Rear headrests in a TJ?
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
Finally diving into this. Went over to Tulsa this am and pulled the entire back seat through the passenger rear door of an Explorer (because the lock post was gone from the driver door and the door was of course locked)
I mainly wanted the sleeves, which can't be removed without removing the upholstery on the seat back and they were gonna charge me for the seat anyway. $80 for the whole thing. Now I have the tubes that the sleeves ride in which at 19mm ID probably aren't something I'm just gonna find at Home Depot, and I figure having the Intel of what the inside of the seat looks like and how the headrests are mounted was worth something, too.
Torn apart in my driveway.
The tubes are pitched forward slightly - 9.3 degrees to be exact. I'll reproduce this, but I'll probably just round to 9 because I probably can't hit precision to a tenth of a degree anyway.
The sleeves are a 4 piece assembly. The main sleeve, a locking tab and spring that lock into the groove on the side of the posts, and the black cap on top to match the interior color.
My Jeep brain wants to part this stuff out and get my money back but then I realize a 2006-2010 Explorer has basically zero enthusiast following and if I try something like that I'll have these parts laying around for years. I'm keeping the parts I need including the rear seat frames; small parts are going in the trash can and I'll probably trickle the big stuff into the can over a few weeks so I don't have to pay the dump to take it.
I mainly wanted the sleeves, which can't be removed without removing the upholstery on the seat back and they were gonna charge me for the seat anyway. $80 for the whole thing. Now I have the tubes that the sleeves ride in which at 19mm ID probably aren't something I'm just gonna find at Home Depot, and I figure having the Intel of what the inside of the seat looks like and how the headrests are mounted was worth something, too.
Torn apart in my driveway.
The tubes are pitched forward slightly - 9.3 degrees to be exact. I'll reproduce this, but I'll probably just round to 9 because I probably can't hit precision to a tenth of a degree anyway.
The sleeves are a 4 piece assembly. The main sleeve, a locking tab and spring that lock into the groove on the side of the posts, and the black cap on top to match the interior color.
My Jeep brain wants to part this stuff out and get my money back but then I realize a 2006-2010 Explorer has basically zero enthusiast following and if I try something like that I'll have these parts laying around for years. I'm keeping the parts I need including the rear seat frames; small parts are going in the trash can and I'll probably trickle the big stuff into the can over a few weeks so I don't have to pay the dump to take it.
Before you lock in the 9.3°, will the Jeep seat back be at the same angle that the Explorer seat back was?
Hmmm. Seemed similar but I didn't take a measurement. Are you thinking the head rest should have the same angle from vertical rather than the same angle from the seat back?
I doubt it matters much, but I'm guessing Ford picked that angle because they knew how far their seat leaned back.
Neither, actually, as designed. The tab that locks into the groove can only be unlocked using a small punch or paperclip and there's only one groove. If the height doesn't work out I can cut another groove wherever I want it, but I DID measure the height of the seat back and it was the same as the TJ within 1/4" so as long as I put it at close to the same height I think it'll work.
It flips forward to tuck in under the seat base when folded and tumbled but it doesn't seem to lock in any more than one position (though I haven't tried very hard so....)
I think with the pitched forward angle minus the recline of the seat it probably comes out close to vertical.
I think it's not much of a practical worry as long as the angle isn't too crazy. Most people/kids don't actually rest their heads against them. It's just for safety IMHO. The tumble forward was critical for me for both visibility when not in use and so it didn't interfere with the tumble action of the rear seat.
Yeah, the more metal I'm cutting the less concerned I'm becoming with reproducing the angle. I think having the tubes parallel with the seat frame will work just fine. Like you say, it's for safety anyway, so as long as it's forward enough to prevent neck injury then it's fine.
Current status.
I kept the brackets on the tubes to maintain their distance and angle and was thinking they'd work as support once installed, but I'm gonna have to cut them off and do something else. That 9.3° angle business makes them stick out past the back of the frame, and there are edges and points that I think will rub through the fabric on the back of the seat over time. Once I get the tubes welded into the frame and their locations locked in, I'll cut the brackets off and replace it with something smooth. I've got some oval tubing scrap left over from the Explorer seat backs that could work, or I might run to Lowes and get a small piece of channel.
I've spent a lot of time cussing the guy that decided to put this bend in the frame. It's probably not a big deal for the guys that are just putting the headrests posts straight through the frame but to put a 7/8" OD tube through it and keep the head rest parallel to the seat means at least one post has to go through the edge of the frame.
I kept the brackets on the tubes to maintain their distance and angle and was thinking they'd work as support once installed, but I'm gonna have to cut them off and do something else. That 9.3° angle business makes them stick out past the back of the frame, and there are edges and points that I think will rub through the fabric on the back of the seat over time. Once I get the tubes welded into the frame and their locations locked in, I'll cut the brackets off and replace it with something smooth. I've got some oval tubing scrap left over from the Explorer seat backs that could work, or I might run to Lowes and get a small piece of channel.
I've spent a lot of time cussing the guy that decided to put this bend in the frame. It's probably not a big deal for the guys that are just putting the headrests posts straight through the frame but to put a 7/8" OD tube through it and keep the head rest parallel to the seat means at least one post has to go through the edge of the frame.
Final for the seat frame. Just gotta punch holes in the fabric for the sleeves to go in and then either sew the holes or take them to whatever family member I can find that actually knows how to sew and have them do it. Just to keep the fabric from tearing.
One final test, with passenger.
6 year old is probably good to go with the backless booster but I'm gonna keep the back on it for the side impact protection.
9 year old is probably good without a booster at all, though I think I like where the seat belt lands with the small booster.
6 year old is probably good to go with the backless booster but I'm gonna keep the back on it for the side impact protection.
9 year old is probably good without a booster at all, though I think I like where the seat belt lands with the small booster.
Damm I’m jealous. I’ve been eyeing the Bestop rear seat, but for $400 I may be better off putting that money towards learning to weld.
It's been a pretty good ROI, really. I don't drag it out very often but every time I do I'm glad I'm not paying someone else to do it.