JK Rear seat back in a LJ

[tweenerlj]

As my kids are growing, I have been wanting to do something to give them some head support while riding in the back seat of the LJ. I have seen on other forums where folks have added headrests to the factory bench, so I have had my eyes on a good deal to come my way so that I could do the same. Such a deal came up last week and I scored a 2 door JK back seat for a screaming deal. I got it home and started measuring, thinking I might be able to fit the whole seat in the LJ instead with some slight modification. However, the seat cushion is just too wide to fit between the LJ wheel wells. Next I began disassembling the JK seat back to extract the headrests. I got those out and noticed that there is no height adjustment on them which would be awful low on the TJ seat back. Then I started to compare the two seat backs. The JK is about 4 inches taller than the LJ seat back. So, I stripped it down to the seat back frame as pictured below:



Then I disassembled the LJ seat back and came to the conclusion that if I narrowed the mounting brackets of the JK seat back, I could mount it to the LJ seat cushion. Out came the grinder and air cutoff wheel to remove the brackets. Low and behold, the mounted right up to the LJ seat hinge:



Additionally, the JK hinge release cables mounted right up to the LJ hinges. Score #2. Next step is to narrow the JK seat back frame and do any necessary trimming on the seat back cushion.

Here is a pic of the Jeep this will be going in:

 

[jscusmcvet]

Nice Jeep and great idea. Once you get the brackets mounted and everything ready to go, is the next step a trip to the upholstery shop to get the cushions and covers back on or is that something you'll do at home?

John

 

[tweenerlj]

As you can see in the picture above with the JK frame on top of the LJ seat bottom cushion, I have a seat cover on it. These are the smittybuilt covers, which they make a matching style for the JK (see example image below and I know that it is a 4dr, not 2dr)

I'll just go out an buy one of these for the seat back cover and it should match what I already have.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

Why not use a rear seat out of a 2 door JK. It's narrower and the headrest height is adjustable, like the fronts.

 

[TexasTJ]

He is. But it would not fit in the wheel arches of the TJ.

 

[nwoods]

The JK is something like 5" wider than a TJ/LJ

 

[The Last Cowboy]

Ok, I see now. The pic of a 4 door back seat threw me off.

 

[tweenerlj]

I finished up the fabrication on this project yesterday. I trimmed the seat back frame and re-welded it using only materials that were cut off of the frame.

Before:



After:



Next I put the frame back in the cushion and trimmed the foam to clear the TJ seat hinge:



Then it was just a matter of assembly.







It all came out really well, so I also went out and ordered a seat cover to match the bottom cover. It should arrive Monday.

 

[Chuck59]

Very nice work and a great project for family inclusion. Much admiration from me!

 

[apalmer]

Wow, very nice!

 

[jscusmcvet]

Awesome job:wings:

 

[TexasTJ]

That looks really slick

 

[tweenerlj]

Thanks for all the compliments. I am totally stoked about how it turned out and can't wait to get the cover on it to finish it all up.

 

[Bad Karma]

WOW!!! Now I have another project on my list...

 

[tweenerlj]

I'm kind of bummed. The seat cover has a darker grey inset than what is pictured in all the literature and what I currently have in the LJ.