Storyteller
'16 Passenger 144 and '21 HR Crew 144
First, thanks to many who have posted and gave me the knowledge to know this is possible (and relatively easy!) This information is scattered among various threads, but since there were no results for a search for “bench seat” with NCV3 prefix and “NCV3 write ups” I figured I may as well do a write up with everything that helped me into one post.
After getting our 2016 passenger van, we took out bench seats 1 and 3 and loved the set up – until my son got a longer bike. Moving the seat up to bench row 1 puts the seat too close to use the area between the bench and the front seats to change clothes or put down a sleeping pad.
This mod moves the factory 1st row bench seat rearward 14 1/8 inches (360mm) by using the front factory anchor for the 2nd bench row and the rear factory anchor from the 1st bench row as the new anchor points for the factory floor bracket. Using the factory mounted floor nuts with the factory bracket - with 1 new hole drilled in it - was a major factor for me in deciding to do this - a (very?) small compromise in safety vs original, but better than trying to anchor it myself, and still maintaining ability to remove the seat without tools.
Since I started from a passenger version, I just had to: (pre 1 – clean out van – worst part of job!!)
1 – remove current seat floor brackets using an E14 socket
2 – cut out plastic flooring between brackets with circular saw depth set just above sheet metal floor
(for cargo/crew versions, you need to drill out the sheet metal to uncover the mounting nut already welded in there by Mercedes. The front holes for the 2nd row are 858mm back from the front holes for the first row.)
3 – Drill new hole in each bracket centered 14 1/8 inches (360mm) forward of the factory rear hole.
3.5 – Use a file to make hole slightly larger due to measurement marking or drilling error
4 – Mount brackets in new position (Torque to 60Nm / 45 ftlbs per post by gael on Feb 19,2017)
I filled the voids in the passenger factory floor with plywood and rounded the corners. (I hope to use the now available front anchor points to secure a table when needed, so ... any ideas?) I already had the large commercial doormat from Lowes ($45) and cut it to match the new seat position. This 'carpet' is great for us because it has a thick rubber bottom layer to hold it in place, traps water and dirt, lets us use velcro-bottomed brackets to keep things from sliding around, and can be pulled out, shaken out, and put back in within minutes.
For someone with a cargo looking for where to start, I do not really know a reference point common to the passenger van, but you can see the right front hole if you look up through the frame hole outboard and aft of the back of (what I think is) the catalytic converter.
Side to side spacing between bracket bolts is 18 1/4”
Hope this is helpful! Please let me know any suggested improvements.
After getting our 2016 passenger van, we took out bench seats 1 and 3 and loved the set up – until my son got a longer bike. Moving the seat up to bench row 1 puts the seat too close to use the area between the bench and the front seats to change clothes or put down a sleeping pad.
This mod moves the factory 1st row bench seat rearward 14 1/8 inches (360mm) by using the front factory anchor for the 2nd bench row and the rear factory anchor from the 1st bench row as the new anchor points for the factory floor bracket. Using the factory mounted floor nuts with the factory bracket - with 1 new hole drilled in it - was a major factor for me in deciding to do this - a (very?) small compromise in safety vs original, but better than trying to anchor it myself, and still maintaining ability to remove the seat without tools.
Since I started from a passenger version, I just had to: (pre 1 – clean out van – worst part of job!!)
1 – remove current seat floor brackets using an E14 socket
2 – cut out plastic flooring between brackets with circular saw depth set just above sheet metal floor
(for cargo/crew versions, you need to drill out the sheet metal to uncover the mounting nut already welded in there by Mercedes. The front holes for the 2nd row are 858mm back from the front holes for the first row.)
3 – Drill new hole in each bracket centered 14 1/8 inches (360mm) forward of the factory rear hole.
3.5 – Use a file to make hole slightly larger due to measurement marking or drilling error
4 – Mount brackets in new position (Torque to 60Nm / 45 ftlbs per post by gael on Feb 19,2017)
I filled the voids in the passenger factory floor with plywood and rounded the corners. (I hope to use the now available front anchor points to secure a table when needed, so ... any ideas?) I already had the large commercial doormat from Lowes ($45) and cut it to match the new seat position. This 'carpet' is great for us because it has a thick rubber bottom layer to hold it in place, traps water and dirt, lets us use velcro-bottomed brackets to keep things from sliding around, and can be pulled out, shaken out, and put back in within minutes.
For someone with a cargo looking for where to start, I do not really know a reference point common to the passenger van, but you can see the right front hole if you look up through the frame hole outboard and aft of the back of (what I think is) the catalytic converter.
Side to side spacing between bracket bolts is 18 1/4”
Hope this is helpful! Please let me know any suggested improvements.