Metal tech tube doors + early rig....need help

[Tireguy87]

Just got my MT doors in. Started the install process on my 67' 40 and so far the doors are winning. I can't for the life of me get these dang things to open and close smoothly without having to lift up or pull or torque something. Seems like there are way too many adjustment points. Anyone got these on an early rig and can offer some support? Also, the latches they sent are great but if sitting inside the rig, am I suppose to have to reach over the door to let myself out? There is no inner latch mechanism.

 

[Senor Aguas]

Ha, I'm in the same position (installing MT tube doors). Also in Arkansas. Also on a '67. I can't find my hinge pins, so I'm not quite to the point that you are yet. Maybe I can help in a week or so when my pins come in from CCOT.

 

[Blueegg]

In some ways I'm in a similar boat, have MT doors, in Arkansas but have a later year cruiser. Can't say about the fitment except mine seem to fit fine with a few adjustments. No there was no inner latch.

 

[shelfboy1]

measure the door opening from top to bottom make sure the cowl hasnt shifted.they sometimes lean forward on older rigs with the top off.

 

[Senor Aguas]

I just put one side on. It took 2 painful hours. I had to widen the slots for the piece of the latch that bolts onto the body so the holes would line up. Also 3 of the hinge bolts that came in the kit broke when I installed them. I think the bolts were stainless and the nylock nuts weren't and they galled up. When I do the other side, I'll put some anti seize on them. Finally, the bushings for the new hinge pins that I ordered from CCOT didn't fit, so I had to drill out the hinge holes to 3/8".

Bluegg, did you figure out some way to keep them from rattling? I need some kind of cushion at the latch, maybe a piece of rubber.

 

[Blueegg]

I just put one side on. It took 2 painful hours. I had to widen the slots for the piece of the latch that bolts onto the body so the holes would line up. Also 3 of the hinge bolts that came in the kit broke when I installed them. I think the bolts were stainless and the nylock nuts weren't and they galled up. When I do the other side, I'll put some anti seize on them. Finally, the bushings for the new hinge pins that I ordered from CCOT didn't fit, so I had to drill out the hinge holes to 3/8".

Bluegg, did you figure out some way to keep them from rattling? I need some kind of cushion at the latch, maybe a piece of rubber.

Yes, some insulation foam fixed the rattle.

I'm a and a half guy, but I really did not have that much trouble with fitment of these doors. Reinstalling the Toyota doors is more difficult.

Senor Aguas, here is photos of your driver side fender of your '67s on my '78. It fits like a glove. The passage side is still in rehab.

 

[1973Guppie]

I just installed my MT doors today. The doors are a piece of artwork.

That being said, 2 broken bolts, latches were a difficult fit to the doors due to the little vertical pin on them and the striker plates I had to widen out the holes with a rat tail file. I ended up scratching the crap out of the powdercoat because the latches were so hard to fit to the doors. They need to work on the little things with this kit for sure. Directions in the kit would of been a nice touch too.

Noah

 

[custyota]

doors

Thanks guys now Im worried about installing my doors that I just received for my 78.

Im going to order some of these:

Home

 

[Tireguy87]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one here having problems. The problem I'm having is that even without their striker installed, the catch on the latch mechanism is hitting the inside of the door where the striker would normally go.

I'm thinking about removing the latches and widening the square spot for them so that I can slide them forward a little more (towards the front of the rig).

 

[1911]

Mark and the rest of the guys at MetalTech are great, and I have lots of their stuff...

But my Redline tube doors were relatively easy to fit.

 

[Senor Aguas]

Ha! i had the same problem with the little vertical pin. I just gave it a little persuasion with a big rubber hammer and it popped in. Then I realized that I didn't put the gasket in there, so I had to repeat the procedure. I totally forgot about that part of the install.

I also agree that the doors are welded and painted really nice, its just the hardware that comes with them that needs work.

What's up with the bolts breaking? I'm going to try anti seize when I get to the other side. It felt like they were seizing, but I've never had that happen before. Its almost like one was metric and the other was SAE, but it didn't happen until half way down the bolt. Oh yeah, the bolts are too long too.

I just installed my MT doors today. The doors are a piece of artwork.

That being said, 2 broken bolts, latches were a difficult fit to the doors due to the little vertical pin on them and the striker plates I had to widen out the holes with a rat tail file. I ended up scratching the crap out of the powdercoat because the latches were so hard to fit to the doors. They need to work on the little things with this kit for sure. Directions in the kit would of been a nice touch too.

Noah

 

[Senor Aguas]

Agreed, I've bought their 80 series sliders and 40 series tube fenders and they were excellent.

Mark and the rest of the guys at MetalTech are great, and I have lots of their stuff...

But my Redline tube doors were easy to fit perfectly.

 

[Senor Aguas]

Could you take a picture of how you did the foam fix for the rattle?

I totally forgot about my fenders! I'm glad you could use them. I hope they weren't in too bad of shape under the paint.

Yes, some insulation foam fixed the rattle.

I'm a and a half guy, but I really did not have that much trouble with fitment of these doors. Reinstalling the Toyota doors is more difficult.

Senor Aguas, here is photos of your driver side fender of your '67s on my '78. It fits like a glove. The passage side is still in rehab.

 

[Tireguy87]

Mark and the rest of the guys at MetalTech are great, and I have lots of their stuff...

But my Redline tube doors were easy to fit perfectly.

I considered those and I like them. But I couldn't pass up the deal metal tech was running at the time since I bought them on the June special.

 

[1973Guppie]

Thanks guys now Im worried about installing my doors that I just received for my 78.

Im going to order some of these:

Home

I used matt's hinges on my MT doors, they worked great!

 

[custyota]

Thanks gumpie matt told me to contact u. I just placed my order this am.

 

[helocat]

Metal-tech 4x4 800-839-0684 or 503-822-1111

ANY issues or questions with Metal-tech 4x4 products, we are here to help out.

I just put one side on. It took 2 painful hours. I had to widen the slots for the piece of the latch that bolts onto the body so the holes would line up. Also 3 of the hinge bolts that came in the kit broke when I installed them. I think the bolts were stainless and the nylock nuts weren't and they galled up.

Bluegg, did you figure out some way to keep them from rattling? I need some kind of cushion at the latch, maybe a piece of rubber.

If the bolts are stainless steel as are the nuts. If our hardware vendor used the same series of stainless for both the nut and bolt, then they can gall. Typically our bolts are 304 and the nuts are 316. No issues. I will pull a pack and see if they did not do this the last time around. The other option is for us to just use plated hardware.

Putting the latch into the door: The pivot pin sticking though the latch body can be in the way for the latch to "drop in" place. Over the years even with the same Stainless Steel latch vendor this pin has varied in width. Our door cut out for the latch has not varied in width. However this pin does float can be moved back and forth. When we get the phone call with this question, the support is drop one side of the latch in place (the side closest to the tubing), push the little pin inward to make maximum clearance, then drop down the high side of the latch into place.


Rattling comes down to adjustment. They can be adjusted to close with force and not have any rattle. OR you can use a small piece of foam on the door where it can touch the door sill. This is were each truck fit starts to change.

measure the door opening from top to bottom make sure the cowl hasnt shifted.they sometimes lean forward on older rigs with the top off.

Huge issue with all of our older tucks, the door frames a quite a few are no longer square. Measure each side in a cross pattern with a tape, across each open door area. This shows twist in the tub. The adjustability for the Metal-tech 4x4 tube doors is at the latch striker AND the hinges.

Just got my MT doors in. Started the install process on my 67' 40 and so far the doors are winning. I can't for the life of me get these dang things to open and close smoothly without having to lift up or pull or torque something. Seems like there are way too many adjustment points. Anyone got these on an early rig and can offer some support? Also, the latches they sent are great but if sitting inside the rig, am I suppose to have to reach over the door to let myself out? There is no inner latch mechanism.

The latches have a small threaded point on the inside where a small threaded ball pull can go into. We used to include these, however when they were threaded in all the way it would bind on the body of the latch. Then the latch would not work very well unless lots of monkeying around was done with it. The advantage of the little ball pull was way way less than just reaching to the outside latch. We also learned that most customers just reached for the outside latch since it was much faster to open anyway.

1# tip for Metal-tech 4x4 tube doors:
LUBE the latches! Shoot white lithium grease into the latch plunger and cycle the latch why doing so. This will make the doors close and open 10x better than if the latch is dry.

Metal-tech 4x4 was the first to produce tube doors for our FJ40's, we have worked hard to make what we still feel today is still the best looking and performing tube door option for our trucks. For visibility we kept the front mid to lower area open. For form and function we arced the mid bar down to push branches down and away from driver/passenger. For protection from branches we skinned the mid part of the door where the driver/passenger upper legs are. We then build them from US Made tubing in house and have them fully sandblasted and double powder coated.

We have a full time staff of 5, three of us owning FJ40's. All three of our FJ40's have our tube doors on them and they perform flawlessly. We are here to help with any questions at anytime.

Mark

 

[Senor Aguas]

I ran a magnet over the bolts and nuts. it stuck hard to the bolts but almost not at all to the nuts. whatever that means (im a mechanical engineer but dont know stainless).

also, this piece with the slots.. the slots are slightly too far apart for my '67. I had to widen the slots to get it to fit on the passenger side. I'm guessing it will be the same for the drivers side when I get to it.

 

[Degnol]

measure the door opening from top to bottom make sure the cowl hasnt shifted.they sometimes lean forward on older rigs with the top off.

So true. My door openings were maybe 2" out at the top. Dunno why but put it in a frame machine and pulled the cowl back with some straps, not pretty, but it worked.

 

[Tireguy87]

I ran a magnet over the bolts and nuts. it stuck hard to the bolts but almost not at all to the nuts. whatever that means (im a mechanical engineer but dont know stainless).

also, this piece with the slots.. the slots are slightly too far apart for my '67. I had to widen the slots to get it to fit on the passenger side. I'm guessing it will be the same for the drivers side when I get to it.

Yeah I had to take a Dremel tool and a grinding wheel to my latches to widen the slots. Too close together on my 67' also.