Bucket Seat/Bench Seat Swap, 1st gen.

I have a '98 extended cab with the split bench seats, but I really want a center console.
I found a junkyard that can sell me bucket seats & a center console for my truck.Has anyone ever done this?
I've heard that the seats just bolt right in, but what about the console?

 

I did the swap on a 99 years ago the seats bolt right in i had to drill 2 holes in the floor for the console. I did not get any hardware so it might be different if you get the bolts.

 

My console is part of my (drivers side) seat, it slides along with my seat and all, this is in my 2004 though. And I'm guessing that they made all the bodies with the mounting holes/studs for both type seats, would make sense to anyways...

 

I did that swap on a 97. I used seats from a 2004 and they bolted right in. The center console also bolts right in if I remember. I had to get a bracket from the dealer, and I had to lift the carpet between the bucket seats to find the holes, but they were there. The only problem I ran into was the seatbelt recievers did not match. I ended up swapping them around, putting the ones from the 97 seats onto the 04 seats. Came out perfect. Funny thing, the truck was impounded for the rusty frame issue less than a year after I did the swap.


I just reread your original post. Make sure you take the bracket that is under the console when you remove the console at the junkyard, you should be good to go.

 

Thanks man. I have one more question:
When I look at pics, there seems to be 2 parts to the center console. My truck already has a small one (where the shifters and cupholders are)
Do I leave that one in there, or do I have to get a different one?

 

If I remember right, you need to unscrew the parts around the shifter and replace them with the parts from the junkyard. My truck was a 97, the cupholders were attached to the dash above the radio and you pulled them out to use them, so I ended up with 2 sets of cupholders. I don't have any pictures so it's kind of hard to remember exactly how it was done. I'd take all the parts I could from the junkyard just to be on the safe side.

 

i left the front part but i had an auto. i would buy both part just in case.

 

I'm looking to do the opposite--trade buckets for the 60/40 split bench. Where are you and what color interior do you have? Perhaps we could just trade....

 

Granted, mine is a 1995, but the bucket set is out of a 1999. Mine is also a 5 speed, but I would GUESS that it does not really matter.

As stated above, bolt in (assume 1st gen set). Centre console needs the factory bracket under the rear. The bracket bolts to the bottom of the console and then bolts to holes that were already in the floor with a sticker over them. You just need to cut the carpet for the bracket to come through. My truck had two sets of holes so be sure to double check (if yours is the same) which set align with the console bracket.

On the front of the console I just needed to remove the two rear screws on the front console, slip the rear console in place and align. The rear console has two front pieces that slip over the edge of the front console and have screw holes in them. I then just put the screws back in to secure the two pieces together.

Seats bolted right in, no problem with alignment.

 

I have a gray (I think it's also called blue) interior. I live in VA

 

Thanks!!

 

I'm looking to trade if you're still interested, I have a 97 with 60/40 seat

 

Bump! After 2 years of on-and-off looking, I finally found a driver's side seat today to go with the console that I've had for over a year! Hopefully doing the swap today

 

Before......
After.....


No welding or rail swap. 3 holes line up fine. Just bend outside front rail mount and drill a hole for rear outside.... HUGE IMPROVEMENT!!! Hardest part is finding gray leather seats!!

 

Looks great! I'm looking for the 4runner seats also in gray. Like you were saying, it's almost impossible!! I've seen several but always in tan or the few gray seats I do find are torn and are crap! I have the standard buckets in my 04 and they are worthless....

 

I lucked out and found some on eBay with only 38k on them.... Had them shipped to Cali from South Carolina. Had to buy the whole set and now I'm stuck trying to sell the rear to recover cost. Only other ones I saw in the 6 months i was looking were a whole set as well on Craigslist out here and they were sold immediately for 750. The guy got 3 replies in the first day and got his asking price. Good luck!! They are rare as double-horned narwhals, but they are out there!!!

 

Looks awesome! I went with a Tacoma seat but I wish I coulda found some leather ones

 

Any pics of putting bench in a double cab?

 

Wanna swap? Gray/blue 60/40 bench here. Nice shape.

 

I have the grey

What would I need additionally b sides seat to do a bench conversion?