Custom Location for Rear Bench (between first and second row)?

SOCAL2015

Member
Hi all,

I was thinking about a way to relocate my bench from the 1 row (closest to front seats) to about 7 inches forward of the front mounting points for the 2nd row. In other words, moving my bench back 7 inches from the stock first row position. I find the current location for the bench a bit too close to the front seats...

I know that some have moved it back in a 1.5 (or 2.5) configuration using the existing mounting points, but I find that it is too far back for my liking and kinda blocks the access point to the rear. For safety purposes I still want to use the existing mounting locations.

My thought was to have 3, 3/16" metal plates cut slightly narrower than the factory bench brackets to span the two main mounting points that are roughly 34" apart - the existing front holes and the holes that are used to mount the front of the brackets for the second row (next to the tie down brackets).

This new plates would bolt down in those locations and then I would mount the existing bench brackets to each new plate exactly where I want the bench to sit. I would mount the brackets via the existing bench bracket holes using 1/2" x 3/4" grade 8 bolts with the nuts on top and the bolt heads on the bottom though holes that would be drilled through these new mounting plates (they would seat on the underside of the new plates between the plate and the floor.

I would of course have to cut out longer holes in the wood floor and the entire seat might be a bit higher than stock since the bench brackets would be resting on an additional metal plate.

I know that this seems rather complicated just to add 7 or so inches of additional leg room to the front bench area, but it seems, at least to me, that this is the ideal location for this bench - more leg room while still providing enough room to get past the bench to access the rear.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks
 

ElGrover

New member
I’m having my own bench adventure as well. Not nearly as complex, but wondering about moving my 3rd row 3-person bench to the middle where my 2-person bench is. I notice on the floor mat that there is an impression where a third anchor bracket might be... I’ll keep an image on your post as I am curious about the Ohio. If a complete custom location too!
 

OGmoney

New member
I'm having the same issues myself. Wondering if anyone has done this? Is it hard to remove the existing floor brackets and move them (I imagine it would entail some welding)?
 

tim760

New member
American Vanworks did this in my van -- I'm not particularly mechanical and don't know the specifics, but its a crew van, and they moved the bench seat back about a foot.
 

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