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View Full Version : Any auto upholstery experts?



Z
12-09-2007, 01:36 PM
Not sure this should be in tech forum - but it is for a mod for my WK...

I probably shouldn't have gotten the sunroof in my WK, 'cause I have about 1/2 inch of head room with the seat as low as it can go and reclined as far back while still being comfortable. I really need to take about an inch (preferably 2") out of the seat height. The seat mounting hardware MIGHT be modifiable, but there really isn't a lot of room down there, so I think that's my very last option.

So, I'm wondering if anyone knows about automobile seat construction - would it be feasible to replace the existing cushioning for something that's comfortable but less bulky? I paid extra for a full lifetime bumper to bumper warranty* which includes all the seat electronics, so I'd really like to just modify the existing seat. Can "memory foam" that's used in mattresses be used in an auto seat? Seems like something a penny pinching auto mfg wouldn't use but might be a viable option.

*I plan on keeping the WK 12-15 years, so I think the warranty will come in handy.

nate
12-09-2007, 07:39 PM
Are you like 6' 5"? or do WKs (whatever that is anyhow??) have that little headroom.

Z
12-09-2007, 07:53 PM
Are you like 6' 5"? or do WKs (whatever that is anyhow??) have that little headroom.

I'd say the roof is 2 inches shorter than my ZJ. I'm 6'2" and probably have a longer torso than normal - some tall people on the WK forums have no problem fitting into a WK with a sunroof, others do, so the roofline is probably just at some limit that DC either didn't know or care about. Then again, I have an '08, maybe those seats are a bit taller than the previous years (which most people on the WK forums have).

Someone said the SRT8 seats are much better, so that might be an option, but I'd have to get them re-upholstered to fit the interior of my WK, so that's quite a bit more expensive than having my seat bottoms reworked.

CurtP
12-09-2007, 11:14 PM
Are you sure your seat is going as low as it can? At 6'2", I just can't imagine that you're too tall. When I first bought my WK, I thought I was sitting really high but couldn't figure out what was going on. My seat would go up and down, but I was still sitting at an uncomfortable height. It wasn't until I cycled the seat up and down a few times until the seat would go past the half-way down position. I have no idea why it did that, and it hasn't done it since then. Didn't you notice how little headroom you had when you did the test drive?

And why did you pay extra for the lifetime warranty? I thought it was included with all the new Jeeps (with the exception of the SRT and diesel).

I drove my 5.9 from Chicago on Thanksgiving weekend and noticed that the WK seating does feel like it sits up higher, but I don't know by how much. I also noticed that the WK has a horrible blind spot when backing out of a spot. I'm going to have to look into retrofitting the back-up camera in my '06.

I still like my WK better as a daily driver though.

Z
12-10-2007, 12:28 AM
Curt,

I have cycled it all the way up and (what I believe is) all the way down. I'll try again.

I rented a non-sunroofed WK for a weekend, had a decent amount of headroom. I then sat in an '07 sunroofed WK and it seemed like it was an okay amount of headroom, or maybe I just wanted the sunroof so much that I convinced myself it was enough. Or maybe the '08 seats are just higher.

I have no blind spots in the rear - 4 backup sensors and a camera do wonders! I can see how without those goodies, there would be a huge blind spot.

The lifetime warranty I purchased is BUMPER TO BUMPER lifetime. Includes PS pumps, water pumps, MyGig, non-wear-item brake parts, seat heaters, seat motors, HVAC (including blend doors:)), windshield motors and washer, backup sensors and camera, seals, gaskets.

I really bought it for all the electronics. All the auto mfgs. are stuffing their vehicles so full of electronics, they're relatively new at it, plus they get most of this stuff from China so it's of dubious quality. Since I'll be keeping this WK for 12-15 years, I thought it was a decent bet.

nate
12-10-2007, 02:59 AM
Yeah the ZJ doesn't have all that much room either now that I think of it. I have to wear a helmet when I mud race, and I remember thinking I was going to Harry and the Hendersons the roof from hitting my head on it :smt082... and I'm 5 11"

I didn't know they changed the code for the new ZJs... WK... shoot I can barely remember what a WJ is... Argh!

CurtP
12-10-2007, 09:47 AM
I have the back-up sensors, but not the back-up camera (mine is an '06). The problem I have is when I back out of a spot in the parking garage we have at work. They have these posts that are only about 3' high and they're painted red. The garage is dark and I always park at one of the end spots near these posts. When I go to back up, they're too short to see. I can see them fine in my ZJ, but not my WK. I'm running the SRT8 rear springs too, which drops the butt down about an inch. There's more blind spots in the WK - at least for me. I swear the factory tint is darker too. Maybe it's the reverse lights - I guess I should go check to make sure they're both illuminating.

I didn't realize that the sunroof makes the roof that much lower. I have a sunroof on my WK, but not my 5.9 (weird, eh?). Maybe you can tilt your seat further back and practice your gansta lean. Only suggestions I can make is to talk to your dealer and see if there is a solution that won't fuck up your warranty or your seats. Other than that, maybe talk to an upholstery shop.

I bought the extended warranty for mine too, but I was only able to go up to 8yr/80k miles. I suspect that I'll be getting rid of it by then.