Question about bench seat
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,462
Likes: 0
From: Richmond
This was my thinking. I didn't realize that I had the slide forward and back lever. It's buried under a few layers of seat covers. I'd even looked. Didn't find it until I snagged my shirt collar on it the other day and nearly strangled myself 
Should be the lever right where the seat halves meet. Only other thing I can think of- being an 80 100 would it not have a tilt seat?
OP- didn't realize you meant tilt forward. I thought you mean adjustable backrest, such as recline. Yes, all the 3doz or so bench seats I've seen tilted forward for back access.
Should be the lever right where the seat halves meet. Only other thing I can think of- being an 80 100 would it not have a tilt seat?
OP- didn't realize you meant tilt forward. I thought you mean adjustable backrest, such as recline. Yes, all the 3doz or so bench seats I've seen tilted forward for back access.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,936
Likes: 9
From: Acworth, GA
I have an 84 F150 extended cab, automatic.
I'm considering putting a bench seat in the front and getting rid of the factory buckets.
My questions are:
Do the factory bench seats tilt forward? Or are they fixed?
And are the outer floor mounts the same? Or would I need to find a different mounting setup?
I'm considering putting a bench seat in the front and getting rid of the factory buckets.
My questions are:
Do the factory bench seats tilt forward? Or are they fixed?
And are the outer floor mounts the same? Or would I need to find a different mounting setup?
Senior User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Surrey, B.C.
I figured the folding forward was an "option". My truck is a bare bones Custom.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,239
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From: Rocky Mountain High
Here's how it should look, and what most of us seem to have, and what most of us assumed was in all these trucks. The movable part I'm touching here is officially known as the Front Seat Back Latch Pawl, and the fixed part on the lower seat is known as the Front Seat Back Latch Striker.
Senior User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Surrey, B.C.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,239
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From: Rocky Mountain High
You're most welcome. In that manual photo, it appears that there's a striker, even without the pawl, because the seat bracket rests against it. And I'm betting you can find plenty of the latch assemblies at any junkyard; remove that upper bolt in the schematic (if that bolt is still there), and the rod/spring/latch takes its place, runs beneath the seat back over to the passenger side. Should be VERY easy to install...
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
The seats where the back doesn't fold forward were originally used on 4-door variants.
Methinks somebody swapped benches at some point (mine had one from a Japanese pickup in it, it as kind of cool cuz it had a fold-down center thing with a cupholder and storage compartment, but the guy installed it poorly and angled it badly so I got a velour-covered bench from a JY (which I later replaced with leather buckets from a Jeep Grand Cherokee).
Methinks somebody swapped benches at some point (mine had one from a Japanese pickup in it, it as kind of cool cuz it had a fold-down center thing with a cupholder and storage compartment, but the guy installed it poorly and angled it badly so I got a velour-covered bench from a JY (which I later replaced with leather buckets from a Jeep Grand Cherokee).
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 2
From: Rocky Mountain High
Methinks somebody swapped benches at some point (mine had one from a Japanese pickup in it, it as kind of cool cuz it had a fold-down center thing with a cupholder and storage compartment, but the guy installed it poorly and angled it badly so I got a velour-covered bench from a JY (which I later replaced with leather buckets from a Jeep Grand Cherokee).
So you have some kind of weird musical chairs game going on in your cab?
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
Cash for Clunkers - if you remember that - provided for a LOT of really nice parts suddenly becoming available in the JY.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,990
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From: Florida
If I remember correctly, the folding seat back was an option on 1980 Custom trim trucks. The standard seat didn't tilt forward.
All of the other trims including Ranger, Ranger XLT, and Ranger Lariat had tilt forward bench seats standard.
I'm not sure how long Ford carried that option on before it became standard on all trim levels.
All of the other trims including Ranger, Ranger XLT, and Ranger Lariat had tilt forward bench seats standard.
I'm not sure how long Ford carried that option on before it became standard on all trim levels.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 32,875
Likes: 48
From: Northeast, OK
If I remember correctly, the folding seat back was an option on 1980 Custom trim trucks. The standard seat didn't tilt forward.
All of the other trims including Ranger, Ranger XLT, and Ranger Lariat had tilt forward bench seats standard.
I'm not sure how long Ford carried that option on before it became standard on all trim levels.
All of the other trims including Ranger, Ranger XLT, and Ranger Lariat had tilt forward bench seats standard.
I'm not sure how long Ford carried that option on before it became standard on all trim levels.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
Likes: 92
From: Denver Metro Area, CO
If I remember correctly, the folding seat back was an option on 1980 Custom trim trucks. The standard seat didn't tilt forward.
All of the other trims including Ranger, Ranger XLT, and Ranger Lariat had tilt forward bench seats standard.
I'm not sure how long Ford carried that option on before it became standard on all trim levels.
All of the other trims including Ranger, Ranger XLT, and Ranger Lariat had tilt forward bench seats standard.
I'm not sure how long Ford carried that option on before it became standard on all trim levels.
Do you have any sort of source for this information you can share with us? Reason I say this is, just about every single vehicle I've seen since childhood in the 1970s has had seatbacks that fold down when it is desired to get behind the seat for some reason. Your statement of their being optional is like having a 2-door car but flip-down seatbacks - to get into the back seat - would be optional? I'm sorry but I just don't buy it without some sort of proof or credible evidence.Granted, a standard-cab pickup doesn't have a back seat, hence the importance of the room behind the bench for storing junk.
Look at the pic from the 1981 shop manual above; it says - in capital letters - WITH IN-CAB FUEL TANK. Ford stopped providing in-cab fuel tanks in standard-cab pickups in the late 1970s (1978? I forget) the only reason I can think why this is in a 1980s manual is because some cab & chassis variations might have still had them.