Have you noticed that smell around here at Jp magazine lately? That ain't the scent of chilled caviar and suckling pig wafting through the hallways. We're cooking up much simpler fare nowadays, 'cause we're feeling the pinch, too. But just because times are lean doesn't mean you can't make your Jeep more comfortable and more safe. Take our '89 YJ, for example. We paid $500 for the vehicle a couple of years ago and have been living with the factory interior and chalky rear windows ever since. The top had been replaced with a newer Bestop Supertop, which was nice. But negligence and vandalism had left the rear windows torn and scratched beyond the point of safe visibility.
Our factory seats were nearly-free of rips and tears, but were in the early stages of spring failure. For short hops around town they were fine, but any drive that lasted more than 45 minutes would get your back aching. And after 169,000 miles the stock steering wheel, while aesthetically fine, had worn down to the spongy center and trapped dirt and oil from your hands. It always felt sticky and nasty to the touch.
We turned to Bestop for the majority of our interior upgrades. In addition to manufacturing factory and aftermarket Jeep tops and replacement parts, Bestop offers a wide variety of seating for all shapes, sizes, and budgets. And Omix-Ada still manufactures brand-new replacement parts for Jeeps of all makes and models, including factory-style steering wheels. But what's the best course of action in a case like this? Do we follow conventional magazine-guy protocol and upgrade with the latest whiz-bang product, discarding perfectly usable parts and going with whichever offers the most trinkets, gizmos, and features? On a $500 Jeep? Not likely. Instead we threw avarice to the wind and went with simple, functional, and comfortable parts that didn't break the budget, yet vastly improved our Jeep's comfort.
Improper storage techniques...
Improper storage techniques and probably careless cleaning with scratchy, dry rags hastened the demise of our Bestop Supertop rear windows. Here's the view out of the clearest of our rear windows. It's not so bad during the day, but at night it's nearly impossible to see while backing or changing lanes.
For just over $150 (price...
For just over $150 (price found on the Internet), we found these Bestop tinted rear replacement windows through a number of vendors. We ordered PN 58599-15, which got us two new rear side windows and a tinted rear window in black denim material to perfectly match our existing Bestop Supertop. Check the company's website because chances are there's a clear or tinted replacement rear window set available for your factory or Bestop soft top as well.
While available in clear,...
While available in clear, we really like the tinted windows because they cut down on interior temperatures during the heat of the day without impeding nighttime visibility. The Bestop windows feature a 31-percent tint, which is as dark as you can go while still remaining 50-state legal.
The vinyl of our factory seats...
The vinyl of our factory seats was in far better shape than most 21-year-old Jeep seating we've seen. Ours were covered most of their lives, but covers won't prevent sagging and crushing. Although decent to look at, they did nothing for comfort and offered little support.
We then turned our attention...
We then turned our attention to our sticky, worn factory steering wheel. To remove it, we first pried off the horn button and removed the three screws holding on the horn ring. Once the horn ring is removed, you'll see the threaded holes into which you can thread your steering wheel puller. If you don't own a puller, most auto parts stores rent them.
Our replacement steering wheel...
Our replacement steering wheel is made by Omix-Ada. Although the company offers upgraded leather-wrapped steering wheels, we chose the low-buck vinyl version (PN 18031.07) which includes a new horn button. The wheel is a direct replacement for the stock wheel, so you can reuse your old horn button if you want. We saw the Omix wheel kit advertised through Quadratec for just under $100.
Up front we ordered a pair...
Up front we ordered a pair of Bestop's fixed-back Trailmax II seats in charcoal grey color. The installation is a breeze. You unbolt the sliders from the stock bases, then remove the sliders from the old seats and transfer them onto the new Trailmax II seats. Then bolt the sliders/seat assembly back in. The '97-up Wranglers will require Bestop's seat adapters (PN 51256-01), which adds an extra step to the installation and a little bit to the overall price.
The foam padding of the Trailmax...
The foam padding of the Trailmax II seats is firm, yet comfortable. You'll sit noticeably taller in the saddle until the seats break in, which happens after a few hundred miles. We love the durability of the vinyl seats, and at just over $150 each (as priced through Quadratec), in this low-buck Jeep we don't miss the reclining or other features of the more expensive Trailmax Pro or Trailmax Sport seats.
Our stock rear folding bench...
Our stock rear folding bench seat was a bit dirty, but our main reason for upgrading to Bestop's new Trailmax II fold-and-tumble rear seat (PN 39440-09) for '55-'95 Jeeps is the added safety afforded by the adjustable headrests. The headrests are removable if you want the classic low-back rear bench, but we really appreciate the added neck protection for young backseat passengers in the event of a rear-end collision. TJ owners will want to order the wider TJ version (PN 39435).
The Trailmax II bench comes...
The Trailmax II bench comes with all the required mounting hardware, and unlike earlier Trailmax bench seats which mimicked the factory seat latches mounted on the wheeltubs, the Trailmax II utilizes a floor-mounted U-bolt-style latch. It makes retrofitting the bench in non-Wrangler applications much easier. The seat hardware bolted in our stock Wrangler bracket locations with no drilling required.
The hold-down latch bracket...
The hold-down latch bracket mounts to the seatbelt anchor bolt. If you're retrofitting into an older Jeep, you can use the threaded bolt plates after marking and drilling the necessary holes. We checked Quadratec to get an idea on pricing and found the rear seat for just under $245.
The Trailmax II rear bench...
The Trailmax II rear bench uses two latches. One latch folds the seat forward, allowing a flat surface on which to place gear or for access to the rear cargo area from the front. The lower latch tumbles the seat forward. Yet another nice feature is the zippered storage pouch on the rear of the seat that's large enough to swallow maps, extra jackets, blankets, flashlights, or any number of things you want to keep clean and dry.