whmoorejr
Jr. Member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2006
- Messages
- 118
Intro: I live in houston. It's freaking hot all the time. Even with the top off, my EB is such an aerodynamic brick, I don't get much air. So, take off the doors is the next thing... but replace with what?
I like the tube door idea, something to lean againgst, all the airflow, don't need inserts. Problem, you are dishing out several hundred bucks (almost a grand after the special hinges).
Solution: Home Depot.
The Shopping List:
- (2) 1" square steal chunks
- (1) 1" "L" aluminum strip (Cut in half makes two door handles)
- (1) 39" x 72" Galvanized steel pedestrian gate (enough for framing two doors)
- (4) 2-1/2" hinge pins (the ones with the little round key chain type loop at the top and a little ball bearing at the bottom.
- (4) "L" brackets (door latch and handle)
- (2) Metal hangars (closset, not home depot) for door latch -> handle
- (crapload) various 5/16" bolts + nuts
- 1'x2' peice of sheet metal or diamond plate (found in garage, not home depot)
- (2) cheep rubber door stops. They are about 1" round with a hole in the middle. Makes for a buffer between the door and the peg thing on the striker plate.
- (4) Galvanized "L" connectors for fences.
- (2) 1-1/2" springs
Process:
The most time consuming was taking out the old hinge pins. Two came out with hammer and punch. The other two (driver side) propane torch, air hammer, drill press, lots of wd40... it sucked but finally came out.
When you look for a galvanized door, the dementions they list include hardware width. So the 41" door I picked up is actuall like 37" wide. perfect.
I cut the gate at about 20" tall. This created my two bottom pieces and two peices of scrap to be used to make the door top rail. The galvenized "L" connectors joind the top rails to the bottom chunks. And that is basically the door.
Two more obsticles, the new hinge and new latch. The 1" steal pipe thing has holes along it and fits perfectly in the stock hinge. (So I can swap back to stock doors at any time). Cut out four holes worth of pipe per hinge. (so four chunks.) Use the other peice to create a "C" shape. This will stabalize the two hinge parts and help space the door into the frame. This is where I added a chunk of diamond plate. This plate will keep the hinge from shifting or pivoting. Bolted something like that to the front of each door, and done.
To keep them closed, I used "L" brackets and a spring. The spring pulls the ""L" against the strike plate to keep it closed. Then a wire hanger goes to another "L" at the top rail of the door to work as a door handle.
Now that I'm looking over what I wrote, it sounds super gheto. As soon as I can figure out how to upload a pic, I will. They look pretty good.
I like the tube door idea, something to lean againgst, all the airflow, don't need inserts. Problem, you are dishing out several hundred bucks (almost a grand after the special hinges).
Solution: Home Depot.
The Shopping List:
- (2) 1" square steal chunks
- (1) 1" "L" aluminum strip (Cut in half makes two door handles)
- (1) 39" x 72" Galvanized steel pedestrian gate (enough for framing two doors)
- (4) 2-1/2" hinge pins (the ones with the little round key chain type loop at the top and a little ball bearing at the bottom.
- (4) "L" brackets (door latch and handle)
- (2) Metal hangars (closset, not home depot) for door latch -> handle
- (crapload) various 5/16" bolts + nuts
- 1'x2' peice of sheet metal or diamond plate (found in garage, not home depot)
- (2) cheep rubber door stops. They are about 1" round with a hole in the middle. Makes for a buffer between the door and the peg thing on the striker plate.
- (4) Galvanized "L" connectors for fences.
- (2) 1-1/2" springs
Process:
The most time consuming was taking out the old hinge pins. Two came out with hammer and punch. The other two (driver side) propane torch, air hammer, drill press, lots of wd40... it sucked but finally came out.
When you look for a galvanized door, the dementions they list include hardware width. So the 41" door I picked up is actuall like 37" wide. perfect.
I cut the gate at about 20" tall. This created my two bottom pieces and two peices of scrap to be used to make the door top rail. The galvenized "L" connectors joind the top rails to the bottom chunks. And that is basically the door.
Two more obsticles, the new hinge and new latch. The 1" steal pipe thing has holes along it and fits perfectly in the stock hinge. (So I can swap back to stock doors at any time). Cut out four holes worth of pipe per hinge. (so four chunks.) Use the other peice to create a "C" shape. This will stabalize the two hinge parts and help space the door into the frame. This is where I added a chunk of diamond plate. This plate will keep the hinge from shifting or pivoting. Bolted something like that to the front of each door, and done.
To keep them closed, I used "L" brackets and a spring. The spring pulls the ""L" against the strike plate to keep it closed. Then a wire hanger goes to another "L" at the top rail of the door to work as a door handle.
Now that I'm looking over what I wrote, it sounds super gheto. As soon as I can figure out how to upload a pic, I will. They look pretty good.
