2021 Ford Bronco: Here's how you take the doors off
Just undo a couple bolts, yank a connecter and you're good to go. Here's how to remove and store a Bronco's doors safely and easily.
Doors-off driving in an SUV can be a thrilling experience, especially when you're out on the trail. Whether you get a 2021 Ford Bronco with two doors or four, these swing panels are removable for cool looks and an airier driving experience. And even though the process may sound difficult, pulling the doors is surprisingly easy, taking between two and four minutes to complete based on your skill level.
To get started, make sure the window glass is down. This protects it from damage during removal and storage, as well as the reinstallation process. The last thing you want is one of these windowpanes to shatter because you forgot to lower it. Unlike its primary rival, the Jeep Wrangler, Ford's new Bronco has frameless windows, so the doors are actually pretty compact, about half as tall as the Wrangler's. This pays major dividends when you're taking them off and schlepping them around -- more on that in a bit.
After you've lowered the glass, push the folding side-view mirrors forward so they're out of the way and can't scratch the doors when you pull them off. This is another advantage the Bronco has over the Wrangler; the Ford's mirrors are attached to the body, not the front doors, so they're always in place whether you're rocking doors or not. Next, open the door you're removing and pull out the wired multiconnector, which powers the window motor and door-lock mechanism. The fit is snug, though it should pop out with some tugging and wiggling. Once the connector is out, a spring-loaded cover with a rubber gasket closes over the corresponding socket on the body to keep dirt and moisture out when you're off-roading, a super-clever touch that's preferable to the Jeep's flimsy and loss-prone snap-in cover.
Taking the Bronco's frameless doors off is surprisingly easy, and they fit securely in the back.
Now, bust out the 10-millimeter socket and ratchet that comes as part of the standard tool kit with every Bronco. Use these tools to undo the two bolts that hold the doors to the hinges. The bolts on the bottom point down, while the ones attached to the top hinges point upward, so be aware of that. Also, the top bolts are longer than the bottom ones, so keep that in mind during reassembly. Once these fasteners are out, if you've got the Bronco's optional door-storage bags, now would be a good time to slide them on and zip the top portion up. At this point, the doors should lift up and off the hinges with relative ease, especially if you've got them in bags, because they have integrated handles. If you don't have the bags, to ensure a good grip, you may want to reach over the top and grab the outer door handle with one hand. Ford has cleverly included a recessed handle on the leading edge of the door bottoms for your other hand.
Note: On four-door Broncos, the front doors weigh about 51 pounds and the rears slightly less at roughly 44 pounds. Naturally, the doors are slightly heavier on two-door models since they're a bit longer. Despite being frameless, Bronco doors can actually be slightly heavier than their Jeep counterparts. That said, they're more bulky than heavy. Either way, make sure you bend at the knees to avoid straining your back, and also maybe have a soft, dry area on the ground to put the doors down (perhaps with a blanket) even if only to adjust your grip.
Cleverly, all the doors fit right in the back of a four-door Bronco, securely mounted in a harness assembly, so you can take them off while on the trail, safely store them in the vehicle (even with the bags on), and then put them back on before heading home. You can't do that with a Wrangler. The door harness assembly attaches to several tie-downs in the cargo area as well as a couple of removable eye hooks that screw into the roof-support frame. This assembly, which resembles a multipoint racing seat belt, securely holds the doors so they don't bounce or rattle around. Two more important points: Each bag is designed to fit a particular door, so pay attention that you've got the right one for the door you're working on. Also, the doors are designed to be loaded into the cargo bay in a particular order, which is illustrated on a handy placard attached to the outside of each bag.
To put the doors back on, simply reverse this process, paying special attention when it comes time to reinsert the guide pin into the door hinges so that the alignment is correct.
Watch the accompanying video to see this whole process in action and make sure to check out our other Bronco-related assembly/disassembly stories where we show you how to fold and remove the soft top and even pull the fenders or swap out the grille for a different look. All of this customization is made possible by the vehicle's patented modular design.
One last thing: Ford will offer accessory tube doors for the 2021 Bronco, as well, and no doubt the aftermarket will chip in with additional styles and choices soon. You can use the above instructions to swap these types of doors on and off, too, so have at it!
