Adding a center console and bucket seats

[DDJeep89]

So currently I have a maroon interior and a bench seat. I'm seriously considering swapping to bucket seats. I'd like to add the center consol. I've found one from a 88 Cherokee in maroon. I haven't seen very many in my color, mostly gray. So I'd like to jump on it before it's gone. The problem is there are no mounting brackets for the consol. I don't know what the brackets even look like. I'm sure plenty of you guys have installed these. Do the brackets seem fairly easy to fabricate? I have a basic flux core welder that I'm pretty good with. Also still need to find some seats!

[krustyballer16]

I think jcr makes a metal version of the plastic console mounts. Or maybe thats something else I'm thinking of. If you're pulling the xj console, try to get the brackets too. Which I think are plastic...?

Try to get everything you can that's related to it.

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[HOrnbrod]

The XJ/MJ console brackets are metal.  Here's some on Ebay.

 

[IronManche87]

I added ironically a maroon console to mine and have not yet installed the bracket but with the bucket seats I've had no problems with it moving. There should be a couple screws up front that screw to the shifter if you have a floor shift. Also grab the air vent that goes with the center console and make a block off for it since it'll be blowing air into the console instead of your feet. I used cardboard and plastering tape (just what I had available at the time) and riveted it.

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[krustyballer16]

Yep. I remember sending them with a console I sold.


Remove them with the console and screw or weld into MJ.

The XJ/MJ console brackets are metal.  Here's some on Ebay.
 

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[IronManche87]

Actually I may be wrong and the screws aren't on the shifter and the short console and full console have the same front bracket because I pulled both brackets and didn't end up using either as I pulled the old console and out the full one in and it screwed right in. Can get pics after work.

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[DDJeep89]

Awesome. Thanks HOrnbrod! For 20.00 bucks it sure beats having to make my own. Now I just have to find some maroon bucket seats. Don't up to 94 2 door XJ seats swap over pretty easy if I can't find MJ seats?

[HOrnbrod]

Just now, DDJeep89 said:

 Don't up to 94 2 door XJ seats swap over pretty easy if I can't find MJ seats?

 

93 seats and below are bolt-in using MJ bucket seat brackets.

[Minuit]

You'll find that the mounting holes for the console brackets are already center-punched and just need to be drilled out. The factory just used #8 sheet metal screws to attach the console. The floor shifter is used as a mounting point for the console, but it's not really needed. There's also a mounting point where the 4x4 shifter is (or the blanking plate that covers the hole, if you're 2wd)

 

 

 

[kryptronic]

2 hours ago, DDJeep89 said:

Awesome. Thanks HOrnbrod! For 20.00 bucks it sure beats having to make my own. Now I just have to find some maroon bucket seats. Don't up to 94 2 door XJ seats swap over pretty easy if I can't find MJ seats?

 

The Dude is in your immediate area and has a set of maroon buckets for sale. He had them here in York at the Jeep show a couple of weeks back.  They're decent.  I don't think they fold so they may have been from a 4 door XJ.  I suggest you send The Dude a PM.

[DDJeep89]

10 hours ago, kryptronic said:

 

The Dude is in your immediate area and has a set of maroon buckets for sale. He had them here in York at the Jeep show a couple of weeks back.  They're decent.  I don't think they fold so they may have been from a 4 door XJ.  I suggest you send The Dude a PM.

Thanks a lot for all the info. I wish I could have gone to York (work commitments). I'm definitely going next year.  I'll send him a PM

[ParadiseMJ]

I pulled my bench, put in 2 door XJ seats without the mounting brackets, Just a piece of 16 ga sheet metal and some sheet metal screws.  The console does not move, wiggle or vibrate.  The mounting holes, punched, were already there under the carpet.

[Sly_Jeeper]

I pulled my bench, put in 2 door XJ seats without the mounting brackets, Just a piece of 16 ga sheet metal and some sheet metal screws.  The console does not move, wiggle or vibrate.  The mounting holes, punched, were already there under the carpet.

Do you have pictures?


1989 4.0
Renix
Scratchy Ba/10
2wd
Stock
Short bed base