Smittybilt seats didn't fit my 66 CJ5 Frames... Other options?

I have a '66 CJ5 that I believe is mostly original. I am pretty sure the seats and hardware are all original. I bought a set of front Smittybilt seats and the holes on the seats didn't come close to matching up to my mount rails. You can see in the picture.

I see that Rugged Ridge makes seats also. Does anyone have experience using them on original mounting hardware? Are there any other surefire options?

 

I am running Corbeau, driver was bolt in, passenger I had to make a bracket so they would fit.

 

I have Rugged Ridge seats. Been 3 years but ISTR passenger seat bolted in but driver's seat I fabricated a bracket.

Tim

 

You have to make your own brackets...I think I made mine out of 1/8 plate. 2 sticks per seat situated parallel to the way the seats face (across the seat frames). Drill 4 holes per stick, 2 to match the holes in the seats, 2 to match the existing holes in the frames...

 

Or make all new sub frames, copying the original but as low as possible and sized to the Smittybilts. Worked for me and I like the seats a lot.

 

Exactly what I did for passenger.

 

I went through same thing on my 66, with the smittybuilt high back seats, the brackets I made you don't have to weld. Might get you started in the right direction or you can try some other seats.

http://www.earlycj5.net/forums/showthread.php?93058-Piffs-rebuild/page9

Post number 83. I made some brackets to fit the high back seats on my 66

 

Here is how I did it:

http://www.pbase.com/mikeon/image/161464409/medium

 

you have pictures on how you made the seats lower? trying to lower my line of sight so its not looking at top of windshield

 

This what I built to put smittybilts in my '57. Styled on the original one-piece seat frame.
Just build it as low as you can go, then use spacers if needed to get the height and angle you want.

 

Showing the spacers I used
to get the leg support angle that I wanted.

I made the front hoop as low as would clear the fuel tank. Could have built the rear a tad lower if I'd tried.

 

looks dang near like original, Bet i could use original parts just cut off backside and weld new braces across front to back. Thanks for the pictures, give me plenty of ideas, I wont have issues with gas tank, I am moving it to the rear.

 

I'm trying to figure out how to use my Smittybilt low back in my '62 CJ5 while my original canvas seats get reupholstered. I'd love see the frames you guys have come up with. When logged in, I can't see pics - just the .jpg description.
If I log out, I get more b/c I can see pics but can't enlarge them. Weird.
Can anyone steer me in the right direction? Jeepforum.com?
Thanks,
JP

 

Thanks for the follow-up and reply. BTW, this forum has more model-specific and thorough info. than Jeepforum, so this will definitely be my go-to site

 

I put the Smittybuilt low back seats in my Jeepster Commando. I fabricated mounting brackets out of 1 1/2" angle iron. I lowered the seats considerably to get the right fit for me. Here are some pictures, not the best pic's but I think you will get the idea of what I did.

Original


Angle iron brackets with the primer paint still drying


Pic of the passenger side ready to be bolted down, sorry... this is the best pic I have at the moment.

 

On my early '67 I have Rugged Ridge seats, and used 3" x 1/8" flat bar stock to make connecting "brackets" that didn't add any appreciable height to the assembly. Worked great and didn't take long to do. They are a bit hard to see in the photo as I painted them black to match the frame, but hopefully you can get the idea: