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CJ5 Bench Seat... Anyone?

CJ5 Bench Seat... Anyone?
Z

Zeppe807

Jeeper
Posts
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Location
Northern CA
Vehicle(s)
1981 CJ-5 - 258 I6 - 4 Speed
Well I have three little kiddos and a great wife that all like to go with me on my trips, but its tough bringing all five along on a Jeep Ride, and having seat belts.

I have been on the look out for a late model Ford Ranger front seat for a couple years, and it seems that they are either way too expensive for my taste or in horrible shape.

I took a drive this weekend to the local junk yard and found some 1998 Dodge Dakota Front seats. They were $85 and a 40/20/40 bench/bucket combo.

The stock seats outside to outside are 51" and so are these. The front of the cushion to the back are also the same too.

I had them sitting next to each other, and I did the sit test and noticed something different. When I sit in the stock 1981 seats my butt is down to the mounting brackets, and when I sit in the new ones I am 1.5 to 2" higher... WHEN I mounted them in the Jeep I sure do feel the height difference.

I will have to get some pictures up. I am still working on them, and since it is raining this weekend, I may not get it done then either.


HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE THIS?


Cheers
Joe Zeppe
 
Zeppe807 said:
Has anyone done this?
Click to expand...
Since you asked: Not I.

Nor do I desire a rear seat in my CJ5 . First thing that departed my CJ5 during the tear down/rebuild was the rear seat. My son used it in his bedroom for a number of years. Later moved it to his house, and used it on his patio. He finally sold it to someone looking to do a resto.

Does your CJ5 have a full roll cage? Can you even get 3 car seats/boosters in the back of a CJ5 /7/8? Have you worked out a way to get 3 sets of seatbelts back there?

Might be time to consider a Wrangler Unlimited for family wheeling.
 
HackFabrication said:
Since you asked: Not I.

Nor do I desire a rear seat in my CJ5 . First thing that departed my CJ5 during the tear down/rebuild was the rear seat. My son used it in his bedroom for a number of years. Later moved it to his house, and used it on his patio. He finally sold it to someone looking to do a resto.

Does your CJ5 have a full roll cage? Can you even get 3 car seats/boosters in the back of a CJ5 /7/8? Have you worked out a way to get 3 sets of seatbelts back there?

Might be time to consider a Wrangler Unlimited for family wheeling.
Click to expand...

I think he is talking about the front seat. Like some of the early CJ5 's had.

ScreenShot2013-01-08at25806PM_zpsd3b2b718.webp
 
I haven't myself, but have seen a ford bench seat in place of the front bucket and looked good. You don't fab the seat brackets you will sit higher.
 
Check your side to side movement when higher too to make sure your roll bar doesn't hit your head if jumping around on rocks.

:D

Got to get the full cage myself for the rear seat passengers...

I like the way those seats PB posted look!

:chug:
 
Peanut Butter said:
I think he is talking about the front seat. Like some of the early CJ5 's had.

ScreenShot2013-01-08at25806PM_zpsd3b2b718.webp
Click to expand...


That is what I would have loved to find!

I am getting the seats in, and then working on the roll cage for the back. I wanted to make sure that when I build the cage it is correct for the seats too. And a new top.... Holy Sh!t those best tops are crazy expensive!

The seats fit in well side to side, and are exactly the same width as the stock ones, just imagine a center console that turns into a seat between the two existing seats.


I did not get very far tonight or last night because I needed to order a metric tap so I can make the mounts like I want...

So, the simplicity of the Jeep and the lack of size of the CJ5 does not allow the seats to be any farther back nor lower than where the stock passenger seat bracket is located. If you go lower, the seat rides the fender angle, so it would also have to go forward. It is what it is... unless I cut out the fender, which I have done on a couple old MBs.

I should be back at it and hopefully, done by Sunday.

Cheers, and many long trails to you!
Joe Zeppe.
 
I would notch both wells and drop the seat unless you head enough head room. I dropped the seat height in my 5 by tossing the frames and mounting the seats to the rollcage.

DSCN3759_zps4511bb9e.webp
 
Zeppe807 said:
That is what I would have loved to find!

I am getting the seats in, and then working on the roll cage for the back. I wanted to make sure that when I build the cage it is correct for the seats too. And a new top.... Holy poopie those best tops are crazy expensive!

The seats fit in well side to side, and are exactly the same width as the stock ones, just imagine a center console that turns into a seat between the two existing seats.


I did not get very far tonight or last night because I needed to order a metric tap so I can make the mounts like I want...

So, the simplicity of the Jeep and the lack of size of the CJ5 does not allow the seats to be any farther back nor lower than where the stock passenger seat bracket is located. If you go lower, the seat rides the fender angle, so it would also have to go forward. It is what it is... unless I cut out the fender, which I have done on a couple old MBs.

I should be back at it and hopefully, done by Sunday.

Cheers, and many long trails to you!
Joe Zeppe.
Click to expand...

Too bad your so far along. I was just thinking you could take three low back bucket seats and make a bench out of two of them. Would require somebody that could sew that kind of fabric.
 
Love those seats. Want'em in my CJ. Was considering how to make them myself. Two seats in one would be possible. Tear'em down to the frames, cut & weld the rails together. Fabricate a bracket and find an upholstery shop that you trust. Probably expensive, but very cool in the end.
 
Well, things turned bad, I got the seat put in and as low and as far back as it can go... and it is too close to the steering wheel. I can barely get in and out.

The wife... SHE IS AWESOME said to stop screwing around and to get the Bestop seats since I know they will fit right. I will still mount the center seat from the Dodge Dakota in the Jeep so I can get the third kiddo in the Jeep (at least that is the plan).

I am a luck guy.

I will update. :chug:

Joe Zeppe

instagram: @zeppe807
 
Seats in a CJ5 are always a tricky thing to deal with. There simply isn't much room to play with. Even the "replacement" seats can be troublesome. As has been mentioned, you can notch the wheel well to gain a few precious inches and you want to get seats that don't have much material in either the bottom or especially in the hinge/angle area. Some small cars have good CJ seats, possibly a very small pickup seat.
 
Not knowing if these kids are still in car-seats or not. Little kids like to kick their legs around. Not a good thing when near shift levers. Ask me how I know this-LOL
LG
 
So I had some issues with space using the Dodge Dakota front seats. Please note: 6'2" 260 lbs of fun, so a CJ5 is tight to begin with.

The seats were only an inch longer (front to back) and an inch taller in the bottom cushion. But because they were not worn out like my old ones I could barely squeeze in.

20161118_162259_zpstpcgbel6.webp

But they fit side to side, and the center console/seat fit too!

The wife gave the OK since I've been trying to save money for a while to do this on the cheap, but it was not working out; so I got some bestop seats.

20161121_193825_zpspm56w4jg.webp

20161121_193838_zpskaw5ggpr.webp

20161121_194342_zpsgapphmwe.webp

20161123_154921_zps3x97jr0y.webp

These were similar dimensions to the stock ones, but my stock ones were so worn out that my *** was level with the mounting brackets, so no matter what new seat I'd put in, I'd sit closer and up more than my old ones.

With these, bestop ones I was able to use the center console / seat too!

20161126_143835_zpskeqcylz6.webp

And while I was at it I bought a new back seat.

20161130_165911_zpskswmg0cr.webp

I used the female seat belts and mounts (12" long rigid) ones from GM Tahoe/Suburban and the lap belts from the car too. (Except for my side which is a work in progress).

I ordered new seat belts for the rear seat (tan).

I had to make some adapter brackets for the driver side since I removed the slider and put it back as far as possible. And I made the center console / seat on a hinge so I can have a storage area under the seat.

It works for me.

Cheers!
Joe Zeppe
 
So Since PhotoBucket is a scum bag company that is holding all these forums ransom...

I did get it all finished up and the family gets to enjoy trips.... as long as the Jeep is going.

Here is my link to my Instagram page. The second picture has all of us in the Jeep.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwYkV0UDDNJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

I added 5 point harnesses to the rear seat and had the Bestop seats modified:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi5d2jtn0dX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Here is the install of my center console:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZrF50znlS9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Unfortunately I did not post a lot of pictures of the install of the front seats:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNdLhpxgekY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

If you guys have any questions let me know.

Joe Zeppe
 
I really like your rear seat for the little folk . I am just finishing my ,72 , and am debating installing a rear seat, and that is definitely the way to go . Looks great man !
 
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