How Comfortable Are The Low-Back Bucket Seats?

[Machspeed]

1986F150Six wrote

I believe they will look good and I have confidence in the fact that you will be able to find a way to install them in such a manner that FORD would approve.

Agree, David! Gary could make it happen! Gary, I don't see arm rests in the installed seat picture above, rather a console. Did I miss something?

[mat in tn]

maybe it's because of camera angles. however, those do not look like the same seats. possibly because front buckets do NOT fold up that way. those are fold away seats for the rear. why else would they have been taken out?

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys.

John - These don’t have arm rests. I wish they did.

Matt - You may be onto something. I’ll have to check that out.  

[salans7]

Those are DEFINITELY 2nd row seats. That's why they're so cheap. You don't want those. Most good condition front seats for any vehicle are at least $500 for a set. Any less and you're probably getting scammed.

Here's some that are unfolded.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/132220755819?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=132220755819&targetid=1262749492782&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=9012057&poi=&campaignid=14859008593&mkgroupid=130497710760&rlsatarget=pla-1262749492782&abcId=9300678&merchantid=108071230&gclid=Cj0KCQiAt8WOBhDbARIsANQLp969She-5GLKIwC7a7v1TtBDIvAkg0SuGBf9V_f8ZfbHo3sRdwa29MgaAttDEALw_wcB

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks!  You guys are right, they aren’t the front seats. I told the guy I’m not interested.

[Gary Lewis]

For an update on this, I installed the captain's chairs for Dad's truck in Big Blue yesterday, and took it for a spin today.  Janey and I really like them, but I won't be 100% sure I want another pair until after we take it in a 3-day trip, which will be soon.

We think the chairs are more comfortable than the bench, and even soften the bumps better.  And, we like the arm rests, but they may not be a necessity.  IOW, the low-back buckets might be a good compromise.

In fact, in one way the low-back buckets would be better - the back wouldn't hit the rear window.  But the captain's chairs do hit, and that's a bit of a problem.  First, they'll wear the window tint film.  Second, they squeek.

[salans7]

So where does that leave the captain's seats? If they don't fit well and squeak in Big Blue, they won't fit well and they'll squeak in Dad's truck too.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, they currently hit the rear window.  But that's the initial installation. I'm thinking I might be able to shim the rear mounting point to tilt the seat forward a bit.

Or, perhaps I have the mounting brackets in wrong?  I seem to remember that I installed the tapered brackets with the one marked "R" on the left and the one marked "L" on the right.  Perhaps they are tilting the seat the wrong way?

So I'm not ready to say they don't fit well.

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, Janey and I've just come back from a 720 mile jaunt in Big Blue with the captain's chairs for Dad's truck installed.  Some of this trip was cruising on the highway and some of it was on pretty rugged forest service roads where I was down in 4Lo just to go slowly enough.  So we gave them a really good workout, and here are the observations:

Comfort: The chairs are very comfortable, and certainly moreso than the bench seat.  Neither of us got tired of sitting, and at one point Janey sat in the truck for 4 hours w/o getting out.

 

Position: I feel like my seat is a bit too far forward, like maybe one notch on the slider, but it cannot be moved back any farther as it is hitting the end of the track.  However, that isn't really a problem as once I'm in the seat there's plenty of room.

Arm Rests: We like them, but they aren't to die for.  They are too high to be really comfortable for Janey, and while they are about the right height for me I get along just fine w/o them.  Further, the outboard one on the passenger's side rubs the rear quarter trim unless it is put down, which is a pain.

Head Rests: The height of the captain's chairs causes the head rests to hit the rear window if the seat is all the way back.  I was worried that it would mess up either the seat or the new window film so put a soft cloth between the head rest and the window.  And while the head rests might help Janey in an accident, they look to be too low to help me.

Console: Of all the things that were involved in the change to these seats, the console is the biggest improvement.  We love it!  We put our lunch, documentation, pills, pen, gum, etc in it and there was still room for more.  And it is at the right height for me to put my arm on.  Further, I don't think it needs to be moved back as even a large drink can be put in the driver's drink holder and it'll just miss the shift lever. And a giant drink can be put in the passenger's drink holder.  In addition, there was room behind the console to stuff jackets - and even a quilt in case we got stuck.

Bottom Line: I think I'd prefer the low-back buckets seats over the captain's chairs.  The lower back won't change the comfort, assuming I have the upholsterer do them exactly the way he did the captain's chairs.  And the backs won't hit the window.  Nor the arms hit the rear quarter trim.

So I'm looking forward to getting the ones from Chad in a couple of months.  Thanks, Chad!