Additional lumbar support installation on Rubi driver seat

[TRZ]

I installed a Corbeau lumbar support on the driver’s seat of my Rubi. The installation was stupid-easy.

Results:
I’m 6’2” with a long torso, the Rubi lumbar support hits very low, the Corbeau bladder allows me to extend the area of support higher up. Prior to installation, my back started hurting after 30 minutes of driving, with the additional support most of that pain is gone; I still have a little pain, but it’s much better than without. Heat will most likely alleviate the remaining pain.


Installation:
1. Remove 2 elastic loops on the bottom of the seat

2. Lift up lower seat back flap (that used to be secured by the elastic loops), find and remove 2 screws near the bottom of the seat back.

3. Push seat back down to expose some plastic clips at the top of the seat cover; once these top clips are exposed, pull on one side of the seat back, it should come off easily.

4. Look for 2 metal clips that may have fallen to the floor, these are anchors for the screws from step 2, make sure to re-seat these.

5. Make sure your stock lumbar support is retracted to make room for the new bladder; insert the new Corbeau bladder between the plastic structure of the seatback and the seat cushion, secure top of bladder to top plastic spine of seatback structure using some STRONG zip ties, not included with bladder.

6. Carefully route the inflation bulb to side of seat.
7. Reinstall seatback.

There are online reports of hoses coming off similar lumbar kits, so before installation I zip-tied all hose connection points.

There were also suggestions to use a plastic backing plate between the seat structure and the bladder to direct all force forward, I used some 1/4” rubber sheeting.

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[Anu2g]

Thanks for the helpful post. I just did this yesterday on my brother's JLUR along with the shorter Seat Jackers. It has made a very major difference for him.

FYI, the Corbeau lumbar supports now come with a backing plate, so for any future folks performing this modification, you don't need to supply your own 1/4" rubber backing like the OP did. All you need is the kit plus a few zip ties.

 

[frondel]

How to:

Reinforce Stock Lumbar - Factory Part Modification Without Involving Aftermarket Parts.

Since this post is already indexed by google and can be found pretty easily when looking for lumbar support issues on the JL - I gotta add a little guide for y'all on this method I've discovered? made up? when doing one of these repairs myself. I've cracked lumbar supports in every car I had, and every time I had to think of a solution that went beyond stock. I disliked the aftermarket-dness of most of these solutions, including the air bladder setup. And by the way if you go that route PLEASE stay away from Corbeau; nothing against them personally, but you can get the same air bladder with a hand pump from Amazon for 15 bucks, not 50 - that's just highway robbery. This mod may cost just a tad more than 50, but it retains full factory look, feel, and functionality, as well vastly improve your chances of not having to replace your lumbar again.

The plastic grid in the lumbar support snaps because the rigidity of the factory metal backing brackets inside of these plastic channels isn't sufficient to keep the plastic stiffly compressed upon localized, point stress. Simply put gents, when a 270lbs man shoves his whole steak and potatoes powered rear into that seat - it won't hold - the thin metal brackets provide a bit too much give, it'll buckle and snap the plastic retainer.

Now the question is - how to reinforce factory lumbar without tossing out parts or sacrificing any factory feel for us big guys?

My solution - Buy new lumbar support (i know, i know, but i was able to find one for $67 from a crashed JL on ebay) and reinforce it with the parts from the broken, old one. By that I mean - remove both metal backing brackets from your broken lumbar support by depressing the retainer clips and sliding them out (diagram attached, before you ask yes i stole the image from TRZ above, it's a really good picture and im not taking my seat apart again). Both of them are thin enough to re-insert and double up on the plates in the new lumbar bracket. Make sure you slide in the metal plates fully on top of the ones already installed, far enough for the plastic retainer (red on the diagram) to click into the holes on both sides. Reinstall as it was.

As a result you should have 2x as strong of lumbar, in theory, 2x as resistant to cracking under a man who was just born that way. Hope this helps you guys. I've really been enjoying my new and improved 2x lumbar. I personally think Stellantis should take some notes and offer this as the FatAss option on the Comfort Package on the 2028 Wrangler, but I digress.

Now, don't get me wrong, it may still totally fail in the future because the plastic just outright turns to shit after years of use. But I choose to be a believer and I'll let this solution ride out its lifespan - so far it's felt like the most rigid and sturdy feeling factory lumbar I've ever felt in any car I've had, and I'm loving it. But I guess there's always the air bladder solution in the end too.

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