Cab room with Steering/Dash swap

[stonehands]

Anyone do a steering/dash swap that can help me out? I need to know if there is more room when you put in a 97+ steering column and dash.

My 6'-4" son doesn't fit so well in my 1987 Comanche. I want to pass the truck down to him.

[Dzimm]

I'm 6'4" as well and 350lbs so not skinny but I'm also not a huge guy (everyone thinks I'm in the 250 range). I did the swap and it is tight to get my right leg under the steering wheel but once in it I'm fine. It also depends on the seats. I have the leather XJ seats that are a little bigger so I'm up higher and farther forward than normal MJ seats. The dash itself sits a little farther out but I would say he would be fine. If you like I could take some pictures with a tape measure of the distances to give you a better idea.

[DigitalBman]

Interior room is definitely less with the swap. Several inches less leg room and everything comes out further from the firewall. I also have the XJ leather limited seats.

 

I am not very big at 180 and 5'9"... I'm fine. But definitely notably less room than in my stock comanche

[Dzimm]

This will all also depend on what interior package you originally had to compare to. Bench seats generally offer more room than buckets as well. I'll take measurements quick and post them.

[Dzimm]

Alright I got all the important dimensions I could think of.  I went ahead and made a diagram to hopefully better represent the dimensions.  Sorry if it is a little confusing but it is the best I could do in a short time frame.  

 

Here is the side view of the interior from the drivers side.

 

 

Here is the diagram I made based on this angle above.

 

And here is a view seen from the drivers point of view.

I've got about 3" of room from my knees to the dash and about 1.5" from my legs to the steering wheel.  Keep in mind that these are the leather Limited XJ seats (larger than MJ or other trims of XJ) and the front of them is directly above the front seat bolts in the MJ and this is carpeted so without carpet you would gain another .5" to 1" of room on the floor.  Also I am 6'4" and not skinny.  It is fairly comfy but on long drives (2 hours or more) I would probably be getting uncomfortable.  

 

Edit: Forgot to mention that this is also a tilt steering wheel and it is all the way up.

[ftpiercecracker1]

I cut my steering shaft shorter for more space. I'm only 5' 11.5" and not quite a $1.50

 

I don't know how some of you bigger guys manage.

[Minuit]

5'11, 210ish. Picture the average American and that's a stunningly close image, not that that's a good thing. The MJ interior fits me like a glove. I have it back all the way and I don't recline very far.

 

For what it's worth I gained some legroom when I went from a bench to manual buckets.

[DigitalBman]

 

Not the best picture, but I have these, the power adjustable heated leather XJ seats in mine... And with how I have to sit to comfortably press the clutch to the floor, my knees practically touch the dash... And if I slouch, they do.

[DigitalBman]

 

Here's a picture I found from the day I bought her.. If that helps at all.

 

Great info by the way!! I'm sure that will come in handy for lots of people!

[Dzimm]

 

Here's a picture I found from the day I bought her.. If that helps at all.

 

Great info by the way!! I'm sure that will come in handy for lots of people!

This power seats are quite a bit taller. My head would be through the roof. Lol

[Minuit]

Yeah, the power seat mechanisms are significantly taller. About as tall as the manual rocker buckets in early XJs if I recall. The XJ's floor pan is flat and the MJ's isn't. To keep the same seating position in the XJ, they changed the length of the seat pedestals depending on what type of seats you had. That's not an option in the MJ, since the MJ bucket seat pedestals are basically as low as you can get them in the rear anyway due to the heavy slope of the floor.

[stonehands]

Thanks guys, especially for the diagram Dzimm.

Going less room will have to be reevaluated now.

A custom dash with the old steering wheel?

Cardboard template dash here I come.

[Dzimm]

Thanks guys, especially for the diagram Dzimm.

Going less room will have to be reevaluated now.

A custom dash with the old steering wheel?

Cardboard template dash here I come.

Do you plan on doing the rest of the 97+ swap or were you just considering it for more room? It would be a pain in the arse to try and manage using the older column electrical with 97+ everything else.

[75sv1]

Might not help. I put in a '95 GC steering wheel/column. I have not work out the electrics etc. More of a mock install. This was with the bucket seats. It seems to give a 1-2 inch more room. I felt less pinched than the stock one. I'm 5-11 + 210 lbs. Still, it all depends on arm length and other proportioning.  I plan to install the GC dash. Yes, there is some cutting to do.

[stonehands]

I started to do the steering column bracket when i noticed there might be a steering wheel location change and wanted to see if i was going to lose room before i did.

If i leave the 87 column i will do a custom metal dash.