With the proper tools and know-how, taking the doors off a Jeep is a relatively simple process. Just prep the doors for removal, remove the doors, and disable the door lights and alarm. You will need to remove the side mirrors during the process, so be sure to reinstall them once you’ve finished to avoid legal trouble.

Whether you’re an avid off-roader or just plan on cruising around town, one of the perks of owning a Jeep—particularly the

Gladiator

and

Wrangler

models—is being able to remove the vehicle’s doors for the ultimate open-air driving experience.

That being said, removing the doors from a Jeep can be a bit confusing and requires a little more work than you might expect—which is why

Jerry

, the expert driving app and

car insurance

comparison tool, has put together the following article to guide you through the process of taking the doors off a Jeep.

Before we wrap up, we’ll even tell you how to save money on your

Jeep car insurance costs

while we’re at it.

How to take the doors off a Jeep

Jeep is one of the few brands that designs its vehicles with regular removal of the doors in mind, which means the process for removing them is fairly straightforward, consisting of three core steps: prepping the doors, removing the doors, and disabling the door lights and alarms.

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Gather your tools

Before taking the doors off your Jeep, you’ll need to gather the following tools:

Socket wrench

Needle-nosed pliers

Blanket or other covering

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Easy car mods

Prep the doors

Now that you have your tools ready, it’s time to prep the doors for their removal.

Fold the mirrors in flat: Most Jeep mirrors are designed so that they can be folded flat against the door, which helps prevent damage when removing or storing the doors.

Roll the windows down: It will be much easier to remove your doors with the windows down, and the body of the door will protect the glass while they are being stored.

Remove the doors’ black safety straps: This strap serves to prevent the door from opening too far, but you’ll need to unhook it from the main body before the door can be removed.

Unplug the wiring (only for vehicles with power windows and door locks): If your door has this bunch of wires connected to the dashboard, you’ll need to press the release button on the plastic wire pigtail and then pull it backward to disconnect the wires.

Find the bolts holding the door to the vehicle: Your Jeep should have two bolts on the outside of the door which hold the door in place.

MORE:

Are Jeeps expensive to maintain?

Remove the doors

With the doors prepped, you can now start the removal process:

Remove the nuts from the bolts: Using a 13 mm, 6-point socket wrench, remove the nuts from the bolts holding the door in place (you will need to turn counterclockwise in order to loosen them).

Take care not to scratch the paint: Because the bolts are painted to match the rest of your vehicle, you will need to remove them carefully to avoid damaging the paint.

Lift the door up and off the car: Put one arm through the open window and get a good grip on the interior handle or armrest and use your other hand to firmly grasp the exterior handle before lifting up on the door to remove it.

Store the door somewhere safe: The easiest way to store your door after it has been removed is to place it interior-side-down on a blanket or, if you choose to store the doors standing up, by draping a blanket over the door.

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* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

Disable the door light and alarms

Once the doors have been removed, you’ll need to disable any and all lights and alarms associated with the doors.

Disconnect the battery: Use a wrench to loosen the nut holding the black cable to the battery’s negative terminal and tuck the cable to the side so that it does not come in contact with the terminal.

Find the fuse box: The interior fuse box in most Jeep vehicles is located near the parking or emergency brake.

Locate the fuse labeled “Door Jam Defeat”: Remove the fuse box cover and check where the “Door Jam Defeat” fuse is located using the diagram on the cover or in your owner’s manual.

Remove the fuse: Using a pair of needle-nosed pliers, remove the “Door Jam Defeat” fuse and store it somewhere safe (this will disable the door ajar alarm and dome light).

Reconnect the battery: Connect the black cable back to the negative terminal and use your wrench to tighten the nut back into place, ensuring that there is a solid metal-to-metal connection.

MORE:

How to remove a car door panel

Reattach the side mirrors

Depending on where you live, it may be illegal to drive without side mirrors, in which case you’ll need to reattach the mirrors after the doors have been removed. More often than not, this will require you to purchase a set of aftermarket mirrors that can be attached to the sides of your windshield.

Why take a Jeep’s doors off?

Now, you may be wondering why someone would remove their doors in the first place. And with most vehicle makes, this would be a valid question.

But Jeep is famous for being a rugged, off-road friendly brand, one that encourages its customers to experience the road less traveled. Removing the doors allows you to get a true open-air driving experience, putting you that much closer to the natural world.

MORE:

Car loans for Jeep

How to find cheap Jeep insurance

Regardless of whether your vehicle has doors or no doors, you’ll want to make sure it’s protected by the right insurance. That's where

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FAQs

How do I take the doors off my Jeep?

Taking the doors off your Jeep is as simple as folding in the side mirrors, rolling down the windows, unhooking the safety strap, disconnecting the electrical components, removing the nuts from the bolts holding the door to the body, and lifting the door up and out. You’ll also need to disable the door alarms and lights by disconnecting the battery, removing the “Door Jam Defeat” fuse and reconnecting the battery.

Is removing my Jeep’s doors legal?

Yes, removing your Jeep’s doors is legal—we wouldn’t be writing this article if it wasn’t—but you will need to reinstall your side mirrors once the doors are removed to avoid being pulled over, as driving without your drivers- and passenger-side mirrors is illegal in some states.

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