2013 JK Door Storage

[tzettler]

Hey guys I have a 2013 JK Sport, and am planning a road trip to Colorado in September... I want to bring my factory soors with me for security purposes, though I may have a third person in the back with us.  Wondering, aside from stuffing my doors in the backseat with a blanket to protect them, is there some sort of holder that would go into a trailer hitch to haul them behind the vehicle when removed?  I also plan on dropping the top so rooftop options are not feasible.  Hope there is something!

[binare]

I assume your running soft doors? If you are wouldn't it be easier to try and stow those for the trip down instead of the big heavy factory doors?

[w squared]

I assume your running soft doors? If you are wouldn't it be easier to try and stow those for the trip down instead of the big heavy factory doors?

What he said. Don't leave you stuff in the Jeep overnight, and run soft doors.

Trying to store hard doors inside your Jeep is going to be a pain.

[tzettler]

Hey no I am not currently running soft doors... only issue with doing so is I am going to a weekend long concert and will need a place for my valuables during the day as a tent is far from secure.  Anyone have any decent storage ideas for steel doors on a long haul trip?  I'm going to see about storing them in the back strapped in, standing up with windows down... only thing I can really think of, unless there is some handy tow behind option someone might know of?  Worst case scenario I take my chances with soft doors.  In that case, anyone have recommendations on inexpensivr quality 2 piece doors?  Thanks for all the input!

[w squared]

"inexpensive" and "doors for a JK" are not things that belong in the same sentence. If you want bottoms and tops, you're probably looking somewhere in the $500 to $700 range.

As far as storage goes, there are a few possibilities. You can buy aftermarket steel replacements for the glovebox and the center console. You can also buy a drawer that fits underneath the driver's seat and locks up (and bolts to the floor. You may also be able to find an "add-a-trunk" that lets you creat a relatively secure storage area  inside the tailgate.

[specialk]

Really... I would just leave the doors on.  Highway speeds with no doors gets old quick.  Take them off at camp, chain em to a tree and bomb around.

[binare]

So you want to drive to Colorado with no doors on and have them hanging off your hitch or in the back?

[tzettler]

Hahaha awesome!  Lol  thanks for the tips on the steel upgrades, that sounds like a good idea, guess I'll just get those and take my chances with soft doors... I've looked at what is available from Quadratec, any other good places to shop for soft doors?  I know of Modern Motors and National 4WD, just trying to get some visuals without driving all over the city, if possible. Ie websites.  Thanks w squared.

Also, valid point specialk... very valid point.  Having the top down will be windy enough I'm sure... really I guess one way or another, even with a soft top and hard doors its pretty easy to get into a Jeep lol think I may just rock steel doors and the added security of steel console and glove compartment and save me some cash in the meantime...

And binare, I was hoping to take them off when I want and have a decent place to store them, not in the backseat.  I know they have storage options that go in a hitch receiver, just don't know how great any would be for steel doors unless designed specifically for such a purpose?  You know of any?

On that note, I'm looking to get some wheel spacers for my stock wheels as I plan on throwing them on for the trip.  I have the 17" five-star wheels, I would like at least a 2" spacer installed.  Is there any issue with stock bolts not being long enough to thread a lug nut onto with spacers and stock rims?  Thanks, AGAIN!

[WhiteOut]

You don't want to be running slip on spacers, the correct ones bolt to the hub and have studs embedded in them to bolt the wheel to. Also, since you say you already have 15" rims on a JK, you probably already have a wheel with less backspacing, reducing that measurement further is only going to increase wear on the front end components.

[w squared]

Really... I would just leave the doors on.  Highway speeds with no doors gets old quick. 

Really? I didn't think that you had gotten THAT old. 


You gotta love running doors off to do it on a road trip. I've done Calgary to Kalispell and back with no doors, and it was great. I've also done Calgary to Seattle and back running soft half doors in the early mornings, and no doors throughout the rest of the day. That was great too...but on day nine and day ten of the road trip, it was somewhat less fun. Kinda like doing a long road trip on a motorcycle - it will wear on you if you're not used to it (or you're an old and feeble ginger).

As far as spacers go, if you have the stock 17" JK wheels, please do yourself and everyone else on the road a favor and avoid the slip-on spacers like the plague. Slip-on spacers are a recipe for wheels falling off.

What you want is the 1.5" thick Spidertrax spacers.  wwww.northridge4x4.ca has 'em. If you install them properly (RTFM!) and understand how to use a torque wrench (RTFM!) they will work just great for you. I've been running a set for close on three years now, and they've been great so far.

[JackstandJohnny]

special K hit it bang on.

no doors gets old quick. 

[WhiteOut]

special K hit it bang on.

no doors gets old quick. 

Coming from the guy with a doorless Jeep sitting in the middle of a downpour right now

[JackstandJohnny]

hey those doors are keeping SOME of the jeep dry........ lol

jeeps dry out just fine   everyone at works telling me to go drive it under the drive through; i just shrug and laugh. it'll be fine. its lasted what, 22 years thus far? a lil' rain won't hurt it.

BUT........... its nice to have those full doors when mother Nature starts PMSing.......

[tzettler]

Great!  Thanks for all the input and opinions!!!  Think I'll just run full steel doors and drop the top... buuut definitely going to go with those spacers, make it a BIT more badass looking with them anyway!  I would presume, lol

[w squared]

Don't run spacers unless you need to run spacers. The only reason that you should need spacers on your stock JK is if you want to put on a lift and/or bigger tires. If you ran the stock wheels with no spacers, the bigger wider tires would rub.

Putting spacers on adds no performance, and increases the amount of wear and tear on your bearings.

If you want to make your JK look "badass"....(insert minivan joke here)