Suicide Door - bracing - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

biohazardbill · 10-10-2011, 09:37 AM

For those of you who have done suicide doors, how did you brace the rear cab pillars? I am going with a 2 hinge setup. I am trying to preserve as much space behind the seat as possble. I thought about cutting a 1/8 inch piece basically the full pillar on the backside and "spot weld' in several places then have another piece like 1/16" inside the door jamb. This would i believe create a good sturdy mounting surface. The bottom of the pillar would be supported by the crossemeber that also supports the floor pan. The top is where i am more concerned. The way the pillar is attached to the inner panel as well as the others, think that would be enough support?

Sorry for all the different questions lately but when im at a stopping point on one section I am trying to move to another area. Id like to get the truck done sometime before I retire lol....

BR3W CITY · 10-10-2011, 08:09 PM

what setup are you using?
I haven't done this myself, but the kits from Thorbeck bros seem to mount pretty "deep" into the cab. Do your hinges cut into the cab, or do they mount near where the striker would?

biohazardbill · 10-10-2011, 08:40 PM

These are "pocket" hinges off an old fullsize Cherokee 2 door so I am not sure where I am mounting.

To give you an idea...

The thread I found this in said rocrln was the fabricator on this but I cannot find that username to ask him how he braced it.

Scot_Douglas · 10-10-2011, 08:58 PM

I still think you need to box that section in and use oem hinges and plates.

biohazardbill · 10-10-2011, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scot_Douglas

I still think you need to box that section in and use oem hinges and plates.

They are oem hinges, oem for Jeep lol....

oem for this truck dont seem to kick the door out far enough...

Scot_Douglas · 10-10-2011, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biohazardbill

They are oem hinges, oem for Jeep lol....

oem for this truck dont seem to kick the door out far enough...

duh! teach you to ask me for advice

didn't consider that!

Hell - I woulda built suicide doors that opened 6"-8"!

**chevy_man5** · 10-10-2011, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biohazardbill

The thread I found this in said rocrln was the fabricator on this but I cannot find that username to ask him how he braced it.

I think you are looking for Rokcrln.

BR3W CITY · 10-11-2011, 02:07 PM

ok those pics make alot more sense to me, the hinges I was looking at mounted a bit differently.

It seems like since those mount and bolt into the face of the egress of the cab, that is where most of the strain will be. Since you have access to the backside of that area from inside the cab (kind of); I'd look at plating/boxing the area behind/around the hinge. Then if that doesn't seem like enough, you could use a small piece of 1/2" tube and put a little brace from the plating to the cab wall.
I don't know if the description helps, I could draw it out better.

Rokcrln · 10-15-2011, 01:40 PM

If you look back in the build that those pics came from I think I showed the start of the reinforcement plates. I cut some 3/16" plate that fit on the inside of the jamb full width and almost full height. It was then going to get braced to the floor/rocker section as well as plated to the body area just below the rear window. That is all that was planned out but most of you know I start that way and add as needed during a build. Nothing is set in stone until it is finished.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

PS. the guy in the pic is the owner of Lemon Drop!

10-10-2011, 09:37 AM	#1
biohazardbill Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Forsyth, Ga Posts: 1,012	Suicide Door - bracing For those of you who have done suicide doors, how did you brace the rear cab pillars? I am going with a 2 hinge setup. I am trying to preserve as much space behind the seat as possble. I thought about cutting a 1/8 inch piece basically the full pillar on the backside and "spot weld' in several places then have another piece like 1/16" inside the door jamb. This would i believe create a good sturdy mounting surface. The bottom of the pillar would be supported by the crossemeber that also supports the floor pan. The top is where i am more concerned. The way the pillar is attached to the inner panel as well as the others, think that would be enough support? Sorry for all the different questions lately but when im at a stopping point on one section I am trying to move to another area. Id like to get the truck done sometime before I retire lol....

10-10-2011, 08:09 PM	#2
BR3W CITY meowMEOWmeowMEOW Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: MKE WI Posts: 7,128	Re: Suicide Door - bracing what setup are you using? I haven't done this myself, but the kits from Thorbeck bros seem to mount pretty "deep" into the cab. Do your hinges cut into the cab, or do they mount near where the striker would? __________________ *'66 Short Step / SD Tuned / Big Cam LQ4 / Backhalfed /Built 4l80e / #REBUILDEVERYTHING* MY BUILD THE H8RDCPTR //\\ MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL REV J HD

10-10-2011, 08:40 PM	#3
biohazardbill Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Forsyth, Ga Posts: 1,012	Re: Suicide Door - bracing These are "pocket" hinges off an old fullsize Cherokee 2 door so I am not sure where I am mounting. To give you an idea... The thread I found this in said rocrln was the fabricator on this but I cannot find that username to ask him how he braced it.

10-10-2011, 08:58 PM	#4
Scot_Douglas Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Howell, MI Posts: 403	Re: Suicide Door - bracing I still think you need to box that section in and use oem hinges and plates. __________________ 1964 C10 - sold to chris1044 1966 C10 Build 'Fread

10-11-2011, 02:07 PM	#8
BR3W CITY meowMEOWmeowMEOW Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: MKE WI Posts: 7,128	Re: Suicide Door - bracing ok those pics make alot more sense to me, the hinges I was looking at mounted a bit differently. It seems like since those mount and bolt into the face of the egress of the cab, that is where most of the strain will be. Since you have access to the backside of that area from inside the cab (kind of); I'd look at plating/boxing the area behind/around the hinge. Then if that doesn't seem like enough, you could use a small piece of 1/2" tube and put a little brace from the plating to the cab wall. I don't know if the description helps, I could draw it out better. __________________ *'66 Short Step / SD Tuned / Big Cam LQ4 / Backhalfed /Built 4l80e / #REBUILDEVERYTHING* MY BUILD THE H8RDCPTR //\\ MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL REV J HD

10-15-2011, 01:40 PM	#9
Rokcrln Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Winters Ca. 95694 Posts: 4,843	Re: Suicide Door - bracing If you look back in the build that those pics came from I think I showed the start of the reinforcement plates. I cut some 3/16" plate that fit on the inside of the jamb full width and almost full height. It was then going to get braced to the floor/rocker section as well as plated to the body area just below the rear window. That is all that was planned out but most of you know I start that way and add as needed during a build. Nothing is set in stone until it is finished. Kevin LFD Inc. PS. the guy in the pic is the owner of Lemon Drop!



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