Center Console Options

[bigmistake]

Forgive me if this is common knowledge - I did a search and didn't find what I was looking for.

 

What are our options for center consoles?  My manual MJ has the mini console with the little coin holder.  Can I find a larger console out of an XJ with cup holders and arm rest and it will drop in?

 

EDIT:  I've got stock bucket seats.  

 

Thanks!

[Strokermjcomanche]

Do you have buckets or a bench ? 

[bigmistake]

Buckets!  Forgot to add that.

[rokinn]

I believe up to and including the 96 will just drop in.  After that there may be mods but not really sure.  I tried to fit a 97+ at the junk yard into an MJ and it was not a drop in.

[Pete M]

97_+ is real close.  takes a bit of trimming and the mounting is a bit off.  but it's been done before and it comes with cupholders!  

 

check the DIY link in my sig.  there should be a thread on it. 

[schardein]

The consoles from an XJ up to 96 will work as previously posts say.

 

A factory console for an MJ will have a closed piece in place of the open slot in the XJ console where the parking brake lever sticks through.  

 

The console attaches at a bracket at the back and middle, and the shifter assembly at the front.  Something might have to be added at the front to bolt to if one has an automatic since the shifter is on the column.

 

Some XJ consoles will have a  switch for electric side mirror adjustment switch.  This will leave an unsightly hole since it won't be used on the Comanche (unless you add electric adjust mirrors!)

 

Later XJ consoles, and I forget exactly what year this started (93-94ish?) will have slots on the passenger side to add a factory cup holder.  There is also an aftermarket cup holder designed to bolt over the parking brake handle (on XJ setups).  Either version has limited usefulness, but might be better than nothing.

[NHMJXJ]

Ditto … up to 96 will drop in, BUT with mods.  You have to trim the front to clear the floor heater vents. 

 

I installed a center console in my last two MJ's after swapping the bench seats for buckets. I'll upload some pics later.

[Minuit]

32 minutes ago, NHMJXJ said:

Ditto … up to 96 will drop in, BUT with mods.  You have to trim the front to clear the floor heater vents. 

You won't need to do this if you also get the floor duct in front of the console and do something to block off the passage for the duct under the console. I recommend doing that, because otherwise some of your heat will end up blowing through the console on the back cab wall instead of your feet.

[NHMJXJ]

1 minute ago, Minuit said:

your heat will end up blowing through the console on the back cab wall instead

 

Rear defrost.    I'm in New Hampshire so it actually works out well.   Point taken though.

[Minuit]

10 minutes ago, NHMJXJ said:

 

Rear defrost.    I'm in New Hampshire so it actually works out well.   Point taken though.

Guess I never thought about that before.

[fiatslug87]

The XJs also came with a duct that runs inside the console for heat to get to the back, I use it as a right hand warmer, heat comes out under the rear ashtray.

[Pete M]

mine heated up the center armrest really nice  

[bigmistake]

Alright, one more question - since I've got a manual, do I need to find a manual to do the swap, or do the automatics and manuals share the same console?

[Minuit]

They're the same, except for the bezel around the shifter. The automatics have a sliding thingy with the PRNDL symbols where the manuals have a rectangular bezel that attaches to the rubber shifter boot. You'll just need that bezel. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Omix-Ada-18886-94-Transmission-1984-2004-Wrangler/dp/B0093E8SRG/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548435436&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=cherokee+shifter+bezel

[boxyjeep]

Just bought a 97+ XJ console and will be swapping into my '88 4WD w/ Column shift.  I bought the JCR reinforcement bracket and will trim the console to fit as needed.  Should have some pics up in the next week or so.

 

I'm planning an eventual 97+ dash & interior swap, so this makes the most sense for me.

[kentsu66]

On 1/16/2019 at 7:25 AM, Minuit said:

You won't need to do this if you also get the floor duct in front of the console and do something to block off the passage for the duct under the console. I recommend doing that, because otherwise some of your heat will end up blowing through the console on the back cab wall instead of your feet.

Thanks for mentioning this. My brother @jamespwsullivan and I just finished a total rehab of the non-A/C heater enclosure in his '87--stripped out all of the old foam and replaced it, new heater core, etc. His truck also has been converted from 5-speed to auto w/ floor shift. He has two XJ full consoles and some of the original interior pieces that he intends to use as part of the rehab. He needed the XJ version of the full console specifically because he converted his MJ to have a center-mount parking brake, using parts from a junkyard XJ (including the difficult-to remove reinforcement plate that was spot-welded in **6** places).

 

We're puzzled by the center heat duct at the front of the console. His 5-spd. setup used the larger of the two ducts, P/N 56000610. For the current auto floor-shift setup, we installed the smaller version, P/N 56000584. We **assumed** that this setup needed the separate outlet bezel, P/N 5AD44JY6. We tracked down a used one but we can't see any way that it could fit. (See items 27, 28, & 40 in diagram 24-3700 from the 1987-1990 parts book, attached.)

 

So then we assumed that the MJ full console must be different, because otherwise the large rectangular opening in the duct would pour heat into the underside of the change tray. (@NHMJXJ mentioned installing the XJ rear heat duct, P/N 55001303, to provide some defrost to the rear window, which is a possibility!)

 

In any case, diagram 8A-2000 (also attached) isn't clear about what the differences are in the change tray / shifter surround (item 17 in the diagram) between XJ and MJ. In addition to not having an e-brake slot, does the MJ version of this part have a vent in place of the change tray? We looked at a bunch of photos online of MJs with full consoles and they all seemed to have the change tray, which was a surprise...

 

I'm also attaching diagram 8A-1000 since it shows the lower dash panel, which does not appear to differ depending on the type of console.

 

Any insights would be very appreciated!

24-3700 1987-1990.pdf 08A-2000 1987-1990.pdf 08A-1000 1987-1990.pdf

[schardein]

Item 40 in diagram 24-3700 (or the complete assembly, #37) goes on the lower dash panel directly under the steering wheel.  I don't know the exact years, but on the early models, this "crotch cooler" was a separate piece from the lower dash panel.  Later models just molded the vent into the panel.  And then at some point it was deleted entirely.  

I know this doesn't answer your main question, but might clear up some confusion.  

[kentsu66]

1 hour ago, schardein said:

Item 40 in diagram 24-3700 (or the complete assembly, #37) goes on the lower dash panel directly under the steering wheel. I don't know the exact years, but on the early models, this "crotch cooler" was a separate piece from the lower dash panel. Later models just molded the vent into the panel.  And then at some point it was deleted entirely. I know this doesn't answer your main question, but might clear up some confusion.

 

Very helpful, thanks! My brother's truck has had an interior color change. The current lower dash panel is apparently out of an '89 (89 5501 0076) and has the molded in "crotch cooler" (LOL!). I looked at some more photos after reading your post. It appears that the separate piece was used on '84 - '86 XJs for sure. it's not 100% clear from the photos what the story was for '87, but I assume at least some XJs and/or MJs had it, else it wouldn't have appeared in the '87 - '90 parts book. In the '91 - '93 parts book, the louver and receiver are shown but not the surround, which would make sense for when it was molded into the longer trim piece.