"Suicide Doors" on New Dodges ??

[RHoppe]

Do you guys think... that or if Dodge will ever bring back the quad cab with the suicide doors ?? 2002 was the last year and then the body style changed. I wish they would, ... Ford and Chevy still have them. And for me being in a wheel chair, it's the only way to get the chair in the truck !!!

I have a 2006, and thought for sure I would be able to get the chair in, but with the rear doors being hinged on the front edge, it's about impossible. #@$%! You can do it in a car , but you're at ground level,and still it's a pain taking the wheels off, etc. especially in winter or rain !!



Has anyone done a sucide type door mod on a new quadcab truck ?? and if so, where??? and how did it turn out ?? Any info would be helpful.



I love my 2002, and the 2006 is awesome, but I can only drive the 06 if my wife or someone else is along.





Thanks, Randall

 

[Doughboy21kd]

From what i was told the reason they did away with that style of doors was cause on side impact crashes it was found dangerous because there was no protection there for the driver and the fact that when it did happen it caused alot of damage towards the truck... .



Having that support beam there that seprates the 2 doors from front to back even though there's not much of a beam there it supposed to be alot safer and stronger... . If that makes any sense... LOL..... Sometimes what i think doesn't always come out right like i want it on print...

 

[betterthanstock]

In a parking lot, trying to place groceries in the back seat, you get stuck between two doors, in a tight parking space (not the wide handicapped spaces). So most people, and manufacturers, prefer regular doors.



I think for your special situation, you could just have a body shop hinge the rear door backwards, and leave the post in place. You need to relocate the handle, or put an electric opener on the door.



How about leaving the doors like they are, and making an electric arm or ramp that will put your chair in the back, and close the door for you?

 

[Simplysmn]

Try contacting one of the handicap van conversion companies and see if they can point you in the right direction . I know it has to be hard on you have you ever thought about a lift that would let you get into truck then lift chair into back of truck maybe ?

 

[Troubleshooter]

Quite frankly, lack of the suicide doors is one of the things that turns me OFF of the new models. I have them on my '01 and they were one of the deciding factors in buying the truck (in addition to the Cummins, of course). Yeah, I hear all the opinions about how much more “convenient” the full doors are for getting in and out of the back - I don't give a hoot ! It being my truck, I always ride up front anyway! And it's one heck of a lot easier for me to get stuff in and out of the back, since I don't have to walk around the dang full-size door. Not to mention that the overall length is a bit shorter (and most likely lighter in weight) which means that it doesn't handle like a tuna boat.



Safety features? Heck, if I wanted to live forever I'd drive a Volvo. Yeah, I like my suicide doors just fine, and think that Dodge made a mistake when they changed the design.

 

[MickeyMiller]

Check with any of the Low Rider Custom shops... I have seen a variety of vehicles (coupes, sedans, pickups) with suicide doors... there are actually kits out there for the modification.

 

[RHoppe]

Quite frankly, lack of the suicide doors is one of the things that turns me OFF of the new models. I have them on my ’01 and they were one of the deciding factors in buying the truck (in addition to the Cummins, of course). Yeah, I hear all the opinions about how much more “convenient” the full doors are for getting in and out of the back – I don’t give a hoot ! It being my truck, I always ride up front anyway! And it’s one heck of a lot easier for me to get stuff in and out of the back, since I don’t have to walk around the dang full-size door. Not to mention that the overall length is a bit shorter (and most likely lighter in weight) which means that it doesn’t handle like a tuna boat.



Safety features? Heck, if I wanted to live forever I’d drive a Volvo. Yeah, I like my suicide doors just fine, and think that Dodge made a mistake when they changed the design.

Troubleshooter,



I agree 100% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I believe there is a great market out there for those of us who still want the suicide doors !! Ford and Chevy still offer them, and you see alot of both on the road. I wish Dodge would bring it back !!

Thanks for your response !!



Randall

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I liked the convenience of the quad doors of my '01 and '98. 5 but hated the issues that went along with them. . . mostly the weak, flexible squeaky cab. It was night and day improvement going to the '03 with its tight, flex-free and quiet cab.

 

[surfbeetle]

Just a couple of thoughts... I too agree that you could find a suicide door kit for just the rear doors to make getting the chair into the back easier. I also had a neighbor who had a truck and was in a chair. He had a hoist in the back of the truck that he would attach the chair to and it got lifted into the bed. At one point he even had a shell on the truck that would lift and tilt sideways, hinged on the passenger side of the truck. The chair would get swallowed up by the shell after the hoist pulled the chair up.

 

[Cattletrkr]

I hate having the seatblet integrated into the seat. Other than that I loved the '02-older style cab.

 

[NPloysa]

Imagine a Megacab with the rear doors opening suicide-style. That would be crazy. There would have to be a lot of reinforcing on the roof if the B pillar were to be removed.

 

[surfbeetle]

Imagine a Megacab with the rear doors opening suicide-style. That would be crazy. There would have to be a lot of reinforcing on the roof if the B pillar were to be removed.

I would think that you could just hinge the door from the rear and not remove the b pillar. Weren't some of the old Lincoln Continentals like that?