2000 Ranger XL Supercab driver seat swap issue.

[Godfella691981]

I currently have the 60/40 bench seat in my ranger, I want to swap out the drivers side seat for a bucket seat from another vehicle. I have seen the post that lists all the compatible vehicles that interchange so I went to the junkyard.
I found a 10/99 Ford Explorer 2 dr, I took the seat out and IT does NOT fit in the ranger. The seat buckle reciever is on a track that slides separately from the seat track. The 4 door Explorers are the same way. So what year can I use? I already cut the center section out of my drivers bench seat because when I bought it almost 2 yrs ago the console was busted like most. The rear portion of the driver seat is pretty broken down along with the bottom of the seat, I really need some seats.

I have done a part search online and found plenty of Rangers with bucket seats 04 and newer but they are over 150 miles away and shipping isnt cheap. I am in northern indiana near Fort Wayne.

 

[fastpakr]

I'll have to take a closer look this afternoon, but when I did the swap to Explorer seats in my Ranger, I tapped a new hole into the seat itself to transfer the Ranger buckle receiver onto the Explorer seat.

 

[Godfella691981]

I'll have to take a closer look this afternoon, but when I did the swap to Explorer seats in my Ranger, I tapped a new hole into the seat itself to transfer the Ranger buckle receiver onto the Explorer seat.

I did notice that the Explorer seats have holes on the side possibly for a buckle but they do not have threads. And I have no idea how to make threads, the holes looked to be about 8mm in diameter possibly.

 

[Ranger850]

I

I did notice that the Explorer seats have holes on the side possibly for a buckle but they do not have threads. And I have no idea how to make threads, the holes looked to be about 8mm in diameter possibly.

This same thing happened to me. Between the Explorer seats and my Ranger seats, I had enough parts to make it work, swapping here and there until I got it.
I used those holes for my swap. I just used a bolt to "make thread" in those holes. IIRC the Ranger bolts have a pointy tip, and I just used those bolts like self tapper screws.

 

[Godfella691981]

I

This same thing happened to me. Between the Explorer seats and my Ranger seats, I had enough parts to make it work, swapping here and there until I got it.
I used those holes for my swap. I just used a bolt to "make thread" in those holes. IIRC the Ranger bolts have a pointy tip, and I just used those bolts like self tapper screws.

You know what thats a good idea! I have easy access to plenty of donors (my friend owns the yard), I could use a couple of the bolts from the explorer to make those threads if I have to, or just drill it out to 10mm and put a grade 8 bolt through it with a lock nut on the backside

 

[dvdswan]

I'd make a roadtrip for a set nice seats. Adventure awaits.

 

[1996xlt]

Don't know if the 00' have the seatbelt pre-tensioners built in to the buckles but my 02' did; my work around was mount the buckle directly to the hinge point of the 96' explorer leather buckets on manual tracks I put in it. I had to open up the hole very slightly with a 1/2" drill bit (it was just enough to skim cut it) and the torx bolt passed through just enough to bolt everything back up.

 

[Godfella691981]

I

This same thing happened to me. Between the Explorer seats and my Ranger seats, I had enough parts to make it work, swapping here and there until I got it.
I used those holes for my swap. I just used a bolt to "make thread" in those holes. IIRC the Ranger bolts have a pointy tip, and I just used those bolts like self tapper screws.

I got the Explorer seat but the mounting points are completely off. The bottom of the seat itself hits the floor pan in the Ranger before the brackets line up. I'm just going to get a better Ranger drivers seat and put it in, I'm done spending money. I have bought two Explorer driver seats so far and neither have fit, 2 door or 4 door seat.
The Explorer seats the tracks are rivited on to both seats, the Ranger track it bolted, it boggles my mind why they would have used such a different design between 2 such similar vehicles.

 

[fastpakr]

Something isn't adding up here. I've done the swap myself with no issues other than seat belt anchoring.

 

[Godfella691981]

Something isn't adding up here. I've done the swap myself with no issues other than seat belt anchoring.

I know, thats the thing. Its weird. I believed it would work no issues, it should I mean dozens of people have probably done it.

The anchoring issue I fixed by just putting my Ranger reciever on the bolt that separates the top and bottom of the Explorer seat. But once I put the seat in my Ranger the mounting points do not line up. Its weird, I even had to drill the holes on the Explorer mounting points out because the holes are smaller than the Ranger ones. I can get the two back bolts in but in the front the seat brackets are about an inch two short , neither of the front holes will line up. I can't even get the bracket to overlap the mounting holes at all (even by sitting on the seat and trying it), I was just going to drill new holes but that would not work either. Im stumped.

My Ranger doesn't have carpeting either it has the rubber flooring I figured it would be even easier that way.

According to my VIN and door tag, my truck is a 10/99 model. 1 of the Explorer seats I got came from a 1/99 model 2door, the other from a 10/99 4 door.

 

[fastpakr]

I can't look at the tracks right now...

But don't the tracks themselves move somehow when you slide the seat forward and back? I have a vague memory of having to hold the slider control and reposition the tracks to get them to line back up before bolting my seats in

 

[Ranger850]

Have you tried to use your original Ranger Tracks with whatever seat. Grind the rivets out of the Expo and use Ranger bolts.

 

[Godfella691981]

Have you tried to use your original Ranger Tracks with whatever seat. Grind the rivets out of the Expo and use Ranger bolts.

I don't have the tools to do that or I would.

I ended up just getting another driver 60/40 bench seat from another Ranger and put it in.