Swap driver seat for a 4runner seat?

I have a 2017 Tacoma TRD Offroad, and I find the driver seat to be pretty uncomfortable. I have chronic lower back and left knee pain, and both start bothering me about an hour into a trip and by 3 hours in I need to take a long break (and then don't want to get back in). That's a problem for driving 5+ hours to Moab then spending 3 days wheeling and then 5+ hours back home.

I found a few nice aftermarket seats from Recaro and Corbeau and called a few of the local off road shops to see if they'd install, but none of them will touch it do the wiring and airbags. I was getting filters at the Toyota dealer and sat in a new 4Runner Limited, and the seat was significantly better than the Tacoma's. It's also more adjustable, so I started to wonder if that seat would swap in easier and maintain the airbag functionality. I would presume they'd use very similar if not the same technology and electric connectors, but I couldn't see very well under the seat and didn't think the sales would appreciate me taking the seat apart on the showroom floor!

I quickly searched through Ebay and found a couple hits like these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/L-FRONT-SEAT-FITS-14-16-4-RUNNER-729523-/391933910382?rmvSB=true

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TOYOTA-4-R...d=391933910382&_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109

Anyone ever give this a try or have advice?

 

Several people have talked about it, but no one has done it so far as I know.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/4runners-electric-seat-swap-to-tacoma.525414/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/t4r-seat-swap.489408/

 

Have you invested a lot of performance mods in your truck? Have you thought about switching to a T4R? They’re just as capable offroad if you don’t need the bed on the taco... I thought about it but I use the bed too much.

 

It’s weird how that all works... I get leg pain if I drive my wife’s car, but my 2nd gen taco is fine. Good luck OP.

 

Thanks for the links. Helpful to read for sure.

Yes it has some mods...full Icon, CBI bumpers/sliders, AT Habitat, etc. It's pretty dialed in, so dialing in this last bit will finish it off nicely.

I actually found the seats in the second gen Tacoma more comfortable than the third gen, and personally I liked the visbility better in the second gen too.

There is a good upholstery shop nearby that I'm going to drop by next week to see what they think they could do to make it the existing seat more comfortable, but I really liked the 4Runner Limited seat today. I also have an LX570, and I would drop that seat in there in a heartbeat if it would physically fit.

 

Well hell yeah, wayyyy to far gone to get rid of her haha. Sounds like a nice setup. A seat upgrade is the no brainer then. Post some pics of that beast!

 

I dropped off the truck at an upholstery shop tonight to let them give it a try to make the existing seat more comfortable. If it doesn’t work, I’ll keep looking into the 4runner swap, but fingers crossed this will do the trick. Here’s a pic of the truck btw:

 

SUB in case you do decide the swap.

 

Chronic back and knee pain but want to ride on rigid tough trails? Makes sense

 

So because he has chronic pain, he's supposed to just give up on what he loves? Man just thinks his seat are uncomfortable, and wants to change that. Nothing wrong with that.

 

Please let us know how it works. Like you, the seat is definitely a thorn in my side (no pun intended). I now just use the taco for trips 2hrs or less and the raptor for road trips.

 

Yup. I also ride dirt and street bikes, snowboard, hike, and do all kinds of fun stuff. I manage/deal with the pain and enjoy life, and to me something like seat comfort in a truck is a pretty manageable task to keep doing one of my favorite hobbies. I've had Land Cruisers in the past (actually still have 200), so I'm acutely aware that you can wheel all day in comfort.

 

Subbed for more comfortable factory seat. I don’t have any issues but I do start to get pretty sore after about 6 hours of driving and since I live in Oklahoma I have to travel about 6-10 hours to go anywhere worth anything. So road trips are right up my alley.

 

The seat could definitely be more comfortable but I HATE the head rest... it’s leaned over way too much, I wish I could straighten it out more.

 

The upholstery shop called and said the truck was done. I went to pick it up tonight, and as soon as I sat down the backrest made a lot popping sound. Every time I moved I could hear a popping sound in the seat, so I just handed the keys back to them and said I'd be back again tomorrow night. They did add a nice firm cushion on the lower portion of the seat that felt pretty good, but I only sat there for a few seconds so not sure how it will feel for longer. Hoping it works out, but if not I'll continue down the swapping path.

 

took my seat to upholstery shop and had the bottom side shoulders cut down , and the back rest center part added some foam , seat is still uncomfortable but much better , 4 runner seat would be awesome , will be watching this Post

 

I picked up the truck today, and the added seat foam made a ton of difference. They were able to fit it under the OEM seat cover, so unless you really knew what you were looking for you wouldn’t be able to tell anything was done. Cost was $195 total, so I’ll give this a shot for a few hundred miles and see how it goes. I asked them if it doesn’t work out if they’d be willing to try to install a 4runner seat, and he said he’d research it and possibly give it a shot. Glad I gave them a try. Here’s a couple not so great photos:

 

How’s the new seat? Worth the $200?

 

It’s too early to tell, but so far very happy.