Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - How do you fold out to bed the rear seat (94 E-150 Club Wagon)

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How do you fold out to bed the rear seat (94 E-150 Club Wagon)

Hi. I got my 94 E150 Clubwagon van from my dad. It's got a lot of custom stuff in it (he bought it that way used) like nice padding everywhere and custom... I think they're called runner boards on the outside that are bottom of the frame and include (but aren't limited to) the door steps. Dad had told me the back seat folded out into a bed. But me and even a mechanic cannot figure out how. It does look like there is room and it might do that (I had a dodge van prior that did), but I don't know if it's broken, stuck, or if it just doesn't do it at all because it's not made that way (though he assured me it was, go figure). Is there some way I can figure out

a/ how to do it, if it does
b/ whether this seat is even made to do that, and
c/ what criteria to ask a mechanic to look for in a junkyard to try and put one in that does, if this doesn't?

I looked through the manual. I read the tech page in this forum. Couldn't find an answer in either.

Thanks a ton for any assistance.

PJ

PS I hope nobody will tell me to get a new van. I love my old Ford van!! :-)

If it's a manual seat it ain't easy. There's a lever in the middle front that has to be released, seems I recall I had to push back slightly to get it to release. Been a long time though, I had a 95 with the manual rear seat and it took some effort to fold it down.

Get in the van from the rear door, lever is on the right side of the seat below the folding arm rest. Push on lever and that will release the seat back, now back out of the rear cargo area while lifting on the extra panel so the leg will come down and rest on the floor. You can do it from the other side of the seat but i find it easier from the cargo area.
Steve

Have your dad show you since he owned it, he will know...

If it's like my 94 Econoline, there is a rocker bar just above the front windshield in the center. That button raises and lowers the rear seat from bench to bed and back again:)

I have a power one now, but my old manual bed had no release to fold it up or down
You just kneel on the seat and push down or back on the top of the rear seat back
Then, to put the bed away, you just kneel on the bottom and pull the rear of the bed up
That will start the seat bottom moving rearward as the seat back comes up
You just have to help it along some
I sure miss my manual bed and do not like my powered one much (although it is a bit bigger) with 3 sections instead of 2

Bet you never thought you would say you miss your old one! My motor is wearing out now so I just keep it in 'bed mode'. If I have to put it up, it takes 2 people. One to hold the button and one to help the seat go up. Or down.

Same year actually (94) but I do enjoy the older stiff that I have an adequate scan tool for
My power bed works but one motor is not functioning properly, and it tries to bend the rear of the bed into a U shape as you lower it.
I think mine might just have a binding cable or something but I am too lazy to check it out right now.
I think you should be able to find a motor at the junkyard pretty easy.
I look once in a while for a manual one and see power beds only.
They only keep 4 Ford vans at the junkyard I visit mostly, but they swap them out every 30 days.