Seat reupholstery or replacement options

EWatauga

New Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
17
Location
Mills River NC
First, as a new member to this forum I want to say thanks for having me! I have recently acquired my second TJ, the first was a 97 TJ SE which was my first car...21 years ago, that I had for about 3 years. The amount information and products available then vs. now is quite incredible, however the same RE 3.5 superflex kit I installed at 18 still seems like a good kit, and is still about the same price as I paid then too.

For my question, I bought a 2005 TJ X from a friend that has been relatively well taken care of but a bit neglected the last few years, and has most recently been home to a family of mice. Luckily the only damage is the odor. I have shampooed the carpet and seats and that did little to help. In addition the driver seat cushion is pretty worn out, to the point that I sit about 2-3" lower than in the passenger seat. Also the fabric on all three seats is really rough.

I have ordered seat covers, but that would only cover up the smell and not fix the cushion issue. All that said, I am considering a few options. 1) Would a car seat reupholstery place be able to repair the seat cushion, in addition to replacing the fabric? 2) New seats, however from what I have seen I don't see good options that still retain all the factory seat functionality (folding), as I have young kids that at times will need to get in the back. The last consideration is obviously cost, this is not a daily driver, so I want something that will be good quality, but I cant justify spending a lot.

Thanks in advance for the input!

Erik
 
I'm a big fan of recycling and finding good deals that work. I recently installed a free set of 2003 Mini Cooper Leather seats with more functionality. I was looking for a while Leather Tiburon seats but a last I found Mini seats and I tried mounting them. Success after a couple hours I got them to mount to OEM seat rails so I have function of tilt lift lever still available. Seats at Junkyard usually run about $80 for a pair.
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https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-install-hyundai-tiburon-seats-in-a-jeep-wrangler-tj.2997/
 
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Yes, a upholstery shop can fix the foam and recover them in pretty much any material you like. Our seats, like yours were worn out and pretty uncomfortable. We went with a 2 tone marine grade vinyl, front and rear seats for $650. My only regret was not adding heat to them while I had them out.

Good luck.

Kid, those cooper seats look nice.
 
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Yes, a upholstery shop can fix the foam and recover them in pretty much any material you like. Our seats, like yours were worn out and pretty uncomfortable. We went with a 2 tone marine grade vinyl, front and rear seats for $650. My only regret was not adding heat to them while I had them out.

Good luck.

Kid, those cooper seats look nice.
Any pics? That price isn't bad. I ended up just getting Corbeau seats and they're fine, but I still like the OEM seats. However my Driver's seat had metal sticking in my rear end and there's about a 3" difference from right to left so it kind of hurts my back when I would go on long drives.
 
Yes, a upholstery shop can fix the foam and recover them in pretty much any material you like. Our seats, like yours were worn out and pretty uncomfortable. We went with a 2 tone marine grade vinyl, front and rear seats for $650. My only regret was not adding heat to them while I had them out.

Good luck.

Kid, those cooper seats look nice.
Thanks for the reply, this is helpful, and also gives me a good idea of what to expect price wise. I think I am going to cancel my seat cover order and reach out to some upholstery shops.
 
I'm a big fan of recycling and finding good deals that work. I recently installed a free set of 2003 Mini Cooper Leather seats with more functionality. I was looking for a while Leather Tiburon seats but a last I found Mini seats and I tried mounting them. Success after a couple hours I got them to mount to OEM seat rails so I have function of tilt lift lever still available. Seats at Junkyard usually run about $80 for a pair. View attachment 225486View attachment 225487View attachment 225488View attachment 225489View attachment 225490

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-install-hyundai-tiburon-seats-in-a-jeep-wrangler-tj.2997/
Thanks for the reply, I actually looked through this thread a week or so ago. My issue is that both front and rear seats need attention. But these look pretty great!
 
Thanks for the reply, I actually looked through this thread a week or so ago. My issue is that both front and rear seats need attention. But these look pretty great!
Here on the Parts thread Forum they have sellers that sell whole front and rear seat packages cheaper then upholstery. Or check out offer up and you might find something locally too.
I'm not fan of the OEM TJ driver seat and the replacement mod was a good solution for me. After 2 years of ownership those factory seat left me wanting make a change. I also came from a fully loaded SUV with leather seat and power functions so I was expecting more from my 4x4.
 
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Here on the Parts thread Forum they have sellers that sell whole front and rear seat packages cheaper then upholstery. Or check out offer up and you might find something locally too.

Locally (with an hour or two) of me are several guys parting out Jeeps. They advertise on Craigslist. There might be somebody like that is local to you. You could look the part over before payment.
 
Any pics? That price isn't bad. I ended up just getting Corbeau seats and they're fine, but I still like the OEM seats. However my Driver's seat had metal sticking in my rear end and there's about a 3" difference from right to left so it kind of hurts my back when I would go on long drives.
Ignore the Jeep "logo" on the headrest, obviously they messed it up. They were willing to redo it or just drop the charge, free is good and I never post any attention to it anyway.

As for choosing vinyl, I like it. It is a bit warm during the summer months, but ease off care makes it worth it to me. After riding i generally just pressure wash everything but the dash, towel it off and your ready to go.

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Vinyl is good stuff. I think my Corbeau seat(s) are vinyl. I got the set, but I disliked the adapter for the seats that I made because if anything I want to sit lower in the Jeep. So I actually only replaced the really bad driver's seat and left the passenger seat in place, because I didn't want to lose that functionality. The way my Jeep is setup I don't need tumble on my side and if I do I'll probably add a gullwing (not sure if that's the right word) or something where the rear window is located.