Interior Swap: 04 Eddie Bauer to 05 King Ranch

How do you swap out the steering wheel? Is there a spot online you used a a reference? The leather on my 03 is looking terrible on the top of my steering wheel, so I purchased a used king ranch/wood wheel from eBay.

Also, saw a wood grab handle on there and was wondering how I would access the area to remove the current passenger grab handle and replace with the wooden one?

2003BlueBauer said:

How do you swap out the steering wheel? Is there a spot online you used a a reference? The leather on my 03 is looking terrible on the top of my steering wheel, so I purchased a used king ranch/wood wheel from eBay.

Also, saw a wood grab handle on there and was wondering how I would access the area to remove the current passenger grab handle and replace with the wooden one?

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I don't have anything to reference, but i used a steering wheel puller, after I pulled the airbag out. I let the battery discharge for an hour (much longer than is required/recommended), then used a steering wheel puller once I removed the steering wheel nut. Make sure it goes on in the exact same spot the last one was... If I am not mistaken, it has a keyway, so has to go on a certain way.


I had to swap my grab handle, too. I did so by lowering the glovebox, and I think it was 8mm or 10mm nuts on the back. If you buy the one on ebay, when you receive it, you will see how it mounts. Not much to it.

Good Luck, be sure to post before and after pics!

Despite my liking the idea of the second row buckets, I did not like that I had to have a floormat over the open holes where the original center seat used to mount, and I hadn't found a center console from an 03-06 Navigator that included any of the hardware, aside from the fact that one didn't exist with matching King Ranch leather. SO: I sourced a 40/20/40 King Ranch second row, from a junkyard, and had it shipped.





I was worried when I saw part of it protruding from the packaging upon arrival. Thankfully, the only damage were to the plastic trim covers around the latches, which I had from my previous seats. This is a very poor picture taken a few mins after install, and before I lathered them up with Leather CPR. They didn't really need it, but is it possible for them to be TOO soft?



I miss the buckets, but this is more functional for us, and I can always swap them back in. Unlikely I will find someone with an 05-06 (or 03-04 Conversion) KR Expedition who is looking for just the second row bucket seats.

Before:



After:

Newest AFTER:

So I have been looking for a Gen 2 king ranch JUST for the seats. If I read correctly by previous posters these could be switched out with my Gen 1, correct?

is that 20 seat from another expedition? never seen a full KR bench seat. PS Don't let the dog sit ontop of the seats!!

Great swap, I was surprised at how clean the front seats came out. What did you use to clean them?

Thanks for your feedback!

I used the "spa technique" that I found on an F150 forum, specific to the King-Ranch leather. You see, the King Ranch leather up until the past few years (not sure on the exact year it changed) was uncoated analine leather, straight from the King Ranch leather supplier. Being uncoated, it absorbs anything that comes in contact with it, unlike other leather seats in most cars that are vinyl coated, and essentially you are cleaning/conditioning the vinyl coating on those, and not the leather. On the Analine leather, you need to pull the dirt/soiling out of the seats.

I used a capful of baby shampoo (tearless, lol) with a pan full of HOT water (as hot as your hands can stand) with washclothes, and kept the seat damp/steaming, alternating washcloths. It steamed the dirt up and out of them, and then I applied Leather CPR as a last step, WHILE they were still wet. Repeated the leather CPR conditioning (but not the Spa treatment) over the next month, and now apply the leather CPR every 3-4 months as I think of it.

I may need to do the spa-treatment again soon, but I am careful about any grease I have on work clothes, etc.. to avoid soiling them as much as I can. I love the KR leather, but it's a different kind of cleaning/conditioning from regular leather seats.

The only other brands I have heard of having uncoated (analine) leather are Land Rover, Rolls Royce, Ferarri, some Mercedes, BMW, etc. I love these seats!

5.4T said:

is that 20 seat from another expedition? never seen a full KR bench seat. PS Don't let the dog sit ontop of the seats!!

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5.4T: Sorry, I just saw this post. Yes, it was from another Expedition. Most who opted for the KR package also opted for the buckets, but the 40/20/40 was available. I could have just found the "20" and it would have bolted in, but I would have had to cut the stub off of where the armrests used to be, and there would be a corresponding hole in the leather where they used to be. The correct 40/20/40 out of an 05 KR was a much better option, IMO. Looks factory. The only way you can tell that my truck is not an original KR is that it is an 04; they didn't offer the KR Expedition until 05 and 06.

that and the roof racks, but no ones going to notice that

5.4T said:

that and the roof racks, but no ones going to notice that

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The king ranch had a roof rack as well. No change there, that I know of.