First time user here, read through the last several months of posts though.

I have a shiny new E350 on order; it was built on 3/11, and is on its way to Quigley for 4x4, then will head my way soon after. Based on the current estimates for timing, it seems like I will have the van in my possession for only a bit shy of 4 weeks before I take it on a 5500 mile road trip with myself and 4 passengers onboard. Therefore, I need to get a few things squared away before receiving it. Issue number one is seating for the rear passengers.

The van ordered is a cargo van, meaning only a driver and passenger seat; my original (and current standing) plan for back seating is to get a shop (I've already made arrangements with one who is able to do this) to install one of the rear 4-seater benches from a 12/15passenger, as a second-row seat. I realize this would impact side-door access to the back of the van, but I'm fine with that. One thing I've been a bit less than optimistic about with this setup is the lack of headrests...why oh why does ford not put headrests in their passenger vans? Those are far safer and just plain more comfortable for long hours in the car. So...
Recently I was in a parking lot, and saw a van used for a company vanpool, and I took a peek in the window...they had these awesome looking sort of bucket benches, they took up the entire width of the van, were high-backed, headrests, and looked pretty sturdy (many fancy aftermarket chairs I've seen, and some I've had in a past van had a tendency to squeak and rattle with bumps).

Does anyone have any pointers or recommendations for finding sturdy, commercial-grade seats for the back? A 3-seater is fine, I'm not so concerned with a 4-seater, though that would be nice, but the main draw to the 4-seater is to take as much advantage of the van's width as possible and make the space more comfortable for three passengers, rather than being able to stick a 4th passenger there. I've spent days scouring the web for seats, found a few places that only sell in the UK, but nothing I can get in the US.

-brian

 

The link below has seats for vans, but I'm thinking you may want to look for a standard seat from a stock Ford or even a Chevy. The rear seat in my E350 is the widest and will seat four people. That could be mounted up front and close to the dirver and passenger seats but I wouldn't mount it to far forward.

RV Furniture Seats Van SUV Truck Seats Van Tops Surplus

 

You also need to consider seat belts and shoulder belts. I don't think the cargo vans have the anchors for shoulder belts and the retractors. The floor may not have the proper anchors for the rear seats either.

 

As for seat and shoulder belts, at least the stock ford benches you can buy seem to have the center shoulder harnesses in the seat back, and the side ones, I'm not sure...but a local shop claimed they could do it for me easily.

The shop also said they would be able to put the stock seat anchors into the floor, including the quick release function.

I'm sort of planning to default to a stock 4-seater bench in the back, however I still don't like the comfort and safety minus of low-backed seats there...I may solve that issue by putting a makeshift headrest on the bulkhead which is mounted behind the seats.

 

Where are you located? I have a 4 wide bench from my 2003 E350 I would give to someone who would pick it up. I am near Reno, NV