Seats that fit 1996 Ranger

[BillyJay]

Hi, I am the proud owner of a 1996 Ranger 4x4 4.0 for which I desperately need new front seats. I’m actually wondering if there are any other seats around that actually fit the Ranger/Explorer tracks. Mine currently has the Explorer seats, but I’m having trouble finding seats in better condition than mine, and mine are pretty worn out. They’re so bad that I can’t just reupholster them, they’ll need to be completely rebuilt, and they’re STILL in better than the ones I’ve found at any local P&P.

So I’m wondering; I know the Ranger axles are interchangeable with Jeep, but is that all that’s interchangeable? Their reason I ask is that the Jeep Cherokee seats seem to be about the same size/width. Are there other auto makers that have identically sized-and interchangeable setups?

Has anybody else tried this yet?

Otherwise, what would it take to modify my existing setup to retrofit with some better conditioned seats?

 

[franklin2]

Not even different year ranger seats interchange. I had a 1986 ranger with buckets, and a guy gave me a nice 60-40 seat from a later ranger. Would not bolt in, the bottom brackets would not line up with the holes in the floor.

 

[Blmpkn]

Ford Ranger Seat Swap - The Ranger Station

Originally By: AllanD (Photo of Escort GT seats inside TRS-2 1996 Ranger) NOTE: A lot of this information has been gathered from our forum members. If you have information to contribute, please use the Contact button at the bottom. … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

 

[Snatchsquatch]

I put some buckets in mine from an earlier exploder but they weren't even close to lining up. I made a pair of parts like in this pic for each seat. 2 of the screw holes had to be countersunk for flat head screws so they'd sit flat on top of the tracks. It's a lot of screwing around but works well.

 

[SenorNoob]

I like this solution.^

I've got 01 Explorer seats bolted to the factory sliders in my truck. Just a bit of a problem with the driver's seat pan not having enough support for the recline mechanism. It tore the seat pan apart. I have had a piece of uni-strut in the pan holding it together for several years now.

 

[BillyJay]

I’m mostly wondering because I found what seems to be a fairly comparably-sized 94 Jeep Cherokee seats online in what looks to be nearly brand new shape. I know what a problem people have with seat swaps in general, so I’ve had some major doubts about this one. Even if the seats do fit, I think those track rails look way too close together for a Rager.

 

[SenorNoob]

I agree. Too close together but that would make making something like the adapter above easier. It wouldn't have to be countersunk. The bolts would just stick down under the seat. The question is how high would they end up? Only way to know for sure is a tape measure.