It really shouldn't be that hard or expensive - use some cardboard to mock-up what you need pretending the cardboard is flat stock or angle stock, depending on your needs. Then find yourself one of those "Facebook Fabricators" (ie, guys who weld some stuff on the side). Alternatively, maybe you can find a set of the non-electric seat mechanisms and make them work? Do those seats have any kind of bracketry of their own?

ps, I don't think you need to worry about rust, if I recall you are in the SW US, but if you have any rust concerns at all, it's worth pulling up the carpet while you have the seats out. I knew I had two bad spots by the rear spring front perches, but after pulling the entire carpet up, there were several more bad areas. Jeep used some dumbass kind of noise insulation that was basically cotton/wool or a synthetic version of such that trapped literally a gallon or more of water/bag. Couple that with a hard rubber lined carpet and a basically a piece of sheet metal for the floor and you have a very rust conducive environment.

 

I honestly don't trust myself to mock up something. The seats only have sliders. I went the lazy route. I have a set of corbeau seats in my "race car". so I pulled those, and put these seats in, and the sliders were about 2.5" wider, but other than that were a perfect fit. ordered a set of brackets from corbeau, and will slot those in, will just have to drill a new set of holes to attached the sliders for the new seats. Corbeau already has done the work to create a working bracket (at least the one in my race car fit perfect), so went that way with it, and they discounted the price of the brackets since I already have sliders. Just had to call them.

 

 

OK so question... I will need to buy at least tires for my XJ, since the ones that are on it are BALD, and too small anyways. I have several options as I have a 1998 Mazda B4000 (ford ranger), that has the exact same 5x4.5 bolt pattern. and I have put after market wheels, with Milestar M/T tires on it.

Option 1: leave the B4000 alone, and get Just new tires for the XJ on it's stock wheels.
Option 2: Get new wheels and tires for the XJ, and leave the B4000 alone.
Option 3: Steal the wheels and tires from the Truck and put them on the XJ, and get new wheels and tires for the Truck
Option 4: get new Tires for the truck (a less aggressive tire) and put the tires from the truck on the XJ factory wheels.

The reason I would possibly take the tires/wheels from the truck is they are very aggressive M/T tires, and the XJ will become my main off-roading vehicle, the truck doesn't need nearly as an aggressive as a tire, as it will be relegated to mainly what little daily driving I do, and mostly be used to haul stuff to the dump or home from home depot.

For reference, the truck:

 

I'd take the tires from the truck and put them on the OEM Waggie wheels. Then get more moderate A/T tires for the B4000.

 

I think that is the smarter plan. Cheaper too, since even cheap wheels will cost me ~$300.

 

Sooooo happy this worked out.

 

I see you are going to install a new headlight switch. Check out this site: ksuspensionfab.com They have a fantastic no cut headlight wire harness that plugs directly into your existing headlight harness and runs the headlights DIRECTLY from the battery through there own relays. Great install video too!
H4 Upgraded Headlight Harness
$25.00
I blew out my headlight switch flashing my high beams alerting oncoming traffic of 🦌 deer on the road. Anyway, very inexpensive and they do "boost" your headlight lumens too and that's backed up with light meter readings as well. One of the bleepinjeep.com guys, Tim, also has a video posted on the ksuspensionfab.com site along with the install video. Also, I am in the process of redoing my headliner and there are a lot of people that opt to simply PAINT or BEDLINE the fiberglass backer board. As you know, it's the foam that breaks down over the years and when it does, there goes the fabric that was fused to the foam. Paint sounds good. I've seen a few where they've done the backer board with a deck restoration paint as it's THICKER. I checked with Bahr Paint and they did not suggest it but advised to prime the board with Kilz Adhere Primer. Not sure of your Jeep to my 96 engine with those engine breather grommets for the valve cover as I have a 4 liter, 6 cylinder and got mine at NAPA AUTO PARTS in my town. If you have your numbers I can compare them to mine. How about getting the old, HARD ones out of that cover. I used a fresh razon in my knife a putty knife and a pair of channel lock pliers. I stuffed a plastic shopping back into the openings after I CAREFULLY worked out the brittle, plastic parts and slit the old grommets in (2) two locations about a quarter inch apart. With that plastic bag stuffed in the opening I pushed that small section out and away from the rest of the grommets. Then I worked the putty knife UNDER the flange of the hard rubber grommets and used the channel locks to pry it out as I pulled the old grommetstowards that freshly removed section. Now more oil all over the top of my motor. Nice and clean. My next job is to attempt to fix the return spring on the interior drivers door lever. Then, make a new Engine Splah Shield for the under carriage to protect my alternator. I took it for an exhaust manifold repair and the mechanic did a GREAT job on the manifold but he laid my shield to waste by simply PULLING IT AWAY. Ive repaired it numerous times and it now needs replaced. I had a small transmission line leak that dripping onto that material and its all punky now and needs to come out anyway. Good luck on you Jeep.

 

i am doing the headlight switch, the problem is, that I have two lenses, and this setup is only for a single lens. My biggest issue so far, is the previous owner hacked into the wire harness for the headlights under the dash, and installed a toggle switch to turn the headlights on and off. so I have to sort that mess out first.

I was able to get the old grommets out without issue, and new ones In, but I had to shave down the new ones so they were compatible with the correct vacuum system. It works and looks pretty good. I'm going to hit it with some RTV to seal the space between the grommet and the vacuum system grommet. But I'm pretty happy with the end results so far.

To fix the spring on the driver's door handle... I just bought a new door handle the black part pops out and pops in, you just have to get one for the driver's side, front or rear, it was a ~5 minute job. Un screw the 3 screws holding the handle assembly to the door, undo the rods, pop one out, pop the other back in, good to go.


This is my next problem:




any suggestions on how to match the pair up?

 

dang it... they need to be shortened too:

 

Ok, so my thought is this. If I cut 3 1/2 inches out of the base, I can then use a 1x2" steel box tube to line up with the holes in the bracket, and the seat, that way I can move the seat back where I want it and down. This is a picture of me in it with in on ~5" of wood block the height seems right, but it needs to be further back. (it was too hard to get into the jeep with it this far forward). Then I'll need to go to town on the tunnel with a mallet to make room for the seat, at least on the driver's side.

Thoughts?

 

Can you not put the seat on sliders? Is it solid mount only?

ps, I got the H4 headlight harness to work with my Waggie. How I accomplished it is in my Jeep Build thread. As you probably already know, you'll need a different hardness than the ones that Cherokee guys use.

 

The seat is on sliders, But for it to work, would have to be all the way back on the sliders. the bigger issue right now is I am putting two things together that were never meant to be, so the mounts are too tall, and too narrow, so I am looking to get that fixed first, then I can look at getting the seat positioned forward or back as I need it to be, and the seats interfere with the hump of the transmission tunnel and the plastic trim around the seat belt retractor

Awesome, I'll check it out. the headlights are kinda weak, but the wires under the dash have been hacked up pretty bad, so I have to sort those out first.

 

Just checking the fit, needs to be dropped 2 1/2 inches for sure, and moved left, if I can.