Like my 2009 Regular Cab, but not the bench seat !!

Has anyone come up with a nice upgrade to the 2009 OEM bench seat? I have been looking in other Tacomas, and it seems like none of the regular cab trucks came with a Split back or Buckets with a console. I'd really like to swap the bench out for Buckets with an arm rest, like the seats in my Wife's Highlander, but the seat belt issue is a show stopper. Don't really care about a console, is there a way.....?

 

The auto 4x4 regular cabs sometimes had buckets and 2005-2007 reg cab prerunners came with buckets seat if they had the Sr5 package.

 

What is it about the bench seat that you don't like? Would you like it to recline further? There is a mod for that:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bench-seat-recline-yes-there-is-a-way.237873/

 

Thanks for the interest, but that's not my issue, although it is a stiff position over long rides!
I would like to be able to fold the one side back rest forward while sitting on the seat! The truck has so little storage space, behind the seat back is about it. It's a pain to get at stuff, and requires you to exit the truck and stand on the ground to do so. Certainly that's why the extended cabs were invented I know........... It's a nice little truck, don't want to give it up, just wish I could change out the seat.
A split back rest, or better yet the individual buckets in the Prerunners would be great! My Highlander also has an arm rest that folds down on the side of the back rest which is quite nice also. The only show stopper is the darn air bag wiring is not compatible with the Reg cab as far as I have seen here so far. Too bad about that.

 

This thread might help
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/regular-cab-bucket-seats.18378/

 

That is an interesting thread, but it hits right on the problem,...... 2009 an up Reg Cab was not offered with buckets. Nice going Toyota!! Somewhere here I searched awhile back, and found a thread that the Air Bag wiring that would not be compatible going from Bench to Buckets. That guy actually took the seat all apart, and rewired/mounted the sensors etc. It was Rocket Science,.. (and I work on Jets BTW). I actually thought about just disabling it........ Then realized that would be stupid looking at it from a few different perspectives. Liability is a big one.
It just seems odd to me with all the stuff Guys do on this forum, some of it is really sophisticated stuff, there hasn't been any interest in this issue.

 

Funny, I wish my 2008 Access Cab (tan interior) had a bench instead of buckets. What color is your interior?

 

It's that common light Gray color. Mine is a 2009, which I noted is a problem for swaps.
What would you do about the shifter / console?

 

This guys seemed to have done a successful swap. He's not a member anymore so you can't hit him up for questions.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/markymarks-build.310728/page-2#post-8081183

And here's an idea for storage that seems to work.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/4-door-storage-bins-in-regular-cab.411771/

 

Thanks for the link,....... You must be better using the search than I am. I was looking for another post I referred to earlier, as it was quite well done. I wonder what year Marky was working on.

 

You're welcome. markymark had an 07. He posted in the 5 lug forum, and I think there are a couple more bucket seat threads in there.

 

Not same year as yours but this past weekend I replaced the bench seat in my 06 RC with buckets that I got from a wrecked 2014 extended cab. Took over 4 hours to do and I'm very pleased with the results, granted I don't have a console but don't really mind. Still got all airbags working properly...

 

Got reg cab swapped the bench out for buckets,not difficult at all.Just swap the sensor from the passenger side bench over to the new seat.Shaved the belt buckles to fit new recepticles on the seats.Best mod I have done.

 

You might want to try a bench seat from an access cab, if you can find one. They recline, have a center arm rest, and are compatible with the airbag wiring. Passenger side backrest can be folded forward flat.

- JAMES