After getting inspiration from some other forum members, I decided to install third row headrests. I did not really like the look of any of the other ones I saw installed. While at the junkyard on Sunday, I found an expedition with tan leather interior that matched mine. The second row headrests in the expedition looked identical to those in my bucket seat equipped excursion, so I bought them for $22.

I cut the seat covers off the expedition in the junkyard and used a sawzall to take the top of the seat frame with me so I would get all the associated mounts for the head rests. I also grabbed some plastic bushings off an explorer that I thought of using that are pictured at right here, but I didn't like them and didn't use them.

The first step, after you pull the third row out of your truck, is to remove the cover. Start by undoing the black strip at the bottom of the back of the seat that holds the back to the front under the seatback. You can see how it has a sort of Z shape that interlocks. Once you get one edge undone, you can slide your fingers along it and the rest will "unzip."

Then you can start to pull up the back of the seat cover. It is held on the sides with velcro that will peel back with the seat cover.

There is a single friction fastener at the top that holds the seat cushion to the frame. I found it easiest to remove the cover and the foam seat cushion together, so I pulled this friction fastener out by hand.



The seat cushion wraps around the bottom of the seat frame, so before trying to tug it off, push on the bottom to clear the cushion from the frame. The cushion rips relatively easily, so be careful.

You'll be left with a bare frame for the seat back.
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I thought about just cutting some tubing for the brackets to hold the seat rests, and some 3/4" that i had laying around looked like it was the right size compared to the factory ones. But the factory ones are slotted to hold the plastic inserts properly, so I decided to remove the factory ones from the bit of seat frame I had taken with me from the junkyard expedition.


The welds leave a gap between the tubes and the frame so I decided a sawzall would quickly separate the two.


And was left with this.



I carefully marked my seat frame where I wanted to install the headrests. I couldn't get them exactly centered because the rod of the headrest would have come down directly into the stamped steel vertical upright welded to the frame. Then I used a center punch to mark the frame where the holes would go.

I started with a pilot hole and worked my way up to larger bits. Unfortunately I would have need about a 7/8" bit, which is larger than I had, so I used a unibit to enlarge the holes to the proper diameter, frequently checking the holes against the tubes that would slide in them, as I wanted a tight fit for welding.

I made the holes just large enough that I could tap the tubes in to the right depth with a hammer. I briefly put the cushion back on to make sure the depth was right.


I put a piece of plastic over the cushion to protect against sparks, then turned the welder way down and burned the tubes in place on both sides, top and bottom. Maybe overkill but I wanted them held in place.
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After letting the welds cool, I reinstalled the cushion, pushing it into place over the new headrest tubes. Then I banged the top of the cushion with a hammer over the tubes.

The tubes cut out perfect plugs from the cushion to make room for the headrest.

Then I reinstalled the cover over the cushion and frame. I had to make cuts for the headrest where the tubes poked up, so I pushed the cover down until I could feel the tubes, then make X slits with a knife (I should have cut them out in circles, as the X's had to be enlarged to fit the plastic trim pieces later on).


Once I cut the holes I installed the plastic trim pieces. They slide in place and click once they bottom out.


Then I slid the headrests into the trim pieces. Once the headrests slide in past a notch at the bottom, they lock into place, and you have to slide a paperclip or something similar into a little hole in the trim piece to unlock them if you need to remove them. I had to slide my hand up inside the seat cover to help guide the rods past the foam and etc, as it was wanting to hang up on the foam. Once you get them in, you can adjust them and it seems like just moving them up and down on their relatively short adjustment doesn't catch the foam. I cut out small channels on the ones that were catching just in case.


And then put it all back in the truck and enjoy them. They make the bench a lot more comfortable and they are so low profile that with them down they don't affect rear vision at all.

I don't think they are bad for a $22 investment and 2 hours of work.

 

Very cool. Great write up pics as well

 

Great idea, that's getting added to my "To Do" list

 

Wow! that's is what I need for my 3rd seat also

 

i did this mod, but yours are adjustable, mine are'nt


thats how it looks on my Navigator w/ Wood grain on the vents
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...s-as-well.html <-if you want to see how i did mines but i got nothing on hasteranger

 

Very nice and well done with all the right components. Take some scrubbing bubbles and a stiff brush to the headrests to clean any gunk off to ensure they really match!

 

Yeah they are a little bit dirty. Honestly my third row was pretty dirty too, the dogs have been back there for the last few trips and they heaven't been cleaned. I don't know why the pictures make them look a bit darker, but to my eye they match perfectly. They will get cleaned with the rest of the truck next time we have some decent weather.

 

Great write up and pics.

 

Great write up and pics thanks...added to my to do list now.

 

This is great - thank you. The OCD in me goes off a little bit when I look in my rear view mirror and don't see headrests on the 3rd row.

 

Nicely done!

 

Thanks for the compliments. they are still holding up and working great. they make the third row a lot more comfortable for adults on longer trips (in fact, though I'm normally driving, the third row is probably the most comfortable seat in the house!)

My next project is going to be installing manual sliders under the 2nd rows so they slide back a little bit.

 

Man that's a clean install!

 

Thanks for the write up. I just bought an 04 Ex and my wife is on me to do this project for the comfort and protection of the kids in the back row. I just need to learn to weld first...ha!

 

Sorry I missed this thread the first time around. Great job on the install!