Sponsored

Bestop Element Doors with Enclosures

Mikeb16

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Feb 18, 2018
Threads
9
Messages
155
Reaction score
31
Location
South Carolina
Vehicle(s)
JLU
I recently ordered the Bestop element doors and the enclosure panels, originally had the doors ordered but they were on backorder until October so I found a set. They look great for half doors and quality is great and I only found two issues.

One being the rubber weather stripping that goes on the doors needs to be on the tube door instead on the enclosure panel like the instructions say. The instructions state to put the weather stripping along the edge of the enclosure panel below the tube door, it is fine on most of the door besides the bottom which sticks out between the body and the door when the door is closed. I may try to find some that is not as thick as the one that comes with the enclosure panels. The second issue I found was the door did not align correctly on the front doors on the bottom corner below the door latch. I adjusted the mounting bracket and door latch which helped some but it is still off also I didn't have the door stop screwed in so that wasn't causing it to be pushed away from the body. The doors look straight and don't look to be bent or bowed, I may try to remove the weather stripping to see if it is preventing the door from aligning.

I took some pictures but I will take some better ones this weekend when the sun is up instead of at 10:30pm in my garage. I haven't ordered mirrors yet, I have narrowed it down to the TJ style mirrors or the CMM mirrors, I looked at the JK style mirrors but I'm not to fond of the mounting cups on the inside of the door that you have to use for the JK style mirrors.

Jeep Wrangler JL Bestop Element Doors with Enclosures Drivers Side 1


Jeep Wrangler JL Bestop Element Doors with Enclosures Pass Side 1


Jeep Wrangler JL Bestop Element Doors with Enclosures Driver Side 2


Jeep Wrangler JL Bestop Element Doors with Enclosures Pass Side 2


Jeep Wrangler JL Bestop Element Doors with Enclosures Driver Side Alignment


Jeep Wrangler JL Bestop Element Doors with Enclosures Pass Side Alignment
Sponsored

 

MNWrangx2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeremy
Joined
Aug 20, 2018
Threads
0
Messages
158
Reaction score
78
Location
Twin Cities, MN
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL Wrangler Rubicon, 2013 JK Wrangler Unlimited Freedom
Thanks for posting pics! I put mine together, but had not put them on the Jeep yet. I had put the weatherstrip seal around the outside as the manual showed, but it was not long enough to go all the way up - sounds like I will have some 'fun' with the fit and may have to buy some additional seal.
 
OP
OP
Mikeb16

Mikeb16

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Feb 18, 2018
Threads
9
Messages
155
Reaction score
31
Location
South Carolina
Vehicle(s)
JLU
Thanks for posting pics! I put mine together, but had not put them on the Jeep yet. I had put the weatherstrip seal around the outside as the manual showed, but it was not long enough to go all the way up - sounds like I will have some 'fun' with the fit and may have to buy some additional seal.

I had about 3 or 4 inches left over on each strip after I put the weather strip on. I reached out to Bestop about the alignment issue so hopefully they will have a solution. Let me know how it goes when you install yours, one tip I will give you is don't tighten the bolts for the latch and bracket until you put the doors on and close them.

Do you plan on running mirrors with yours?
 

MNWrangx2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeremy
Joined
Aug 20, 2018
Threads
0
Messages
158
Reaction score
78
Location
Twin Cities, MN
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL Wrangler Rubicon, 2013 JK Wrangler Unlimited Freedom
I had about 3 or 4 inches left over on each strip after I put the weather strip on. I reached out to Bestop about the alignment issue so hopefully they will have a solution. Let me know how it goes when you install yours, one tip I will give you is don't tighten the bolts for the latch and bracket until you put the doors on and close them.

Do you plan on running mirrors with yours?
Yes, I already had the JK mirrors on when it was just the tube doors. I put that over the included screws for the enclosures - it's not completely flush fit for those mirrors, but is close enough.

If you're not using mirrors, don't the enclosure screws stick out in to the cab area? Seems like you could injure yourself on those without the cups used to attach mirrors.
 

MNWrangx2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeremy
Joined
Aug 20, 2018
Threads
0
Messages
158
Reaction score
78
Location
Twin Cities, MN
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL Wrangler Rubicon, 2013 JK Wrangler Unlimited Freedom
Just ordered some adhesive vehicle seal on Amazon for $8; doesn't look exactly like Bestop's but similar enough I hope.
 

Sponsored

MNWrangx2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeremy
Joined
Aug 20, 2018
Threads
0
Messages
158
Reaction score
78
Location
Twin Cities, MN
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL Wrangler Rubicon, 2013 JK Wrangler Unlimited Freedom
I should just note for everyone the doors are a LOT heavier now with the enclosures than when they were just tubes (not as much as factory doors though); just FYI in case the factory doors were a challenge. Still very easy to just pop these on the hinges.
 
OP
OP
Mikeb16

Mikeb16

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Feb 18, 2018
Threads
9
Messages
155
Reaction score
31
Location
South Carolina
Vehicle(s)
JLU
Just ordered some adhesive vehicle seal on Amazon for $8; doesn't look exactly like Bestop's but similar enough I hope.
I'll have to take a look and get some extra just to have. The screws do stick out on the inside of the door but I believe it is close to the front of the door so it is where the end of the dash is but I really didn't look at it but I will when I put them back on. They are heavier with the enclosures on but it might be a good idea to put some grease or something on the hinge pins.

I looked at the JK mirrors but I haven't decided on what I am going to get, I'm leaning more towards having them mounted to the doors.
 

SSinGA

Well-Known Member
First Name
Sean
Joined
Feb 12, 2020
Threads
6
Messages
234
Reaction score
212
Location
Alabama
Vehicle(s)
2020 JT, 2018 JLUR, 2016 JKRHR, 2012 JKU Sahara
I had the JK element doors - horrible!! Hopefully the JL version is better.
 

daveprice7

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dave
Joined
Aug 26, 2019
Threads
12
Messages
633
Reaction score
867
Location
Junction City, OR
Vehicle(s)
2019 Sport 2DR, 2020 Willys 2DR
Occupation
Nerd
Those look sharp!

I was a nose hair away from clicking "buy" on the Element doors & enclosures when I found OEM half-doors 2nd hand. Seeing them on your Jeep makes me wish I would have shot my doors with bed liner instead of having them painted to match. That contrasting sheen is sexy.
 
OP
OP
Mikeb16

Mikeb16

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Feb 18, 2018
Threads
9
Messages
155
Reaction score
31
Location
South Carolina
Vehicle(s)
JLU
Those look sharp!

I was a nose hair away from clicking "buy" on the Element doors & enclosures when I found OEM half-doors 2nd hand. Seeing them on your Jeep makes me wish I would have shot my doors with bed liner instead of having them painted to match. That contrasting sheen is sexy.
I was looking for the OEM half doors but never found a set for a four door, I also looked at the JCR and Genright half doors but the JCR doors were about a month plus paint/powder coat and Genright was about the same. I like the powder coat look better, I was going to get them painted to match but I have to many scratches down both sides of my Jeep so the doors would look good compared to the rest of the body.
 

Sponsored

MNWrangx2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeremy
Joined
Aug 20, 2018
Threads
0
Messages
158
Reaction score
78
Location
Twin Cities, MN
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL Wrangler Rubicon, 2013 JK Wrangler Unlimited Freedom
I was going to get them painted to match but I have to many scratches down both sides of my Jeep so the doors would look good compared to the rest of the body.
The scratches down the side of my Jeep are a key reason I had wanted core or now those Element/trail doors (although now I am worried about how well it will hold back muddy water on trails; another benefit is no glass now except the windshield). Trails were not well maintained in 2020, and now I need to learn about using a buffer.
 

gregeast

Well-Known Member
First Name
Greg
Joined
May 9, 2021
Threads
4
Messages
158
Reaction score
287
Location
Loveland, CO USA
Vehicle(s)
2021 JL Rubicon
Thanks for posting these pics, I've been going back and forth between these and the JCR doors but would really like to find a set of factory half doors.

How does the enclosure actually mount to the tube door? Would they be easy remove if you wanted to just go tube doors?

I like the idea of being able to configure them in multiple ways.

Cheers!
 

MNWrangx2

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeremy
Joined
Aug 20, 2018
Threads
0
Messages
158
Reaction score
78
Location
Twin Cities, MN
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL Wrangler Rubicon, 2013 JK Wrangler Unlimited Freedom
Thanks for posting these pics, I've been going back and forth between these and the JCR doors but would really like to find a set of factory half doors.

How does the enclosure actually mount to the tube door? Would they be easy remove if you wanted to just go tube doors?

I like the idea of being able to configure them in multiple ways.

Cheers!
It's been a while since I mounted mine, but there were some screws - but the annoying part is you have to take the door handles off to mount them. There is also some foam to supposedly help make a seal, although I am doubtful how well that works (haven't tested it yet). So, you could take them on/off, but it's not going to be quick - nothing like what the core doors would have been if Bestop hadn't let us down. They're not light any more either with the enclosures on them.
Sponsored

 
 



Top