Consensus on how big of a problem the Glad (and some Wranglers) door connectors are

[Erievon]

Let me preface to say that I have not taken the doors off on my JT yet at all, and even though this is my 4th Jeep, it's the first one with power windows/locks/mirrors/etc.
But it seems to me there might be a market (doesn't even matter if the actual need is real or perceived) for some sort of adapter that locks on to the male and female sides of the oem plug and adapts it to something more robust. Undo the oem connector once to plug it in to the adapters, and then from now on plug and unplug the adapter halves. Or would that be too bulky?

Reading this whole thread, this is EXACTLY what was coming to mind, then I got to your post and said "BINGO!" Some kind of retrofit that can just be put inbetween that's never seperated from the frail factory plugs, with no needing to solder/repin connectors etc, something plug and play.

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[turbomc]

I took the step and converted mine to these two cylindrical plugs that use round (much stronger) pins and sockets. I wanted to do it with one plug but I couldn't source one that would fit under the cover and accommodate the two different size gauges required. There are actually four gauge sizes used in the OEM plug but 3 of them are 20, 24 & 28 gauge. These can all safely go in the 16ga sockets of the larger, 19 pin round connector (this number accommodates all options according the door plug maps except for the two window wires). The two for the power windows are 12ga so they had to be put in the separate, smaller 4 pin connector (only two cavities used). Both of the new round connectors they are bayonet-style quick twist connectors. I can do them with one hand and can just "feel" for the aligning keyslot when connecting them so I don't have to contort my body to connect-disconnect them

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[WILDHOBO]

That is exactly the process I've been using. I don't use the lever until it's already moving and the pin are engaged. The lever will actually pull things before the pins are in the proper spots if not careful. I push together manually and the lever is already partway moved and then I only aid it in moving the rest of the way, still putting the halves together manually and guiding the lever instead of the other way around.

Just like a hot-swap drive bay. Levers are secondary helpers after things are lined up.

 

[Challenger85]

This website had me scared the first time I took the doors off. I don’t want to jinx myself, but they’re not that hard to reinstall. Push until the lever moves, than push the lever.

 

[turbomc]

Reading this whole thread, this is EXACTLY what was coming to mind, then I got to your post and said "BINGO!" Some kind of retrofit that can just be put inbetween that's never seperated from the frail factory plugs, with no needing to solder/repin connectors etc, something plug and play.

Agreed! The one I made is a pigtail on the truck body side(i.e. one end plugs into the oem connector and the other has the two cylindrical pugs mounted on a custom made bracket bolted under the strain relief bracket hook. The door end I just went ahead and crimped on new terminals for the new cylindrical connectors. A pigtail on the door side seems like it would be bulky,

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