thanks for response. I haven't bought anything yet. Looking for the SUV for a bunch of reasons. The gear selector question is part of what I'm trying to resolve.
front bench possible? need 9 seats
- Thread starter Aargm
- Start date
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Do you have any rough draft ideas you e thought of yet for moving it?
It was offered stock in early years, as a 9-passenger option
Seat can be transplanted to newer years if you find the jumpseat (need SSV for the column shifter), or you can jury rig an F150 jumpseat (i think someone said it needed a bracket fabricated? Or maybe that was for a console)
How factory does it need to look??
I would be looking for cars/suvs that have seats with seat belt coming out of the shoulder of seat. Chevy trailblazers/envoys are this way. Don't know what width you have but a front seat form one of these might fit in the space. It would probably need some bracket modification for height and angle but that's not too big a deal. People build entire interiors of show cars all the time.
I would be looking for cars/suvs that have seats with seat belt coming out of the shoulder of seat. Chevy trailblazers/envoys are this way. Don't know what width you have but a front seat form one of these might fit in the space. It would probably need some bracket modification for height and angle but that's not too big a deal. People build entire interiors of show cars all the time.
Most vehicles with a front center seat included from the manufacturer, like many F-150s, will have a larger front passenger airbag that extends coverage inward to provide protection for a passenger in the center seat.
It is frustrating that GM is so behind the times when it comes to passenger safety and still putting lap-only belts in the front-center seat of their extended/crew cab trucks. They also refuse to put head restraints in any of the center seating positions of their trucks and SUVs. Every other manufacturer has had center head restraints and front center lap-shoulder belts for years now.
It doesn't frustrate me at all. I'm actually glad to see someone not being overzealous in the safety area. It's amazing they're even allowed to get by with it with all the government restrictions and requirements. I think it should be an option. I also think all headrest should be removable so you can pop them out if you want to. A lot of 2nd row seats have this option for the headrests. I'm obsessed with options and they don't want to give them to us. Anytime you delete something it actually saves them money but they don't want to offer the changes.
RhinoQuartz
Full Access Members
I completely disagree about the safety aspect, but I did want to raise a point about deletion being cheaper.
While it may seem obvious, it could also be more expensive for the manufacturer. For example, it might seem that removing a headrest would save costs right? No headrest, money can be saved not buying one.
Except that these are bought in bulk, and are therefore cheaper than buying individually. By having so many options of deletion/addition, it may incur an extra cost for any excess that needs to be disposed of.
Of course, the extras may be put on another model that asks for it or they may need to store it. If not used then and there, then it could be sold to people who already own the particular vehicle in question that are looking for replacements (or an aftermarket supplier or dealer that stockpiles parts etc). However, that would mean it needs to be stored, whether that be on site or, if off site then transported to said location. These parts also need to be maintained in a saleable condition - some may not require supervision or preparation before sale, others may require a great deal. The site where they are stored also has to be secured and all inventory within organised.
That is not a simple job, and the above requires quite a bit of peoplepower. All of whom (packers/movers/drivers/organisers/managers/HR/security etc etc) have to be paid.
If you are making the decision to put yourself at an increased risk, I would agree with you. The reality is that GM chooses to not include them for cost savings. Families buy their vehicles without realizing the importance of head restraints and then most often it is the kids paying the price. Whiplash is rarely fatal but it can be debilitatingly life altering. Kids don’t have the needed information nor the ability to choose a vehicle with head restraints in every position. Having removable head restraints included as standard practice is the best case scenario to provide protection to the most vulnerable.
Non-removable head restraints, especially ones that lean forward can cause many kids’ car seats and booster seats to not install/function properly. Removable/adjustable head restraints are a high priority for me. I can live with the Expy’s non-removable outboard 3rd row head restraints since since the center one and all of the 2nd row ones can come off.
I know people like to complain about all the “unneeded” safety features and government mandates, but many of those things save lives.
I work in the field of child passenger safety. I hear it all the time, “Back when I was young... and we survived just fine.” The truth is that car crashes are still the number one cause of death for kids ages 1-13, but amazingly the number of child passenger deaths has declined by almost 60% since 1975. There are kids and young adults alive today that otherwise would not have been if not for those mandates. The ones from back when you were young that didn’t make it aren’t here to speak up against the “we survived” mentality.
Flexpedition
Full Access Members
Below is a link to a slightly used 2018 MAX 4X4 XL model with column shift and front buckets. Just as an example, for OP to study its interior photos. Note that this particular MAX doesn't have a 3rd row seat.
https://www.raisorford.com/used/Ford/2018-Ford-Expedition+Max-0ea28ad80a0e0adf3382d374187c5a39.htm
Compare the above Expedition front seats to a 18+ f150 XL and you will see they are the same. Example used F150 dealer ad:
https://www.fermanauto.com/VehicleD...-XL_2WD_SuperCab_6.5'_Box-Tampa-FL/3388852303
You'll notice that not only are the front bucket seats appear identical between the Expedition and F150, but so does the floor mounted mini console with cupholders. I'd be fairly confident that adding the F150 XL and XLT center jumpseat into an 18+ Expedition XL would be no issue.
Given the electronics, such as occupant sensors, seat position sensors, airbags, etc, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone to remove one or more front seats and install anything out of a something-else.
Hope this helps
https://www.raisorford.com/used/Ford/2018-Ford-Expedition+Max-0ea28ad80a0e0adf3382d374187c5a39.htm
Compare the above Expedition front seats to a 18+ f150 XL and you will see they are the same. Example used F150 dealer ad:
https://www.fermanauto.com/VehicleD...-XL_2WD_SuperCab_6.5'_Box-Tampa-FL/3388852303
You'll notice that not only are the front bucket seats appear identical between the Expedition and F150, but so does the floor mounted mini console with cupholders. I'd be fairly confident that adding the F150 XL and XLT center jumpseat into an 18+ Expedition XL would be no issue.
Given the electronics, such as occupant sensors, seat position sensors, airbags, etc, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone to remove one or more front seats and install anything out of a something-else.
Hope this helps
Trainmaster
Old School Member
The 3rd Generations had a cloth front bench seat available up until 2008. All year 3rd and 4th Generation SSV's are standard with a column shifter and two bucket seats without the console. A F-150 center seat with fold-down armrest can be installed in these.
Some XL trims, when offered, were also available with a column shifter as an option, like the one in the link on Flex's post above. Note the steel wheels and rubber floor mats on that baby too! That's a rare car, probably originally ordered for someone to pull a trailer of show dogs or a government fleet use. The FCC, FRA and FAA orders them and installs laptop computers where the console is usually located.
The SSV package adds a black grille and black door handles, old-style manual heating controls and eliminates running boards.
Some XL trims, when offered, were also available with a column shifter as an option, like the one in the link on Flex's post above. Note the steel wheels and rubber floor mats on that baby too! That's a rare car, probably originally ordered for someone to pull a trailer of show dogs or a government fleet use. The FCC, FRA and FAA orders them and installs laptop computers where the console is usually located.
The SSV package adds a black grille and black door handles, old-style manual heating controls and eliminates running boards.
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