There are two standout vehicles for off-road enthusiasts are the Bronco and the Wrangler. You could have either of these vehicles and be extremely happy! Part of the fun of both of them is that you’re able to modify the vehicles so that you can get the one that’s right for you. If you’re looking for the true off-road experience, then you may look at taking off the doors and roof. Happily, this is something that anyone can do on both the Bronco and Wrangler.
In this article, we’ll run through the following topic: 4×4 door and roof removal: Bronco vs. Wrangler.
The Tools You’ll Need
While it’s possible to take off the doors and roof, you’ll need to have the right tools by your side in order to do it. The good news is that both brands include the tools you’ll need as standard with every order. Wrangler edges it in this regard since they have more sophisticated storage for the tools that they provide. In any case, you’ll have all the tools, drill bits, and drive ratchets that you’ll need to get to work.
The Design Differences
You can tell the design differences just by looking at the two vehicles. On the Bronco, there are frameless windows. On the Wrangler, there are frames. Both have their advantages — frameless means lighter, frames mean that they’re easy to hang. When the doors are off, the Wrangler loses its mirrors, which means it may not be street legal, depending on where you are. But it does save some space, which is handy when crawling through tight spots. The Bronco keeps its windows, which means you can drive it anywhere.
Ease of Removal
When it comes to removing the doors, the Bronco wins in terms of ease. It’s not overly difficult to remove the Wrangler’s door, but it’s so simple with the Bronco. There are bolts on the upper and lower of the door that hold them to the chassis. Getting the door off the Wrangler is also straightforward; you just need to undo a few more bolts. Useful advice: on both the Bronco and the Wrangler, you’ll find it easier to take the doors off if the windows are down.
Taking the Door Off
Once everything is unscrewed, you’ll need to actively take the door off. This can look tricky when you first look at it, but it’s actually not. The key thing to do is to have a firm grip. Once you’ve got a grip on things, simply lift the door up in a secure way. Of the two, the doors of the Bronco are lighter — they can be as light as forty pounds, which makes it around a quarter lighter than the Wrangler. But still, neither of them are overly heavy.
Poppin the Top
Taking the top off both vehicles could not be easier. It’s a rotating latch system, which means that all you need to do is twist the latch, and it’ll pop off. Depending on what model of Bronco you get, you may be able to keep some of the roof on, some of the roof off. This isn’t the case with the Wrangler; for that, you’ll need to take everything off.
Taking off the Rear Shell
If you want to take the tear shell off your Bronco, then good news — it’s as easy as it is with the Wrangler. All you need to do is remove four Torx bolts, and that’s it. Just be careful when you’re using the tool, because the one they provide makes it easy to hit the glass, and that’d be a stupid way to damage your vehicle!
Taking Out the Wires
Before you take the roof off, you’ll need to take out the wires. It’s as simple as taking off the wire harness. Once it’s off, be sure to store it somewhere safe!!
Removing the Fenders
You’ll likely want to take off the fenders, either because you want to add an aftermarket part or you just want to let loose in the mud. All you have to do is spin the butterfly bolts off, and they’ll come away. The bolts will even stay on the vehicle, so you don’t need to worry about storage!
Final Thoughts
As we’ve seen, both Bronco and Wrangler have made it as easy as possible for drivers to turn their vehicle into an outstanding off-road vehicle. Indeed, you probably couldn’t pick anything between the two. As with most elements of the Bronco v Wrangler debate, it all comes down to personal preference!
