65 Cj5

Hello All,

I drove my CJ5 for the first time since beginning my project, even if it was for just a few feet.

I need seats. What is the best option, and what all parts do I need to get?

I don't have frames or anything else. Do I buy the frame from Kaiser Willys? Do I also need the bottom pan?

I would like to use some of the low back type seats (Smittybilt). Does anybody have any tips? Is there a straight forward way to do this or will it be custom fab work?

Thanks

 

If you can find the original seat frames it will be a lot easier. Mounting it is pretty straightforward. If you have to Fab something up it won't be too hard. Easier if you don't want to access the passenger side tool box under the seat

 

I just went through this on my '68. Do you have the mounts that attach to the body?

I went with Smittybilt seats after attempting to used the Rugged Ridge ones. The Rugged Ridge seats were too thick and too firm making you sit too high in the Jeep.

I had the factory mounts and the driver's seat bolts directly to the original mount. The passenger seat does not bolt to the factory mount without adapters and sits a good 1-1/2" higher than the driver's seat without bracket mods.

I ended up cutting down the body mount on the passenger side and making a new pivoting frame to bolt to the seat. You can see it in my build thread here: What? Another Jeep?

Here's the home-made mount on the bottom of the passenger seat:


Here it is on the cut down body mount:


And after all that, the passenger seat and driver seat (on the stock mount) line up great:

 

You can see what seat frames for your era of CJ5 from the pictures Fireball has posted. The seat frames Kaiser Willys says will fit a CJ5 through 1971 are nothing like the originals for your Jeep. I installed a set of "Rugged Ridge" seats in my CJ5 and they work okay, but after seeing his Smitty Built seats I wish I had bought those for the same reasons he mentions.

 

When did they go from the cast hinges that bolt to tool box to the tube style mount? The '71 I had used the tube.

 

Smittybuilts look much thinner than the Besttop ones I got. I had to do a buch of surgery to the stock mounts to get them low enough

 

Can you show a picture of where the driver's side bolts to the floor near the middle of the jeep?

I can see where the outside bolt goes, but the inside mount near the middle of the floor pan is not so clear. There are several holes and my jeep also had a PTO, so there is a large hole in the floor near where it looks like that bolt goes.

 

Right next to the tool box inline with the passenger side bolt hole:

 

Smitty Lowbacks are perfect for me. I like mine a lot. Custom mounts to make them as low as possible, then spacers get the angle just right

 

Thanks! That is perfect.

I am going to try and fab something up this weekend. I will try and get some drawings of the parts once I have a finished product.

 

I got a early cj5 frame

 

I was born in 1945 when Americans were smaller, so I fit right in my Tux seats. It seems like you need to get the thinnest seats you can to fit in below the steering wheel. I was 5"8" now I am smaller and fit good. Barb, my wife don't want to ride in the Jeep it is too much for her, so we take my Truck Forest Viewing. I want to change the springs to DBS to see if they ride softer than the Rancho's I have now. Good Luck.

 

bds springs are softer than the ranchos

 

Keep an eye out for deals on the Smittybilt low back seats on eBay. I just bought a pair for $118 each and free shipping from 4 Wheel Drive Hardware. They are nice and low and you sink into them, I have an old Bestop seat that is like sitting on a block of wood.