Modify seats

[Brem95]

Hey, I've been trying to do some research but haven't seen much in terms of modifying/swapping seats to have an adjustable headrest. I'm 6'5" and my girlfriend keeps nagging me about how unsafe she thinks the front seats would be in an accident. Does anyone have useful information about which seats will swap in with little to no modification to the rails? Would I be able to take the seat cover off of the stock seats and bolt or weld in and add a higher head rest?

Thanks, look forward to hearing other peoples opinions or pictures of swaps.


Cheers

 

[BKennedy]

The only seats that will bolt in are 91-2001 Explorer and some Ranger seats. A few years ago, I went around to junk yards and measured Ford SUV seats. They are nearly all the same approximate width, length and height. The seat mounts are different for different vehicles. If you have a welder, you can modify the seat mounts to fit.

 

[Brem95]

Thanks, will look into the 01 and see if any have headrests. Would also be difficult because I have the two door so they fold up.

 

[SWIGIN]

The only seats that will bolt in are 91-2001 Explorer and some Ranger seats. A few years ago, I went around to junk yards and measured Ford SUV seats. They are nearly all the same approximate width, length and height. The seat mounts are different for different vehicles. If you have a welder, you can modify the seat mounts to fit.

If the seats measure the same then just swap the EX sliders over to the new seats.

 

[CDW6212R]

If the seats measure the same then just swap the EX sliders over to the new seats.

Ditto.

The 91 seats have unique seat tracks which don't swap to later years. You can swap a large number of Ford seats onto the 92-01 seat tracks, because the four bolt pattern of the seat bottom is identical(or close enough to make four holes line up).

Measuring the actual seat widths will limit or expand your search. Some Explorers have head rests, my 93 and 99 Limited trucks both had them. So search the JYd's and see what is there locally. You can use the right seat on the left side in a few cases, depending on how the controls are made into the sides. The seat covers and foam will swap around on similar seats.

 

[410Fortune]

Gen I limited pictured there with adjustable headrests
The newer trucks like the new explorers, edge, flex, have nice seats with adjustable headrests....can be made to work in the gen II sploder..

 

[BKennedy]

The only problem with junk yard seats is they are mostly trash. Out of the 100 or so seats I looked at, most had damage and about half were filthy with caked-on nasty crap.

My 94 XLT has 7 way power seats with solid headrests. I like them so much I had seat covers made for them instead of sourcing new seats when the leather started failing on the driver seat. I was going to get them reupholstered but all the shops around here wanted $1,000 for the pair and the seat covers were $150. My interior still looks very good for a 25 year old Explorer, but I just could not justify the cost for a mostly trail used rig.

 

[410Fortune]

EBAY GOOD FOR SEATS
I put heated and cooled 08 lincoln navigator seats in my 97 F350
I am putting the 14 edge seats in the 07 Ranger
I have 01 Eddie heated in my 88 BII...
all came from Ebay
We put besttop aftermarket Jeep seats in a 84 Ranger, those are nice and decently priced also ($350-400 seat)


@BKennedy Your interior rules I love the floor mats cut around the cage
My BII interior will rival yours.....someday LOL when I get it all finished. I love my 88 dash and wing windows! Right now torn all apart for fiberglass bedside install.......

 

[Blown]

I'm 6'2 and swapped-in tall back Ranger edge seats. It's a 60/40 split bench so you would only be able to rock the passenger seat forward.

The key is keeping your lower mount and sliders which fold forward and find a new seat that you can mount on them.

 

[Craigerz]

I did the same thing but my seat belts in my Ex didn't match the latches on the bench seat so I had to go back and get the seat belts too.

 

[joshuaj0214]

I swapped in a set of Ford Freestyle seats in my 98 sport. I used the explorer power sliders but I had to build up a rear mount with some steel flat bar to catch the rear mounting holes on the seats. They are much more comfortable than the stockers and the right seat folds flat onto itself!

 

[slisman]

I have headrests from Explorer Sport 2002 probably - they are adjustable.

And comfort is now way better than on factory headrests from my limited.
Now I only have to replace covers for leather.

 

[410Fortune]

Oh I like how it folds flat, handy for loading long items which seems to happen all the time in a BII

 

[slisman]