The case for, or against, rear half doors / "barn doors" (1 Viewer)

[cruiserkev]

A drop down tailgate is much more useful than noisy barn doors, especially with a soft top. I built one to use with my bestop and love how easy it is to access the back and for use as a table when the need arises. Your welded panel will always be an obstacle, my CJ5 buddy always complained about this. Since you already have the barn doors, why not weld them together and make a tailgate like spotcruiser did in these pictures? (Nice fabrication work Todd!) Be sure it's strong enough to sit on, makes a great place to sit and enjoy a beer after wheeling!

 

[Living in the Past]

Does it have a 17 digit vin number?
Does it have a heater?
Factory roll bar?
Is the glass DOT certified?

81 was when a seventeen digit VIN was required in the US. Prior to that it would have been FJ40~XXXXXX. But seventeen digits were only on the A pillar and under the hood Plaques. Frame was still just FJ40~ plus numbers.

As for which is most useful barn doors, ambulance doors or tailgate depends on planned use. If you have jump seats that get used regularly and don't want kids stepping on front seats and center console tailgate is not want you wanted. Have little ones then a rear step is blocked when tailgate is down. Up then climbing over the tailgate is required to use the step. Ambulance doors do not require opening the spare to get the hatch open to open the barn doors. But then leave the back open with the top off. This way you see fixed panels. Those can be installed with no mods to thew tub to use barn doors or a tailgate. Easiest way while not the cheapest is get one of each and figure out which works best. That's the approach I've taken.

 

[dazerb]

A drop down tailgate is much more useful than noisy barn doors, especially with a soft top. I built one to use with my bestop and love how easy it is to access the back and for use as a table when the need arises. Your welded panel will always be an obstacle, my CJ5 buddy always complained about this. Since you already have the barn doors, why not weld them together and make a tailgate like spotcruiser did in these pictures? (Nice fabrication work Todd!) Be sure it's strong enough to sit on, makes a great place to sit and enjoy a beer after wheeling!

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That is a great idea!!

 

[ryanwk628]

Any sources for the three tailgate hinges?

 

[coinoperated40]

Any sources for the three tailgate hinges?

There is a person on here working on a hinge project. I have loaned him an original to try and reproduce. Maybe soon.

 

[Living in the Past]

A drop down tailgate is much more useful than noisy barn doors, especially with a soft top. I built one to use with my bestop and love how easy it is to access the back and for use as a table when the need arises. Your welded panel will always be an obstacle, my CJ5 buddy always complained about this. Since you already have the barn doors, why not weld them together and make a tailgate like spotcruiser did in these pictures? (Nice fabrication work Todd!) Be sure it's strong enough to sit on, makes a great place to sit and enjoy a beer after wheeling!

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The pictures you posted show a tube style spare tire carrier. That in itself helps a bunch with rattles against the barn doors. Another think I did to cut down on the rattles and wear is wrap electrical tape around the latch. Good weatherstriping and doors are not a problem. As for excess barn doors allow you to reach to the back of the seats easier. Also with no top or soft top the spare doesn't need to be opened to get one barn door open. Not saying I don't like tailgates, at one time had five soft top models with them. I even collected spares.

To me the biggest advantage is being able to have a seat handy on the trail versus digging out a chair every time you stop. The factory installed tailgate using chains is strong even for two adults to sit on.

 

[1MOA]

The pictures you posted show a tube style spare tire carrier. That in itself helps a bunch with rattles against the barn doors. Another think I did to cut down on the rattles and wear is wrap electrical tape around the latch. Good weatherstriping and doors are not a problem. As for excess barn doors allow you to reach to the back of the seats easier. Also with no top or soft top the spare doesn't need to be opened to get one barn door open. Not saying I don't like tailgates, at one time had five soft top models with them. I even collected spares.
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To me the biggest advantage is being able to have a seat handy on the trail versus digging out a chair every time you stop. The factory installed tailgate using chains is strong even for two adults to sit on.

Did you use that blue tailgate?
That's even the right color for mine..

 

[teleskier]

I've got a 1980. In Texas I'll probably run with the top off most of the time but I want to be able to put it on quicker than messing with ambu doors. That said, I'm in the process of adding a drop tailgate and shortening some barn doors down. Its some sheet metal work to make it work, but not too challenging. In this scenario the tailgate will always stay on the truck and when I want to lift the top off, the half doors stay with the top.

Its from Dekers Build as seen here