DIY Bench seat to center console conversion

Howdy all,

Today I converted my bench seat to a center console. This has to be one of the easiest mods I have ever done. Only an hour was spent on actual installation, though I did spend an extra 45 minutes deep cleaning the console before installing it because it was dirty from the junkyard, and another 15 or so taking a bunch of pictures.

I bought my console from LKQ and picked it up directly from their yard. It was 205$ out the door. Not super expensive IMO.

Here is the console after cleaning it:


I removed the old seat. It is held in with 4 bolts. Two of these bolts are in the cargo section (the area where you pull up the bottom cushion), and two of these bolts are on the side of the back of the seat. Be careful with the bolts on the sides, they are prone to rounding.

Before doing this I recommend you disconnect your battery. My seat didn't have any airbag sensors or anything like that, but I don't know about newer year models. Better safe than sorry.


After you get these 4 bolts out, you can get your seat tilted up. On the bottom of the seat there is a small wire connected to the seat with a plastic clip. Disconnect that clip and you are home free. The wire is the one shown in the next picture next to the screwdriver. Your middle area will look like this after the seat is removed (yes, it is dirty):

(edited) The wire that was unclipped is for the new cigarette lighters in the new console. It is previously unused. It does NOT go to the seatbelt, which was what I originally thought.

You may need to cut the rubber flooring a bit to expose the new bolt locations. This can be done with a scissor. It looked like this after cutting:

The new center console bolting locations are circled

You'll also need to remove the front kick panel thing. It is right beneath your radio/cigarette lighter. Remove the two body clips on the sides of the panel (shown) and it should pull off with a bit of force (it is held on by some clips on the back). I didn't take any photos before removing the panel, but here is where it attaches:

This is the same location that the new center console body clips will connect

Now all that is left is to throw the new console in there and bolt it up. The first step is to take the top part of the middle section off. It is held in with clips and simply pulls off with a bit of force. afterwards it will look like this.

After that all I did was take this assembly and throw it in the car. I attached the two body clips that I had previously circled and I added some screws to the front like shown in this photo:

I bolted in the 4 bolts for the console:

And then I just reattached the top portion of the middle section and I was done.

And that's it, done! I will try and add a nicer photo later when it isn't dark out.

Other notes:

The new console has way more storage room than the old seat and also just looks way better.

I still have a hole where the old shifter went. I might make a small box or something to fit in there so I can put change or something in that spot.

The cigarette lighter that is inside the center console is inop. I will need to run a wire to it. That is a project for another day.

The old seat is for sale if anyone in the DFW area is interested (local pick up). The kick panel thing I was talking about is also included. Might be good for someone doing a console to bench seat conversion, but you'd have to relocate your shifter.

 

Nice job!

what does the shifter area look like? Just a cubby?

 

Hey man! I just did this myself. That wire underneath the seat with the white connector is for the cigarette lighter(s). I wired that directly to the harness that came with my center console (also from LKQ).

As for the shifter hole, I bought a 12”x 12” sheet of ABS plastic off of Amazon and cut it to fit underneath the hole for now, until I have time to build some sort of cubby myself.

 

Could make that a wireless charger?

 

You could definitely wire one into it. These consoles have two 12v cigarette lighters in them (one inside and one at the rear) and I wanted those functional.

Edit: I see what you mean, in the shifter location. That’s a good idea.

 

I appreciate the clarification on that wire. I had a suspicion that was for the cigarette lighter. It still has no voltage. I have the wire accessible through the shifter hole so I might try and look at fuses and figure out how to get voltage to it so I can wire up my cigarette lighters in the console.

I also have wires for fog lights but they don't get any voltage either. My new bumper came with fog lights and I still don't have them hooked up. My truck was an SR base model so I'm thinking maybe they just decided not to put fuses in for the wires that weren't used. Interesting (and helpful) that they would still include the wires though lol.

Posted the seat for sale on facebook and already have tons of interest. Should be able to get the 200 I spent on the console back from the seat pretty easily.

 

Nice work. Really dig the idea of the charging tray under the shifter hole.

I am waiting for someone to successfully go the other way—buckets with console shift to bench with column shift. A few have started only to call it off after getting into the weeds.

I would absolutely love a front bench and column shift.

 

I have considered it as well...

 

is it possible to remove the center console on 2022 Tundra and put a seat there, because console is too bulky for the rear seats , would rather have a seat than a console

 

Although the 2nd gen came in console or column shift configurations, no one has successfully done a complete conversion from one to the other. The 3rd gen SR trim doesn’t even come with a 6-seater/column shift option. It has been done away with altogether.

 

citrusmaster, very nice write-up on the conversion. As for your fog lights getting voltage, all you need to do is put a missing relay for the fog light located in the fuse box (engine). There are different ways on how to wire a switch to turn on the fog lights.
I noticed a seat cover for the middle seat...who makes that?

 

The seat cover was actually just the cover for the center console (which I swapped over and you can see in my installed pic). I have rough country covers on my seats but they don't specifically fit a middle seat like you are looking for.

You are probably right about it missing a relay. I will have to look for a relay for my fog lights. I could easily wire up a new harness for them with a new switch but I would prefer to just utilize the stock stuff if possible since the harness for them is already there.

Also, I do have a fuse in my power no. 1 location but I still don't have voltage to the center console. Going to have to look at some wiring schematics to figure that out.

 

To OP, did you notice any gain in hip space by taking out the center bench? Looking to do this mod so I can get rid of my seat as well, as I really don’t need it. Will be up for sale as well in DFW area once I pull it.

 

After a long trip, I was going to come up with a DIY Center console, but this is a much better option.
Have you come up with a way to make the shifter hole functional yet? We haul are dog all the time and I will be using it for treats, poop bags and such.