third gen full interior swap (2002-2005) | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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third gen full interior swap (2002-2005)

Kazer

Explorer Addict
Joined
March 13, 2010
Messages
1,653
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City, State
Sneads Ferry, NC
Year, Model & Trim Level
2001 Excursion PSD
I'm making this thread for everyone who doesn't like their boring cloth seats or non existent third rows. I bought my explorer with 2 rows of cloth seats. 60/40 split in the back. Unhappy with what i got, i found a mountaineer in a near-by junkyard that had been totaled out in the front, with the interior completely intact.

Unfortunately i didn't take any pictures during the swap, but i do have before and afters. the swap itself was very easy, all i did was completely gut my truck and the donor vehicle, move around the studs in the floor of my truck to match the mountaineer, and put everything back together. all of the holes were in the body of my ex, you just have to uncover them(covered with aluminum tape) and seal up your old mounting holes. you will need the rear interior body panels in order for the seat belt tensioners to fit. basically, i swapped everything from the front dash back(door panels, all interior body paneling, even the carpeting to extend all the way to the third row

I went from 2 rows of grey cloth to 3 rows of black leather out of a 2004 mountaineer.
before:
IMAG0053.jpg

IMAG0055.jpg

IMAG0060.jpg

after:
IMAG0070.jpg

IMAG0077.jpg

IMAG0082.jpg


also, if you use mountaineer or aviator seats, you will have to re wire the front two seats (drivers side power and seat belt monitor)(passenger side seat belt buckle retractor)

Let me know if you guys have any questions!
 



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im so jelous, i want a black leather interior
 






Forgot to add, total swap cost was $400 for everything and it took me and a friend about 12 hours. That's driving an hour to the Junkyard, gutting the mountaineer, driving back home, gutting my truck, swapping everything and rewiring.
 






i wish i could have these sort of finds
 






I been looking for the past 8months to find leather interior. I have gray cloth interior with a 3rd row. Their in perfect condition. Just want leather.
 












I been looking for the past 8months to find leather interior. I have gray cloth interior with a 3rd row. Their in perfect condition. Just want leather.

i drove about an hour to a town with a lot of junkyards once a week for about 4 months straight before i found this mounty. i was actually heading to a different junkyard to get white leather front and rear buckets from an aviator but they had just got the donor mounty in the day before
 






seats look amazing...cant go wrong with black leather...great price also...:thumbsup:
 






I been looking for the past 8months to find leather interior. I have gray cloth interior with a 3rd row. Their in perfect condition. Just want leather.

I have leather seats, drivers is worn a bit in my 05..... live near chicago got pics of your interior... My fiance hates leather
 






Yea I'll take pics of the interior tomorrow. Just message me an email address and I'll send the pics when I get off work. The seats are in perfect shape. Non-smoker explorer. The seats are gray in color. What about you? color wise?
 






Yea I'll take pics of the interior tomorrow. Just message me an email address and I'll send the pics when I get off work. The seats are in perfect shape. Non-smoker explorer. The seats are gray in color. What about you? color wise?
They are the tan leather..... like i said before the drivers is worn a bit... they used cheap leather in these things!
 






Im anxious to find a 3rd row seat for my 02 XLS, (cloth). I was wondering how hard it was to swap the 3rd row seat belts into it. Does the third row have shoulder straps or just lap belts? You said you also need the rear inside panels for the seat belts and tensioners?
 






Im anxious to find a 3rd row seat for my 02 XLS, (cloth). I was wondering how hard it was to swap the 3rd row seat belts into it. Does the third row have shoulder straps or just lap belts? You said you also need the rear inside panels for the seat belts and tensioners?

IMAG0447.jpg

IMAG0448.jpg


in both pictures, you can see which trim piece you'll need (in order for the seat belt to pass through the pre cut slit) top piece(grey)

in the second picture, you will need not only the top part, but the whole bottom side as well(charcoal gray/black in the picture), this piece extends over the wheel well and up to the rear passenger side door. this body panel is built out to allow you to mount the seat belt tensioner/re-tractor without interfering with anything. if the donor interior color matches your current color, then you should only need the PASSENGER side panel of this design

as far as swapping in the third row, seat belts, and body panels. everything is very straight forward, unbolt the seat belt tensioners from the donor vehicle and find the identical hole in your truck and mount it. if you have more questions let me know
 






Im anxious to find a 3rd row seat for my 02 XLS, (cloth). I was wondering how hard it was to swap the 3rd row seat belts into it. Does the third row have shoulder straps or just lap belts? You said you also need the rear inside panels for the seat belts and tensioners?

one thing i forgot to add. if you do put a third row in your ex, you will still have to unbolt your 2nd row of seats, move the floor studs to the furthermost holes in the body, then bolt back down your 2nd row. without shifting the 2nd row forward, the third row would have very little, if any, leg room.

if you do get everything for a third row swap i'd be more than willing to help you with it if you're close to me (saginaw)
 






one thing i forgot to add. if you do put a third row in your ex, you will still have to unbolt your 2nd row of seats, move the floor studs to the furthermost holes in the body, then bolt back down your 2nd row. without shifting the 2nd row forward, the third row would have very little, if any, leg room.

if you do get everything for a third row swap i'd be more than willing to help you with it if you're close to me (saginaw)

Yea for sure, your maybe an hour from me if your in Saginaw. Just drove down through there on my way home from Houghton Lake this afternoon.

I'll hit you up if I end up finding exactly what I need. I'm really not looking for leather but just the matching cloth style if thats even possible with my current interior.

Thanks for the great pics and advice!

MG
 






i just picked up an interior out of a mountaineer for my 02 xls...my ex has manual front seats where the mountaineer interior has heated and powered front seats. what do i need to do to make them function? i thought about swapping the bases but i need to at least get power to them to be able to adjust the back of the seats reclining position so i might as well just do it all up.
 






i just picked up an interior out of a mountaineer for my 02 xls...my ex has manual front seats where the mountaineer interior has heated and powered front seats. what do i need to do to make them function? i thought about swapping the bases but i need to at least get power to them to be able to adjust the back of the seats reclining position so i might as well just do it all up.

If you dont want to worry about wiring, you can always just swap the seat covers over. They are easy to get on and off. Yeah, your seats wont have heat or power, but they will be leather.
 






If you dont want to worry about wiring, you can always just swap the seat covers over. They are easy to get on and off. Yeah, your seats wont have heat or power, but they will be leather.

i didnt think about that but i dont think that will work either since the leather seats have head rests and my old cloth ones dont. i have the same exact cloth interior as pictured in the original post.
 






i'd say go back to the junkyard and get the seat harness' out of the mounty, i've found that my xlt is about 90% wired for every available option. ie, my ex is prewired for heated mirrors, adjustable pedals, factory home link, and park assist sensors, and the body of my truck already had predrilled and tapped holes for when i had to move my second row forward, bolt the third row down, and mount the seat belt tensioners
 



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ill have to check on the harness situation and hopefully the guy who was parting out the monty will let me cut up the harness.

got everything about halfway done. all the holes are already pre drilled and tapped so thats good.

so far the only issues are getting power/functionality out of the memory seat button on the drivers door panel, the front and passenger seats for the power and heat, and the cigarette lighter on the center console for the rear seat.
 






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