Driver’s Seat Comfort

Background:

2023 TRD OR DCLB

I’m in my mid-40’s, 5’10” 200lbs

Herniated discs in my lower-back, they flare up from time to time.

Unfortunately, a test drive and a handful of forum posts wasn’t enough to scare me off, and I failed to realize how truly uncomfortable the driver’s seat would be. The truck is mostly a weekend driver, short trips around town; for reference, I’ve only got 1,000 or so miles on it, and I’ve had it since Thanksgiving 2022. I don’t drive it that often, which is the only reason I’ve been able to deal with this.

I’m finding it impossible to get comfortable. My back starts to hurt, my hamstrings, it’s really awful. I purchased the truck outright, put a lot of money down, and I plan on keeping it; I figured it’s going to be one of the last “analog” examples of a real truck, with a solid rear axle, non-aspirated, gas V6 that Toyota will produce…so while I wasn’t necessarily looking at this as an investment, I figured it would probably hold its value better than average, and it was the right time to pull the trigger. That said, I paid a premium for Lunar Rock in the NY/Northeast, as the dealerships hold all the cards and buyers have little to no leverage.

Anyway, if you’re still reading, I’m dying to find a solution here. Honestly, I would spare almost no expense to make this into a comfortable ride. I look at the seats, I feel them with my hands, they’re firm, they look bolstered properly, proportional, etc., and then I sit down and it’s excruciating. I can’t figure out where the actual problem is.

Does the high-floor/clearance and low roof-line prohibit any chance at comfort? If I were to get an aftermarket seat, would those clearances make it impossible to get comfortable even with different padding/bolstering? Has anyone ever installed a different OEM Toyota seat (for example, from a Lexus or a 4Runner) that has better comfort? I’ve also seen those German Scheel-Mann seats which look really amazing, but I usually see them in campers and MB Sprinters, and those applications have like unlimited headroom and they’re like captain’s chairs, so I imagine the ergonomics are much better and that it’s way easier to get comfortable.

I’ve also considered getting a professional upholsterer to do whatever it takes to make the seat more comfortable, and that way I’d retain the heated seat and the airbag. But honestly, I’d trade all of that off in a heartbeat to get a comfortable driving position.

Any and all help/advice is really appreciated, thanks in advance!

Edit: I have front Seat Jackers installed. I’m not sure how effective they are, as I put them in almost immediately. I think it’s neutral, no better/no worse.

 

.. try putting a small pillow/cushion behind your lower back to see if that helps then see an upholsterer.
also, i have L5 issues and a chiropractor that is ART certified does wonders.

 

Try a stack of washers to raise the rear. I ended up using both front and rear seat jackers to finally get comfortable.

I also now remove my wallet from my back pocket when driving long distances. It's surprising how much of a difference that made.

 

I don't think there's any one solution since we are all built slightly differently. I'm 5'10", 180 lbs and almost 68 years old. I installed the seat jackers in my Tacoma and they made a huge difference in comfort on long drives for me eliminating the sciatica I have typically experienced.

 

I always pull my wallet out of my back pocket for longer drives!

 

Seat jackers

 

Only so many things you can do to work around a seating position that doesn't match well with your herniated discs.

Like i'm sure others will suggest, I would buy the biggest damn lumbar support pillow you can find and try that out. Short of that, you're kind of locked into the geometery of the seat and the truck itself.... high floor, low ceiling...

Hope you find some comfort...

 

After multiple things I've tried, my current setup is decent. Desert Does It rear jackers, all of them bolted. Ordered some 1-inch foam from Amazon and cut an outline of the seat and back. I put an extra 4-inch strip on top under my lower thighs. I installed all the foam cuts under my Clazzio covers to hold in place. I cut the dead pedal foam about in half and put back in place. Also, I am currently on a waiting list for a decent junkyard powered seat. BTW I'm 5'10 and 155 lbs., early 40s with multiple back injuries...if that even matters. All I can say is good luck.

 

Read the thread..

 

Unfortunately, it's the design of the Tacoma. I've got f/r seat jackers and rough country seat covers. They help some, but still not the greatest for long distance drives. The 4Runner has better seats.

 

I find the seat in my '18 to be comfortable for 3 hours or so before I need to get out and move around a bit, which is fine for my use. The lumbar is adjusted so that my bulging disk seems to be happy most of the time. At 6'2" I would not mind a little more bottom cushion length/depth, but I am otherwise comfortable, and yes, I have a sunroof.

Yes, remove wallet for long trips if you keep it in your back pocket, but that applies to any vehicle, really.

With modern vehicles that have air bags and sensors and such, it can be problematic to change seats without ending up with a dash full of error lights, you'd have to do a bit of research on that.

 

TempurPedic (the memory foam bed people) makes a support pillow: https://www.tempurpedic.com/other-products/lumbar-support-cushion-travel/v/791/

 

I'm 6'3", ~200lbs and have a dessicated L5/S1. The seat jackers in the front helped me a little. I also put a backpacking pillow high up in my lumbar region, but I found what helped my the most was turning it so the long side is up and down and putting it almost between my shoulder blades. The side bolstering on the seat was forcing me to roll my shoulders forward, and I think everything down stream of that was affected. Maybe that could help you too.

 

This.

I see you already have the front seat jackers, there's a guy on here who sells simple spacers, i'd try adding a couple of those to the rears and see how it feels. If it still sucks, try removing the fronts and leaving the rear spacers in. (that's how mine is set up, used to hurt my back after an hour drive, now I can drive an entire day with no issues).

If no change in configuration works, a lumbar support pillow will probably be your only alternative barring swapping out the seat entirely for a different one.

 

this or something similar..helped me a lot.

 

1). Pillows and cushions to get comfortable for now.

2). Physical therapy to get some exercises and daily routines to help with your back and strength your core. Start a weight training regiment as well.

3). Your BMI is 28.7, here is what your number says; Overweight = 25–29.9. Not sure what your build is but it looks like you could drop at least 30lbs. Weight training and diet changes should be in your immediate future. This will help immensely with back issues.

4). Remember, your health is your wealth! Get that back taken care of now, you are only 40.

 

Herniated discs in my lower-back, they flare up from time to time.

Get the elephant in the room fixed first. I have had 1 limbar l5s1 fusion, opened up again to remove the l5s1 hardware, a level 2 cervical fusion and am going in Apr 7 for my second lumbar op to remove the bulging disc.
I test drove a trd off road ant it felt like a medievel torture trap. Got the trd pro and the adjustment and quality in the seat feels like driving on air.

Stay faaaaar away from chiropractors and find a good neuro doc. Sorry the choice of vehicle brings you pain..i can relate. GL

 

Also wanted to mention that I have seen chiropractors for a long time and they only ever made a slight difference. I thought physical therapy was for old women that fell and hurt their hip. What I did in PT, and what I learned and took with me, changed everything. I have also done yoga and pilates for 8 years or so and it helps tremendously. There are a lot of good trainers on YouTube, I like Sean Vigue. I have also had great improvement from weightlifting and sprinting. My disc is just injury prone, though it does hurt pretty often. It's not herniated, so some of these things might be too aggressive out of the gate, but PT will only help you. You've got to get everything around it as strong as you can.

I know a lot of people like chiropractors, and I did for a long time. But, a lot of what they do is borderline trauma, like a 5/5 in severity, and they do nothing to strengthen you. PT will start you around 2/5. It is a lot more work and time, though. Your health and quality of life is worth it.

 

I'd love to try installing my Volvo V90 seats in the Tacoma. The Volvo seats (and ACC) are the only things I miss about my XC90. If someone could figure out the wiring, I'm pretty sure the Volvo wagon seats would fit in the Tacoma with a bracket adapter or swap. The seating positions are very similar and the Volvo seats are great.

 

Indeed keeping your back and stomach muscles strong helps take stress off the spine, however, nothing but surgery will relieve a bulging disc intruding into a nerve root. Injections sometimes help but are only a bandaid.