Nothing to do with the seat choice, but technically speaking, the steel all has the same stiffness even though the strength changes. In a crash, it will buckle all at the same rate as this is controlled by the modulus of elasticity and the physical dimension of the steel, and that will be relatively constant for all the different strengths of steel used on the frame.

 

I remember, when I was about 5 years old, riding from Texas to Wisconsin in the back of my dad's chevy pickup (with a camper shell), and back. There were 6 of us taking turns on who got to ride up front. My dad had cutout some foam/carpet to fit the bed, so it was soft to sit on. We'd fight over who got to sit on the "humps" though. I'm still here to talk offtopic about it.

Safety Schmafty!

 

Very nice. I like those and they look great. I appreciate your research that you have put into this and the informed decision that you have made. I am conducting my due dilligence on this as well in order for me to make my decision.

 

The rear seats of the 2 door aren't any different. And there are many convertibles out there without a roll bar. The safety of the passengers depends on one thing and one thing only; the driving habits of the driver. The driver has all the power in the world by recognizing and avoiding situations that look dangerous.

 

Good point.

I would and will put my kids in a 4 door JK in a 3rd seat before I would put them one of those smart cars that I'm starting to see driving around, or a VW bug, or a Miata, Hyundai accent, or many other (all) compact cars

 

Although I agree that saftey depends largely upon the driver. In my profession, I've seen lots of people hurt or killed in collisions they had absolutely no control over.

Driving is like sex.. The only totally safe driving is not to drive at all!

All you can do is be as safe as possible and hope for the best.

A colleauge of mine has a saying... "Have you ever met anyone that would admit to being a less than average driver?"

 

Exactly. I used to drive for a living in college, I rode a motorcycle and teach defensive driving at work. Anything that involves you means that you were part of the problem. You can prevent any accident with vigilance. For example if you see a traffic jam up ahead, start slowing down WAY before you get there. This will 1) force those behind you, even miles back behind you, to slow down way before they have to stop as well. 2) start slowing down way before you come to any stop for the same reason 3) when no one's behind you and you have to stop behind other cars, leave at least a car space in front of you( I leave two sometimes and since no one's behind you, you're not bothering anyone). That way when you see someone approach you from behind, you can control them as they come in by starting to go. And if they hit you, since you're moving, you soften the blow. Every accident is avoidable. If traffic's heavy and you can see that people are driving like idiots, slow the hell down and leave huge gaps between your vehicle and everyone else's and if you piss people off, who cares (provided that you're in the correct lane of course)? I always stay in the right lane and I never go above 55mph. I may be slow, but I'll never hit your vehicle you can count on that.


"Smart?" How's this for a name for the "Smart" car: "Stupid."

 

Yes littlefella you're right. There are some that seem unavoidable but those don't happen nearly as often as the majority of accidents. There was a time when I was turning a blind corner and the car driving in the opposite line came out of his lane and nailed me. The only thing I can think of for that situation is to have not driven a winding mountain road in wet and slippery conditions. So in that sense, it could say even then it was user error; I shouldn't have driven but that's stretching the concept a bit I know.

That accident happened when I was driving a Honda Odyssey. Laugh at me all you want, that was one tough minivan. Never broke down and when it was totalled, it crashed like a champ. Car slammed into me at full speed and it only felt like I drove over a speed bump. Amazing.

 

My boss's wife has one, they are kinda neat looking soupped up golf carts. I sat in it and it has more room then you would think but the room ends beyond your feet and just behind you. Nothing much there.

The seats have been tested and meet DOT Federal Guildines.

 

Thats great to hear your jump seat installation went smoothly! Choosing the side-facing setup sounds smart since it keeps more cargo space, and it’s good to know the plate makes it easy to bolt on and remove when needed. Trimming the cargo liner to hide the hardware seems like a simple but effective solution. I’ve been reading about Jeep modifications, and places like Metrowest Car Service often share useful tips on mounting and fit adjustments, which can make projects like this easier. I am curious hows the seat comfort on longer trips, and do you find the notch in the cargo hatch gets in the way much, or is it barely noticeable?