Tube doors are lightweight metal frames that increase visibility and reduce weight in vehicles. They can be purchased or made by those with metalworking skills, but their legality varies by region. They are useful for offroading but can be dangerous in a crash. Installation is straightforward but may require assistance with electrical wiring.
Tube doors are ATV doors made with a lightweight, open frame of metal tubes. They are designed to increase visibility from inside the vehicle and to reduce its loaded weight. A number of companies make tubular doors for installation on existing vehicles and people can make their own too if they have metalworking skills. The legality of such doors varies by region and it may be necessary to fit a mirror on the driver’s side to make the vehicle street legal.
The typical tube door design resembles the frame outline of the bottom of a door, with the top left fully open where the window would be. Some designs include latches and can be opened and closed, while others are locked in place and people must climb through the door to get into the vehicle. Lightweight tonneau covers can be attached to the tube door if people need a space to store gear or want to keep items inside the vehicle from falling out during the ride.
The increased visibility can be valuable to offroaders, as they need to be able to see clearly while cruising to avoid hazards like rocks, trees, and slopes. Because ATVs sit high off the ground, visibility of low objects can be diminished and can make driving in some environments dangerous. The tube gate design eliminates this problem. The lighter weight of a tube door can also make the car easier to handle and create more space for heavy equipment in the fully loaded vehicle.
The tube door design can significantly reduce safety in a crash, as the car’s solid door design is meant to absorb some of the impact of a side collision. This concern makes tube doors not legal for street use in some regions, although people can use them on private property or on specific offroad trails. ATVs are generally used at low to medium speeds in environments without other cars, where crash concerns are not as pressing.
Installation of tubular doors is relatively straightforward, as old doors simply need to be removed from the hinge pins and replaced. In some cases, it can be complicated by electrical wiring that runs to the mirror on vehicles with heated mirrors or motor-mounted mirrors for easy adjustment. A mechanic can provide assistance if a driver is unable to open the doors successfully and in some regions mechanics specializing in ATV modifications are available.
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