Buckets or bench?

[soulbarn]

Just bought a used 2016 XLT—the six-seater, with the buckets in the third row. We'd have preferred a seven-seater, but they were tougher to find. Does anyone know about the compatibility/swappability of the benches for the buckets across different models/model years? Mostly I've seen the bench as the second row. If one can be changed for the other, what's the best way to find one of those benches (I'd be willing to consider a swap, btw. I'm in Southern California. The seats are black.) 

 

thanks!

[DonShockley]

Here's what the floor looks like in a 2015 LWB XLT after you remove the 2nd row bench seats. As you can see, the 60/40 split leaves a wider gap on the drivers side. I'm assuming your 2nd row buckets have equal mounts on either side. But you may be able to see if the bolt holes from the 2015 bench are still present. The front bolts for the seats all atttach to that single crossmember just behind the rubber mat in the photo. And you would also need those black brackets at the rear under the carpeting in the photo. They are just bolted into the flat floor, but they are the latch points for the folding seat.

 

[Fifty150]

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

We'd have preferred a seven-seater, but they were tougher to find.

 

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

 

Interesting.  You couldn't find a 7 seater.  When I was looking around the dealerships, and checking inventory online, they were everywhere.  

 

But then again, it is still 2016, and you were looking for a used 2016.  That usually means that availability would be limited to whatever the rental car companies are trading in, because most private owners don't trade in their cars within the same model year.  I hope you saved enough money for it to be worth not buying the 7 seater that you really wanted.

 

 

I imagine that you would be able to install the 2nd row 3 seat bench.  The hardest part may be pricing and availability.  Since seating is rarely a collision repair item, it's not as easy as getting a bumper or a door.  You will probably need all the hardware, brackets, and latches.  You may need to drill a hole here or there.  If you're not worried about functionality, and only seating, then you could probably get a torch, cut what you need to, and weld it in permanently.  I added 3rd row seats to an older SUV that didn't come with 3rd row seats.  I've also added flip and fold jump-seats into the bed of pickup trucks.  Once, I stripped seats out of an old school bus, and installed them into a cargo van.  Being a guy who has owned Jeeps & trucks most of my life, welding and drilling holes into cars does not bother me.  But other guys would never take a Sawzall, drill, or torch to their cars....even if the end result was getting what they wanted.  

[Fifty150]

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

We'd have preferred a seven-seater, but they were tougher to find.

 

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

 

Interesting.  You couldn't find a 7 seater.  When I was looking around the dealerships, and checking inventory online, they were everywhere.  

 

But then again, it is still 2016, and you were looking for a used 2016.  That usually means that availability would be limited to whatever the rental car companies are trading in, because most private owners don't trade in their cars within the same model year.  I hope you saved enough money for it to be worth not buying the 7 seater that you really wanted.

 

 

I imagine that you would be able to install the 2nd row 3 seat bench.  The hardest part may be pricing and availability.  Since seating is rarely a collision repair item, it's not as easy as getting a bumper or a door.  You will probably need all the hardware, brackets, and latches.  You may need to drill a hole here or there.  If you're not worried about functionality, and only seating, then you could probably get a torch, cut what you need to, and weld it in permanently.  I added 3rd row seats to an older SUV that didn't come with 3rd row seats.  I've also added flip and fold jump-seats into the bed of pickup trucks.  Once, I stripped seats out of an old school bus, and installed them into a cargo van.  Being a guy who has owned Jeeps & trucks most of my life, welding and drilling holes into cars does not bother me.  But other guys would never take a Sawzall, drill, or torch to their cars....even if the end result was getting what they wanted.  

[Fifty150]

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

We'd have preferred a seven-seater, but they were tougher to find.

 

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

 

Interesting.  You couldn't find a 7 seater.  When I was looking around the dealerships, and checking inventory online, they were everywhere.  

 

But then again, it is still 2016, and you were looking for a used 2016.  That usually means that availability would be limited to whatever the rental car companies are trading in, because most private owners don't trade in their cars within the same model year.  I hope you saved enough money for it to be worth not buying the 7 seater that you really wanted.

 

 

I imagine that you would be able to install the 2nd row 3 seat bench.  The hardest part may be pricing and availability.  Since seating is rarely a collision repair item, it's not as easy as getting a bumper or a door.  You will probably need all the hardware, brackets, and latches.  You may need to drill a hole here or there.  If you're not worried about functionality, and only seating, then you could probably get a torch, cut what you need to, and weld it in permanently.  I added 3rd row seats to an older SUV that didn't come with 3rd row seats.  I've also added flip and fold jump-seats into the bed of pickup trucks.  Once, I stripped seats out of an old school bus, and installed them into a cargo van.  Being a guy who has owned Jeeps & trucks most of my life, welding and drilling holes into cars does not bother me.  But other guys would never take a Sawzall, drill, or torch to their cars....even if the end result was getting what they wanted.  

[Fifty150]

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

We'd have preferred a seven-seater, but they were tougher to find.

 

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

 

Interesting.  You couldn't find a 7 seater.  When I was looking around the dealerships, and checking inventory online, they were everywhere.  

 

But then again, it is still 2016, and you were looking for a used 2016.  That usually means that availability would be limited to whatever the rental car companies are trading in, because most private owners don't trade in their cars within the same model year.  I hope you saved enough money for it to be worth not buying the 7 seater that you really wanted.

 

 

I imagine that you would be able to install the 2nd row 3 seat bench.  The hardest part may be pricing and availability.  Since seating is rarely a collision repair item, it's not as easy as getting a bumper or a door.  You will probably need all the hardware, brackets, and latches.  You may need to drill a hole here or there.  If you're not worried about functionality, and only seating, then you could probably get a torch, cut what you need to, and weld it in permanently.  I added 3rd row seats to an older SUV that didn't come with 3rd row seats.  I've also added flip and fold jump-seats into the bed of pickup trucks.  Once, I stripped seats out of an old school bus, and installed them into a cargo van.  Being a guy who has owned Jeeps & trucks most of my life, welding and drilling holes into cars does not bother me.  But other guys would never take a Sawzall, drill, or torch to their cars....even if the end result was getting what they wanted.  

[Fifty150]

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

We'd have preferred a seven-seater, but they were tougher to find.

 

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

 

Interesting.  You couldn't find a 7 seater.  When I was looking around the dealerships, and checking inventory online, they were everywhere.  

 

But then again, it is still 2016, and you were looking for a used 2016.  That usually means that availability would be limited to whatever the rental car companies are trading in, because most private owners don't trade in their cars within the same model year.  I hope you saved enough money for it to be worth not buying the 7 seater that you really wanted.

 

 

I imagine that you would be able to install the 2nd row 3 seat bench.  The hardest part may be pricing and availability.  Since seating is rarely a collision repair item, it's not as easy as getting a bumper or a door.  You will probably need all the hardware, brackets, and latches.  You may need to drill a hole here or there.  If you're not worried about functionality, and only seating, then you could probably get a torch, cut what you need to, and weld it in permanently.  I added 3rd row seats to an older SUV that didn't come with 3rd row seats.  I've also added flip and fold jump-seats into the bed of pickup trucks.  Once, I stripped seats out of an old school bus, and installed them into a cargo van.  Being a guy who has owned Jeeps & trucks most of my life, welding and drilling holes into cars does not bother me.  But other guys would never take a Sawzall, drill, or torch to their cars....even if the end result was getting what they wanted.  

[Fifty150]

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

We'd have preferred a seven-seater, but they were tougher to find.

 

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

 

Interesting.  You couldn't find a 7 seater.  When I was looking around the dealerships, and checking inventory online, they were everywhere.  

 

But then again, it is still 2016, and you were looking for a used 2016.  That usually means that availability would be limited to whatever the rental car companies are trading in, because most private owners don't trade in their cars within the same model year.  I hope you saved enough money for it to be worth not buying the 7 seater that you really wanted.

 

 

I imagine that you would be able to install the 2nd row 3 seat bench.  The hardest part may be pricing and availability.  Since seating is rarely a collision repair item, it's not as easy as getting a bumper or a door.  You will probably need all the hardware, brackets, and latches.  You may need to drill a hole here or there.  If you're not worried about functionality, and only seating, then you could probably get a torch, cut what you need to, and weld it in permanently.  I added 3rd row seats to an older SUV that didn't come with 3rd row seats.  I've also added flip and fold jump-seats into the bed of pickup trucks.  Once, I stripped seats out of an old school bus, and installed them into a cargo van.  Being a guy who has owned Jeeps & trucks most of my life, welding and drilling holes into cars does not bother me.  But other guys would never take a Sawzall, drill, or torch to their cars....even if the end result was getting what they wanted.  

[Fifty150]

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

We'd have preferred a seven-seater, but they were tougher to find.

 

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

 

Interesting.  You couldn't find a 7 seater.  When I was looking around the dealerships, and checking inventory online, they were everywhere.  

 

But then again, it is still 2016, and you were looking for a used 2016.  That usually means that availability would be limited to whatever the rental car companies are trading in, because most private owners don't trade in their cars within the same model year.  I hope you saved enough money for it to be worth not buying the 7 seater that you really wanted.

 

 

I imagine that you would be able to install the 2nd row 3 seat bench.  The hardest part may be pricing and availability.  Since seating is rarely a collision repair item, it's not as easy as getting a bumper or a door.  You will probably need all the hardware, brackets, and latches.  You may need to drill a hole here or there.  If you're not worried about functionality, and only seating, then you could probably get a torch, cut what you need to, and weld it in permanently.  I added 3rd row seats to an older SUV that didn't come with 3rd row seats.  I've also added flip and fold jump-seats into the bed of pickup trucks.  Once, I stripped seats out of an old school bus, and installed them into a cargo van.  Being a guy who has owned Jeeps & trucks most of my life, welding and drilling holes into cars does not bother me.  But other guys would never take a Sawzall, drill, or torch to their cars....even if the end result was getting what they wanted.  

[Fifty150]

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

We'd have preferred a seven-seater, but they were tougher to find.

 

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

 

Interesting.  You couldn't find a 7 seater.  When I was looking around the dealerships, and checking inventory online, they were everywhere.  

 

But then again, it is still 2016, and you were looking for a used 2016.  That usually means that availability would be limited to whatever the rental car companies are trading in, because most private owners don't trade in their cars within the same model year.  I hope you saved enough money for it to be worth not buying the 7 seater that you really wanted.

 

 

I imagine that you would be able to install the 2nd row 3 seat bench.  The hardest part may be pricing and availability.  Since seating is rarely a collision repair item, it's not as easy as getting a bumper or a door.  You will probably need all the hardware, brackets, and latches.  You may need to drill a hole here or there.  If you're not worried about functionality, and only seating, then you could probably get a torch, cut what you need to, and weld it in permanently.  I added 3rd row seats to an older SUV that didn't come with 3rd row seats.  I've also added flip and fold jump-seats into the bed of pickup trucks.  Once, I stripped seats out of an old school bus, and installed them into a cargo van.  Being a guy who has owned Jeeps & trucks most of my life, welding and drilling holes into cars does not bother me.  But other guys would never take a Sawzall, drill, or torch to their cars....even if the end result was getting what they wanted.  

[Fifty150]

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

We'd have preferred a seven-seater, but they were tougher to find.

 

On 12/8/2016 at 11:37 AM, soulbarn said:

 

 

 

Interesting.  You couldn't find a 7 seater.  When I was looking around the dealerships, and checking inventory online, they were everywhere.  

 

But then again, it is still 2016, and you were looking for a used 2016.  That usually means that availability would be limited to whatever the rental car companies are trading in, because most private owners don't trade in their cars within the same model year.  I hope you saved enough money for it to be worth not buying the 7 seater that you really wanted.

 

 

I imagine that you would be able to install the 2nd row 3 seat bench.  The hardest part may be pricing and availability.  Since seating is rarely a collision repair item, it's not as easy as getting a bumper or a door.  You will probably need all the hardware, brackets, and latches.  You may need to drill a hole here or there.  If you're not worried about functionality, and only seating, then you could probably get a torch, cut what you need to, and weld it in permanently.  I added 3rd row seats to an older SUV that didn't come with 3rd row seats.  I've also added flip and fold jump-seats into the bed of pickup trucks.  Once, I stripped seats out of an old school bus, and installed them into a cargo van.  Being a guy who has owned Jeeps & trucks most of my life, welding and drilling holes into cars does not bother me.  But other guys would never take a Sawzall, drill, or torch to their cars....even if the end result was getting what they wanted.  

[Beta Don]

Think you posted that enough times there Fifty150??

I'm used to the links in your posts bring two feet long vertically . . . . thankfully you don't post most of them more than once!! 

Don

[Fifty150]

Sorry. I don't know how that happened.

[soulbarn]

And I read them all. Expecting some secret to be revealed, you know, like in each episode of Star Wars! 

[Fifty150]

Greetings.  How are things in The SouthLAnd?

 

Last time I was in town, Jerry's Famous was still across the street from The Beverly Center.

[jakeru]

Bump to this thread, because I'd also like to know what's involved to swap between 2nd row bench and buckets on the 2nd gen 2014 transit connect Wagon XLT LWB?

 

I assumed it might be a bolt-in operation, but I guess assumptions can potentially get oneself in trouble.

 

In my particular case, we're talking about a leather bench seat that I'd rather replace with buckets.  If anyone near greater seattle area has leather buckets they would like to sell me or trade me for my leather bench seat (in very good condition), let me know!

[zemacar]

jakeru, I just read this thread and joined the forum to reply. Are you still looking for captain’s chairs? Because I’m in Seattle area and I want a bench seat. My Ford parts guy seems to think it will work (and we know how much the dealers know about these cars ). I have a ‘16 TC LWB Titanium. 

[Fifty150]

On the surface, it's a bolt on operation.  Seems like you guys should be able to swap with hand tools.

[Fifty150]

The mounting hardware will be the same, but in a different location.  It won't be ideal, but you can still make it work.  All depends on how much of the van you are willing to take apart and swap.  Perhaps removing all the seats, the flooring, and the anchor points.  Don't know that I would want to do so much work, but it can be done.

[Eddy Kilowatt]

Okay, this question still doesn't seem to have been definitively answered, as in, someone who's actually done it posting photos, or at least a few words about whether it works and what's required.

 

I'm looking at used TCs and the one that meets all my other 'wants' (including the all-important "wife's favorite color" ? ) is a six-seater.  For various reasons, seven seats (with the triple second row) works better for me... and my dog. 

 

It looks like the triple seats are not hard to find in the salvage industry, even in matching color.  But... is it a bolt-in operation, or is this going to require boxes of brackets and adapters, multiple trips to the salvage yard, drilling or cutting, etc etc?

 

Surely someone's done this swap by now...