I'm looking at a 2002 XLT (other post) that has cloth seats. There are the frpmt 2 independent seats on either side and the middle center console. We saw another XLT that had the front center seat, but the driver and passenger seats still seamed to be independent. Therefore, might it be a simple task to unbolt the center console and pop in the center seat giving me a 9 passenger? Perhaps pickup the front center seat at a salvage yard.

 

Certainly can be done!

Couple things though... If you remove the center console to put in the 20% section seat you'll need to cut off the metal stops that are welded to the seat. These stops are for th e armrests you just removed. They limit downward movement.

You'll also be left with a gaping hole in the cloth or leather. But that can be easily remedied.

Going the other way... Finding a way to put those missing stops ON & finding the actual armrest could prove difficult...unless they could be had through a dealer or by trading someone that has them.

Welcome to FTE!

 

I thinking in simpler terms. This is for the front seat. There was a seating option for a 3 person bench seat. But it's not really a bench seat as we might assume. I saw one the other night. It was a driver seat, middle seat, passenger seat. Both driver and passenger were independent - not connected to the middle. The middle seat had a flip down/up console/seat back. So flip it down and you have cup holders and a storage compartment. Flip it up and you have a seat back. It seemed like that center seat/console was just bolted to the floor. I don't believe it was apart of the driver or passenger seat (I could be wrong here). Looking at another seating option, where there is a drivers bucket seat and passengers bucket seat and a seperate console, I got the idea that maybe FORD made the center seat and console interchangeable. Just unbolt the console, pull it out, and drop in the center seat. That seems to be a logical, modular, approach. But I cannot verify for sure.

 

What Monsta was trying to say is yes the center seat can be put in easily. However your current front seats have armrests on them don't they? If so those armrests will have to be removed (that is what Monsta was talking about with cutting and having open holes on the seats). Or you can just swap out your front seats and console for the three front seats from the donor truck.

 

There are armrests. I was thinking that the center seat just fit between the armrests? I'm looking to buy a used one EXC. We have seen many 2 seat configs and a single 3-seat config. It seemed to me the 3-seat config just had a middle seat bolted down. I was hoping maybe in the 2-seat config I just pull the console and replace w/ a seat; and that the armrests still stay w/ the drive and passenger seats.
Whew.. a picture would be much easier!! Haha.. but maybe that 3-seat config is more than just 2 independent seats + a middle one.

 

The center section seat will not work in there as a drop in due to the armrest stops on your existing seats. The center section storage/armrest/cupholder/flip-up seat will not go up with the armrests in place. In fact, I think both are the same height so you wouldn't even be able to put it there with the armrests in place. It may work when you remove them but it will not be able to flip up to act as a seat.

Been there: done that.

I now own a 9 passenger. My previous Excursion was an 8 passenger.

 

So how about replacing the entire front row 2-seat w/ console with a 3-seat?

My real problem would then surely be matching. Anyone seen a leather 3-seat? I've only seen one cloth.

 

apparently, i have an extremely rare excursion limited with the leather front seat with the flip down center seat. i dont know weather this was the cheaper one or kind of a preferred seating arrangement.

 

I'll swap ya seats ;-)

 

Yes, if you could find a truck with matching interiors you could take out your two seats and center console and install the 40/20/40 split bench very easily. You would have to find either an Excursion, Super Duty crew cab or early year (99-00 I think)super cab before they started putting the seat belts in the seat.

 

I am in the same boat as kevin.ford-trucks. Most of the X's out there are two bench with c console. I would luv to find fix. I have tried to get some answers from ford dealer, and you know how that is. They gave me printouts of the 40/20/40 bench but alas, no measurements or anything of significance. Hopefully someone has already figured it out and can help us. If not, Racerx can u take some quick measurements of the seats you have. Across the backrest at the armrest and across the 20 split, and maybe across the seats. Possibly across the whole seat. Hopefully then we can get someone to measure their 2 bench with console config and compare the numbers. The dealer also said that the 250 and 350 should have the same config. Asked about the seat belt arrangement, and they said as long as it is in regular cab in the newer years the seat belt was put into the side, same as the X. Quad cab had in the seats, as there are no pillars.HMMMMM!!!! Also calling wreckers, they have excellent crossover books, maybe they can help also.

 

Going the other direction, has anyone considered placing another set of captains chairs and a center console from the front in place of the middle row?

I have no kids and a center row console and captain's chairs would be nice for a group of adults.

Doug

 

So here are the options because I have been working n this since I bought my X. Ford has three 4 front row options. A full length 3 pass bench, a 40/60 split 3 pass bench (40 being on the drives side, found mostly in F150s and 1st gen Expeditions), a 40/20/40 split bench in which the 20 center section seatback can be folded down and has some storage in it. It also features a lap belt only for restraint, and finally the 40/0/40 captain's chairs with center console.

The 20 center section from the 40/20/40 setup is a direct bolt in on an Ex with captains chairs. You do have to remove your captain;s chairs to bolt it all together but it can be done. There are plenty to be had in wrecking yards all over the country. However, here is my experience. Finding one to match your years cloth (they are available in leather out of F250's/350'3) pattern and color can be difficult. And I'll be darned if any wrecking yard in the country will seperate the 20 section and sell it only. Expect to pay $300-$600 for the full 40/20/40 set up plus shipping. Also, if pulling from a F250-350, the supercab (extended cab) seats have the driver/pass seatbelts molded into them and are therefore not swappable. The quad cab(four door) is a straight swap.

Also, there is the armrest problem. When you have 7 kids like I do the console would never be folded down therefore no one would ever notice.

Sorry for the long post but i have found that there is not a lot of information out there on the subject.

Consequentially, if you live within 8 hours drive of the bay area of CA and want my 40/0/40 for your 40/20/40. I will drive the distance and do the labor...

 

There are quite a few 20% seats on eBay.

I stand by my previous posts regarding installations challenges.

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I've been toying with the idea of putting the same seat (40/20/40) seats in the second row position. It has been done and there are pics here on FTE....jus' can't find 'em. I'd them like to modify the old second row seat to go in the third row position to get the armrests and fold down armrest.

 

Been digging for info on this subject. The seats from the 250 and 350 (quad cab)will fit into the Xcrusion, the 40/20/40 bench that is.
The problem,
1. in the X the leather seat controls are going to be different. more control and memory positions
2. the pickups in leather are going to be different color, med flint or med leather,
which translates to bit darker color
3. the pickups with the leather are going to say "Lariat" just under where the head
rest meets the rest of the seat.
4. also going to assume that the wire harness going to be different

On the other hand if you have the cloth, no seat controls to worry about, and the color of the cloth in the pickups and the X are going to be the same, medium flint.
(that is just by going by the color options available from the msn, autos section and looking up the ford line up, and interior color schemes.)

Personally still debating, because still looking at X's, but getting closer to purchase. If I end up with a limited with the leather seats prob going to change over to pickup bench seats without color match and keep original seats to put back in when, and IF selling latter.