I like barn doors much more than the sliding doors. Only thing I don't like is the restricted access from the doors only opening so they stick straight out. I use my van for camping and sometimes I like them in stock form, but sometimes it would be nice to have a more open feel. I tried completely removing the stops, but after a couple of times of having the door slam on my knees I put them back.
Today I finally got around to fixing the problem. First I used a dremel with a sand paper tube to grind down the rivet head on top. The grab the piece on the bottom that the spring is around. Twist it back and forth until it's loose enough to pull out. Then I drilled out both holes in the stationary bracket and the hole in the end of the arm to 5/16.
For a pin I used a couple of 5/16 hardened steel dowels I had laying around. I just drilled out a couple of 1/4 inch nuts and pressed them on the pins to act as *****.
Pretty simple, and all free!

 

Ditto, I've done exactly the same thing also using those "rubber bands" to secure the doors to prevent runaway flapping.

 

That's the way to do it in your situation where you have the interior of the door covered. For those that do not have the door covered, there is a cotter pin in the end of the arm that comes out so the door can be opened all the way.

 

I think I'd do it this way even with no panels,on mine anyway. A while back I tried to get that pin out and gave up. Mine wasn't a cotter pin though. It is some kind of springy pin. Also, on mine there is a ball inside of a casing that the rod runs through. The rod has a track to match a steel ball, and at the end of travel there's a detent. The ball is spring loaded and goes into the detent and that's what keeps the door open. It's a whole assembly and I think if I pulled the rod out it either wouldn't go back in or it would be enough hassle for me to not do it much.
Yours may be different that mine.