Trail Doors! - Ford Explorer Ranger Enthusiasts "Serious Explorations"®

*RFR2212* · 09-26-2006, 09:43 PM

Well this is for my '73 Bronco, but the same principles apply to explorer doors for the most part.
Here's the full door:

Here's the partially filled door:

It's quite simple. Get large sawzall blades and cut whatever you want removed. I started with a sawzall and the door became so flimsy, that it shook violently with the saw. I then used a cut off wheel. Presto! I then used a portion of the door sheet metal for the bottom plate and have other sheet metal for the other portions of the door. I simply shape them in a vice with a mallot and then drill 9/64 holes for my 1/8in rivets. Works very well. Place a rivet every 1 to 1.5in and you're set. File any edges with a file so you dont catch your arm and cut yourself. Yes, you could weld the sheet metal in and then fiberglass over it and smooth it out to make it purdy, but that is not necessary for the truck.

With the bronco setup, the outside door handle will still work, which was important. You may also ask, why not build tube doors? Well the reason is, I've already got the doors and sheet metal, so it's an easy project.I also didn't want to install the full doors because I have no permanant roof. So they then become kinda clumsy. Bugs were eating me, so I did not finish the pass. door tonight. Tomorrow, I will finish it, and hopefully cut down the drivers door. A brief writeup but there isn't much too it. I will follow it up with more photos as I progress.

Desert Rat · 09-27-2006, 04:40 AM

Thats a cool idea, but how strong is the door after all that cutting?.....

*RFR2212* · 09-27-2006, 07:05 AM

It's very weak initally, but each new piece of sheet metal makes it stronger. I will let you know once I get the last piece in. I'll check how much it flexes and twists.

**Burns** · 09-27-2006, 12:08 PM

nice idea i have seen it before and i have thought about it one the X but i need a way to make cover with a window in it

younggun · 09-28-2006, 11:14 PM

here are some doors off of a buddies 79 f150.

*RFR2212* · 10-03-2006, 08:12 PM

Here are the last pics I took last week when i was working. Been too busy since then to work on the drivers door. However, I've changed the drivers side a bit. I am building the sides first, and will then cover the bottom last.
Pass side done

drivers side

I think these should turn out pretty well...

badmonkey · 10-03-2006, 08:35 PM

Very cool

**410Fortune** · 10-03-2006, 08:38 PM

just weld them to the bronco tub!

oops....I bet you cant guess what the BII's gonna get

Desert Rat · 10-04-2006, 03:05 AM

Nice work........Ive been thinking about trail doors myself instead of tube ones.

*RFR2212* · 10-04-2006, 10:28 PM

See, now if I wanted to do that, I'd have cut them ALOT more. Never thought of the idea, but I suppose if I do make the truck streetable, I'd like to yank the doors off...

Quote:

Originally Posted by 410Fortune

just weld them to the bronco tub!

oops....I bet you cant guess what the BII's gonna get

*RFR2212* · 10-11-2006, 07:41 PM

Here's the drivers door finished. Both good and bad came out of this door. I put the bottom piece on last, so I think it looks cleaner, but I didn't leave myself enough metal for the inside of the door on the one end, so I torched it alot and kinda mashed it around. It'll work. Next week I should have installed pictures.

09-26-2006, 09:43 PM	#1
RFR2212 Typing Police In the mug by Chitown 95 JEEP Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 5,244 Vehicle Specs	Trail Doors! Well this is for my '73 Bronco, but the same principles apply to explorer doors for the most part. Here's the full door: Here's the partially filled door: It's quite simple. Get large sawzall blades and cut whatever you want removed. I started with a sawzall and the door became so flimsy, that it shook violently with the saw. I then used a cut off wheel. Presto! I then used a portion of the door sheet metal for the bottom plate and have other sheet metal for the other portions of the door. I simply shape them in a vice with a mallot and then drill 9/64 holes for my 1/8in rivets. Works very well. Place a rivet every 1 to 1.5in and you're set. File any edges with a file so you dont catch your arm and cut yourself. Yes, you could weld the sheet metal in and then fiberglass over it and smooth it out to make it purdy, but that is not necessary for the truck. With the bronco setup, the outside door handle will still work, which was important. You may also ask, why not build tube doors? Well the reason is, I've already got the doors and sheet metal, so it's an easy project.I also didn't want to install the full doors because I have no permanant roof. So they then become kinda clumsy. Bugs were eating me, so I did not finish the pass. door tonight. Tomorrow, I will finish it, and hopefully cut down the drivers door. A brief writeup but there isn't much too it. I will follow it up with more photos as I progress. __________________ My Truck Registry For those who can't spell, click HERE!!

09-27-2006, 04:40 AM	#2
Desert Rat Wannabe Elite Explorer Arizona Black 92 4x4 XLT Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 89 Vehicle Specs	Thats a cool idea, but how strong is the door after all that cutting?..... __________________ 92 Black XLT 4x4 w/ toothpick axle (Dana 30) Now SASed My Myspace Page My Cardomain Page

09-27-2006, 07:05 AM	#3
RFR2212 Typing Police In the mug by Chitown 95 JEEP Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 5,244 Vehicle Specs	It's very weak initally, but each new piece of sheet metal makes it stronger. I will let you know once I get the last piece in. I'll check how much it flexes and twists. __________________ My Truck Registry For those who can't spell, click HERE!!

09-27-2006, 12:08 PM	#4
Burns EF Late Night Crew Sparta,TN 1991 Explorer Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 7,701 Vehicle Specs	nice idea i have seen it before and i have thought about it one the X but i need a way to make cover with a window in it __________________ Jonathan Burns Moderator of the Feature Truck Forum Owner of the "Lime" Forum Rules and Usage

10-03-2006, 08:12 PM	#6
RFR2212 Typing Police In the mug by Chitown 95 JEEP Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 5,244 Vehicle Specs	Here are the last pics I took last week when i was working. Been too busy since then to work on the drivers door. However, I've changed the drivers side a bit. I am building the sides first, and will then cover the bottom last. Pass side done drivers side I think these should turn out pretty well... __________________ My Truck Registry For those who can't spell, click HERE!!

09-28-2006, 11:14 PM	#5
younggun Wannabe Elite Explorer sasaktoon sasaktchewan 1977 f250 Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 10 Vehicle Specs	here are some doors off of a buddies 79 f150.

10-03-2006, 08:35 PM	#7
badmonkey Wannabe Elite Explorer Bristol, Connecticut 94 E/B Limited Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 222 Vehicle Specs	Very cool __________________ New England Explorers 5 out of 3 people have trouble with fractions

10-03-2006, 08:38 PM	#8
410Fortune ELITE BRONCO2ERER Crawlorado B2 Mod Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 21,976 Vehicle Specs	just weld them to the bronco tub! oops....I bet you cant guess what the BII's gonna get __________________ 96 Explorer daily driver build-1996 XLT 5.0L AWD to 4x4 conversion complete on 33's 88 BII 5.0L conversion - BII 5.0l drivetrain thread My Bronco II - 1988 Bronco II 4x4 V8 on 35's - registry and updates Wifes 07 FJ build - 2007 FJ cruiser locked and lifted

10-04-2006, 03:05 AM	#9
Desert Rat Wannabe Elite Explorer Arizona Black 92 4x4 XLT Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 89 Vehicle Specs	Nice work........Ive been thinking about trail doors myself instead of tube ones. __________________ 92 Black XLT 4x4 w/ toothpick axle (Dana 30) Now SASed My Myspace Page My Cardomain Page

10-11-2006, 07:41 PM	#11
RFR2212 Typing Police In the mug by Chitown 95 JEEP Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 5,244 Vehicle Specs	Here's the drivers door finished. Both good and bad came out of this door. I put the bottom piece on last, so I think it looks cleaner, but I didn't leave myself enough metal for the inside of the door on the one end, so I torched it alot and kinda mashed it around. It'll work. Next week I should have installed pictures. __________________ My Truck Registry For those who can't spell, click HERE!!