98'-00 Ford Ranger XLT- 60/40 bench seats to 40/40 seats?

[MikeShepard505]

Hello the names mike. Ive been researching and trying to figure how to convert a 60/40 bench seat to 40/40 bucket seats. Now I know there's the whole take out the driver side 60 and cut the center bracket off with a sawsall and now theyre 40/40's but I'm more looking to put buckets straight out of other ford vehicles into the ranger. The 2000 I own has a different seat bracket from the 94's and 96's (the two years are mainly what i kept seeing when trying to find what seats interchange with the ranger) which made it real easy to interchange seats by taking the old seat brackets and bolting them to your interchangeable seats. I need some help. Does anybody have an idea of any seat brackets out of other ford vehicles that can be a direct fit to my cab? and if so any info onto what seats can interchange with that bracket. I know thats a broad amount of information to ask for but the 2000 xlt bench seat brackets aren't going to cut it for any of the interchangeable seats i saw for the 94' and 96' rangers. Will newer rangers 40/40 buckets fit into my year ranger? I have a set of 2002 leather mustang seats (no seat brackets) that i was going to put into the ranger by modding the hell out of my old seat brackets, any info would be appreciated before i start destroying my old seats to make some different ones fit lol

I'll try to get some pictures up with what I'm working with if needed.

 

[Ranger850]

Look for a newer Ranger with bucket seats and snag those tracks. IDK if your truck is RegCab or ExCab, but the brackets for a RegCab do not interchange with ExCab. Also IDK what year Rangers came with buckets seats, post '06 I think, but that's where I would start looking. I have a set of tracks for buckets seats out of an Explorer, but the do not fit in my RegCab truck. You can have them if they will work for you , just pay shipping. PM me if interested.

 

[MikeShepard505]

Look for a newer Ranger with bucket seats and snag those tracks. IDK if your truck is RegCab or ExCab, but the brackets for a RegCab do not interchange with ExCab. Also IDK what year Rangers came with buckets seats, post '06 I think, but that's where I would start looking. I have a set of tracks for buckets seats out of an Explorer, but the do not fit in my RegCab truck. You can have them if they will work for you , just pay shipping. PM me if interested.

thats what i was thinking newer ranger tracks, though im curious as to what your explorer tracks look like. i looked at dozens of explorers and mustang seats but not the tracks at an auto parts yard here in albuquerque but if they have the same style to bolt into my cab id be more than willing to get them from you

 

[Ranger850]

thats what i was thinking newer ranger tracks, though im curious as to what your explorer tracks look like. i looked at dozens of explorers and mustang seats but not the tracks at an auto parts yard here in albuquerque but if they have the same style to bolt into my cab id be more than willing to get them from you

i'll try to get some pics

 

[1990RangerinSK]

Hopefully somebody will confirm this, but the last time there was a discussion about seats, I seem to recall it being said that most Ford seats will mount up to your tracks. So what you want to do is mount what ever seat you want to use to your tracks, and then install it into your truck.

 

[Ranger850]

Hopefully somebody will confirm this, but the last time there was a discussion about seats, I seem to recall it being said that most Ford seats will mount up to your tracks. So what you want to do is mount what ever seat you want to use to your tracks, and then install it into your truck.

he has a bench seat and brackets for a bench wont fit buckets

 

[Denisefwd93]

think of it from the manufacturing standpoint,you don't really think every model vehicle has a unique bolt pattern just for itself? I recently picked up a pair of all electric leather seats from a 2000 Explorer, I have a discussion going on it, my truck has bucket seats from what I understand the mounting holes are there, just need to be threaded when you change from the 60/40,. https://www.therangerstation.com/forums/index.php?threads/2000-explorer-seats-fit.181666/

 

[Ranger850]

this is one of the seat brackets. the front holes do match up, but the rear ones do not at all. Almost any ford buckets will fit all the tracks. its just "Which tracks fit your truck?"

 

[lvwill]

If you have the 60/40 seat now it uses the same tracks as buckets.

 

[MikeShepard505]

If you have the 60/40 seat now it uses the same tracks as buckets.

I m almost positive that’s not the case. Whatched a few videos about how simple was to move your original tracks from the bench seats to most ford buckets and how they’d just line up. Turns out it was not like that at all for my year and most of those discussions about moving your original tracks came from guys who had models older than the 98’s. I found myself needing to cut pieces of metal off, modifying the tracks instead of just moving them to the next seat. The explorer tracks from 97’s and 98’s from what it looks like can be mounted into the ranger with some changes and actually can use the interchangeable seats I read about.

 

[andremajic]

Best place to do your research is at a pick n pull yard. Loosen up your passenger seat so you can get measurements at the yard and reference the available seats to see if they fit. My ranger has bucket seats out of a 1990s mustang. There were multiple holes drilled at the factory in the seat pan. Two of the untapped holes lined up with the "scaffolding" that my old seat pans were bolted to. After tapping the holes it bolted right on.

You want to keep your existing seat mounts and unbolt it from the sheet metal pan that the upholstery is attached to. Nice thing about this modification is that if you are a tall person, it lets you sit lower to the ground and your head won't be brushing the headliner. Also better visibility.

There are multiple years and models of cars that have the same bolt pattern on the seat pans because it made manufacturing simpler. The factory didn't have to re-tool the production line for every cars seat. They just had to tap the holes for whatever vehicle it was going into.
Look for donor cars and trucks from the production years your specific model was made and that will be a good start.

Andy

 

[Josh B]

What worried me most when considering other seat options was the not knowing if the seat and back angles would be the same, or how to check that.
My 93 Ranger the recline lever just broke right off, and all it used was two screws to attach. I figured piece of cake to fix once I got another lever, now 5 or 6 years in I still haven't seen another that wasn't riveted on!
The 96 Explorers is broke also and the only fix I know for either is other seats, and the only seats I'm sure will fit would be the same year & model, all of which are in roughly the same worn condition :/

 

[racsan]

In mine I have 2 passenger side seats, effectively a “40-40”. when I was fixing up my 94, I was using some parts from a rolled ‘97. Both trucks had very well worn driver-side seats but the passenger side seats were in excellent condition. I found out the driver side seat rails would indeed bolt right up to the base of the passenger side seat. Now yes, the seat release/recline lever on drivers seat is now in the middle vs the outside of the seat but no big deal. I took the console/armrest off the ‘97’s original drivers seat and its between the two front seats. Ive been meaning to build a console or box to go between the seats but havent got around to it.

 

[Josh B]

In mine I have 2 passenger side seats, effectively a “40-40”. when I was fixing up my 94, I was using some parts from a rolled ‘97. Both trucks had very well worn driver-side seats but the passenger side seats were in excellent condition. I found out the driver side seat rails would indeed bolt right up to the base of the passenger side seat. Now yes, the seat release/recline lever on drivers seat is now in the middle vs the outside of the seat but no big deal. I took the console/armrest off the ‘97’s original drivers seat and its between the two front seats. Ive been meaning to build a console or box to go between the seats but havent got around to it.

There's a homemade box console in my 96 Explorer. It has a leather-like vinyl all around, padded on the top, which is also a good height for an armrest. The top folds up and over with some string to stop it from going plum over(which needs to be adjusted).
It works fairly well, has much more storage space, and is fairly comfortable too.
Even after yanking a console W/folding armrest from PicNpay I'm yet to much consider replacing it

 

[andremajic]

I just keep a cardboard box between the two seats for holding various things. LOL. Eventually I'll build something out of aluminum or steel. I was just thinking an ammo box would be about the right size, and also allow you to lock some tools if you welded a hasp on it. Then you could bolt it into the sheet metal floor to keep it from becoming a projectile if you ever get into a rollover.