Door braces
I have what may be too broad of a question when I say universal. What I'm looking for is a door brace that goes from the front of a door opening to the rear but doesn't have to be welded in. Something that could be bolted to say a hinge location and go into the striker bolt location at the rear of the door. To help brace a body that's being lifted without doors to help keep things squared and braced. I searched google and got a lot of house door anti break in devices. Has anyone seen anything like this or made anything? Would have to be able to adjust the length somehow. Or is welding just the best way to go?
Thanks in advance |
I've used tubing and cut, fit, and welded to the vehicle I'm working on. That is the easiest, cheapest, and most common method. Only marketed things I've seen are these, and they were designed more for using when making structural/frame repairs.
http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/cham...J18aAiK58P8HAQ |
Cut plates and drill to mimic door hinges and closing latch, bolt to shell.
Then cut 1" box to correct angles and length, the weld in-situ. They can easily be unbolted for sill / rocker work and replaced to maintain rigidity for the remainder of the build. |
hi cody, you can get door opening braces that clamp to the pinched edge (where the door seal goes) they are adjustable in length like these...
http://www.shopbodyshopdirect.com/Sh...tail/Monoblock |
Door opening bars
Cody, if you don't want to take the time to build your own, Eastwood has a few options
http://www.eastwood.com/autobody/rot...door-bars.html |
Thanks everyone for showing me the options out there. they seem pricey compared to the bar welded across the door option lol. I dont have a reason to not weld, but thought instead of having to cut and weld and buy new stock for different door lengths I would see what was universal. It was always the mounting that got me wondering not how to make an adjustable bar. but with seeing these options out there I might be able to fabricate my own. Thanks everyone
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So I looked at the designs people linked in and thought about a few things of my own. I ended up coming up with this version. I can see a few places that it could be stiffened up. Mainly were the 2 tubes converge around the striker bolt goes into, but other than that, they seem to work well. I made it this way so it has room for longer and shorter doors within a certain amount of course. Also, so it can move up and down for narrow or wider hinge locations.
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/...ps74ekrmjq.jpg http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9pwzfaw1.jpg http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/...psyhmbr7dl.jpg |
I prefer not to have the bars in the door jam. You would have to remove them everytime you need to rehang the doors. I have made specific door bars with the intent of reusing them... 8 years and many cars later... they still haven't been reused....
You need enough bars to hold the shape.... but not so many that you can't work on the car anymore. |
I realize that these arent the best for climbing in an out of the car for work, but they are more for lifting the car while removing the inner rocker panels and being afraid that the car will loose its strength. and rotisserie work. Granted there will be times I will have to climb in while they are installed but mostly Im hoping I may not have too.
I get what youre saying that universal may be a pipe dream and that I may end up just tossing these to the curb on the next project. |
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