Front seat lifts

The first time i sat in the front seat, I felt like it was too far forward. I saw someone added seat jackers, and thought, that’s brilliant. Then I saw the price...$90 for a couple of blocks of aluminum? Here’s my quick fix for about $18


https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-pc-1-X-2...inum-plate-flat-bar-stock-block-/233621186230

1”x2”x3” aluminum blocks on eBay for $15
2 1/2” bolts and washers from Lowe’s $3 (sorry, I don’t remember the thread so take one of your old ones)

While I don’t recommend painting in the truck, a little masking and a couple of quick blasts worked out for me. Probably better to paint before you put them in but my bases need a touch up and I didn’t want to remove the seat.

 

Nice! I just use Rubber Suspension Bushings that I have laying around to get the 1" and I have also used Strut to do the same thing.

I am with you,I like the look and idea of the manufactured version but not the outlay to get a pair.

 

Any safety concerns with doing this?

 

How was the change in comfort?

 

Thinking of doing the same thing with my front bench

 

What kind of question is this? I’m not a Toyota engineer. I’m just telling you what I did. I can’t attest for safety, or anything related to bolt strength in a crash test, etc..and I will not suggest that you do it. Honestly, if you are asking this, you probably shouldn’t be doing it.

That said, mine is completely solid. The seat is way more comfortable as there is quite a bit of improvement in the driving position. Lost the bleacher seat feel it had before. I will be doing the passenger seat as well. If you spend a few hours in your truck driving, you will greatly appreciate the thigh support. My back does!

To try it before install, just unbolt the front bolts and shim something under the legs then sit and feel the difference before you commit.

 

Nice! Thanks. I think I’ll pull the trigger on a set and give it a try.

 

Did you have any trouble with the bolts lining up? I put shims under my seats to check out the feel and noticed that the increased elevation changes the angle at which the bolt enters the floor pan. Maybe remove the rear bolts and then bolt up the front before replacing the rears?

 

Looking at how much time you put into this...I am guessing about 3 hours total if you include the time spend shopping for materials. getting out and putting back all tools, and cleanup, plus the cost of materials (aluminum, longer bolts, saw blade, drill bit), $90 doesn't seem to bad for a better looking final product.

 

It has to change the geometry somewhat, but maybe there was enough play in the holes in the bracket as to not cause an issue. I tried something similar in my Accord years ago just using a stack of washers. That bracket was angled so the geometry was more pronounced and I was still able to "force" everything to line up properly.

 

But the bragging rights is priceless

 

You could probably just put a big daddy screwdriver in the holes and push down on one side at a time basically using the shank of the screwdriver as a lever to slightly bend the seat bracket while having the other side up on a wood block and the back anchored. Probably only need a couple of degrees different. If that doesn't work an adjustable wrench will probably bend one side at a time with ease. No big deal really.

 

I'm a little confused. I have a Platinum so maybe I have more seat adjustments but I'm confused what this achieved. Is it the equivalent to sitting on a phone book when you can't see over the dash board?

 

it's equivalent raising the front thigh support.

 

Gutcha! I raise that sometimes but other times its more comfortable down flat. Idk if I would want to commit to permanently adjusting the seat but what ever makes you more comfortable in your truck!

 

Not sure if the Platinum has more adjustment than the Limited, but some feel the seats in the Limited are too flat. Even with the rear all the way down and the front all the way up its still a pretty flat seating position and it feels like you're sliding off the front of the seat.
Raising the front of the seat 1" makes a much more comfortable position where you're down and in the seat rather than on top of it.

For the OP, if you have the tools and means to recreate the Seatjackers setup then my hat's off to you. For me, I'd rather just pay the $90 and be done with it. Plus, I added the molle panel to mount a flashlight and IFAK, so it was worth the cost.
In any case, just putting some washers or bending stuff to make it fit is not a risk I'd be willing to take. In a collision that mating surface is the only thing holding you and your seat to the truck. You don't want a weak point to be the difference between holding you in place or bouncing around the cab in a seat that has suddenly and violently become unconnected to the rest of the truck.

 

i think is like my old tacoma seat, it's not sitting flat, it have a little tilt toward the front. it make you slid forward. I raise my tacoma like 1.5 inches, so I have some support.

 

Yeah it seems the limited does not have the front thigh adjustment, it basically takes the front of the seat and tilts it back and makes you sit back into the seat so I guess thats the equivalent of doing this mod.

 

when I had my Tacoma I did the seat spacer mod Lowes had the spacers in stock
bolt is 10mm - 1.25 x 50

 

OMG!!

You and this dude must meet and fight to the death!!

https://www.tundras.com/threads/low-profile-seat-my-head-is-in-the-roof.92680/

 

You would be surprised how good airbags keep you in your spot. Been through it twice, trust me they are no joke. There are also seat belt anchor points that will make a significant contribution to your safety.

 

As long as you are using solid metal and long enough rated bolts for the extra thread length you are adding I can not understand how there is more risk of the seat getting ripped out in an accident?

I would probably not use those hollow spacer tubes pictured above though and would again only use something solid with a single hole in it though I have used hard rubber suspension bushings to do this too deciding that the hardness and strength required to attach and control suspension parts is probably sufficient to keep my ass in position when driving as well.

I have also done a mod like this on almost every truck and car that I have owned for the last 20 years and have never had one budge in the slightest way while I do get the relief from a bad seating position each time or I undo the mod and give it some more thought and usually try again.

We are not talking about some radical design change or experimental seat function here but merely spacing the front mount points slightly higher where even the smallest change in height can really make a seat feel completely different as far as comfort goes too.

I also thought the commercial blocks for $90 were hilarious the first time I saw them but hey,there is one born every minute too.

 

If paying less than a tank of gas to purchase a purpose built, well thought out piece that makes my seat more comfortable makes me a sucker, then whatever.

The OP's design is about as close as I'd get to homemade. I've done spacers in older vehicles in the past, but that was when I was younger and much dumber. For those of you that think its good enough, or airbags will save you, or I don't see how this or that... your truck, your family, your ass. If you don't see how it could be a problem to mess with the one thing holding your seat to the floor of the cab, then good luck. Either way, remind me never to ride in your truck if this is the kind of "engineering" you're OK with.

 

One has to laugh, well at least me, about this "in general". So many here report of spending so much time and money on the appearance of their truck..special drying towels, cup holder liners, redundant grab handle, tail gate letters, etc. And then forgo buying what is likely a better manufactured and much better looking product. I guess outside appearance is more important. And while I am at it, related it when I see pictures of under the hood or inside the cab or covered bed...dirt, dog hair hair, scuffs, etc, while the topic of the post is what $80 was is best. I find it all entertaining.

 

I'm with you. $90 is probably the least I've spent on an item for the truck.

 

Non of them are DOT approved so why spend the extra cash

 

DOT approval or not, one setup is obviously safer than the other.

Look at wheel spacers as an example. Quality spacers are just fine, when properly installed. You wouldn't just stick some washers between the wheel and hub and call it good. Not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but not far off when it comes to the potential forces that could be on that seat to floor junction in a collision. Like I said before, if someone is comfortable with a homemade half-ass solution in lieu of spending $90, then do your thing. My peace of mind is worth at least $90.

 

Agreed. There are also threaded holes on the front of the seat jackers blocks for attaching a bracket. That said, if I didn't have 2 young kids and tons of stuff to do and had materials laying around I would have definitely fabbed up my own as well.

 

Jesus people...OP stated that if you're concerned about safety issues then don't do this mod. He was merely showing everyone how he did his mod. I think a few of you have mentioned more than once that you're scared or don't approve so that's cool, move on to another thread and let others figure out if this is something that they want. I personally like this idea, but would have to agree that if I did it, I'd buy the one with molle panels to mount items. If your worried about breaking seat mounting bolts in a collision then use the highest rated bolt for the mod that you can find. This isn't that big of a deal.... use your brains and good day.

 

By giving other points of view on the matter, that IS helping others figure out if this is something they want to do. If you don't like the discourse then perhaps you should find some other way to entertain yourself.
Like I mentioned, the OP basically recreated the Desert Does It design, and its probably perfectly fine, if you have the skills and tools to do it. I was talking about others who recommended using rubber bushings or some other sort of spacer and a longer bolt, and bending seat brackets to make it fit. That's not smart, and my opinion is no one should do that and expect to have the same level of safety as before.
If you're OK with that trade-off then great, but its a trade-off you don't have to make when there's a better way to do it, or a product that fits the bill for a reasonable cost. I'm not affiliated with the company, and could give a rat's ass what you spend your money on or what mods you do to your truck, I'm just putting info out there for consideration. Its not about being scared, its about not taking shortcuts...