How I installed Dakota Seats

[coolwind57]

Pete M asked me to post this under the DIY section.  

 

I had picked up some Dakota 40-20-40 seats at a JY.  While there, I noticed that there are two different seat heights on the late 90s- early 2000 model Dakotas.  Most had seats that were shorter than these.  Hoping I didn't make a mistake by choosing the taller height style, I hauled these home.  They came from a 1999 with extended cab.  

 

I've got a cheapo flux core welder, and an angle grinder.  The goal is to mount them using the factory mounting studs.  The first thing after removing my bench was to cut the flooring mounting brackets from my bench seat and mount them on the floor just to see how i can match them up with the Dakota seats.  So here's what they look like re-installed:

 

 

i bought a piece of 3/16" (I think) angle iron and some 3/4" steel square tubing.  I then placed my seats inside the cab and cut a piece of angle iron to see how I could get the front mount positioned.  I chose the hardest to work with first:  The driver's front bracket.  That tunnel sticks out on the driver's side and it really pushes the limits on placement of the Dakota inner rail. 

 

Man, what a pain.  I was able to tack weld once I found the sweet spot.  I then removed and began to weld in earnest.  

 

So before I did the weld above, I did "dry fit" my seat and found that I didn't like the height that it would create if I left the two buckets and jump seat bolted together.  So scratch to plan to keep them bolted together.   The thing is--Dakota seats like to be placed high.  The higher you place this driver's seat, the more clearance you'll have from that goofy protrusion of the tunnel.  

 

I found the best combination of minimizing seat height and decent slider track placement was when I had my angle iron practically sitting on the tunnel protrusion.   If you go back and look at my pic with just the bench seat mounts (minus the bench) secured to the floor, you'll see that that driver's side front bracket is practically sitting on the tunnel as well.   I did have to give up one half of my front Dakota mounting tab, however.  in this pic, you can see where I had to trim 1/2 of the tab (in YELLOW).  You can kinda see the other half of the tab that I'm welding on to the angle iron (WHITE).   I also had to cut my angle iron at an angle to better accommodate the protrusion of the tunnel (RED).   

 

So far, I'd been able to weld attachments on to the lower glide rail tabs,  not the rail itself.  that was the plan as I continued to mount these seats.

 

Ok, so here's how my custom driver's side seat brackets came out:

 

1.  Top two white arrows:  Show that I used the stock Dakota track/rail attachments (tabs, which i cut down an bit).  After modifying them slightly, I simply welded onto them instead of removing them and welding or bolting my metal directly onto the Dakota tracks.

2.  Blue circles show my original MJ brackets.  Welds look horrible, but hey it's a cheapo flux core welder I have to work with.  I got good penetration and the welds are strong.  Just looks like hell.

3.  I chose to use 3/4 tubing to support the rear, as I felt 1" tubing might be too high.  Red arrow shows that I had to stack another piece of 3/4 tubing on one end to get the height of the seat's outboard side correct.  

4.  The bottom-most arrow shows the 3/16" thick angle iron used for the front of the seat.

 

It's now bolted into my MJ and I LOVE it.  Very comfortable.  Dakota seats certainly fit tight in there.  My door panel touches the seat fabric, but just barely.  

 

I then did the passenger side, using same techniques.  and here's how it all came out:

 

Final notes on this upgrade project:

 

1.  I initially wanted a jump seat/console the same height as the seats.  This would allow for kind of a bench seat if the console is swung up.  Well, you're either going to have to lift the buckets way up (in my opinion, too much) or cut into the jump seat--big time.  It's probably possible, but not worth my time.  As I began thinking more about it, I'm going to use the console 99% of the time.  Maybe put a baby carrier seat in if my wife gets pregnant.  Or maybe haul a kid, but that jump seat is much too narrow for an adult butt anyow.  The height of the jump seat as it is installed on the tunnel is too high for an adult over 5', 8", I'd say.  

 

2.   I wanted to install the console/jumpseat even with the front of the buckets "for looks".  But if you do that, then you won't be able to use the super cool pull-out drink holder tray.  I placed mine far enough back for cup holder access, and it works just fine for my resting elbow.  Another thing about this being higher than the buckets that I worried about:  Will your right elbow sit too high when rested on it since the buckets are lower.  Answer is no.  I am completely comfortable.  In fact, I love it.  Can't see how I did without an arm rest back when I had my bench.  It's at a great height for me, awesome comfortable.  

 

3.  I bought some 2" flat metal and bolted lengths up under the jumper seat at the factory mounting holes where the buckets normally bolt onto.  I placed the jumper, then bent the metal to form around the tunnel and then bolted through it using galvanized 3/8" bolts/washers/nuts.  Plenty of room up under your tunnel if your bolts are 2" in length.

 

4.  I could care less that my interior colors don't match.  The gray seats actually have some blue and red specks in them, that don't show so much in the picture but the red pops out when you view in person.  Again, not a big deal for me.  Heck, my truck is OD green (Monstaliner bed coating) with a red interior.  I'm more about practical.  Looks fine by me.

 

5.  Passenger seat was easier to fab a mount....but not by much. If  you're going to do this upgrade in a similar manner as I then you're going to have cut, weld, check fitment. Cut, weld, check fitment. Takes a lot of time.

 

6.  I did final fit and then decided to lift the entire bucket brackets off the floor by about 3/8" after I built up my seat brackets.  This allowed closer fitment to the tunnel on both sides--there's a odd bulge on the driver's side of the tunnel due to the transfer case underneither.  I did this because it seemed like I was too close to the door and not centered behind the steering wheel.  I had some pieces of used metal left over that I placed under the seat brackets to accomplish this small lift. 

 

7.  I can still use my door-mounted arm rest, which indicates that my height is pretty close to what I had from the factory seat.  Lifting the seats as much as GrayWolf did with his brackets looks like it would make this arm rest too low for use.  Check out his thread for a different Dakota seat mount option if you hadn't already.  His seats match the height of the jump seat, but I just didn't want to go this route as I started working this project.  There's pros and cons to each method, I'm sure. 

 

8.  Ceiling height is great.  I'm 5, 11" and I weigh 228lbs.  I can place my fist above my head as I'm seated.  This is good for hat-wearers like me.  And I LOVE the adjustability that I now have over my MJ bench.  And I also love that I can lean back and my whole head is cushioned behind me.  These seats are nice and tall.  

 

[Goose_XJ88]

Thanks for the write-up.

 

I'm going to put this here because it is always asked in reference to seats.. It doesn't matter how tall you are, your proportions are going to be different than the next guy.

 

Some people are all legs and short upper bodies; some people are all upper body length and shorter legs. You should try to base your "will I fit" question on how high the seat is in relation to the factory arm rest. That is really the only reference point that will really give any info.

 

 

 

Reason I say this is that I have seen many threads where "I'm 5'-11" and i hit my head on the roof" and the next guy is "6'-1" and I still have an inch of clearance" in the same jeep or similar jeep setup....

[coolwind57]

13 hours ago, Goose_XJ88 said:

Thanks for the write-up.

 

I'm going to put this here because it is always asked in reference to seats.. It doesn't matter how tall you are, your proportions are going to be different than the next guy.

 

Some people are all legs and short upper bodies; some people are all upper body length and shorter legs. You should try to base your "will I fit" question on how high the seat is in relation to the factory arm rest. That is really the only reference point that will really give any info.

 

 

 

Reason I say this is that I have seen many threads where "I'm 5'-11" and i hit my head on the roof" and the next guy is "6'-1" and I still have an inch of clearance" in the same jeep or similar jeep setup....

 

yes sir, I agree.  BTW, I did mention the use of the armrest in #7 of my final notes as an indication of judging seat height.  i have found that I comfortably alternate my elbow from door-mounted arm rest to window opening.  

 

If you guys attack this project in a method similar to mine, then I'd emphasize the part of my write-up regarding "dry-fitting".  Elevate your Dakota seats where you want them by using spacers (spare metal, wood, whatever you have laying around) and sit in the cab.  Adjust as necessary before final welding.  Because of the dang protrusion of the driver's side tunnel, I struggled to get my seat centered behind the steering wheel at first.   

 

You might not like sitting in my seats but I have them fabricated just the way I like them.  It's tight in that cab, so take your time and get them set in there right the first time.

[Pete M]

added to the list!     

[johnj92131]

6 hours ago, coolwind57 said:

If you guys attack this project in a method similar to mine, then I'd emphasize the part of my write-up regarding "dry-fitting".  Elevate your Dakota seats where you want them by using spacers (spare metal, wood, whatever you have laying around) and sit in the cab.  Adjust as necessary before final welding.  Because of the dang protrusion of the driver's side tunnel, I struggled to get my seat centered behind the steering wheel at first.   

 

 

THIS is very important!  Do not skip this step.

 

When I installed Grand Cherokee seats in my 91 Comanche, I used lots of different spacers and several "C" clamps to secure the seats while I tested the fit and range of seat adjustment.  Both front to back and side to side.  I also adjusted the "tilt" of the seat base with spacers till I got that right.  Only then did I do the final bolt down of the seat.

With that done, I have been very pleased with the Grand Cherokee seats for several years.  But I sure like the idea of the Dakota center console and think the Dakota seats are a great choice.  Maybe if I could find them in porno Red, I would put them in the 86 diesel.

 

 

[Goose_XJ88]

On 4/11/2018 at 2:54 PM, johnj92131 said:

 

 Maybe if I could find them in porno Red, I would put them in the 86 diesel.

 

 

Haha, In my 88 XJ I call the color "Pimpin' Purple"