Can You Drive a Jeep Without Doors or Mirrors? Is It Legal?
Jeep enthusiasts often customize their Jeeps in many ways. Some give their vehicles custom paint jobs or install special gadgets inside. Others go so far as to remove the doors and mirrors from their Jeep. But is it legal to drive a Jeep without doors and mirrors?
Can You Drive a Jeep Without Doors or Mirrors?
So, can you drive a Jeep without doors or mirrors? Yes, most states allow doorless Jeep driving. However, whether you can drive your Jeep without doors and mirrors legally depends on the local and state laws where you live.
While the removal of a Jeep’s doors and mirrors may seem like an extreme (and unnecessary) action, it generally doesn’t affect the safety of the vehicle. In this article, you will learn the legalities of driving your Jeep without doors and mirrors, the benefits of riding without them, and how to properly remove them so you can easily put them back on when needed.
Can You Drive a Jeep Without Doors and Mirrors?
Yes, you can drive a jeep without its doors attached; however, you must have at least one mirror equipped. To determine the rules regarding doors and mirrors on your Jeep, you must look up state laws. In the U.S., each state has a law about the legality of driving a Jeep without doors.
You can’t escape mirrors on your Jeep. They have to be installed in at least one spot. Depending on your state and local laws, you may be required to have two.
The problem is that these laws differ from state to state. For instance, you’re going to have a hard time traveling across state lines if a neighboring state doesn’t allow doorless Jeeps.
In most states, the laws aren’t created explicitly for doors. Instead, the laws talk about having a certain number of mirrors to be street legal. Since mirrors come with doors, it only makes sense that the laws infer how many doors you should have. But if the state allows only one mirror, and a mirror has been placed onto your car without a door, then your Jeep would be legal.
However, after looking at the state laws, you must be sure to investigate local laws. Just like states, different cities have different local laws about riding without doors and mirrors.
According to state laws, here are a few states in the U.S. who require at least one mirror
(with or without doors):
Other states may require two mirrors, and some of them require a combination of mirrors and doors. The bottom line is that doorless Jeeps and Jeeps with one mirror are a slippery slope, and you need to be extremely careful when navigating the roads without any doors.
Do All Jeeps Have Removable Doors?
One burning question is this: Do all Jeeps have removable doors? No, you cannot remove the doors on all Jeeps. For the most part the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator are the only Jeeps designed for owners to easily remove the doors
There is a reason why some models have removable doors, and others don’t. Mainly, a vehicle that doesn’t have the option to remove a door is a much safer. Since Jeeps without doors and mirrors are much more likely to be pulled over and are at a higher risk for breaking the law, it’s only natural that Jeep makes more models compliant with the law.
The Benefits of Jeeps Without Doors and Mirrors
When you buy a vehicle, you usually choose one that reflects your personality and preferences. Vehicles are an important part of many people’s lives. So, what are the motivations behind someone buying a Jeep with removable doors? What exactly is the point?
Customizable
Most people love customization. Whether they are personalizing their clothes, their electronics, or their homes, people love to have the ability to customize their belongings.
So, it makes sense that people would want to customize their vehicles, as well. More often than not, the interior of the car may be customized more than the outside. However, personalization of the exterior of a vehicle is very common, too. For instance, you will often see custom paint jobs and added features on the outside of vehicles.
A Jeep’s removable doors can also reflect the owner’s personality. They set the owners apart from the rest of the crowd and make sure that they stand out. Some people love this attention, and that’s precisely why vehicle customization is so popular.
You can also purchase customized mirrors. Do you want flames on the outside of the mirror? Do you prefer a tamer color? Either way, customization extends to the mirror as well.
Great for Off-Roading
Off-roading is a fun activity in which many people love to partake. As the name implies, off-roading refers to the activity of taking your vehicle and driving it on things like wooded trails, gravel, and many other types of surfaces that are not a standard paved road.
With removable doors, the driver and their passengers can feel the rush of the wind as they make their way through the muddy trails and rocky roads. It’s also convenient for quick entry and exits from the Jeep. Off-roading is a fun activity, and many people prefer to have no doors to experience nature more intimately.
How Do You Remove the Doors from Your Jeep?
Removing the doors from your Jeep is an easier process than you might think. As long as you follow the steps, you should be able to remove the doors with no issues.
To remove the doors from your Jeep, do the following:
- Find the T50 cap nuts. They are located on the hinges of the door.
- Remove the T50 cap nuts with a T50 socket and wrench. Make sure you get all of them off before moving forward.
- Lower the window. (This step is only needed if you have power doors and mirrors.)
- You should see a wire harness and a red locking pin. Slide the red locking pin and push down on the tab of the wire harness.
- Unlatch the door strap.
- Reach outside the window and lift on the door handle.
After these steps, you should be able to remove your door from your Jeep easily.
How to Install a Mirror on Your Jeep Without a Door
If you’re going to go riding without doors, then make sure that you have at least one mirror on the side so that you’re safe. Installing these mirrors takes a little bit of effort, but it’s completely worth it to make your Jeep is both safe and street legal.
Note: These steps are specifically for a Jeep Wrangler. Processes for other Jeep models may vary.
1. First, bolt the six-inch diameter mirror head to the arm. This is what’s going to give you the ability to maneuver the mirror around and make sure it’s kept tightly in place as you drive over the bumpy trails.
2. Remove the top two bolts from the side of the car. This is where your new mirror will be installed, so make sure to take these off so that you’ll be able to see everything around you once you start driving.
3. Install the new bolts into the holes. When doing this, make sure to use both a flat washer and the new bracket. Without these two crucial tools to properly tighten the mirror’s bolts, your mirror won’t stay on for long.
4. Finally, install the bushings, line up the holes, insert the assembly into the bracket, and insert a threaded knob. Then, cinch the knob and properly position the mirror so that you can see it! This entire process is described thoroughly in an excellent tutorial video on YouTube.
Go on An Adventure with Your Doorless Jeep
You’re now armed with the knowledge of how to remove your Jeep’s door. Whether you’re looking for some off-roading adventures or want to customize your Jeep, removing the doors is not too difficult of a process.
Follow the steps above, and they should be off in no time. And remember that you will almost always be required to have one mirror installed.
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Last update on 2024-12-16 / If you click this affiliate link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.