Is a Jeep Wrangler with no doors road legal?

unnamed

Hi,

I have jeep wrangler ... and it's possible to remove the roof and doors very easily so it will go from this:

http://www.wallpaperup.com/uploads/wallpapers/2013/04/28/79733/41b0136f6082fa02a36a385e79c4b655.jpg

to this:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3261/2860740187_74e17a8eb3_z.jpg?zz=1

Which would be nice considering the great weather we're getting (I may never get a chance to do this again in Ireland).

If I take the doors off, will it be road legal? I read the road traffics acts and they don't seem to clear, they mention size of door, and that you must be able to open them from the outside etc., but not if they are legally required to be present. Also, other thread discuss quad bikes etc, which I think are different rules.

Any advise on the matter would be great.

biko

Interesting.
I see that without doors there are no wing mirrors, that could be an issue.
If you're flying down the motorway it's probably going to get you into trouble rather than cruising in town.

Legislation is pretty much that if a car was designed a certain way it's ok to use it that way (for instance drive roofless is ok for convertibles).
The Wrangler is designed for doorless driving so..

I'd give it a go and make sure there are no loose items in car that can roll out. That would attract the garda for sure.

As you know the advice you get here is not legal, it's just opinions by people.
Boards won't be held responsible if you get into trouble.

unnamed

biko wrote: »

I see that without doors there are no wing mirrors, that could be an issue.

I didn't notice that ... thank you. I might just remove the back doors to see how I get on.

biko wrote: »

If you're flying down the motorway it's probably going to get you into trouble rather than cruising in town.

I think the motorway would scare me too much anyway if there were no doors.

biko wrote: »

Legislation is pretty much that if a car was designed a certain way it's ok to use it that way (for instance drive roofless is ok for convertibles).
The Wrangler is designed for doorless driving so..

That's interesting ...

The windscreen can also fold down like so ...

http://image.trucktrend.com/f/readers-letters/readers-letters-jeep-wrangler-under-glass/40065642/jeep-wrangler-jk-windshield-down.jpg

but my interpretation of the road traffic acts is that a windscreen is required for a car.

biko wrote: »

I'd give it a go and make sure there are no loose items in car that can roll out. That would attract the garda for sure.

That's my plan ... and act innocent.

There is also some insurance considerations that I need to check into.

Thanks for your help.

galwaytt

unnamed wrote: »

I didn't notice that ... thank you. I might just remove the back doors to see how I get on.



I think the motorway would scare me too much anyway if there were no doors.




That's interesting ...

The windscreen can also fold down like so ...

http://image.trucktrend.com/f/readers-letters/readers-letters-jeep-wrangler-under-glass/40065642/jeep-wrangler-jk-windshield-down.jpg

but my interpretation of the road traffic acts is that a windscreen is required for a car.



That's my plan ... and act innocent.

There is also some insurance considerations that I need to check into.

Thanks for your help.

a couple of things:

1. the vehicle is Type Approved for it's current design, which by dint of it being road-registered, it is - there's no need to consult anyone about removing the doors.

2. You don't have to have a windscreen at all.

The Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 states:
" 24. (1) Where a windscreen is fitted to a vehicle, it shall be of a stable substance, fully transparent so that objects are not seen distorted through it, and not likely if fractured to produce fragments capable of causing severe cuts."

The key words here are 'where....fitted'. If not fitted, no regulation applies.

Some/all/many Land Rovers have fold-flat windscreens, for example. Do the BJ Land Cruisers as well ??

I don't see anything in the S.I. about 'wing' mirrors being mandatory - only a reference to 'driving mirror' (S26), but would warrant further searching.

unnamed

Thank you for all you help.

wexfordman2

unnamed wrote: »

Thank you for all you help.

Enjoy the new air conditioning, I'm not at all jealous :-(

corktina

i don't see the problem, how would the doors make a difference? aren't they just there to keep out the weather?

I used to drive a Sherpa with sliding doors which I left open in hot weather and a BMC thing with kind of inward opening doors behind me which I also used to leave open

galwaytt

corktina wrote: »

i don't see the problem, how would the doors make a difference? aren't they just there to keep out the weather?

I used to drive a Sherpa with sliding doors which I left open in hot weather and a BMC thing with kind of inward opening doors behind me which I also used to leave open

...on a milk round ? God, I remember a Dodge LGV with folding cab doors, and we went everywhere with them open - part time job when I was in school...

R.O.R

Many years ago I had a Kit Car where you could take the roof and doors off. As the "windows" were plastic, and had warped and yellowed over time, I'd take the roof off if it wasn't raining, so I could see out a lot better.

All was perfectly road legal, but I only drove it once without the doors. 2 Reasons for this:

Firstly - even in the scorching weather like we have today, it was bloody freezing at anything over 20mph.

Secondly - pull up in traffic next to an Artic, and the exhaust is spewing out fumes straight in to your face. This may be a bit better in a Wrangler rather than a sports car with your arse 6" off the ground, but still won't be pleasant.

My wing mirrors were mounted on the wings, so still had them without the doors - more or less usesless though due to vibration, but there anyway.


Try taking it for a local enough spin today without the doors and see how you get on. Probably won't have an issue with the authorities, but you may decide to stick the doors back on anyway for the reasons I gave above.

biko

If you do drive with windscreen down, always wear glasses.
A big wasp hitting your eye at even 50 kmph will make things go pearshaped in a split second.

ABajaninCork

Better still - goggles...

wexfordman2

And something to stop you swallowing flies :-)

Ri_Nollaig

wexfordman2 wrote: »

And something to stop you swallowing flies :-)

maybe a windscreen?

wexfordman2

Ri_Nollaig wrote: »

maybe a windscreen?

And some doors to keep the wind out :-)

Ri_Nollaig

wexfordman2 wrote: »

And some doors to keep the wind out :-)

I even found a picture of what it might look like! http://www.wallpaperup.com/uploads/wallpapers/2013/04/28/79733/41b0136f6082fa02a36a385e79c4b655.jpg

mb1725

goz83

mb1725 wrote: »

Anan1

galwaytt wrote: »

1. the vehicle is Type Approved for it's current design, which by dint of it being road-registered, it is - there's no need to consult anyone about removing the doors.

I'm not quite following the logic here. Does it give instructions in the handbook on how to remove the doors?

Yakuza

Oh my god, you monster, you're going to personally double Ireland's fuel comsumption by ruining the aerodynamic profile of your jeep. Won't anyone think of the children!!!

:):)

All joking aside, good luck with it and throw up a few pics when you get it done!
These days I'd kill to have a car I could take the roof off (without the aid of a tin opener / con saw /jaws of life ).

Guy:Incognito

The mainproblem here is ireland is not california. While the weather is grand now, it might not stay that way for a full journey/day. How waterproof is the interior?

dr.fuzzenstein

biko wrote: »

As you know the advice you get here is not legal, it's just opinions by people.
Boards won't be held responsible if you get into trouble.

And don't forget to drive the car naked!:cool:

R.O.R

Also, if you do stop for fuel with your 3 model friends, don't have a 'water' fight with the fuel pumps.

galwaytt

Anan1 wrote: »

I'm not quite following the logic here. Does it give instructions in the handbook on how to remove the doors?

I'm assuming so - the vehicle is designed to have a 'quick release' or easy-to-remove door in the first place. I know that there is a specific mirror relocation kit from Jeep, for those that do remove their doors, for instance, so it's part of the design.

It's not like say, taking the door off a Passat

mb1725

I've used this link before but it's quite apt here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_PX1cVuaVA

unnamed

Hi,

Having great time with the jeep. As everyone suggested no issues at all. Going around a roundabout as a passenger is a bit of an experience with no doors.

The weather has been so good that it's not cold at all. I've avoided the motorways, but doing 100kmph on regular roads it great.

Left the windscreen on ... it's awkward to remove and thought it would be too much.

The doors were difficult to remove. They were never removed before, and were very stiff, luckily my dad has a full workshop and I was able to use a small hoist to apply pressure in the correct way.

Obviously no issues with rain, but as an aside the inside is pretty much waterproof (the floor has little plugs to leave water run out so that you can power hose the inside.

Here a pic. for those who want to see it:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qpa1fgpk2yvx7sk/Photo%2019-07-2013%2016%2006%2019.jpg

Thank you for all your help and posts.

dr.fuzzenstein

Hope you're having fun, you picked the right year, do it now while you have a chance.
You might tell your grandkids "back in the day when we once had a summer...":D:cool: