Safety-Doorless on the road

[spreadmonkey]

I have plenty of things to fix on my new EB, but that doesn't mean I can't daydream about what I'm going to do to it once i have more money and have all the little stuff out of the way. I plan on driving it to work a few days a week, and using as a camping/beach/moderate trail rig.

So, safety is a concern, both for me and whatever passengers I have, but I still want to go doorless. How many of you go doorless on the road and what you do to protect your legs/torso in the event of being t-boned? I have doodled a few ideas but I thought I would learn from others mistakes/successes before I drew up a final plan.

A couple other things I want to do first that I have to consider are:

-Drop driver side floor panel so that my head is more inside the cage (i have been admiring rajincajin's handiwork)
-Rock Sliders using square tubing, tied to frame.
-tie cage to frame
-possible body lift

I thought about tying a door between the cage and the sliders, but that's a lot of steel. That and other options all end up looking something like a partial exo-cage. The most simple is just a u-shaped HD steel tube that comes about half way up where the door would be. Pain in the ass to climb over though. hmmm%)

 

[Heus33]

Have you considered a set of tube doors?

Other than that, running doorless or with fiberglass inserts leaves you pretty much open to a t-bone accident.

Only other option is to lift your rig 20"+ so everything just goes underneath ya. ;D

 

[spreadmonkey]

tube doors

ya, I have looked at the ones from Duff, but it looks like the hinges or latch would snap like a toothpick if you got hit with any considerable momentum

 

[tasker]

i run the inserts, never had a problem. Always seat belted and luckily never had any problems.

 

[tcjones76]

Tie the cage and rock sliders to the frame as you said. Then add good safety seats and harnesses (tied to the cage), and finish with some tube doors.

Then I'd worry about the poor guy that t-bones you.

 

[t.lay]

Tube doors - the fun of open air and probably more protection than a stock door. I've seen some cut down stock doors too. There's a few threads on rock sliders - the 2x6 tubing ones look pretty sharp - Madgyver did a nice how-to write up. The frame tie-ins are a good idea as well as attaching seats and belts to the cage.

 

[horsewpt69]

I've run just inserts and belted in also for years and never worry about it. My Bronco doesn't even go in gear until everyone is belted in. It's good that you are worried about saftey, but think about guys on motorcycles and what they put themselves in the line of? The structure of a Bronco is probably just as strong as most of the tin machines on the road today anyway.;D Hope you fine the combo that suits.

 

[gjrock]

Safer than a motorcycle!I run that way most of the summer,no probs.

 

[t.lay]

The structure of a Bronco is probably just as strong as most of the tin machines on the road today anyway.;D .

the wife backed her heep (w/ 3/16" back bumper) into a pontiac on the street a while back. It chipped her powdercoating - $3k to fix the pontiac - I'd hate to think what she woulda done to that car rolling the EB into it with stronger bumpers, taller lift, heavier frame.... at least they learned not to park anywhere near my driveway.

go with plan a - don't crash

 

[sprdv1]

Check these out too

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111638

 

[spreadmonkey]

ya, i saw those a while back and they appeal to me more than the duff tube doors. I'm thinking of making something like those but maybe with a beefier latch. I have never fabbed before but there is a first time for everything. Gotta get some scrap metal and start practicing a little.

 

[sprdv1]

ya, i saw those a while back and they appeal to me more than the duff tube doors. I'm thinking of making something like those but maybe with a beefier latch. I have never fabbed before but there is a first time for everything. Gotta get some scrap metal and start practicing a little.

The beefier latch would probably be a good thing... Good luck man

 

[neonizagas]

I used to drive my Bronco with the door inserts and it was rush driving around like that. I always made sure who ever was in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt. And that was before it became a law. I also ride a motorcycle and know the risk of being hit by another driver. I think you really need to drive defensively and feel that other drivers just don't see you. If you ever got t-boned I think it would depend on the speed at inpact that would determine if you would survive with or without the protection of the door. So having and wearing good seatbelts would be a must.

I really like the looks of the tube doors offered by Greaseball!

http://www.greaseballmotorsports.com/broncos/

 

[av8rds]

. How many of you go doorless on the road and what you do to protect your legs/torso in the event of being t-boned?

Yes always and never worry about it is how I handle it.

 

[rockbronco66]

Doors we don't need no stinking doors. My doors are just shells no windows. P.O. rolled it and broke out the glass and bent the window frames so I use em as trail doors.
Good seats and seatbelts mounted to cage and frame with tube rockers would be safe and strong.

 

[Z Bronco]

My rockers are now 3/16' square tube which offer some protection depending on how tall the vehicle is that hits you. I drove a Suzuki Samarai for a few years and defensive driving is a must.

 

[welndmn]

I think you should add door bars to your cage.
A door bar goes from the B pilliar (around the same height of your seat belt bar, if you have harness) to the bottom of the A pilliar.
Sure it gets in the way, and you drag your cheeks over it when getting in, but it adds a lot of strengh to the cage.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I think you should add door bars to your cage.
A door bar goes from the B pilliar (around the same height of your seat belt bar, if you have harness) to the bottom of the A pilliar.
Sure it gets in the way, and you drag your cheeks over it when getting in, but it adds a lot of strengh to the cage.

My cousin had those in his pro-street car , but they were removable.

 

[73bronc92]

I think you should add door bars to your cage.
A door bar goes from the B pilliar (around the same height of your seat belt bar, if you have harness) to the bottom of the A pilliar.
Sure it gets in the way, and you drag your cheeks over it when getting in, but it adds a lot of strengh to the cage.

Thats what i got but mine are at arm rest level from P.O. so it makes you feel more secure. But im going to try and make it removable its kind of annoying%)