School me on suicide door kits

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lvin4jc

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Messages
206
Location
Rapid City, SoDak
I'd like to suicide either one or both of my truck doors. There are a lot of kits out there of varying quality, pretty vague install instructions online. Have you done this? How did it go?

Also, are there options that aren't electric or at least local electric and not a key fob "popper" to open the door once you do this? I would like a manual opening option but i'm not sure how that works, certainly not with the factory door handle.

Any help appreciated!
- Joe -
 
I have done it 1.5 times (only 1 door on a truck).
some things I have learned:
Install the hinges as close to the outer skin as possible.
install the door in as close to the correct spacing as possible with the adjustment at its bottom. leave all of the adjustment to the "up" direction, as the door will never sag upward.
A cable release is tough.it will need to pass through the jam to a hidden yet accessible point.
I did install a hidden hood release and a momentary switch to open the drivers door if I lost the key fob.

It was fun to mess with people. I would have my hand on the fob in my pocket, and tell people the it was voice command. Speak clearly to the corner of the cab "Recognize Richard", and push the button. People thought I was some kind of genius.

you could leave the original door handle in the stock location and sort out a linkage or cable to operate the latch.
It is fun to watch people try to get in the first time. they don't realize that it is easier to back in butt first.
 
I have done it 1.5 times (only 1 door on a truck).
some things I have learned:
Install the hinges as close to the outer skin as possible.
install the door in as close to the correct spacing as possible with the adjustment at its bottom. leave all of the adjustment to the "up" direction, as the door will never sag upward.
A cable release is tough.it will need to pass through the jam to a hidden yet accessible point.
I did install a hidden hood release and a momentary switch to open the drivers door if I lost the key fob.

It was fun to mess with people. I would have my hand on the fob in my pocket, and tell people the it was voice command. Speak clearly to the corner of the cab "Recognize Richard", and push the button. People thought I was some kind of genius.

you could leave the original door handle in the stock location and sort out a linkage or cable to operate the latch.
It is fun to watch people try to get in the first time. they don't realize that it is easier to back in butt first.


All very good advice. Any recommendations on brand and/or type? It looks like there's one style with separate hinges top and bottom and another style with a big bar the houses both hinges..
 
The hinge pins must be in line for the doors to swing smoothly. I removed the hinge pins and replaced it with a threaded rod, then braced the snot out them.
There would be nothing wrong with the kind that has the brace.
I don't remember the brand. I found the ad in a mini truck magazine.

Leave the door on its hinges.
Mount the hinge in the rear jam and reinforce the HELL out of it.
Close the door as far as possible to mark the door for the hinge pockets.
SLOWLY trim the door to fit.
Once the new hinge is installed (with all of the possible adjustment to the "UP" side) unbolt the new hinge so you can open the door.
Remove the old hinges and adjust the door to its final fit.
Install the latch and striker.

I will see if I can find photos.
 
WillieJ has good advice. I've done several - Hagans kit is very complete and good, more adjustment than some others,with good instructions and pricey... Autoloc were OK.. but not great - also used cheapie no name kits. Bottom line is you get what you pay for. Joining the upper and lower hinge pockets together so they are square and parallel before welding in really helps make for a smoothly opening door. The tab method Hagans uses to locate the doors works well so you can take them off and back on during the job without losing alignment.
If you reverse the bear claw latch mounting to put the latch in the door jamb and the post it grabs onto in the door, you can use a cable or linkage to a knob hidden in the front wheelwell or elsewhere.
 
Hinge install on my 34 Caddy. Not suicide but installs the same way - I cut the joining tube and lengthened it - the farther apart you can space them, the more stable the door will be. As stated by Willie, they need to be as close to the body skin as possible so the edge of the door doesn't bite the door opening as it opens. I forget what brand these hinges were - Autoloc?[S. You can see the tabs I had tacked on the door frame so I could take the doors off (many times) during the install.

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Hinge install on my 34 Caddy. Not suicide but installs the same way - I cut the joining tube and lengthened it - the farther apart you can space them, the more stable the door will be. As stated by Willie, they need to be as close to the body skin as possible so the edge of the door doesn't bite the door opening as it opens. I forget what brand these hinges were - Autoloc?[S. You can see the tabs I had tacked on the door frame so I could take the doors off (many times) during the install.


Oh I like that, that setup would fit my application even better than most I've seen. Also, I like your tabs better than the Hagen video on youtube. They actually sand off the paint on the fender and door and D-pillar to weld a tab right onto the visible sheet metal. Then they repaint the whole setup once they're done. Well I have patina that I can't replicate so that's a no go for me. Your tab setup is doable though and i'm sure will be very helpful!
 

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