995 model years.

As such, removing the steel doors of the CJ7 and CJ8 is roughly the same process as the TJ and YJ generations. Compared to the more modern Wrangler generations, these older ones were easier to remove thanks to manual door locks and windows.

Step 1 - Start by rolling down your windows. It's easier to remove the doors and put them in storage when you don't have to worry about breaking the glass.

Step 2 - Remove the nylon door check straps that you'll find at the top of your doors near the hinges. This can be accomplished by sliding the strap off the metal hook it's attached to.

Step 3 - Check for lock nuts on your doors and remove them with a 13 mm open end wrench. If your Jeep has them, you'll find them on the lower hingepin for the CJ, the upper hingepin for the YJ, and on both top and bottom for the TJ. After the door is removed screw the bolts onto the hinge pins to prevent losing them or forgetting where you put them.

Step 4 - With both the strap and nuts removed, you can now remove the doors. Swing the door out and grasp it firmly with both hands. Factory steel doors on an older Wrangler can weigh over 50 pounds, so be prepared to support this weight when you lift the doors up and off.

Step 5 - For the Jeep TJ, when you take the doors off, the dome light will stay on because the door closed button is not pressed in.

Access the fuse box by removing the glove compartment door and remove the fuse in the slot labeled DOOR SW DEFEAT located at the bottom right. Put it somewhere you can find it at a later time when you put the doors back on. (video instructions)

 

 

If your Jeep is a 2005 model or newer you can simply turn off the dome light by using the switch on the turn signal arm.

How to Remove JK/JL Doors

Although still easy to remove, the JK and JL generations have some extra steps due to power windows and locks on higher trims.

If you have a four-door model, you'll be removing four doors instead of two. Jeep provides a tool kit to make the doors easier to remove. Check your glove compartment, find the tool kit and then move to step 1. If you can’t find your tool kit you will need a ratchet and a Torx 50 bit.

Step 1 - As with the older Wranglers, you'll still want to lower your windows to protect them and make moving the doors easier.

Step 2 - If your JK or JL has power windows and locks, you'll need to unclip the wiring harness. On JK models, look under the dash for the red tabs to free the push tabs. Push the tabs down while pulling the connectors down at the same time. (video instructions)

 

For the rear doors, you'll need to find the access panel on the lower B-pillars and remove the cover to reveal the connectors. On a JL model, the connectors for the front doors are behind a panel near the kick plates. (video instructions)

 

 

Step 3 - Now you can remove the door check straps and this process is the same as with the older Wranglers. However, if you have a JL Wrangler, you'll need to also remove the bolt catches with a Torx 40 bit. These are located above the check straps. (video instructions)

 

 

Step 4 - Like the older Wranglers, the new models have nuts beneath the hinges. These are T50 Torx-head cap nuts. Use the corresponding tool to remove them. After they are removed you can open the trunk and store them in the cargo area in the holes specifically made for them. (video instructions)

 

 

Step 5 - With all the above out of the way, you can now swing the doors out and pull them up for removal.

How to Store Jeep Doors

Once you have your doors off, it's time to figure out how to store them. At the very least, some wooden blocks can keep your doors off the floor of your shop or garage. Cover the doors with moving blankets to prevent scuffs and dings.

However, there are also Jeep accessories on the market specifically for storing doors. These include door holder kits to mount your doors on the wall of your garage or shop or a rolling cart to hold your doors if your walls are full.

Driving Without Doors Safely

The most obvious two safety tips are: buckle up and secure any loose objects. As a Jeep driver, you're probably well aware of how difficult it can be to keep anything small or unstable secure in your vehicle at any given time thanks to the way a Jeep rides. It's a good idea to remove anything that might fall or fly around with your doors and top off.

The other issue for driving doorless is that some legal ramifications depend on where you live. For example, in Pennsylvania, it's completely illegal to drive without doors on a vehicle.

Some US states and Canadian provinces also require a doorless vehicle to have at least two mirrors, which means you'll need to reattach at least one side mirror. Some areas might require all three mirrors to be within the law when driving doorless.

 

 

There are aftermarket parts that allow you to attach a side mirror to some spot other than the doors. This is another situation where tube doors are a good alternative. You can attach the side mirror to the hinges just like with the stock doors and it still gives you an open-air driving experience.

The Jeep Wrangler is like Legos for adults. It's the most fun you can have modifying a vehicle. At Enthuze, we stock a nice selection of quality Jeep Wrangler parts and Jeep Wrangler accessories to help you customize your build. All parts are rigorously tested for durability before being stamped with the Enthuze name.

 

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