Will Removing Jeep Doors Improve My Fuel Economy?

With the rising fuel prices and the warmer weather beginning to arrive people have started to ask me if taking the doors off their Jeeps will increase their miles-per-gallon.

Basically, removing the doors makes the vehicle lighter so it does improve the fuel mileage.

The removable doors on Jeeps are one of the big attractions to these vehicles. You can take the doors off and let more air and sun into your vehicle. You can swap the hard doors for cloth doors and lighten the vehicle. There is a variety of things that can be done with the doors of these off-roading fun automobiles that increase their fun and make them unique.

How Heavy Are Jeep Doors?

Man in jeep

Most people worry that removing the doors will be very difficult due to the weight of the units. Actually, the hard doors to these autos generally weigh between 30 and 80 pounds. Most people can easily lift the doors without any additional help.

Typical front doors that are full size and made of metal weigh about 70 pounds.

The typical rear does that are full size and made of metal weigh closer to 45 pounds.

The difference in the weight of the front doors is caused by the design and shape they have. The different shape of the front pieces causes them to be slightly larger and it takes more materials to build the larger pieces.

Gladiator doors weigh about 50 pounds for the front doors and the back doors weigh closer to 43.

Wrangler doors weigh about 47 pounds for the front ones and the rear ones weigh about 35.

The low weight of the doors makes it possible for one person to remove them, and place them on mounted hangers for safe storage.

Related Article>> Is It Legal to Drive a Jeep without Doors

How to Take The Doors Off A Jeep

  1. To protect the glass in the doors roll the windows down before beginning.
  2. Under the dash of the vehicle, there is a footwell that needs to be removed. The footwell is held in position with clips that should be easy to operate.
  3. Disconnect any cables or wires that run to the door.
  4. Remove the bolt from the door hinge.
  5. Carefully lift the door away from the auto body
  6. Safely store the doors on hangers designed for this purpose.
  7. Make sure you keep the hinges with the door so you have them when you need to put the doors back on the vehicle.

Best Reasons for Removing Jeep Doors

Door off Jeep in Nature
  • You will make the vehicle lighter, and that will allow you to use less fuel. Each door weighs close to 50 pounds. Removing 4 doors will decrease the vehicle weight by 200 pounds. Removing 200 pounds will give you a fuel economy increase of as much as 2%.
  • To reduce the vehicle weight and allow your Jeep to tow a heavier load.
  • To let the airflow inside the vehicle unencumbered. Removing the doors lets you feel free and less confined. You get to truly enjoy your surroundings without feeling like you are trapped in a box.
  • To customize the look of your vehicle for a party, adventure, or weekend. Topless weekends on the Jeep are more fun if you also remove the doors and open your Jeep up completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Do Front Jeep Doors Weigh?

This depends on the door material and the Jeep model, but on average a hard door for the front opening will weigh 50+ pounds.

How Much Does a Jeep Wrangler Four-Door Weigh?

The four-door Jeep Wrangler weighs about 3,948 pounds.

How Much Does a 2019 Jeep door weigh?

The 2019 doors for a Jeep will weigh between 35 and 70 pounds dependent upon the model of Jeep you have.

Final Thoughts

Jeeps can be serious vehicles that we use to get to and from work and do our daily shopping. Jeeps are also designed to be fun, to give us freedom, and to go places that have no pavement. Removing the doors and the tops from a Jeep lets you feel free and increases your pleasure when you are off the pavement. This is one unique thing that a Jeep offers its adventure seekers.

About Brendan Burnett

Leave a Comment