Center Seat in the Front of a 1987 Bronco

Hello everyone...

I am a relatively new Bronco owner and I love my new truck!

Right now it is in the shop getting a new floor pan in the cab and bed. Overall the floor wasn't super bad, but there was some rust and a few holes so that will all be gone this week.

One thing that I would like to do is add a center seat to the front. I don't want to go with a bench seat though. I've seen a fold down seat for newer F150's that when folded down has cup holders and some storage (in a compartment on the back of the fold down seat). Dimension wise it looks like it should fit where the Bronco's huge center console is right now. The question is has anyone done this and what all would be involved?

The Bronco will be a multi-purpose vehicle for me. By that I mean an SUV that I can take the boys in when the back seat is down, extra storage when the rear seat is folded forward, and then as a short bed pickup when needed by taking the rear seat out and dropping the soft top. We do a lot of auctions and antique shopping and often fill the back. Hence the question about a center fold down seat up front. There will be times when the oldest boy that likes to go with us would have to ride up front because we'd have the rear seat folded forward and the back packed. I did do a search but did't really find anything. I'm sure someone has done this or something similar. Any guidance would be great!

One other question about seats-

As stated this will be a multi-purpose vehicle and one of the uses will be for some camping excursions as well as nights at the drive-in. For those events I want to be able to use an inflatable mattress for the back bed area. The problem is those seat springs and mounting hardware! They will definitely not play well with an air mattress. I also had some concerns about those springs getting in the way of cargo or getting damaged when the Bronco is configured as a short bed pickup, but from what I hear people don't seem to have a problem with that. Still I would like to hear from others and if anyone has attached the springs to the seat somehow, or as I saw someone say on another forum... the springs may not even be needed. Like I said, I am a new Bronco owner and this is a question I just don't know so I thought I would ask. (I also heard that some people have put different fold down seats in the back)

Thanks guys!

Welcome to the Zone >

What year F150 did you see the seats in? If it was 80 -96 it should fit into the Bronco with very little modification, (you might have to drill mounting holes. If so, you need to add reinforcement to the under side of the floor. Do something like the existing holes have. Large heavy duty shoulder washers will work. If it is from a later year, take measurements to make sure it will fit crosswise and you may need to fabricate mounting brackets. If that is too much for you, have a shop do the modification.

It would be a bit of a pain, but the springs are only bolted to the floor. If they are not rust welded in position you can remove them when not needed. They keep tension on the seat so the latch doesn't rattle when the seat is empty. As far as some other seats, anything is possible, just depends on how much work you want to put into it and your fabricating skills. Again, a shop could do it if you can't.

Good luck,

yo BRONCODIPPER,

WELCOMW

As Seabronc advised so well!

and here is a Front 40/20/20 seat, bench & Bucket

Parts Break-Out Diagram



see Front, Installation LINKS in my archived site @ http://web.archive.org/web/20110704104532/http://www.broncolinks.com/index.php?index=311

for ex.

Jump, Center, 94 F150 xtended cab Installation in a 94







Source: by 94_bronc

Jump, Center, Leather (F 150) pic in a 93



Source: by Joe S at SuperMotors.net

Jump, Center, 94 F150 pic in a 94; "... pulled the console out of the truck and put in a middle seat from a 1994 F-150. Cloth pattern and color were identical. It was a true "bolt-in"; had to take the armrests off..." miesk5 Note, he took armrests off the bucket seats for the jump seat to fit

Source: by d4klutzProud at http://thompsonclan.smugmug.com/photos/1114460016_LobYN-M.jpg

Jump, Center pics in an 81



Source: by kwboom at SuperMotors.net

(see site for Hot Links to each below);

Front, Installation (99 F150) w/Center Jump Seat in a 95; "The bench seat was killin my back on extended drives, and no leg room for me, (I'm 6'3). So i did some searchin around here and found out that some bronco's with bench seats, were factory drilled for buckets too, with rubber plugs in the holes and support on the bottom. Mine was such. So i checked all the wreckin yards around my area, and they either wanted like 200 for some ratty old seats, or said "good luck, they're hard to come by". So i found a rolled '99 F150 at pick n pull, and liked the seats, went home grapped a torx socket and got the seats, about 90 bucks out the door, slightly dirty and a rip in the seam you can see where i sewed it in the pics. had to drill two holes on the "****" and reinforce the bottom side, and make brackets for just about every hole, nothing bolted straight up. But i love the seats, i set the drivers seat back about 4 inches too, totally awesome, couldnt really be happier. now on on with the pics."

Source: by NorCalBronc

Front, Installation 87 F150; "...i had a bench out of an 87 F150 and it fit well but i had to put sum new mounting holes in...not a bad fit tho..."

Source: by AFBronco

Front, Installation info; "...On my 90' bronco I put in a bench seat and found that the body nuts for bench seat were on the floor pan already all that need done is drill thru. I used the stock seat for a 93 ford extended cab truck because it has a split back allowing easy egress to and from the truck..."

Source: by zeh0085

Front, Installation pics (04 Dodge Pick Up 40/20/40) in an 88

Source: by BUSTERBRONCO at SuperMotors.net

F-Series 40/20/40; "...F-Series seats should fit in your Bronco. And, I would suggest you be prepared to chase the threads with a tap in order to clean them of any rust that may have developed..."

Source: by donnor

F-Series 40/20/40; "...the bolt patterns are the same for all F series/broncos up to 96. u can run the 40/20/40, the bench seat or the regular captains chairs in the bronco..."

by kemicalburns (Travis L)

This is what I was looking at-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380623453920?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

It would fit where the Bronco center console/storage area is now.

miesk5 I do like the jump seat in the one picture you showed but I am hoping for something that folds down when not in use.

Great information guys and thanks!

As far as those pesky springs in for the back seat? I will look at this myself when I get my Bronco back, but couldn't a plate be welded to the bottom of the seat frame and the springs attached to it? I also read were someone used rubber bumper stops that they attached to the seat so the latch wouldn't rattle. I'll play around with some ideas for the rear when I get it back.

I hope to have it painted in the next couple of weeks and I'll throw a thread on that out there. I'm going a slightly differnt route... I'm spraying the Bronco with rubber 'dip' that's normally used to rubber coat the handles of tools. You guys will see what I mean when I get to that stage and start a thread on it />/>/>

Edit:

miesk5 the pic of the '94 with the center jump seat is exactly what I am looking for!

From looking at the dimensions, it probably will fit. Just measure to make sure. As far as mounting it, you will probably have to drill holes and possibly fabricate a mount since the floor profile is different in newer Fords. The best is the one you mentioned in Miesk5's post since it will fit existing bolt patterns.

Good luck,



http://www.supermotors.net/clubs/fullsizebronco/registry/media/171845

yo BD;

re your, : I do like the jump seat in the one picture you showed but I am hoping for something that folds down when not in use"

94_bronc's jump seat folds & I believe all the others do as well

esp; Jump, Center, 94 F150 pic in a 94; "... pulled the console out of the truck and put in a middle seat from a 1994 F-150. Cloth pattern and color were identical. It was a true "bolt-in"; had to take the armrests off..." miesk5 Note, he took armrests off the bucket seats for the jump seat to fit

Source: by d4klutzProud



his jump seat the cup holders

Just to make sure... and I apologize about asking this, but I don't know for sure...

Will seats from a '94 F150 fit in my '87 Bronco and match up with the existing mounts/holes or will I need to drill new ones? It sounds like they will bolt right in. If so... I am heading to the bone yard tomorrow to start looking for an F150!

Thanks guys!

yo BD,

No problem asking! This way one can pass info gained from answers to others

All 80-96 Bronco & 80-97 F-series seats (bench, bucket, whatever) are interchangeable. The most you'd have to do is add wiring for the lumbar pump. The floorpans are identical where the front seats go.

F-Series 40/20/40; "...the bolt patterns are the same for all F series/broncos up to 96. u can run the 40/20/40, the bench seat or the regular captains chairs in the bronco..."

Source: by kemicalburns (Travis L)

Front, Installation info; "...On my 90' bronco I put in a bench seat and found that the body nuts for bench seat were on the floor pan already all that need done is drill thru. I used the stock seat for a 93 ford extended cab truck because it has a split back allowing easy egress to and from the truck..."

Source: by zeh0085

Mount Info; "...The Broncos come equipped with both mounting capabilities, Bench and buckets. I just did this very swap from buckets to bench out of a 93 F150 XLT at the junk yard, it came with power dual lumbar, fold down arm rest, and dual cup holders for $45.00 in new condition. The mounting points for the bench are there under the carpet and they are plugged with rubber grommets. You do not have to tapped the holes either, the bolts that hold the buckets in place are self tapping, and they go in rather easy. The mounting points are made up of metal sleeves that are not threaded if never used and the self tapping bolts are easy to install. Just swap over the rubber plugs from the bench locations to the bucket locations and you are set. You also use the same seat belt locations and you are going to have to use the seat belts from the bench. The belt plastic sleeves are molded differently, and will not point in the right direction. Everything is plug and play, down to the lumbar..."

Source: by Camo Horse