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For all that have done seat swaps!


Rose2300

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2011
Messages
1,068
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1996
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Automatic
I'm a tall dude. At 6'5" I get a kink in my neck everytime I drive my pickup with the tall bench seat. Just wondering, out of the swappable seats listed in the tech library, which sit the lowest, or are they all about the same?
 
I always wondered if power seats would go lower than a manual seat. If I could find a set for a first or second gen standard cab I would try it.

I have Explorer buckets in it now, I don't think they are much taller but I lost a lot of tummy to steering wheel clearance. Just enough to be annoying, hand on the top of the wheel and my elbow is touching the bottom, coats get in the way... I am now on the prowl for Eddie Bauer BII lowback bucket seats so I can hopefully get them to go back farther. I am 6'-3", legroom never has been this truck's strength...
 
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I think car seats are typically lower than truck seats, but I'm sure it varies. I'm 6'4" and had a hard time in my standard cab Mazda.


I wonder if maybe you could cut some of the height out of the seat brackets, I know there's some room under the seats in my X-cab.
 
I don't have fab skills...yet... I found a decent pair of first gen exploder buckets at the pick and oull so i'll just do that, and see what hapens.

also, right now i have the full bench so i got some 60/40 seat brackets. I know they mount differently to the cab floor and you have to tap some threads.
How do you tap threads? what tools? difficulty?
 
You may be able to swap the tracks/brackets between the seat and bolt them in. If you need to tap them, you'll need a thread tap and possibly a drill if the holes are different sizes.
 
would it be ok if i just drilled a hole and secured the bolt with a lock nut and washer on the other side??
 
would it be ok if i just drilled a hole and secured the bolt with a lock nut and washer on the other side??

You'll have to try that, but sometimes the bolthead or locknut won't let the seat-slider move much forward or rearward.

If you're really needing headroom--eliminate the slider brackets completely....put the seat EXACTLY where you need it to be....make spacers to level the seat onto the floorboard....drill matching holes thru the spacers & floorboard...use long bolts to secure the seat directly to the floorboard---insane/yes/but plenty of headroom!
 
I used 60/40 tracks with mine, the explorer seats already had the holes drilled and tapped.

The floor was dimpled where the extra 4 holes needed drilled. I just put a flat washer, lockwasher and nut on the backside.
 
You definitely do not want Explorer bucket seats.

My first set was maybe an inch taller than my original '97 split bench. (from unknown year, 2001 I think)
I got a second set from a '96 Explorer, they are much lower, but not nearly as low as the stock Ranger seat.

All my Explorer seats have been power.
 
You definitely do not want Explorer bucket seats.

My first set was maybe an inch taller than my original '97 split bench. (from unknown year, 2001 I think)
I got a second set from a '96 Explorer, they are much lower, but not nearly as low as the stock Ranger seat.

All my Explorer seats have been power.

X a million, the explorer seats all sit higher than ranger seats.

your MAIN issue is that you have a PRE 1998 truck, they added 3 inches of rear-ward seat travel in standard cab trucks in 1998 (Which allows you to lean back a bit as well for more head clearance, and it makes a WORLD of difference. I'm 6'2", and am extremely uncomfortable in the pre 98 trucks, but fit comfortably with room to spare in the 98+ trucks.
 
I bought Smittybuilt XRC adjustable seats for my 99 Ranger awhile back. I paid $400 with shipping on Ebay. I can get them for about the same price still. I am 6' 2" and my stock seats are fine for me. I thought about getting rid of the 60/40 seats and then I fabbed up some brackets to mount the XRC seats. They bolted right up to the slider area, but I noticed I would have to cut a small section out of the 60/40 frame to make it a true bucket seat conversion. When I was getting ready to cut the frame I changed my mind.

I went ahead and put them in my sisters 2000 Cherokee and they fit perfect with out having to modify anything at all. She really loves them. They are great seats and are so comfortable to use everyday and for going off roading. I think I will go ahead and buy some more seats this year. I should have put them in before but I just thought otherwise at the time. I still have the brackets I fabbed up and this will take about 1-2 hours to install them in my Ranger.
 
I don't think my '93 Explorer seats sit all that much if any higher than my solid bench. I can get four fingers (3") between my head and my steel ceiling.

My beef with them is:
1. They hit the back window which limits legroom.
2. Drivers side seat back is forever stuck almost straight up. Every 4dr is like that.
3. The fake leather on the back sweaks on my speaker box.

I have been folding myself up and inserting myself into my truck for 11 years, the small cab doesn't bother me anymore. My F-150 is my prefered long distance hauler for more room and many other reasons though.
 
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I always wondered if power seats would go lower than a manual seat. If I could find a set for a first or second gen standard cab I would try it.

I know where there is a set.

I don't know if they work, and "good" is not a condition I'd say they are in.


You do know that the only "power" seat option available in the 1st gens was a lumbar support adjustment though.
 

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