Rear seat cushion back size

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:42 am

I received my seat cushions a couple of days ago and decided to put them on this morning. The front seats and rear bottom cushions fit fine, but the rear seat back just doesn't look like it's wide enough to me. I searched through the albums and found a few shots that you could see the rear seat in. I saw a couple that went the full width and a couple that went to the tubes on the sides. Mine are about 3/4" inside of the tubes. The top tabs don't even go all the way out to the original holes on the ends.

I got the cushions from Weebee Webbing.

whydahdvr · Post by **whydahdvr** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:34 am

I bought an original rear seat with original cushions last week and got it on Monday. The seat back pad doesn't go all the way across; it's just inside of the metal backing plate on the seat frame. These are the vinyl-covered with the spring/straw(horsehair?) filling material. Though your cushion looks not as long as mine.

I think it comes down to what looks good for you and works best for you. My jeep is not a show-jeep so I want things that look right but functionality is more critical than factory/show-room authenticity.
Hope that helps with your decision-making.

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:44 am

Yeah, that's how wide I thought it should be - fitting just in between the tubes. Mine isn't going to be for show either, and I am mostly going for function, but I just don't think it looks right that narrow.

RICKG · Post by **RICKG** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 9:12 am

I got mine same place with same fit and thought too that it
was short. After installing it, tho, i was satisfied.

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 2:16 pm

Hey Rick,

I looked through your album and didn't see a pic - do you have one that you can post? I just want to make (really) sure that it fits the way I want before I make any holes in it.

Thanks

RICKG · Post by **RICKG** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 2:36 pm

Sure, i'll get back to you tomorrow with a pic.

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 3:07 pm

Thanks - I appreciate it!

Post by **wesk** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 11:10 pm

Too short. I would have sent it back with these photos attached from the manuals and the factory:

TM 9-804 M38 1950 Page 5
TM 9-8012 M38 1956 Pg 9 & 316

TM 9-804A M38A1 1952 Pg 6.
TM 9-8014 M38A1 1955 Pg 314 & 328

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 11:29 pm

Thats more of what I was thinking it should look like Wes. I didn't make any holes until I made my mind up - I think I'll call them tomorrow.

Thanks

RICKG · Post by **RICKG** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:30 am

Matt, i've dropped a 5 foto sub-album at the end of my gallery
for your review..

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:50 am

Thanks for the pics Rick! I was thinking about sending the cushion back and getting a wider one, but now I am having second thoughts.

I sent Weebee an email about it. Dave said that I should leave the cushion out in the sun, start the screws it the center, and it will stretch from there. I pulled on it a little yesterday - I figure I might be able to get another 1/2 - 3/4" out of it - maybe an inch in the sun. He said the foam is cut the same size as the original springs, and didn't even offer to make a wider one, so I guess that's out of the question.

I guess I will use it, and if it bothers me enough, I will order a new one from someone else. I will post pics of the finished seats when I get them done today.

Also - I see your frame has a hole in the passenger side seat back also. Was that hole to drain water or something?

RICKG · Post by **RICKG** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:20 am

The canvas is real stiff at first (and smells just right dont it??)
I started in the center and used an awl toward the outside of
next hole and walked it toward the outside edge to stretch it.
As for those holes on the outer seat back i dont know what they're
for but ive seen them on most orig frames.

Post by **wesk** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:39 am

WeeBee products are generally inpeccable.

Just the fact that the bottom fits correctly and the top is grossly short is grounds for questioning the supplier further.

Anyone have a Beachwood rear seat cushion set to post photos of?

evanso1975 · Post by **evanso1975** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 11:00 am

Was that hole to drain water or something?

I think you're spot on there. Mine has that hole too. It has a corresponding hole in the seat base, but on the driver's side.

You can sort of make it out here:

Of course, there's lots more holes in that seat base too.

wilfreeman · Post by **wilfreeman** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:55 pm

Man, I was thinking the same thing - that smell brings back some memories! The day the cushions arrived, I tried to keep them in the house to give the house the smell - the wife told me to take them to the shop after about 4 hrs! At least it stayed in the house until the next day anyway. What is the smell - Canvac?

I did the same thing after leaving it in the sun for a couple of hours - measured the center of the cushion and located the first hole there with an awl (in the center of the tab). Then, I worked my way out to the ends. Then, I did the bottom side the same way. It ended up stretching about 3/4" - still too short, but I think I can live with it. I should have stretched the bottom cushion too (it has a couple of wrinkles in it).

Since, it seems, that all of the rear seats have the holes, they must have been there for a reason - drain hole seems like a logical reason for them.

Here's a couple of pics of mine: