Y'all ever change out your front bench seat to something else? I'm tired of not having an arm rest for my right arm. Should I build a box type thing (console) or look into changing it out? Your ideas? Thanks...

 

Check the junkyards for a 40/20/40 split bench. The center can be up and used as a seat or folded down for a "console".

 

I put a seat from a 95 extended cab in my 87 regular cab. I got it at the junk yard. The only thing I wish I would have done is taken the seat off the frame that bolts to the cab of the pickup. The junk yard gave me 175 bucks trade for my bench seat because they said people are looking for those more than the newer seats with lumbar and head rests. The seat from the 95 was about 1/2 to low in the front, when trying to fix the problem I realized the seat comes off the frame that bolts to the floor with 4 bolts. It may have done the same thing on my original seat frame, I don't know. The frame out of the 95 fit perfect with no modification. I just made a wedge and bought some longer bolts for the front and put the seat back on the frame, it has worked fine. The head rests are nice because if you ever get rear ended there is a better chance they will stop your head from going through the rear window, the air lumbar is nice for long trips and the fold down arm rest is nice to lean on. The front of the seat also has a cup holder and small storage space. It isn't as comfortable for 3 people as the original bench seat but that is fine.

 

I swapped out my straight bench in my 90 Extended Cab for a set of 1996 EB Explorer powered leather seats. Got both in real good shape (no tears) for $250 then installed a 99 Expedition console another $135. Haven't bolted it down yet make I like the adjustability of the seats as you can sit much higher and much further back. Console has a high lid so it acts as an excellent armrest not to mention 2 drink holders, mammoth box and various storgae areas. The seats alos haver map pockets in the back which are really pretty handy. If you go the Explorer seat route make sure you get the floor mounting brackets .. you'll have to drill holes as the bolt patterns are different and shim some but it's worth the effort IMHO. Good luck.

 

Cool, Great ideas. Think I might go down to a junky yard and look at some seats.

 

Good luck, I looked for 5 years to find one. Most of the places want 600 to 1000 dollars for a nice seat. I ended up getting 175 trade for mine and paid 275 out of pocket. Ford is a joke also, 1200 dollars for all the parts to put together a seat like mine, 1600 for them to order in all the parts and put it together for me, what a joke!