Anyone run into problems from removing door impact beams?

[crazypete]

I have the padding off the door going for a speaker upgrade and I am eyeing those heavy impact beams. I have heard of people removing these and they actually do look like neat weight loss candidates.

Does the door sag, flex or do anything funny after these are gone? Does the door close right? Does the window come down properly? I'm not worried too much about personal saftey since I dont think those would do much in a highspeed t-bone collision anyways.

aaand Slightly off topic:

Is that plastic sheet glued to the door there for noise reduction or to help speaker isolation? How did you folks get aftermarket speakers into those front cups without hitting the window glass? I wanted dual 6 inch woofers to take advantage of this hollow space but depth is a problem here.

Thanks all!

 

[strtracer442]

Those beams will save your ass in a side impact. IMO, only remove if you are adding a rollcage, you can save more weight by removing the jute pad from the underside of you carpeting. The plastic is there to keep water off the back of your door panel,and for insulation.

 

[1986LX2002]

I'd personally keep them.

 

[crazypete]

Yeah but they are barely attached in the first place. Yes, there is a thick beam running down the side of the door.....but it is held in place by a pair of small stamped steel tabs with 2 spotwelds each (and some foam behind the beam). In an impact, wouldnt the beam simply break loose and travel sideways?

I had run off the road sideways on a rainy night back in 99' and took basically a boulder to the side of the car between the door and the fender and it was the car's frame that stopped the impact, not the door.

 

[93 teal terror]

Yeah but they are barely attached in the first place. Yes, there is a thick beam running down the side of the door.....but it is held in place by a pair of small stamped steel tabs with 2 spotwelds each (and some foam behind the beam). In an impact, wouldnt the beam simply break loose and travel sideways?

I had run off the road sideways on a rainy night back in 99' and took basically a boulder to the side of the car between the door and the fender and it was the car's frame that stopped the impact, not the door.

Sounds like it does what its supposed to do in an impact....fail. I would imagine the metal tabs would bend before the spot welds break. A steel beam needs to fail at 3 points for ultimate failure in a simply supported beam. The middle, and at each end. In order for the middle to deflect, the ends have to allow bending which it sounds like it does. Its not there to resist the impact, but to lessen the impact and absorb energy. I would leave it as is unless you have some sort of cage.

 

[rd]

I would leave the door beams in the car until I installed at least and 8 point roll bar.

The amount gained from removing them is insignificant compared to the benefit if you need them.

Especially if you are still concerned about speakers in the car at all....as speaker and sound system removal should come long before the more involved weight loss projects.

The plastic sheet is to keep water away from the door trim components. I would reinstall it in every case. Remember, during rain, a lot of water gets into the doors, and once it is below the bottom of the window, there is nothing else separating it from the interior, until it drains out the bottom.

 

[bigsparky]

Is your life worth a couple speakers in your door?? Really, you'd have to be a moron to remove ANY sort of structural saftey features without reinforcing it somewhere else (like with a cage).

If you do it, can you put me on your will so I can have your engine?

 

[90mustangGT]

There are some heavy factory beams in there, never noticed how they were attached. Sounds like Ford did them just to get the Feds off thier tail. However I am sure they do help a lot. If you have a cage, go for it, but otherwise I wouldn't do it, esp on a daily driver.

 

[crazypete]

Yeah...you guys are probably right. I removed my bumpers and only escaped harmonica-ing my car by a hair. I guess it's idiot insurance in case some other idiot runs a red light and gets me.

What do those weigh anyhow? I'll feel happy about leaving them if I know they only weigh a couple pounds each.