Opinions on Aluminum Trail Doors

mrblaine said:
Well, the other side of that is doors are always in mortal danger out there. We've mentioned with very enthusiastic words that one should not go on the trail with full doors or doors that are not somewhat disposable. A few have ignored that much to our amusement. About 50 yards into the trail, doors came off and two passengers carried them down the trail the rest of the day. We got to giggle a bunch that day.
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I've always kept the full doors on and have never done much in the rocks until our last run, at that time I was concerned about damage to the doors, not a good feeling.
 
Worst part about wheeling with full doors isn't the damage, it's the weight. My first time in Moab I ran full doors and a hardtop. Felt like a pig trying to crawl up stuff. Second time in Moab I ran no doors and a soft top. Felt like a different Jeep. A lot more nimble.

I do like the idea of an aluminum trail door that can get scratched up. The places I've wheeled in the midwest would benefit from "beatable" half doors just for mud blocking. I hate getting back from a day and having mud all over the side of my seat. If you are constantly getting in an out and don't have any mud, no doors might be better.
 
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jodomcfrodo said:
Worst part about wheeling with full doors isn't the damage, it's the weight. My first time in Moab I ran full doors and a hardtop. Felt like a pig trying to crawl up stuff. Second time in Moab I ran no doors and a soft top. Felt like a different Jeep. A lot more nimble.

I do like the idea of an aluminum trail door that can get scratched up. The places I've wheeled in the midwest would benefit from "beatable" half doors just for mud blocking. I hate getting back from a day and having mud all over the side of my seat. If you are constantly getting in an out and don't have any mud, no doors might be better.
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That perfectly describes the significant benefits of going as light as possible. When I used to have full doors and a hard top it was like going from a huge 1970's Cadillac boat to a nimble high performing sports car after taking the hard top and doors off. The differences offroad were dramatic to say the least.
 
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mrblaine said:
Which plates on what rig?
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Those side plates with the extra slider? I love that setup

Screenshot_20200427-133929.png
 
B00mb00m said:
Daaaang is that your rig that thing got freaking beat!? Makes me want to add those front plates that cover fender to door joint also. @mrblaine did you make those plates or buy them?
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Not mine. This isn't an uncommon sight from what I've seen in Johnson Valley. In my very limited experience there on trails, It's fairly easy there to find a rock protruding on one side so you drive around it which causes the other side to drive up on a rock and puts you right into that protruding rock. This causes an interesting conundrum of pros and cons between tire size, wheelbase, and track width — there is no such thing as bigger is better.

I'm looking forward to being back there with my LJ and not having fear putting the tub onto a rock. Last time I was there with the khaki TJ I was way too afraid of scratching the paint and the front driveshaft was ready to blow. Still didn't stop me from accidentally not taking the bypass and going through a lengthy rock garden.
 
B00mb00m said:
Those side plates with the extra slider? I love that setup

View attachment 156486
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I ended up making a template for some just like that. I've been debating where to place the bolts. Since I have a flare in the front I doubt I'll be able to use them as much as that build can and haven't decided if extending the rub rail is beneficial for mine or not.

IMG_20200312_194944.jpg
 
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Is the slider just solid Aluminum bar?
 
Jerry Bransford said:
Savvy's rock sliders have a 6061 aluminum base and inside reinforcement with a heavy duty steel outer rub rail which is separately replaceable.
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I mean the extra tub sliders that Blaine added in that picture I posted.
 
toximus said:
Aluminum bar. Edges formed with a router iirc.
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Have you seen any good means of wrapping a slider like that around the bottom edge or the rear corner? I'd like to get savvy tub sliders for top and bottom of the rear quarter, i wonder if they'd sell that.
 
B00mb00m said:
Have you seen any good means of wrapping a slider like that around the bottom edge or the rear corner? I'd like to get savvy tub sliders for top and bottom of the rear quarter, i wonder if they'd sell that.
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What about buying a second set and have a local welder modify them shortened. Be aware that there's a ton of preload Savvy puts into those rails.
 
toximus said:
What about buying a second set and have a local welder modify them shortened. Be aware that there's a ton of preload Savvy puts into those rails.
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🤣 Was that a way of saying i shouldn't be welding on anything visible?

I'm not following what is preloaded, you mean if it's shortened then it won't suck down tight to match the armor radius?
 
B00mb00m said:
🤣 Was that a way of saying i shouldn't be welding on anything visible?
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It's my way of saying that it's stainless steel.

B00mb00m said:
I'm not following what is preloaded, you mean if it's shortened then it won't suck down tight to match the armor radius?
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I wish I had a picture of it being installed. The entire rail is "warped" to the point that the middle bows about an inch from the side of the tub. As you tighten down the bolts it gets sucked in flat to the side of the tub. All of the bolts are on sliders within the rail to account for this movement.
 
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toximus said:
It's my way of saying that it's stainless steel.



I wish I had a picture of it being installed. The entire rail is "warped" to the point that the middle bows about an inch from the side of the tub. As you tighten down the bolts it gets sucked in flat to the side of the tub. All of the bolts are on sliders within the rail to account for this movement.
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Interesting I've yet to see how those were installed. I will probably be installing at those upper sliders as I've already dented in that top edge once.

I was planning on having to weld the upper one already since i have the exogate, haven't tried stainless yet but I thought it was supposed to be comparable to steel as far as weldability, just different wire and gas, but ya might be something to get cut and tacked and take it in to finish weld.
 
B00mb00m said:
Interesting I've yet to see how those were installed. I will probably be installing at those upper sliders as I've already dented in that top edge once.

I was planning on having to weld the upper one already since i have the exogate, haven't tried stainless yet but I thought it was supposed to be comparable to steel as far as weldability, just different wire and gas, but ya might be something to get cut and tacked and take it in to finish weld.
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Smarter to tig stainless, but you are correct.
 
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