The driver’s seat is loose–it sits unevenly and it is shakeable…the guy at the body shop says I need a whole new(used) seat. that it would be cheaper in the long-run. An engineer and safety expert I know says that I should find out what specific component is broken and I should only have to replace that(probably brackets). Any thoughts?
It would be nice to know the year. If it’s just a Cherokee, a seat from a salvage yard shouldn’t be too hard to find or be expensive.
The seat comes out with just four bolts. Two big, two small. There is a wiring connector for the seat belt warning light (and power seat motors if so equipped). It takes less than 10 minutes to do the swap. Cherokees have been around forever. You should be able to find a perfect match at a salvage yard, probably with less wear. Around here good used seats usually bring about $50 each. A new bracket from the dealer will cost almost as much. Got a ratchet and some sockets? Go for it.
The upholstered seat portion bolts to the frame portion. You just need the frame. Go to a junk yard and get the whole thing, then unbolt the seat and throw it away. Bolt your old seat to the new frame and bolt that onto the floor and you’re done. Fairly simple repair.
Not! The upholstery is attached to the frame and is NOT easy to remove… First, remove YOUR seat and see what is wrong. Fix what is wrong. If that means a new seat, so be it…
There are rubber plugs in the bottom of your car covering the holes where you will find the fasteners that hold the seat in…
You will need patience when searching for interior parts from typical salvage yards. Most do not keep them. If you can find a used seat use that as long as it’s good.