The story goes like this. I have a regular cab truck, we had a baby, oops, can't take the truck anywhere as a family now. I always though the truck was too cramped anyway so it was a good excuse to swap on a super cab.

Now that project is underway. There's one problem. The rear seat still isn't suitable for a car seat. I do have the normal bench seat and also the jump seats so I can choose either.

My line of thought now is to use the jump seats and leave them folded up. They will be useful if I have older passengers at some point.

For my son, I'd instead build a forward facing seat base in the center of the truck that is big enough to support a car seat and later a booster seat. i was thinking I could even use the anchor and latch system from a minivan to pop the assembly out when needed.

Think it will work? If it's just a base it shouldn't even need foam, just covered in carpet. Will it be legal? I would assume so if I use as many factory parts as possible. Any suggestions?

 

My brother is having the same questions going through his head right now. He loves his extended cab, and his is a SD so the clamshell doors and bigger back seat. Yet he really can't use it for the family, just not enough space. Most of all when adding the dog.

Can it be done yes, I'm sure many of the older and poorer among us remember going 4 wide in a regular cab. But then seat belts, ehhh, riding the in the back, suure no problem. My bother and I rode thousands of miles in the back of a Studebaker pickup in lawn chairs.

I think today you'd be risking legal hassles with what you have in mind. Would it be technically legal, yes probably. Would it be safe, absolutely if your doing what I think. Would every cop, judge, and insurance company see it that way NO.

I know it sucks to even think about cause you just put all that work into your SC but I think in the long run if your going to use the truck with the family you really just need 4 doors.

 

My kids are 17 & 19 now so child car seat stuff was a little more lax when I was dealing with it and my experience may be completely out of date. But when they were in car seats I had a '95 Super Cab, and it didn't seem like there was any problem putting the car seats in the back of that truck.

 

Simpler times. When I was of car seat age, I sat on my mom's lap, no seat belts or anything involved. It's a wonder anybody survived until now eh?


My hang up with the rear bench is the seat is so shallow and the back straight vertical that the car seat fits poorly. I was told at least 80% of it's base must sit on the seat. I'm seeing only like 30% in contact.

 

I think it comes down to 3 questions. The amount of legal risk your willing to endure. And if it's only you and your son plus occasionally mom for short trips. Or all 3 plus gear for a long day. And if this is is going to be a main vehicle for a long time as your son grows up.

If you do want to try a better idea might be to build your car seat platform on the hump/right front floor and move the passenger side single seat to the back. That way without an adult passenger your son is in a good spot and not getting elbowed by you. And with mom in the passenger seat she is facing your son. Leave the left side jump seat folded up on the driver side behind you just in case you have to fit a third adult.

 

I do plan to keep this truck for years, it's going to be upgraded along the way to become the perfect truck for me. It's not a primary vehicle, it get's driven maybe 25% of the time.

I can't have anything over the center hump. We've tried the car seat in the middle and my wife in the middle and both ways is too cramped and interferes with shifting too much.

I don't want a 4 door, it's already longer than I'd prefer. I have to park in tiny parking spots down town on a daily basis. As is it completely fills a spot if I parallel park and I can get pinned in on occasion.