first off ive done a search and it kinda helped but either im missing something or my car is differnt for some reason. its a 2000 camaro, and i can get the nut towards th rear of the car off easily enough. but on the front 2 nuts, i ground flat sides on a socket so i could turn it with a wrench, but after about 3 full turns the back of the socket is up against the inside of the door. which wont let the socket come off much less the nut, and it seems like there is still a ways to go to gt the nut off. any help or tips?

 

wish I could help but this is something I will be trying to do myself in the next week or 2, I wish you the best of luch and please post up what you find...

 

I did mine with a ratchet wrench. You can get them at like sears or wherever you get your tools from.

 

but the nut is inside the cut bar, i dont think you can get a wrench on it.

 

OHH thats right. What drive socket are you using 3/8 or 1/4? I think if you use 1/4 you can do it if I remember right.

 

i used 3/8 socket, i forget what actull size they were, so you think the little difference in length going to a 1/4 sockt will work huh?

 

Use a 1/4" socket and grind it down af far as you can. Weld it to a peice of flat stock. That is the best way. Once the nuts are out you will discover that GM GLUED the bar in just so it would not fall out if the nuts came loose. Go figure. After you have it loose from the glue you can remove the inner fender well and tire. Undo the grommet at the front of the door where the wire harness goes through and slide the bar into the wheel well. 2 person job. It ain't a fun job. but beats cutting your door skin trying to cut the bar into small enough parts to get out.

Have fun.

 

anyone have any pics of this being done?

 

I did mine and all I can say is it is b*tch! I used the little 10mm socket from craftsman that you turn with a wrench. That seemed to work the best.

This is it:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...=wrench+socket

 

Not even sure you can get a camera in the places you will need to put your hands. It's not like you can see the bolts. It is a touch and feel operation. Kinda like finding the G spot.

 

Go buy a cheap(or two) 10 MM 1/4 drive short socket, SIX POINT ONLY. Grind 4 flat sides on it until it fits in the end of a 1/2 inch gearwrench.

Grind or cut the front of the socket off shortening the socket, take one of the bolts you already have out and cut the socket off until 1/2 or a shade more of the bolt head goes in the socket.

You will need a dremel tool to fix the inside of the socket after you cut it.

Take 3 shots of Tequila, a Xanax and get to work.


David

 

This is how I got the bars loose from the glue after removing the bolts.



Here's some pics.

 

Are you guys doing this with the wiring harness still in the door? If so is it the same grommet that the wiring goes through? or do you pull the wiring out first.

 

Same grommet. Just pull it out so it is loose.

 

lol yeah, no kidding

i messed with it for 2 hours on staurday, and was only able to get the rear bolt out, so I gave up and put the door panel back on.

 

Once it is loose couldn't you just cut it with a sawzaw and take it out in a couple pieces?

I want to remove mine but I don't want to bother pulling the extra body stuff, seems like once the bolts are out and it is lose you could just cut it down a few times and pull it out the big hole on the bottom of the door.

 

One can only assume you want these gone to save a little weight, or you don't like them.

Have you thought about drilling the damn thing out? Here is my what if question. You get these removed, still drive the car on the street and it's insured by Joe 6 Pac Insurance. You're involved in a side crash, it's not your falut. Could you get screwed because you modified a safety feature? Could some watch dog agency find out and fine you?

If their dog is the size of my dog, 85# or more I'll let the dogs settle the issue if it becomes an issue.

An old man and his dog!

 

You'd be lucky if the insurance company didn't deny your claim for having the windshield washer fluid low and having your music too loud

Today the insurance place will try to deny a claim for anything, but it is hard to say what would win out in court or not, are all cars required to be built with door bars?

If it is a mandated build safety requirement I would think there is a good chance you'd have a lot of issues if you had an accident.

Personally I don't think it is a good idea without a roll bar in the car at least, side impact and you're talking about possibly losing an arm or leg or dying, not like the door bars are awesome to start with but anything helps more than nothing.

 

Yeah, if I was street driving my car without a cage in it I definitely wouldn't do this.

On the other hand, if you are street driving it at all with out the door bars and the insurance finds out, I'd bet they'd drop you in a heart-beat.

 

The doors are made out of FRP Composite, they will offer 0 protection in a side impact without those door bars in place. if you look at the bars they are bolted on one side to the hinge plate and the striker on the other so it is a solid connection point across the unibody. Bad idea to remove them to save 14lbs.