I want to open my rear hatch from the inside

[jeepin_idaho]

In the winter months, I'd still like to get out and do some wheeling and camping and I've been considering sleeping in my XJ. The problem is when you wake up in the middle of the night and you have to pee so badly that you can't squirm up to the front seat to open the door and climb out!

Has anyone played around with installing a latch mechanism that would allow you to open the rear hatch from the inside?

Dan
http://the4x4podcast.com

[4.3LXJ]

No, but it would be possible

[Brasscatz]

Totally possible. Also depends on how fancy and pretty you want it to be. Probably anything from a coat hanger pullin the latch to a remote button popper ;)

[Mudderoy]

I was wondering if one of those after market power lock devices would be strong enough. If so then you could just put an electrical switch in some nice location, or even a couple switches. One up front and one in the back.

[cantab27]

just pee before ya go to bed......

[thesupercroc]

just pee before ya go to bed......

But that would be no fun!

I will be watching this as well i hope to set up my XJ fr camping as well.

[Mudderoy]

Personally I like the idea of a tent back that fits to the back of the Cherokee, so the hatch would be open. Then there is the tents that attach to the top, like OverlandXJ has on his OD green Jeep.

[cantab27]

is it a 2dr...i camped in my old one with back seats folded down....just slipped out rear doors.....would be a good wee mod but

[thesupercroc]

Personally I like the idea of a tent back that fits to the back of the Cherokee, so the hatch would be open. Then there is the tents that attach to the top, like OverlandXJ has on his OD green Jeep.

Might get kind of cold around here in the winter. With camping in the XJ at least a person could get a 12volt heater for some heat.

[XJ Wheeler]

Roll down the window and aim well.

[jeepin_idaho]

just pee before ya go to bed......

Confession, I may only be 31, but I think I'm getting old-man-bladder syndrome. Plus I think I drink more fluids while camping. :rolleye0012:

[cantab27]

Confession, I may only be 31, but I think I'm getting old-man-bladder syndrome. Plus I think I drink more fluids while camping. :rolleye0012:

good to see a sense of humor...;) ant thoughts on how ya may do mod..

[jeepin_idaho]

I was wondering if one of those after market power lock devices would be strong enough. If so then you could just put an electrical switch in some nice location, or even a couple switches. One up front and one in the back.

The power locks are toast on my XJ and I'm not even the least bit interested in fixing them so there's no way I'm going to add another power device on this thing. I like the simple idea of a cable routed inside though. I might be able to find a donor rig with a simple door pull and then rig up a cable to the latch mechanism.

I think I need to kick my wife's Suburban out to the driveway for a while so I can get some garage time and work out a plan.

Oh and yes, its a 2 door model.

Dan
http://the4x4podcast.com

[Carves]

I had a look at mine a while back and figgered on a spare, XJ internal door lever and some inventive, rod bending or a bicycle cable .... and bracketry ...

Get the trim off the hatch and you will see some possibilities .. ;)

[4.3LXJ]

I had a look at mine a while back and figgered on a spare, XJ internal door lever and some inventive, rod bending or a bicycle cable .... and bracketry ...

Get the trim off the hatch and you will see some possibilities .. ;)

Emergency escape hatch for the dogs Carves?

[Carves]

Emergency escape hatch for the dogs Carves?

... nahhh ... once they get in they have no intention of getting out ... :D

Now and then I roll the swag out in back, and camp in it ... Pretending to be a pretzel getting out a side door, annoys me on those occaisions.

[gary63]

you can use a door handle from a toyota or nisson or subaru and you can install a braket so you can atatch the handle with a screw and the use a bent rod or a cable.That way you can cut out a hole in the cover for the handle and it will set flush and look good.that is what we do for emergence exit for one with a cage.

[Brasscatz]

you can use a door handle from a toyota or nisson or subaru and you can install a braket so you can atatch the handle with a screw and the use a bent rod or a cable.That way you can cut out a hole in the cover for the handle and it will set flush and look good.that is what we do for emergence exit for one with a cage.

Any pics or a write up on this?

[jeepin_idaho]

you can use a door handle from a toyota or nisson or subaru and you can install a braket so you can atatch the handle with a screw and the use a bent rod or a cable.That way you can cut out a hole in the cover for the handle and it will set flush and look good.that is what we do for emergence exit for one with a cage.

That's exactly what I was thinking about doing! I'd love to see this put together.

Dan
http://the4x4podcast.com
http://facebook.com/the4x4podcast
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[prcjeep]

a BFH to the bottom center of the hatch would work... :D

[gary63]

the resen you use the handle out of a car is it is held in with only 1 screw so you just install a bracet across the hole and atatch the handle.I'm going to do it this spring to mine when i get a chance to take inside panel out to run some wires and put a cage in the back.sorry no pix customer never wonted to see just wont it to work. it also work get when the outside handle brakes and wont open.if i do a notherone before i do mine i will takepix and do a wright up. The one thing we do is take the plastic clip off the handle and use a metal carb linkage clip they are stroger and don't brake easle.

[buckshot500]

I made a release for my 98 XJ, using a length of stainless steel wire.

I just removed the inner plastic cover, and took a real close look at how the latch worked when released with the outside handle.

Then I attached the wire (to the lock release lever, that the rod operates) and ran it through a little hole I drilled in the plastic inner hatch cover. This hole was about 1/3 of the way down the plastic panel from the glass.

One thing to note though, I never tried it with the hatch locked to see if it still works.

I didn't take pics & don't really want to take it back apart, but it only took about 45 minutes to do the whole job.

Also I used a little tee handle I had from an old B&M shifter to tie to the end of the wire for a pull. You could use a large flat washer though.

The stainless wire was fairly soft & about 16 gauge.