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Seat decision


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Need some help deciding which seats to run. Currently I have some power bucket seats out of a cherokee laredo that are really comfortable, only bummer is they don't flip forward and can only seat 2. A guy I got a factory hitch off of has a black bench seat in pretty good shape for sale and obviously it sits three and folds forward. I haven't sat in a comanche bench before and need some opinions if it would be worth picking up. 

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The Comanche bench seat is not all that great, to put it mildly.  But if you need to seat 3 in the Comanche - your choices are somewhat limited.  Give it a try and do not toss your bucket seats.  You may need them later.

 

I went from the bench seat to buckets over several years.  I used good seats from a nice XJ, then found decent seat frames from both 2 door XJs and a Comanche.  Then put together a very nice looking set of fold forward seats with a storage pocket on the back of the seat. 

 

But after a few years, I found the Comanche/Cherokee buckets bothered my back, so I replaced them with seats out of the Grand Cherokee and added the fold forward option with the help of a DIY article here on the Comanche Club.

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If you're up for a little project, find some 2 door XJ or MJ seats and swap the upholstery, foam, and bolsters from your comfy Laredo ones on to the frames. That way, you'll get the comfort of the Laredo seats and the flip forward ability. It's not too hard at all, just takes some patience. You don't want an MJ bench seat. I had an MJ bench seat. My tailbone still hasn't forgiven me. While you're at it, grab another passenger side bottom cushion and put it on the driver side.

 

To say the MJ bench "sits three" is a funny joke with no basis in reality. I sat in this very truck (when it still had a bench seat) as a kid and the middle still wasn't comfortable.

 

ddpvVq6l.jpg

 

These seats started life as the basic bucket seats with the nasty vinyl covers. Very old picture, I've since swapped on a new driver side cover with no tear in the bolster.

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I love my redone bench seat. It had bucket seats in it when i got it. Hated them. Had my bench seat reupholstered and wouldn't go back to buckets at all. I've fit 3 people in it (myself, 5'9", a very fit girl my age and my dad, 6'3") sucked for her with my 5 speed but it was OK.

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I love my redone bench seat. It had bucket seats in it when i got it. Hated them. Had my bench seat reupholstered and wouldn't go back to buckets at all. I've fit 3 people in it (myself, 5'9", a very fit girl my age and my dad, 6'3") sucked for her with my 5 speed but it was OK.

5'6 here and damn near new bench seat but I sunk another couple inches and felt like an old lady trying to look through the steering wheel. Ended up putting in leather WJ seats. Amazing. Kinda wish I had those factory buckets though with the side padding.

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Damn, I guess I'm the only one who prefers the bench. My dog also likes it so he can stretch out.

 

But then again, my ideal seat is the bench from an old Chevy truck. Can't be beat!

 

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Bench seats are great because they use every amount of available space, but older ford/chevy benches really are the best and almost make up for no suspension haha. Hornbrod, and off-road bench would be sick, is that close to the same width?

 

 

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Bench seats are great because they use every amount of available space, but older ford/chevy benches really are the best and almost make up for no suspension haha. Hornbrod, and off-road bench would be sick, is that close to the same width?

 

From the site:

 

original-bench.jpg

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  • 4 months later...

I had a 88 ranger years ago with a "split bench" I think that's what it's called with the fold down arm rest on the center.kinda wounded how one of those would fit? Seemed like the best of both worlds.

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Damn, I guess I'm the only one who prefers the bench. My dog also likes it so he can stretch out.

 

But then again, my ideal seat is the bench from an old Chevy truck. Can't be beat!

 

 

 

I prefer the bench too but i use a pillow to get some extra support... bad back you know

 

but since my bench is falling apart as it ages, i may get some bucket seats after all...

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If you or the girl in your life has any lower back issues the bench can be SOB. Having the ability to change the lumbar position on long trips can save some pain. If the bench doesn't have headrests ( like mine) your in a would of hurt if you get hit from behind. Got a set of buckets out of a 2drxj the skins for the sets I got out of 4drxj. You can find what you want just takes timing and a bit of luck. As far as carrying 3 people. My 11 yr old niece was uncomfortable and I have a column shift. That's a pretty big hump running down the center of that floorboard for such a small truck. A car seat for a kid might work in the center but they would be the only one that would be comfortable. Just the nature of the beast. Good luck.

 

 

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If you or the girl in your life have any lower back issues the bench can be an SOB. Having the ability to change the lumbar position on long trips can save some pain. If the bench doesn't have headrests ( like mine) your in a would of hurt if you get hit hard from behind. The back of the neck can roll over the back of the seat and bounce the skull rite off that glass. If you get lucky maybe the glass will shatter and give a little, if you call that lucky. That's what rolls around in my head when I look at that bench set. Nothing like an internal head injury to go along with that whip lash. Sorry for the gallos humor on this guys but I've had 2 broken necks in 2 separate accidence 35 yrs apart. I've threaded the needle twice don't think I would that lucky a third time.

Got a set of buckets out of a 2drxj the skins for the sets I got out of 4drxj. You can find what you want just takes timing and a bit of luck. As far as carrying 3 people. My 10yr old was uncomfortable and I have a column shift. That's a pretty big hump running down the center of that floorboard for such a small truck. A car seat for a kid might work in the center but they would be the only one that would be comfortable. Just the nature of the beast that we all love. Good luck.

 

 

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I'm a pretty big of the big old hump down the middle. It's what gives the XJ/MJ it's car-like driving characteristics and seating position while still allowing for a ton of ground clearance.

As for seating more than two people, back when I was younger and foolisher I managed to get five passengers into my cab, and I don't have a bench. I mean, sure, it may not have been super comfortable (and asking to get pulled over for sure) but it worked for the ten mile ride home. The girl sitting on the trans tunnel said she particularly enjoyed the experience.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I opted to install seats from a Hyundai Tiburon in my XJ and I plan to do it in my just acquired MJ too.   I got them out an '03 but I'm sure other years would work.   Most small 2 dr. sports car seats flip forward.  My XJ is a two dr. so that was important - same for an MJ.   I used the XJ floor brackets and sliders and fabricated some simple flat bar brackets to connect them to the Tiburon seats - no welding required, just grade 8 bolts.

 

picture.php?albumid=4517&pictureid=54290

 

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WJ XJ ZJ seats can be modified to fold forward also. 3 bolts per side and the bracket from a 2 door seat. I found a set on ebay for 30 bucks and threw them into a pair of leather WJ seats. Comfortable but putting the bench back in so the dogs have a place to sit/lay down.

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