Author Topic: bend bench seat to recline a little more?  (Read 26873 times)

Offline suicidalgecko

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bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« on: July 28, 2009, 09:13:07 pm »
Has anyone modified the bench seat to recline a bit farther back? Im thinking of a way to do it.

Offline 77chevystepside

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2009, 08:26:48 am »
Ironic you should make this post because I was pondering the same thing on my 77. Have not driven the truck for 3 years and it feels like I am bending over because the seat is so straight up. The only solutions I can think of  are to recline the whole seat by somehow raising front seat rail that bolts to the cab floor. May or may not work. Another option is to pull the seat and move the seat stops. Problem there is the nuts for the stops are welded to the seat so that would get involved. Same problem with the bolt that holds the seat back arm to the seat bottom.
I suppose a person could remove the seat back, cut the arm and weld it with less angle.
I think I am going to try doing something with the front mount. It bolts at an angle to the cab floor so that may be a problem too.

My problem is I am big and have the seat all the way back and only have an inch left before the seat back will be resting on the cab. But what the hey, an inch may be enough to make it more comfortable.

Offline Armor

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2009, 11:06:17 am »
im not sure if it will work, but a buddy with a 80's ford did it by grinding a bit off the saw tooth part on the seat back that goes into the base, just where it stops the seat from going farther back. I dont know how much it will help/still be safe, but thought id share

Offline Captkaos

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2009, 04:59:09 pm »
Do you have any room for it to even recline.  I am 5.10 and there is only like 2" of clearance at the back, and it definitely isn't straight up.

Offline suicidalgecko

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2009, 03:29:24 am »
im looking at the 1" to 2" that i have behind the seat, to bend/cut/slice the slightest recline. I think i would be a bit more comfy

Offline suicidalgecko

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2009, 03:33:21 am »
maybe a couple buds with torches at each rail, and just push/brnd it

Offline 78 Chevyrado

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2009, 03:09:51 am »
It may sound silly, but try just raising the front of the seat an inch or two.  I tried it in my 87 and I won't have another one that's not tipped back.  I just made some spacers for the front where the track bolts to the seat itself. 
Kenny

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Offline suicidalgecko

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2009, 05:03:00 am »
i'm going to try, i bet i like it too. and oh so easy

Offline 1980c10

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2009, 12:21:54 am »
i used a 90's chevrolet full bench, They are made very thin. I have never been so comfortable in one of these trucks (i'm 5'10"). also a smaller steering wheel helps a great deal mine is also from an early 90's chev. this combination gives me all of the room i need. note that the seat is slightly tilted back more than it would have been installed in the correct truck.

Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2009, 01:48:30 am »
I'm 6'1 still have the old style seat in my 79 and 86 but with the little wheels make a better fit legs don't hit so much while trying to climb up in the 79. i also have a 94 to me the seats suck more so on my grandfathers 92 king cab "low back". but the steering wheel really helps out, i would try what 78 said w/ a smaller steering wheel
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Offline modular93fox

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #10 on: August 01, 2009, 11:52:27 pm »
I had some angle iron with holes in it laying around the garage... bent one end over the other and that became my spacer.. super easy and mades a big difference.
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Offline got2haul

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #11 on: August 06, 2009, 07:49:51 am »
So the spacer you made -- how thick was it?  I'd like to try doing this in my truck, as well.
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Offline zieg85

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #12 on: August 06, 2009, 06:00:59 pm »
You may look at your seat tracks to make sure they go all the way back.  My seat back on my 85 is all the way against the back of the cab.  I am 5'10 and can't drive with the seat all the way back.  I put buckets from a 91 Suburban in my 86 and once I removed the old seat found junk in the tracks with 2 notches left that hadn't been used in years.
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Offline farmallgray

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #13 on: August 08, 2009, 10:00:00 am »
I'm 6' and I have the seat all the way back. It acctually rubs against the back cab wall and I had to put syl-glyde on it to keep it from squeeking. I wish the cab were 2" longer so I had more leg room.
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Offline got2haul

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Re: bend bench seat to recline a little more?
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2009, 10:09:37 am »
So the spacer you made -- how thick was it?  I'd like to try doing this in my truck, as well.

Never got an answer to this and I'm going to do some work on my trucks this weekend, so I thought I'd ask again.
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1980 Silverado Short Bed Fleetside
1976 GMC Sierra Grande C15