Tube Doors!! | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Tube Doors!!

EMG7895 said:
What about something like a gate latch, like the ones where the little bar on the gate lift up a thing in the latch which secures it in place?
Get Rick to send you a picture of his latches. They are solid - spring loaded - and work well. And - they look much safer than the small barrel latches that you used.

About re-installing the doors...
Why not add a couple of locating pins to the hinges that would pierce the door plates? That way, when it's time to hang the doors, the pins would locate everything right back where it goes - slap them on - tighten them down and go. I have been thinking of the same thing, but I would need to put the doors on and off a LOT (Kentucky gets too much rain and it's cold in the winter).
 



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glfredrick said:
Get Rick to send you a picture of his latches. They are solid - spring loaded - and work well. And - they look much safer than the small barrel latches that you used.

About re-installing the doors...
Why not add a couple of locating pins to the hinges that would pierce the door plates? That way, when it's time to hang the doors, the pins would locate everything right back where it goes - slap them on - tighten them down and go. I have been thinking of the same thing, but I would need to put the doors on and off a LOT (Kentucky gets too much rain and it's cold in the winter).
I have already looked at Ricks latches. They are not way complicated, but more than I want. Have you seen the bracket attached to the pillar? It is pretty involved though. I'm sure down the line I will figure out some better way to latch them. Rick also had his built by a major fabrication shop, FST. All I have is myself and limited funds.
About reinstalling the doors, that is a good Idea about the pins. I could even just drill some small holes too and use some kind of rod or something small, and line it up with that too. Good Idea.
Thanks for everyones ideas though.

they all help.

Andy
 






looks sweet, im not worried about the barrel latches either. what can happen? oh no the tube door might open. so what? in an accident that wont protect no matter what kinda latch you use so why does it matter? oh well...
 






i dont agree with the latch being oriented with the locking slot upward... gravity and vibration will cuase it to fall back down... that lock may prove to be ok, if it was flipped 180*
 






jimabena74 said:
i dont agree with the latch being oriented with the locking slot upward... gravity and vibration will cuase it to fall back down... that lock may prove to be ok, if it was flipped 180*
I originally was going to mount it that way, but it would have been impossible to unlatch it. If you look at the picture, you can see if it were flipped upside down from the way it is, the little handle would have been really hard to grab. It would have almost been contacting the hinge for the rear door. Beleive me, I really wanted to mount it that way, but it just turned out easier to mount it the way it is now. Like I said in an earilier post, if I find it unlatching itself, I will just put a string or bungee around the latch and attach it to the tube door to hold it closed. Right now, I haven't had any problem with the door coming unlatched. The padding between the door and the body of the truck keep it pretty secure.
 






Fish Man said:
looks sweet, im not worried about the barrel latches either. what can happen? oh no the tube door might open. so what? in an accident that wont protect no matter what kinda latch you use so why does it matter? oh well...
Thanks, my sentiments exactly!
Even if the tube door did open, I'm still buckeled in. The door isn't gonna prevent me from falling out.
Seatbelts Save Lives!!!
Just like the sticker says, "Together, we can save lives" (Ford).
 






Got the rear doors built today. I will post pictures once I get them mounted.
I'm just waiting for the paint to dry.
Don't worry, the barrel latches this time are going to be attached to the door, not the body of the truck.
Will post pics of this too.

Damn, my welds just get better and better the more I weld. Its amazing how that happens.

-=Edit=-
Here are the pictures:
 

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Good Job Andy! What did you do for the side mirror(s)? I would like to take my front doors out also. I'm back in Tucson for a month and a half.
 






-=DaemoN=- said:
Good Job Andy! What did you do for the side mirror(s)? I would like to take my front doors out also. I'm back in Tucson for a month and a half.
YOU'RE BACK!!!
For the side mirror I just bought a cheap sport mirror from Auto Zone. It works good enough.
Tomorrow I am welding up my sliders. Should be fun!
I'm using 2x2 steel. I think its 1/8". Should be thick enough I hope. I think later this week I may be building my bumper too. The steel place does not have 3x5 tubing, so I have to figure out another size. I may just go with 4x4 and make it work. It is going to have a tire mount on it too.
Can't wait!

I'm on leave this week, New baby and all. There is a pic in my album at the bottom of my post. Hope to see ya around. Did you get your 9" and 37's yet?

Later,

Andy
 






I need to stop by and take a look at your projects. The 37's are on backorder, now I have to look for another size and brand tires. The 9" only needs the brake calipers and the sring perches welded.

Congrats on the baby!
 






Did you see my sliders?
You should just get some TRXUS MT's. I hear those are pretty good. Or just go and get some regular plane jane TSL super swampers. You aren't gonna get any sort of gas mileage anyway with 37's.
I'm still waiting for my 33's to wear out so I can justify new 35's.

Yup, I've been doin' a lot of cutting, measuring and welding the past couple days, but it is fun! My welds are always getting better.

Yeah, stop by any time this week and see my stuff. I have a ball game tomorrow (Wednesday) at 1930 over by the hobby shop/cop shack fields if you are over that way.

Later,

Andy
 












What I did was just put some quick connectors on the wires. The guy that bought it from me bought some multi pin connectors at radio shack and hooked those up so it would be a lot quicker. Yeah, the doors were designed to go back on.
 






Do you think you could post some picts of the quick disconnects? I have been seriously thinking about this, but need to get over this hurdle. Thanks!
 






I don't have pictures of the quick disconnects, as I didn't put them in. Daddy_ja put them in. They are pretty straight forward though. Just go to Radio Shack and get 4 sets of them, or more to facilitate all of your wires. You just crimp or solder the pins on the wires and push them into the connector. Once you see them, you will see how easy it will be. The doors are heavy and awkward, so 2 people would make it easier to get them on and off.
I used a stud in place of one of the bolts to put them back on. I just put it in one of the bolt holes on the door and was able to slide it into the door hinge to balance the door. I then put in the other 3 bolts, pulled the stud out and put in the last bolt. Pretty easy. Don't let the wires prevent you from taking your doors off though. Like I said earlier, very simple process. JUST DO IT!!

Andy
 












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