Added Power Seats

rimjaine

rimjaine
I wanted power seats to make the seats adjustable in minute increments, adjusting the OEM seats was next to impossible while driving down the road. After installing the seat on the flat bars I discovered it was too far forward, so I moved the flat bars back to start in the rear holes of the base instead of the front holes as shown in the picture. This modification was necessary because bolt pattern centers for tracks on new seats were 16" across width compared to 15" across width on seats removed. I had to drill 2 more holes 14" on center for the other direction, back to front to complete the bolt pattern for the new seat. These seats are from an '02 Yukon and are very comfy. I put them in my '05 LTV Free Spirit. They are about 3" wider across the seat area, and have integral seat belts.
base mod.JPG
See the picture of the right seat tracks ahead of the base before I moved the seat back about 2 3/8".
right seat.JPG
Adding a picture of the drivers seat before moving flat bars toward the back as mentioned above, to avoid the track over hanging the front of the seat base.
1212013.JPG
 
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mean_in_green

>2,000,000m in MB vans
They certainly look pretty comfortable.

For anyone who may read this post who is contemplating a swap of NCV3 and T1N seating the same issue of different track spacing exists, you would have to make some adapter plates like the ones above.
 

JN3n

New member
Life is funny . I have those seats in my Chevy Kodiak 5500 and would throw then away in a split second. I would put in an air seat like the Sprinter on both driver and passenger...
 

rimjaine

rimjaine
Life is funny . I have those seats in my Chevy Kodiak 5500 and would throw then away in a split second. I would put in an air seat like the Sprinter on both driver and passenger...
Please inform all where the air seats are available and approximate cost, I'm always looking for improvements, but I'm satisfied with the power seats I put in, cost was $535 plus cost of some metric bolts, say another $20.
Jim
 

mean_in_green

>2,000,000m in MB vans
Well strictly speaking the factory ones are not air suspended in the way ones found in trucks are. Instead a counterbalance system of springs and threaded bar is used to offer an adjustable sprung action.

I think the factory price on a new build is around £300GBP a side. The adjustable head and arm rests are also worth having and bump it up another few hundred.

If you think that's a lot try pricing the same parts up to retrofit: you're looking at half as much again on top. The last time I price checked an ISRI suspension seat it was £500 for the bare T1N version seat without fabric covers or head / arm rests.

As with just about all of the options the cheapest way to get them is to tick the boxes when ordering new. Notable exceptions to this rule are alternative navigation and auxiliary heat.
 
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dycar

New member
Was there any challenge in making the seat belts work? Did the sprinter factory seat belts latch correctly into the new seat's buckle?
Actually now that I'm looking at the pictures again it looks as if you changed the seat belts as well?
 
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nekit

Member
One thing to consider when changing the seats is the thickness of the seat backs. My Freespirit LSS came from the factory with Flexsteel brand aftermarket seat. They are very comfortable and electric, but the thicker backs and having the shower right behind the seats, I found them either too far forward or too upright. I completely disassembled the backs and modified the frames and cushions to make them thinner and fit better. I'm happy with them now, but if I were taller they might still be a problem. I'm 6' tall.
 

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