That is why I asked. I read every post on this thread and then asked.
It did look like T-man mentioned using LESS than 5/8s because of needing room for the speaker. I am assuming installing, removing or replacing the speaker was the problem.
I will see what sort of material I can find and report back as to how it worked.

 

Correct-a-mundo Chachi....

The horizontal access opening is now 5/8" smaller. With the big 6x9 speaker having a huge magnet (tall), vs the original one, I was concerned it wouldn't fit because of the magnet protrusion being so large. It wound up fitting fine, so no worries.

I'm sure better speakers have a shorter speaker depth anyway. Mine were just some cheapo Amazon speakers I picked up....

 

I will test fit some spare 6X9s I have in the shop before I weld it up.
Thanks for clarifying T-man.

 

So I'm in for this- and thank you for the half on the tubing. I wasn't thinking about moving the speaker in/out, so I will make sure the path still works.

I do have additional door improvement suggestions.

1) add stiffeners to the outer skin. This will reduce flexing and reduce cracking @ the lower hinge plus it dampens the drum effect of the panel making the truck quieter.
2) The dodge engineer was saying that even with new hinges these just hammer out the bushings. Well, they are using leaded-bronze bushings which are soft. Can switch those out for some Aluminum bronze bushings and they should last better as it's got 3 times the strength in bearing. My plan is to measure the bushings in the help kit and just go procure some NAS equivalents.

M

 

"I used a smaller tubing and it worked fine. If I went with a 5/8" tubing, my speakers wouldn't fit through the hole anymore."

1/2"

 

Check measurements 3 times, then again before you cut. Then move the tube up a little higher.

Lol

 

Sorry about that my wife took over the computer before I was finished with that post

 

I bought a 4 FT strip of 1/2 square stock to try on a door.
I will start with the driver's side of Poncho, my 91.0, which is not as mint as my RC. I will start there so I can learn any tricks doing it that I want to do on the next door. I would like to have a good game plan by the time I do the doors on my RC.

 

What wall thickness?

 

It was just the standard stock for sale at the hardware store locally.
It looks like 1/16 of an inch or so thick using a tape measure. It seems plenty rugged enough to add the door structure I am looking for without adding too much weight. I will post up the results after I get a chance to install it.

 

Oliver,

Did you depopulate the door? I'm thinking of getting a friend to help. Can I do this w the glass in the door or maybe support the bottom?

 

I have not welded anything yet. I am just doing research and amassing parts.
I plan on starting with a door that is manual with only speaker wires and a speaker in it other than the glass.
I plan on leaving the door full of components and just blanketing the speaker with a fire proof layer and cranking the window up for the welding part.
I figured I would start on my '91.0 with manual doors and see how it goes, before I do my RC with power doors.

 

There is hole in the door interior that the new square steel tubing bisects -- it appears to be about 1.25" in diameter?

This hole is probably for access of some sort -- does anyone know what that is?

TIA.

 

It wasn't used in my truck, but I would assume it's a centering or location point for when the factory where the door was assembled mounted it to a jig, for the machine to weld up the skin / carcass of the door

 

I havn't tried it but it looks like one he11 of an improvement for sure.