Cant figure out how to remove round recessed nuts holding door hinge pins

Rick Jefferson

New member
Just bought 2003 Rubicon and cant figure out how to remove the hing pins. for lack of better description, there is a round nut on the end of the hing pin bold, but its recessed in the bottom of the hinge and i cannot get to it to remove it.
Has anyone ever seen any like this or is it something the previous owner came up with.
I want to get my doors off!
Thanks
Rick
 

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The nut has been removed, it's ready to lift the door up and out of the hinge. Best to Lift from the bottom of the door while swinging the door back and forth. A little wd40 in the hinge will help.
 
2x.You have to pull straight up. I roll the window down and hold the door under my arm like carrying books and lift with my legs. its a little easier to lift straight up this way. it is difficult at first. Once you get it out put a little lithium grease on the pins.
 
Really! Thats good news. I thought the nuts were off but couldn't budge the doors so then i looked closer and saw these round things around the end of the hinge pin but sitll inside the hinge. i thought perhaps it was a different type of fastener i was not familiar with.
Ill lub up the doors and to to work.
Thanks guys.
 

Took the doors off yesterday. For those reading, remember there are switches that turn the cabin lights on when the door is open(off). You will need to defeat the switch, or pull the fuse or install a switch to control the lights when the doors are off.
 
4wd hardware sells something called" lights out". Quick, easy and cheap way to remove your doors and keep your lights off.
 
I had to use a floor jack and a board to get the doors off. I then banged out the inserts and just got new ones today. Im hoping they make the of taking the doors on and off easy!. :)
 

Put some lithium grease in when replacing the doors.


Also if you remove the fuse for the cabin lights you loose the chime for the headlights being left on. Don't ask how I know this today. :)
 
Not sure if it works the same in the TJ, but in the YJ, you can just unplug the sensor on the door (there are 2 plugs; one for the light and one for the ringer; just pull them out, and plug them back in when you put the door back in).
 

For turning off the lights this thing is the bomb:
http://www.jeepz.com/forum/product-reviews/22322-wrangler-dome-light-switch.html

<img src="http://www.jeepz.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=17003"/>

It essentially puts a switch inline with the fuse. It's pretty hard to pull that fuse with your hand, and the springs that attach to the door seem to pop off (or I close the door on them...).

That fuse the switch takes the place of is the one that also goes to the headlight chime. I ran my battery down twice this summer already because the chime didn't sound.

Just an FYI
 
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