Barn Doors
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 303
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From: Northern Calif
Barn Doors
I don't remember who posted,that you could un-hook the barn doors stop to open them up more but it sure helps. I was picking up a new gas grill yesterday,and without that knowledge I never would have gotten it in. Thanks FTE.
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Joined: Apr 2010
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Be careful leaving them disconnected.
I keep them connected most of the time, but when I haven't I have "lost control" of the door while opening due to the lack of resistance. Luckily I haven't hit anything with them.
Also if the "hooks" are sticking out when you close the doors you can damage the area next to them:
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I keep them connected most of the time, but when I haven't I have "lost control" of the door while opening due to the lack of resistance. Luckily I haven't hit anything with them.
Also if the "hooks" are sticking out when you close the doors you can damage the area next to them:
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</td></tr><tr><td style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: right;">From 2010-04-21</td></tr></tbody></table>
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 67
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From: Harwood, MD
Yes this is a nice thing to know about. Figured it out when I went to put a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood in the back and thought : There has got to be way to get this plywood in here.... sure enough... the barn doors disconnect!
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 121
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From: In the Airstream
Spare in or out?
Could you put the 4' X 8' plywood in with the spare mounted upright, or did you have to remove the spare tire?
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Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Harwood, MD
Did not have to move or remove the tire. Six sheets of 4x8 OSB. That is another nice thing about a EX. You can load up 4 X 8 sheets of whatever- it stays dry and no need to tie it down. Can't do that with a standard (6ft bed - no shell) pickup truck. I love this thing!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,198
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From: Tulsa, OK
Figured this out a long time ago on my 2003 and then tried to do it on my 2005--could not get them disconnected!
Someway, the 05 design is different than the 03 (at least on my trucks).
It turns out that, on the 2005, you have to slightly "close" the doors (to about 70 degrees instead of 90 degrees) before you can easily disconnect these "hooks".
I keep my "hooked" all the time unless loading/unloading large objects (like 3rd row seat).
Someway, the 05 design is different than the 03 (at least on my trucks).
It turns out that, on the 2005, you have to slightly "close" the doors (to about 70 degrees instead of 90 degrees) before you can easily disconnect these "hooks".
I keep my "hooked" all the time unless loading/unloading large objects (like 3rd row seat).
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 514
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From: Tampa
I keep mine unhooked all the time. Not too worried about them swinging open as there is a good amount of resistance on them. I did have to push the beam into the barn door a little bit and they have pretty much stayed put.
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Joined: May 2009
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From: calgary,alberta
The latches on my doors were really tight. I needed a hammer to pop them loose. I ended up drilling out the hole slightly. Now the doors are latched to prevent damage but I can pop them off easily if need be.
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Joined: Jun 2005
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From: central Louisiana
this should be added to the "EXTREMELY CHEAP MUST DO MODS" list.
i read this last night and headed out to take the hinges off, well like said above, i just unhooked the hinge rod from them. mine were really tight from about 1/4 way open to full open(while hooked). so what i did was unhook the rod (left the hinge on), and pushed the rod back into the door to where you can barely see the hole that mounts to the hinge.
this was tricky since at full open, i unhooked them, and the rod wouldn't no go back in the door easily..... so i had the door about 1/2 open, unhooked them and THEN pushed the rod back into the door. opens up fully, nothing to hit once closed!!
i read this last night and headed out to take the hinges off, well like said above, i just unhooked the hinge rod from them. mine were really tight from about 1/4 way open to full open(while hooked). so what i did was unhook the rod (left the hinge on), and pushed the rod back into the door to where you can barely see the hole that mounts to the hinge.
this was tricky since at full open, i unhooked them, and the rod wouldn't no go back in the door easily..... so i had the door about 1/2 open, unhooked them and THEN pushed the rod back into the door. opens up fully, nothing to hit once closed!!
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: Northern Calif
I'm going to keep them latched until I need to load something wide. It only takes a couple of seconds to do. With the wind around here I can see them flying open and putting a nice whole in the fiberglass doors. It is a nice feature to have. I wonder how many other small tricks I don't know about my Ex. I do know that I like this rig more everyday,and I'm pretty sure I will rebuild,repair,or modify this thing as long as the frame doesn't rust out from underneath me. Then what to do. No vehicle compares to this rig,and its designed use.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2002
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did this on the 02, the 03, and now the 05.....
if they are actually latched is when they bother me
Junior User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 66
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From: calgary,alberta
So after all that work I did drilling out the latches I ended up unhooking them yesterday and pushing them into the door like you guys suggested. The friction of the hinges is enough to keep the doors from swinging in anything but a strong wind. I did a run to the garden center and then to the grocery store. It was so much easier to load the truck. I never took the time to undo the latches unless it was a big item that wouldn't fit between the doors. I agree, this is a great "cheap" mod.
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