Soft door build

[mountainpass]

This project is a product of disappointment with the fitment(comments and reviews) and pricing of the only soft doors on the market. I just wanted an emergency set of doors I can throw under the tonneau cover.

After several days of deciding whether or not to attempt this one morning I was driving down the road and there was a delivery truck in road offloading a refrigerator, I backed up and the guy was happy to throw the box in the back. So I went home and made a template.

Finally hit upon using corrugated plastic as a skin. A neighbor had an old campaign sign that was large enough so I went to work. I also found an adhesive that I believe won't eat up the plastic(guess I'll know come the morn).

I was going to try making it two thick by gluing two pieces together but hit upon using a stiff wire inserted into the sign running inside the corrugated part top to bottom. Used the wire just inside each edge. The jeep door has a built in curve of about 4" and using the wire I was able to give it just enough curvature. I finished it out gluing and screwing wood to the inside. I will remove the screws.

Next will be getting the hinge pins welded up.

One thing I haven't figured out is weatherstripping. If anyone has an ideas on that I'm all ears.

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[CJ5w4wdSmokyOnMyTail]

You da MAN! I. too, want emergency rain doors that cost less than $1,300. I've been turning ideas over in my head, but you are a more ambitious man than I and have actually begun the experimentation process. So I'll be following this thread and thanks for posting.

 

[mountainpass]

On the template I cut out for the mirror and hinges and put it over the door and traced around it(just make sure there isnt anything embedded in cardboard).

Here is the corrugated plastic at HD I considered( Coroplast 48 in. x 96 in. x 0.157 in. White Corrugated Plastic Sheet-CP4896S - The Home Depot ) but was afraid my plan wouldn't work but once I secured the sign went ahead with experiment.

Here is the glue I picked ( Loctite PL Marine 10 fl. oz. Fast Cure Adhesive Sealant-2016891 - The Home Depot )as it was basically the only one that didn't say (Not recommended for polyethylene and polypropylene). It doesn't state that it will mind you but at least there's a chance.

Edit: After looking at it again I think I'm gonna run another piece of stiff wire through it right at point where the front of door points out at top as I'm concerned with the strength at the top front. As for wire I considered the stiff suspended ceiling hanging wire, but couldn't find any in my basement. I did have the electrical service cable left over from when a tree brought it down and used the center wire from ground which is super strong galvanized steel.

 

[mountainpass]

Gathered items today for hinges. Thought I had a line on welding it up but my buddy wasn't sure his cheap welder was up to the task. Bought a 2" wide 1/8" thick flat steel, a 1" flat steel and long bolts 7/16" that are smooth and not threaded for most of way(found those at tractor supply). Was going to buy 7/16" steel rod and bend it 90 degrees but HD was out and so was TS, but found the bolts instead. I actually picked up some gate hinges but decided they will add way too much weight. So my idea is to weld the bolts(cut off the threads but leave the tapered part) to the 1" steel and then weld that to the 2" steel, run it between the hinges and bolt the 2" piece through the door into the wide piece wood.

The 7/16" bolts fit perfect in hinge mount on jeep.

 

[Gren71]

Watching this. Seems like a cool idea in the works

 

[Kevin_D]

One thing I haven't figured out is weatherstripping. If anyone has an ideas on that I'm all ears.

Just use house weatherstripping from your local big-box store.
It's available in various widths, thicknesses & densities, with adhesive.

Kevin

 

[mountainpass]

Just use house weatherstripping from your local big-box store.
It's available in various widths, thicknesses & densities, with adhesive.

Kevin

I have some but the adhesive doesn't seem strong enough. I may see if I can find a different brand. I have another idea, but will have to experiment.

The one issue is if you look at a door the weather stripping follows a contour on the door, well my doors can't and especially at the front is gonna be a challenge. I wish I could find a slotted U shaped piece I could simply glue onto the very edge of door. Frankly I expect some water and am ok with that, these aren't intended as anything more than emergency doors.

 

[mountainpass]

The thing that made me really start to believe this would actually work is the stiff wire ran through the door( orient the corrugated sheet so the holes are at top and bottom ). I put another piece of wire in today and might end up sticking one more in there as if the wind were to grab that top corner and pull it out the door will be compromised. One other way I had intended to add the curve was to cut a piece of wood to the shape. That would have taken more time but it might possibly have worked. One other thought was to glue two pieces together with the corrugated running opposite each other and run wires in each piece. Might eliminate some or all of the wood.

 

[Kevin_D]

The one issue is if you look at a door the weather stripping follows a contour on the door, well my doors can't and especially at the front is gonna be a challenge. I wish I could find a slotted U shaped piece I could simply glue onto the very edge of door.

So you want some type of welting.
https://amazon.com/s?k=welting&ref=nb_sb_noss

Kevin

 

[mountainpass]

So you want some type of welting.
https://amazon.com/s?k=welting&ref=nb_sb_noss

Kevin

Yes. It's amazing what you can find if you know the name. Funny you posted that as I was just boning up on "lift off hinges". If I could find one with a 7/16" pin I'd mount a piece of wood up closer and forgo the welding.

 

[mountainpass]

Even though I found a 7/16" bolt fits I am hoping someone with a caliper will confirm by measuring their pin.

 

[mountainpass]

"I have not failed, I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Thomas Edison

Well I guess it's not that bad. Woke up with fresh thoughts and after a couple of failures I was able to mount the door( I still plan on welding up the hinge the way I intended but wanted to test the door's integrity at speed.

One bright spot is finding a use for the plastic skid plate, hinges....

I made a latch and even had decided how to make it work from the outside, but I think I'm gonna try a different solution that won't be a problem when the doors are stacked in bed.

But all today was for a shake down of the door and it failed. At 35mph the top pulled out of frame. So after thinking it over I think I'll try a flat steel piece bent slightly at front. Maybe tomorrow.

 

[A 2]

I have some but the adhesive doesn't seem strong enough. I may see if I can find a different brand. I have another idea, but will have to experiment.

The one issue is if you look at a door the weather stripping follows a contour on the door, well my doors can't and especially at the front is gonna be a challenge. I wish I could find a slotted U shaped piece I could simply glue onto the very edge of door. Frankly I expect some water and am ok with that, these aren't intended as anything more than emergency doors.

If the weather strip adhesive doesn’t stick well, get some HD carpet seam tape. It’s waterproof and has a double sided stick tenacity that bonds well. I’ve used this stuff to join a tyvek seam when making a bivi tent for ultra-lite bike packing.

 

[mountainpass]

Today I bought a 1" wide by 3/16" thick piece of flat steel at HD. I made a makeshift brake and bent it for the front of door to keep the top of door from lifting out. A test run confirmed its good up to at least 55mph. I am considering strengthening the rear curve of door not sure if I'll use steel yet or wood in some way. I think I have a better way to latch the door and may work it out tomorrow.

Including a better pic of hinges in case yall wondered how I cut them. I tried today to better support them but don't think I helped. I do think they would work fine, might also try to strengthen them tomorrow as well as I kinda like them.

 

[mountainpass]

For those interested this is how I had wanted to weld up the hinge system.

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