What did you do to your TJ today?

Well, nuts. I figured the heat gun was free and would be a good test. I'll see how they do.

Even though my interior is dark, I kind of like the lighter gray for the doors. It goes with the CalTrend seat covers I have; black with charcoal stripe.

If I do end up dyeing these I'll keep it light, or shoot the middle between original and the dark color.
I probably have some pictures of the full door panels after the heat gun treatment. They actually looked pretty good but it didn't last more than a few months.

I dyed factory Agate so everything matches.. Surprisingly dead nuts perfect. I had the shop dye the steering column trim too but they got the finish a bit glossier than it should have been. Looked good enough that I didn't both having them respray it.

Steering Column Trim.webp
 
With you guys talking half doors, today was my first trip off road with them. Love them!

This is my first time with half doors on the TJ. I had them on my JK and once I put them on I never went back to the full doors. I use my TJ as my DD and as much as I would love to go doors off all the time, I worry about being caught in unexpected bad weather when I have to work. Hoping the halfies will solve that problem.
 
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I probably have some pictures of the full door panels after the heat gun treatment. They actually looked pretty good but it didn't last more than a few months.

I dyed factory Agate so everything matches.. Surprisingly dead nuts perfect. I had the shop dye the steering column trim too but they got the finish a bit glossier than it should have been. Looked good enough that I didn't both having them respray it.

View attachment 489010

Did you already have seals for your half-door exterior latches; or did you find aftermarkets?

I'm having no luck finding latches with seals.
 
@Fulton_Hogan @MikekiM when you go to adjust the tension of the half door uppers, don’t take the easy way out and bend them in/out while installed. It’s a great way to crack the door card, ask me how I know…next time around I used an old fence post, so I could adjust the tension.

1704592276491.webp
 
This is my first time with half doors on the TJ. I had them on my JK and once I put them on I never went back to the full doors. I use my TJ as my DD and as much as I would love to go doors off all the time, I worry about being caught in unexpected bad weather when I have to work. Hoping the halfies will solve that problem.
Yeah I take mine with me and just strap them down in the back…
Then if I need them it’s a simple two minute job to pop them in, especially on days like today when the weather is confused. ☀️🌧️

IMG_5223.webp


IMG_5222.webp
 
I spent the afternoon cleaning up half door components.

The door uppers got a white vinegar then Simple Green scrub all over. Then some 303 Cleaner, finished up with 303 Protectant. The driver's window has a spot that will need some additional elbow grease. There are still dirt spots in the lower channel where the metal insert pegs come through. I'm not sure how to get in there.

View attachment 488986

The panels came off and got the same scrub down. While everything dried I test-fit the driver door to the Jeep, it was pretty much plug and play. The door's top rear seal seems torn or something. It hangs out from the door, but the door still closes. I might get new seals. Not sure yet. All the internals seem to be there on both doors. The locks lock, the handles actuate the latch; I do need to get exterior handles.

View attachment 488987

Then I went to work on the panels. The passenger panel is the most bleached. It's storage pocket was also bent. I'm sure it rolled over on itself at some earlier point in its life and crushed the pocket. I figured I'd use a heat gun to attempt reshaping the pocket. I also figured I'd see what I could do with the heat gun to bring out the original color. I once saw someone discussing how to make neat welds as making a series of cursive, lowercase letter "e"s. I used that technique with the heat gun. I'd warm a large section and then start detailing with the cursive letters.

Here's the passenger before:

View attachment 488988

Here the same panel after:

View attachment 488989

Both panels after some heat gun.

View attachment 488990

I still need to deal with the bleach and gunk on the tops. I'd also like to figure out a way to refresh the interior lock/handle parts. They work, but they're really discolored. All for another day.

i Painted a set of spice door cards that I got off eBay with

1704595143875.webp


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZTMCX97/?tag=wranglerorg-20

1704595328246.webp

(disregard the arm rest, it was on wrong)

i tried several different brands but it was the closest… not perfect but damn close!
 
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Looks like you did good with your purchase. I had no luck with the heat gun. The results were short lived and a few months after Idid them they looked worse than before. I ended up having them dyed.

This is what my full door cards looked like a few months after doing them with a heat gun...
View attachment 488995

And this the same panels after they were dyed..
View attachment 488996

View attachment 488997

The half doors and skins before and after refinishing..
View attachment 488998

View attachment 489000

I haven't hung them yet. Just rekeyed the door cylinders. Hinges were repainted as well. Weather stripping is in great shape but not reinstalled yet. The uppers are like new so they need nothing. I have new handles for inside and out.

This is unbeatable. I was thinking of you when I saw the earlier pics of FH to tell him and scrolled down and saw this .
 
Did you already have seals for your half-door exterior latches; or did you find aftermarkets?

I'm having no luck finding latches with seals.
I had them. The originals were in perfect condition. If you are really stumped I'll send you the name of a local guy that sells TJ doors and parts. He's sure to have them, though he isn't the cheapest source. Gotta do what you gotta do.

@Fulton_Hogan @MikekiM when you go to adjust the tension of the half door uppers, don’t take the easy way out and bend them in/out while installed. It’s a great way to crack the door card, ask me how I know…next time around I used an old fence post, so I could adjust the tension.

View attachment 489020
That's good advice right there.. thank you

Yeah I take mine with me and just strap them down in the back…
Then if I need them it’s a simple two minute job to pop them in, especially on days like today when the weather is confused. ☀️🌧️

View attachment 489021

View attachment 489022
That is my plan. Easy enough to strap them down in the back. What tailgate table are you using? I have an InstaTrunk and it seems all the tables come all the way up the upper edge of the tailgate. The InstaTrunk seals agains the gate at the height of the rear corners where the roll bar mounts. I cobbled together a removable wire tailgate table that has worked well enough.

2023-11-17 Peconic Camp ON 27.webp


2023-11-17 Peconic Camp ON 28.webp


i Painted a set of spice door cards that I got off eBay with

View attachment 489031

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZTMCX97/?tag=wranglerorg-20

View attachment 489033
(disregard the arm rest, it was on wrong)

i tried several different brands but it was the closest… not perfect but damn close!
Considered painting them but my shop assured me that the dye would be better. They heat the door cards and then apply the dye so it actually penetrates the material. I have dinged the doors with tools, my shoes, my watch and they still look exactly as they did the day I picked them up.
 
I had them. The originals were in perfect condition. If you are really stumped I'll send you the name of a local guy that sells TJ doors and parts. He's sure to have them, though he isn't the cheapest source. Gotta do what you gotta do.


That's good advice right there.. thank you


That is my plan. Easy enough to strap them down in the back. What tailgate table are you using? I have an InstaTrunk and it seems all the tables come all the way up the upper edge of the tailgate. The InstaTrunk seals agains the gate at the height of the rear corners where the roll bar mounts. I cobbled together a removable wire tailgate table that has worked well enough.

View attachment 489039

View attachment 489040


Considered painting them but my shop assured me that the dye would be better. They heat the door cards and then apply the dye so it actually penetrates the material. I have dinged the doors with tools, my shoes, my watch and they still look exactly as they did the day I picked them up.

How much was it to have them dyed?
 
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That is my plan. Easy enough to strap them down in the back. What tailgate table are you using? I have an InstaTrunk and it seems all the tables come all the way up the upper edge of the tailgate. The InstaTrunk seals agains the gate at the height of the rear corners where the roll bar mounts. I cobbled together a removable wire tailgate table that has worked well enough.

View attachment 489039

View attachment 489040
Mine is home made with bits of ply I had in the scrap pile and some wire from a light fixture… has served me well for a few years now

IMG_5055.webp
 
Dropped the trans to replace the front seal, found the pump shaft in rotten shape so I'm trying to convince myself to shell out the cash for the rebuild kit.

5260B329-2564-4878-9172-6B36304CC477.webp




And then while we were removing the tranny, my 25 yr old Craftsman floor jack decided it was done lifting. Need to see if there is a fix online, or else I'm going to stop fighting the urge and buy that purple sparkle Daytona floor jack at HF.


In JKU news, I finally put oil in the thing after replacing the oil pump back in November. It fired right up, zero knocks or ticks, despite it being a Chrysler 3.6L. And magically the dreaded P06DD code which I have been fighting with for 2 years went out all on it's own. Just in time to get it inspected/emission tested.
 
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How much was it to have them dyed?
I paid $200 to dye the half door cards, the door pins and the upper and lower steering column trim. I am in the NE so I would expect it might be less expensive anywhere else. We pay premium prices for everything.

That reminds me.. I need to leave NY.

And what was the process called?

If I tried to ask a shop if they could/would do it, I'd want to ask for the same thing.
Not being a douche with this answer.. it's called dying. LOL.
Truth.. if there is a more accurate answer I don't know it.

Try calling the shop that does my work.

Ask for Larry. He's a super down to earth guy and I'd be surprised if he didn't tell you everything.

ABA Auto Collision - Copiague, NY 11726 - (631)842-6542

I've done quite a few Jeep projects with him. I drop stuff off; ask about home much it will cost; He says.. "I don't know, I'll take care of you". And, it's always less than I expect.

Mine is home made with bits of ply I had in the scrap pile and some wire from a light fixture… has served me well for a few years now

View attachment 489058
I wish it were that easy for me. The InstaTrunk is the same height as you storage deck but has weather stripping that seals against the inside of the tailgate so no room for the table to fold against the tailgate.

Mine seems sufficient at this point. It won't support a concrete block like the one @jscherb made but it is fully removable and supports more than I have on it in the pictures. I made a mount for the propane bottle so it isn't just hanging off the tailgate lock. That was just proof of concept.

On a different note. I have that three legged stool. Works great but can't sit in it for too long because it crushes my nuts and it tends to sink in fairly easily And, I have a similar butane burner but don't use it too much. I just grab my backpacking kit when I go. I have a bunch of burners that can use iso-butane, butane or propane.

Who makes the kettle with the heat exchanger on the bottom?
 
I paid $200 to dye the half door cards, the door pins and the upper and lower steering column trim. I am in the NE so I would expect it might be less expensive anywhere else. We pay premium prices for everything.

That reminds me.. I need to leave NY.


Not being a douche with this answer.. it's called dying. LOL.
Truth.. if there is a more accurate answer I don't know it.

Try calling the shop that does my work.

Ask for Larry. He's a super down to earth guy and I'd be surprised if he didn't tell you everything.

ABA Auto Collision - Copiague, NY 11726 - (631)842-6542

I've done quite a few Jeep projects with him. I drop stuff off; ask about home much it will cost; He says.. "I don't know, I'll take care of you". And, it's always less than I expect.


I wish it were that easy for me. The InstaTrunk is the same height as you storage deck but has weather stripping that seals against the inside of the tailgate so no room for the table to fold against the tailgate.

Mine seems sufficient at this point. It won't support a concrete block like the one @jscherb made but it is fully removable and supports more than I have on it in the pictures. I made a mount for the propane bottle so it isn't just hanging off the tailgate lock. That was just proof of concept.

On a different note. I have that three legged stool. Works great but can't sit in it for too long because it crushes my nuts and it tends to sink in fairly easily And, I have a similar butane burner but don't use it too much. I just grab my backpacking kit when I go. I have a bunch of burners that can use iso-butane, butane or propane.

Who makes the kettle with the heat exchanger on the bottom?

That would definitely be better than painting just to get the exact match…I was expecting $500 - $1000… I suspect he is “taking real good care of you”… it pays to have friends…😎
 
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I paid $200 to dye the half door cards, the door pins and the upper and lower steering column trim. I am in the NE so I would expect it might be less expensive anywhere else. We pay premium prices for everything.

That reminds me.. I need to leave NY.


Not being a douche with this answer.. it's called dying. LOL.
Truth.. if there is a more accurate answer I don't know it.

Try calling the shop that does my work.

Ask for Larry. He's a super down to earth guy and I'd be surprised if he didn't tell you everything.

ABA Auto Collision - Copiague, NY 11726 - (631)842-6542

I've done quite a few Jeep projects with him. I drop stuff off; ask about home much it will cost; He says.. "I don't know, I'll take care of you". And, it's always less than I expect.


I wish it were that easy for me. The InstaTrunk is the same height as you storage deck but has weather stripping that seals against the inside of the tailgate so no room for the table to fold against the tailgate.

Mine seems sufficient at this point. It won't support a concrete block like the one @jscherb made but it is fully removable and supports more than I have on it in the pictures. I made a mount for the propane bottle so it isn't just hanging off the tailgate lock. That was just proof of concept.

On a different note. I have that three legged stool. Works great but can't sit in it for too long because it crushes my nuts and it tends to sink in fairly easily And, I have a similar butane burner but don't use it too much. I just grab my backpacking kit when I go. I have a bunch of burners that can use iso-butane, butane or propane.

Who makes the kettle with the heat exchanger on the bottom?

Thanks, I appreciate the information!
 
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