My Willys 3A and 3B Community
3A, 3B, DJ Technical Knowledge Base => "Modifications"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Incites => Topic started by: Mytwojeeps2020 on December 09, 2020, 06:55:49 PM
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At 6’5”, I need to move the driver’s seat back. A tilt wheel is out of the question, but I’ve read about other owners who have “notched” their driver’s side wheel well to allow the seat to go back.
I haven’t been able to find any instructions on doing this.
Can anyone help?
BTW, this is for a CJ5, not the CJ6 listed in my profile.
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I think this has been done on the cj2a forum you would have to use the search function to find it.
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Richard, I saw that post while i was trying to track down some procedures for moving the driver’s seat back. If I saw the same post you did, the op had cut the seat frame as opposed to “notching” the wheel well.
In my case, I’d like to cut the wheel well, if I can find out how to do it.
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At 6’5â€, I need to move the driver’s seat back. A tilt wheel is out of the question, but I’ve read about other owners who have “notched†their driver’s side wheel well to allow the seat to go back.
I haven’t been able to find any instructions on doing this.
Can anyone help?
BTW, this is for a CJ5, not the CJ6 listed in my profile.
Richard, I saw that post while i was trying to track down some procedures for moving the driver’s seat back. If I saw the same post you did, the op had cut the seat frame as opposed to “notching†the wheel well.
In my case, I’d like to cut the wheel well, if I can find out how to do it.
I haven't studied much about the CJ-5 wheel well size nor how the seat fastens, but here are some options:
Remove the seat back cushion (definitely try this first):
https://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/doing-actual-work-with-the-jeep-add-your-photos_topic11762_post480210.html?KW=move+seat+back#480210
Cut up the seat frame:
https://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/moving-seat-to-increase-driver-leg-room_topic42570_post420243.html?KW=cut+wheel+well+more+leg+room#420243
Cut a notch in the wheel well:
https://www.thecj2apage.com/forums/rear-wheel-well-modification_topic21938_post188565.html?KW=cut+wheel+well+more+leg+room#188565
This last link had a reference to a D&L Bensinger kit for a seat that sat back further. That link must be old. I searched on his website and found this:
https://www.dlbensinger.com/ufaqs/what-is-the-xl-conversion-kit/
It seems at least one post indicated a template. Most seemed to kind of guess at it. I think I also read that after cutting the notch (from both sides), they are inverted and swapped (driver/passenger) and welded back in. This allows the seats to sit at the same position and the weld-in plug is already the correct dimension/gauge.
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I did a radical approach because I'm 6'4" and had to modify my fender well to allow me more leg room on my custom DJ3A, (not concerned about original) but DJs don't have the gas tank in the floor under the seat to have to deal with. I also modified the frame of the bucket seat I'm using, and combined with it all together I gained 7" for my knee from the dash. I basically took the new wheel well back to the radius of the stock opening lip, and then pushed the inner side back another 1" (not noticeable from outside) to where the seat hits, and then the seat wraps around the new fender well by 1.5". Three pics attached. Wheel well pic is actually the passenger side, but driver's side is the same. I have more pics of my method if you are interested.
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As always, great ideas here!
Steve, if possible, can you post a pic of the seat after your mod?
Rus, as always, thanks! I’m leaning towards the wheel well mod, and I did contact that vendor who makes the XL Conversions.
Once I get my head wrapped around this, I’ll post the results.
Thanks, all!
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The third pic is the finished mod of the seat painted, the frame corner cut out and replaced with flat stock to wrap around the wheel well edge. The cover was just pulled down over the change and it isn't noticeable as it is soft and sits against the well. Here are pics to show how my custom seat bracket fits around the well, and back into the cargo area, with a "splash lip" to prevent water in cargo area from getting into seat or storage, and then the pic of the seat mounted, but I don't have pics of it mounted at the well side. Sorry.
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Delayed PM response sent to your message I didn't see earlier.