Seat Swap (not Mopar)

[tugboatphil]

I've seen a lot of posts about adding newer seats, but they've always been about 2nd gen seats. This appears to require modifying the floor brackets (difference in the center hump?)



I've been trying to find some good cheap seats on EBay (hard to find THAT combo) and have noticed several newer F150 seats. From the pictures, they seem to have similar brackets, and sure look more comfortable. Does anyone know if they'll go in easier than 2nd gen seats?



Is this sacrilege? Do I need to say 100 "Hail Hemis" for contrition? Forgive me Pastor, for my *ss is too big for my chair!!

 

[Greenleaf]

Seat Swap?????????

Too have seen many a post relating to the seat swapped 1st gen rigs. Why in the world... ...

Allow me to explain. I have driven a Ford during the past 13 years, in which is fastened THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE, MISERABLE,CHINESE TOURCHER CONTRAPTION... ... . ever concieved by man. I will in no way wish for my WORST enemy to have to ride around in a vehicle such as this.



Even after short jaunts to the nearest town, it's all I can to to stand erect again. I may need to borrow East Coast's "TDR" walker after the "winter driving" season is over.



A person would have to pry my cold dead body outta my 1st gen seat!!!!!!!!



Greenleaf

 

[tugboatphil]

Scott,



I would hold more stock in that answer, if you had said "old, decrepit body. "



Seriously, I had an 85 Ford, but it had a bench seat. My 90 CTD had a bench also, which was more comfortable. The problem is something like sciatica (sp?). Some days I spend 16-18 hours in the seat. It puts pressure on a nerve in my right leg, which will cause it to go kind of numb at first and then hot. Several days after a trip, if I stay off it, it goes away.



I quit wearing my wallet in my back pocket and tried shifting my position a lot during the day, but it was still there. I finally realized that the seam on the bucket is right under where the problem is.



My dad had bypass surgery this summer and I ended up driving his 97 for several months. It's a long story, and I'm sure the Pastor would place even more punishment on me for confessing this. But I didn't have any problems while driving in the newer seat.



So my question now would be, if a Ford seat is a worse choice, is there a better one. Again, I hope this doesn't get me excommunicated!

 

[bgilbert]

Phil, IMO I don't think it matters what vehicle the seat came out of, as long as it fits in the truck, is comfortable, and of course doesnt have Ford or whatever across the headrest. That would be the biggest thing for me, just that it doesnt say what it came out of on it. Bill

 

[JLEONARD]

Do I need to say 100 "Hail Hemis" for contrition

No. "Hail Holset" will get you contrition.



Walker boy.

 

[BCook1]

The first of the second gen seats will fit with very little effort. I have a 94 seat in my 92. I used the 92 verticle uprights and two pieces of "z" channel which run from door to door. The seats and center council bolt to the z which in turn bolts to the uprights. Very simple, very easy and it clears the center hump. The seat angle remains the same. Only the door handle clearance is close. It was one of the best mods I have made to the truck. I don't know if it matters but the 94 seat is manual everything - no electronics. Sonny's of Iowa sold me the seat and z channel - although I did not use the uprights he sent.

 

[tugboatphil]

BCook1,



Whatever I finally get, I would just want to put the 2 buckets in. Does it look like the center console unbolts from the passenger seat, or do they have a common frame?



Thanks.

 

[MFalkinham]

I put power leather seats from a '96 Ram into my '92. Compared to the previous bench seat, the buckets are extremely comfortable. As BCook1 stated, the 2nd Gen seat brackets are a pretty good fit. I had to fabricate spacers at some of the mounting points, but otherwise the fit was good. You can see seat & spacer pictures in my gallery.



Each seat has inner and outer mounting brackets, and the center console bolts onto metal tabs on the two inner brackets. You wouldn't necessarily HAVE to install it, but it's easier to align the seats as one unit with it installed. Plus, it allows for a third passenger, or simply a place to rest your elbow. I can't wait to buy Geno's cup holder for the console as my final seat "upgrade".



By the way, I used to own a '95 Ford F150 with bucket seats, and IMHO the 2nd Gen Ram seats are more comfortable than Ford's.



- Mike

 

[dpuckett]

As much as I hate to admit it, I think my pickup has a Ford seat. It needs restuffed; I fall halfway to the floor when I sit my butt in it (I know, exercise will help that some). BUT, it goes back farther than the original seat by about 2", or at least compared to the other reg cab seats I've had. With a 38" inseam, anything will help. THat is one gripe I haev about 1st gen reg cabs- too short front to back. Now, how hard is it to stuff a 2nd gen 40-20-40 seat into a regular cab? I do like the seats in the 97ish F150s at work. Hmmm..... Think they'd notice?



Daniel

 

[JBurghard]

If you look around besides ebay you can find good deals. I offroad a lot so I spend lots of time on sights for this kind of thing. I just picked up a seat of leather bucket seats with full electric adjust from a 90's Land Rover for $40... .



These seats will require a little bit of fabricating to get into the Dodge but they are pretty comfortable... ...



And I think the Diesel gods won't look to bad upon me for this... . I hope.



James

 

[JLEONARD]

And I think the Diesel gods won't look to bad upon me for this... . I hope.

I'm not a diesel god... . only a worshiper... .



No... they won't look bad upon you.

Jay

 

[tugboatphil]

Is there anything special about supplying power to powered seats, if you didn't already have them? Don't they have all the motors and such under the seat? Just a matter of getting power to them???



Phil

 

[JBurghard]

Not Really.



The seats I got have five wires so I just need to figure out what wire is what and the I will cut the quick disconnects and hard wire them to my aux fuse block which I have behind my seats already.

 

[jlast]

I have mid 90's dodge minivan seats, power driver and passenger, double arm rests on the driver seat, single arm rest passenger. All you have to make is mounts, relatively easy as they are a well package assembly, i think a good set of z rails would do the trick, but me having the CC had to try and build a hinged system to allow both seats to fold up ( i have not perfected this yet).



BTW a hr at the PNP to get them, $35 complete for both.

 

[MFalkinham]

The mounting base contains the motors, and the seat has the wiring harness and power controls. After plugging in all of the motors to the harness, there were two wires left over, which were for power & ground.



- Mike







>> Is there anything special about supplying power to powered seats, if you didn't already have them? Don't they have all the motors and such under the seat? Just a matter of getting power to them???

 

[tugboatphil]

Thanks for the replies!!



Phil

 

[bgilbert]

Phil, set of seats in Connect I Cut, out of a 97 Dodge pickem up, in TDR classifieds. Sounded like a good deal. Look> Bill

 

[1stgen4evr]

seat swap

A set of seats that I know about would be the fully adjustable seats in a 93 Intrepid. I own three Intrepids and the 93 is sort of on the dead line. I have been eyeing those leather seats in it. Fully electric adjustable and very comfortable. I can get positioned any way I like even after lots of miles. I am sure there would be some fab required but the base of each seats is very low so there would be enough room to get it done. After 394k, the bucket in the 93 ctd is about hammered out. No holes and not broken, just flattened out and not comfortable. I am a bit taller in the torso and would like for the back of the seat to be taller. Another possibility for me is that there is a very good upholstery guy in Tifton who can do a good job reworking the seat. Before I have it reworked I want to move the back more to the back and raise it as well. When I get that done I want to adapt a steering wheel adjustment so that I can pull the wheel closer to me.



Phil, I have moved the wallet to my right hip to compensate for some tilt in the old bones. It helped me. I know about the numb then hot. I have also used something to prop my leg at the knee. I think there is some involvement with holding the accelerator for long periods of time. The speed control went so long ago that I don't remember when. I'm too cheap to fix it.



1stgen4evr

James

 

[tugboatphil]

James,



I've shifted the wallet while sitting and have a small piece of foam to lift my leg on long trips. I also broke down recently and bought a new cruise control switch. It about made me cry when I forked over $35 for such a small piece of plastic, but it's nice to have it back on the long trips.



Phil

 

[BCook1]

Seats sans center council

The 94 center council is a separate piece from both bucket seats. If only the buckets were mounted, though, the two exposed z channels would show where they crossed the hump. Unless you found two more factory uprights, mounted them to the "insides" of the seats and drilled more holes for them.

Any way you look at it, a different seat will require some drilling and bolting. IT IS WORTH THE EFFORT! The old factory seat, no matter what anyone says, is junk. The factory buckets of this era may be better - I don't know as I have never sat in them. Only the softride front springs did more to improve the feel of the truck.