2000 Extended Cab XLT Seat Refurb

[Fordblue213]

I finally got tired of sitting like a hunchback in my truck while commuting and decided to be productive with some extra time off thanks to virus fears. My truck has also been read ended and the drivers seat hasn't ever been quite right ever since. I went to the local pull a part and went on the hunt on Friday. At the very end of a 2 hour search, I came across a 2001 Extended Cab XLT that was the same color inside and out as mine and amazingly still had the seats in it. After a quick run to the parts store for a cheap ratchet and some torx bits to pull the seat, I had it back home. My 2000 uses 15mm head bolts to hold the seats in, so I had only brought my tool pouch with wrenches.





Judging by the engine, radiator and coolant puke tank, this truck died due to a head gasket most likely and not a wreck.

I used the back frame, back foam and spring strut to move the seat back out of the donor seat and then I used my seat tracks, seat pan, seat foam and fabric to make a non bent, easily moved whole seat again.

The donor seat frame had the two vertical rods broken as expected, so I got creative with some 16/2 speaker wire I had and pieces of my worn out back foam to rebuild the seat to have more support and actually press on your lumbar for good posture while driving:







I went this route due to supply chain making anything non vital to living have ridiculous lead times and I may need my truck for work again sooner than later.

While I was at it, I decided to re-purpose my least favorite memory foam pillow and cut it up into a piece that fit into the seat pan valley (that's the donor seat pan, mine isn't rusted):



Once it was in place, I put my original seat foam and fabric back on and now the seat is much firmer and has bought me some time for absolutely needing new foam:



After that, it was full reassembly, some sewing to stop a rip from getting any bigger, and reinstalling the seat in the truck. As you can see compared to the passenger seat, it is much more "full" looking. I now sit about 2" higher in the seat and have great lumbar support for my long commute:



Should be good for another 200,000 miles........

There was a Windstar that was IMMACULATE with big captain's chairs with zero wear or stains. At $30/seat, I may go get them and make that another project to see how I can make them fit.

 

[ret_Marine2003]

I finally got tired of sitting like a hunchback in my truck while commuting and decided to be productive with some extra time off thanks to virus fears. My truck has also been read ended and the drivers seat hasn't ever been quite right ever since. I went to the local pull a part and went on the hunt on Friday. At the very end of a 2 hour search, I came across a 2001 Extended Cab XLT that was the same color inside and out as mine and amazingly still had the seats in it. After a quick run to the parts store for a cheap ratchet and some torx bits to pull the seat, I had it back home. My 2000 uses 15mm head bolts to hold the seats in, so I had only brought my tool pouch with wrenches.





Judging by the engine, radiator and coolant puke tank, this truck died due to a head gasket most likely and not a wreck.

I used the back frame, back foam and spring strut to move the seat back out of the donor seat and then I used my seat tracks, seat pan, seat foam and fabric to make a non bent, easily moved whole seat again.

The donor seat frame had the two vertical rods broken as expected, so I got creative with some 16/2 speaker wire I had and pieces of my worn out back foam to rebuild the seat to have more support and actually press on your lumbar for good posture while driving:







I went this route due to supply chain making anything non vital to living have ridiculous lead times and I may need my truck for work again sooner than later.

While I was at it, I decided to re-purpose my least favorite memory foam pillow and cut it up into a piece that fit into the seat pan valley (that's the donor seat pan, mine isn't rusted):



Once it was in place, I put my original seat foam and fabric back on and now the seat is much firmer and has bought me some time for absolutely needing new foam:



After that, it was full reassembly, some sewing to stop a rip from getting any bigger, and reinstalling the seat in the truck. As you can see compared to the passenger seat, it is much more "full" looking. I now sit about 2" higher in the seat and have great lumbar support for my long commute:



Should be good for another 200,000 miles........

There was a Windstar that was IMMACULATE with big captain's chairs with zero wear or stains. At $30/seat, I may go get them and make that another project to see how I can make them fit.

The driver's and front passenger seats are the only comfortable seats in a Windstar. I had the deluxe model with all of the bells and whistles and even then the other seats were painfully uncomfortable.
I was going to modify the third row seat to go in another extended cab truck, but decided it would not be a real option for improvement.