View Poll Results: Would you take them out
yes worth the weight
15
50.00%
no to much work
6
20.00%
maybe
9
30.00%
Voters: 30. You may not vote on this poll
side impact bars
If the car has a cage there is no doubt in my mind that I would do it again. I believe I got 11lbs out of each door by the time I was done. Door bars, rear plate, front door bar mount.
Here's the thread how I got mine out quick and painlessly.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...light=door+bar
Here's the thread how I got mine out quick and painlessly.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...light=door+bar
i'm keeping mine in for the simple fact that the car will still see some street time (cruising) and i don't want the cage being the obly thing protecting me from that 2500 dodge dually that just happens to have 7k+ pounds of momentum behind it and an ole lady behind the wheel.
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,493
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From: Hampton Va
Well I have the drivers side out only took about 1 hr I had to modify the box end a little (just bend it for thr right angle) then the bar came out easy after drilling a hole(1-1/2" ) in the lower corner of the door that way if I want to reinstall after the cage is out I can....Now for the pass door ....oh wait I cant open it all the way damn wall is to close theres allways tomm.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture460.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture461.jpg
and for those who would like to see the clearance issues
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture466.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture467.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture464.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture460.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture461.jpg
and for those who would like to see the clearance issues
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture466.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture467.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture464.jpg
Last edited by 11SECSS; Jan 2, 2006 at 06:53 PM.
I definitely wouldn't do it if you don't have a cage.
Also I was reading an article in the new Chevy High Performance last night. It was about fixing sagging doors on the third gens. Apparently one of the reasons for the doors being quite heavy is a steel bar that runs the length of the door, much like a side impact bar in the 4th gens (I don't think they required side impact back in third gens time). Well, since its a unibody car, they said the door was actually an important structural part of the car and the purpose of the bar was to add strength to the body to keep it from flexing as much.
I'm wondering if thats the case with the 4th gens too, in which case you could be compromising the structural rigidity by removing it - but again if you have a cage it probably wouldn't make much difference.
Also I was reading an article in the new Chevy High Performance last night. It was about fixing sagging doors on the third gens. Apparently one of the reasons for the doors being quite heavy is a steel bar that runs the length of the door, much like a side impact bar in the 4th gens (I don't think they required side impact back in third gens time). Well, since its a unibody car, they said the door was actually an important structural part of the car and the purpose of the bar was to add strength to the body to keep it from flexing as much.
I'm wondering if thats the case with the 4th gens too, in which case you could be compromising the structural rigidity by removing it - but again if you have a cage it probably wouldn't make much difference.
If I was going to do it all over again, I would take the two bolts out of the rear and just cut out the front with a dremel. I spent 2 days trying to unbolt the front 2, I ended up only getting 1 of the 2 front bolts out. I went through a ton of dremel cut off discs, but it went very fast and was surprisingly painless to cut them out.
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I can do each on in about 15 mins.......It is completely neccesary to have the correct tools for this project. I do it to all the cars that I am doing weight mods to. It is worth it. It is alot of weight that you can take out for free.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 503
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From: Texas
Originally Posted by GueSS Who
I can do each on in about 15 mins.......It is completely neccesary to have the correct tools for this project. I do it to all the cars that I am doing weight mods to. It is worth it. It is alot of weight that you can take out for free.
Originally Posted by GueSS Who
I can do each on in about 15 mins.......It is completely neccesary to have the correct tools for this project. I do it to all the cars that I am doing weight mods to. It is worth it. It is alot of weight that you can take out for free.
So, what are the correct tools? Im in the process of taking the bars out, and am having trouble with one of the bolts. The rear of the two bolts towards the front of the car, will not come out. I was using a 1/4 10mm socket that I cut down along with a slim 1/4 breaker bar. Worked purfect for the other bolts, but after I got this one half way out, I have run out of clearance.
I tried a regular 10mm. The head of the bolt is still fully covered by the tube. The wrench will not grab the head. From looking at other pictures it seems that these bars were setup different from year to year. The inner bolts in the front an back are surrounded by the tube, and even when it is hanging on by only half a thread the head of the bolt still will not stick out enough to get a wrench on it.
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10 Second Club
iTrader: (199)
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From: Hampton Va
heres a few pics of what you up against and a pic of the wrench I bent to make it easier http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture549.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture548.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture547.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture548.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Picture547.jpg
From the pictures you had previously posted, you have a different setup then I do. You had studs that were mounted to the brackets, and had to take the nuts off. On my car the nuts are welded to the brakets, and I have to remove the studs. If that makes any sence??????? But anyways since I only have a few more turns to get it out, so im thinking about drilling right through whats left of the stud in the nut. Should only have to drill 1/8 of the stud before it falls out.
Drilled out the last little bit of the stud, and got the bar loose. As someone posted before the bar slides purfect out the wire loom hole in the front of the door. Pulled the tire, and inner fender out, and bar came right out no problems. Hopefully the other side wont take me 6+ hours.