The Most Uncomfortable Seats Ever!

Howdy folks,

I've got a 2011 SR5 TRD DC Tundra and the front driver and passenger seats are hands down the most uncomfortable seats I've ever experienced in a vehicle. I'm 6'1" 145lbs, a tall skinny fella. I find the seats very wide and flat and feel like I'm sitting on them rather than in them. Both sides seem to push my shoulders and neck forward and give no support to my lower back. I feel like my torso is held in a 'C' shaped position even with the lumbar fully extended.

Several years ago my father and I recovered the seats with a Katskin leather kit and added an extra layer of foam to firm up the lumbar areas but it clearly wasn't enough. My father and my mother both complain about the seats as well, so I know it's not just me! The ONLY saving grace is that I have to stop the truck every 300 miles for gas due to the sucky gas mileage so I get a break to walk around.

I can't be the only person who has this complaint. Has anyone on the forum come up with a solution? I'd prefer something other than just keeping a small pillow in the seat but I'm about to the point of needing to do that.

 

Don’t take the BAIT!!

 

Get a small pillow. Leave it in the seat. Doesn't matter what truck ,car or chair I sit in...I always use a pillow/cushion.

 

This doesn't tell me anything but I appreciate the thread bump

I'm going to have to get a pillow, but I was hoping someone would have a more permanent solution. Maybe some different seats that bolt in...I don't know

 

I’m quite a bigger guy (6ft 250) but I find the seats in my 08 limited very comfortable. Have you considered getting fat?

 

If only you could see what I eat....My body works miracles sometimes

 

Poke a hole in both sides of a condensed milk can and suck one down every night for 3 months. You’ll think you’re riding in a Cadillac... You’re just gonna have to live with the diabetes.

 

Depends on how much you want to spend...https://expportal.eightfold.dev/the-best-seat-in-the-house-scheel-mann-seat-review/

 

https://expeditionportal.com/testing-scheel-mann-seats-for-overland-travel/

 

https://media.giphy.com/media/ZFLYoLwITaR7kCIP7a/giphy.gif

 

Those sound awesome. I’m thinking that they might be above my price range, but I’ll give them a look for sure. I was more hoping to find out if maybe some Sequoia seats or another make/model seat would be more comfortable and install easily into the Tundra. Perhaps something that I could find in a wrecked vehicle

 

It does. With the lumbar adjusted as far out as it will go, it still doesn’t push my lower back in line with my shoulders. I hadn’t thought about going to an upholstery shop... that’s a good idea too

 

Most uncomfortable seat ever?
Drive 600 miles a day in one of these for a few years, you'll be counting your blessings..



Makes your 2011 Tundra feel like a Cadillac..

I'm gonna agree with @ColoradoTJ on this.
Try talking with a good vehicle upholstery and see if they can help you.

I had no issues with my 2005 DC or 2014 DC.
But the 5' 100# wife likes the 2014 bucket seats better than my 2005 bench seat..

Good luck...

 

https://exgel.jp/en/pro-series-hugdrive/

Maybe something like this?

 

But those are for rhd cars. Won’t work!

 

Yeah I saw that. That's why I worded my post like I did. Just trying to convey the concept. Not sure it makes a difference either way but I'm not really going to spend the time to find out. Never really had a problem with the seats in my truck.

 

next time my wife calls me fat I'm gonna tell her I'm just in my comfort zone

 

I guess it’s a case of different body shapes, physical condition and posture, but my 2015 tundra has the MOST comfortable seats I’ve ever had, in a car, truck, airplane, or living room.
Assuming you are not just trolling, you really should talk to an upholsterer.

 

I’d look at the Exgel for a bone or ObusForm. Another option would be to look at replacing them with a high performance off road seat, something with serious side and seat bottom bolsters. I use Recarro seats in my Land Cruiser. Can drive 10 hrs a day straight for weeks in that.

 

Gotta take the w's where we can brother.

 

I have a 1977 International 2 1/2 ton dump truck that's 4wd. The seat is basically a sheet of plywood with a couple of springs and some horse hair under vinyl. It's my plow truck so at most I use it for an hour at very low speeds but when I was building my house I would use if for a whole day running to the gravel pit and back. Let me tell you just how bad a seat can be. I have no clue how anyone could have spent their career driving that truck.

When I was looking for a used Tundra down south I couldn't believe all the drivers seats that were damaged. It was like fat people were buying them and when they got out of the truck they would just slide out. Some the fabric was shot but most the door side of the bottom foam was breaking down. I'm not a big fan of leather as it usually feels hard compared to fabric. Overall I like my seats a lot. When I drove the truck 1000 miles home in 15 hours I had no issues. I even stopped and took a 4 hour power nap on the back seats.

 

The Sequoia seats aren’t anything to write home about. The ones in my Tundras are better IMO.

 

Only semi-related, but I feel the same way about my Tundra's seats. They're very comfortable, but the way I fit in them makes me feel like I'm about 100 lbs too narrow. Those two angled edge pieces that are inches away make me self-conscious

6'2" & 160 lbs for reference

 

The well used seats in my 2007 were not the most comfortable, and the jacked up rear on it's short wheel base resulted in a seating position that pushed your head & shoulders toward the windshield. I lowered the rear 3.25" and installed Wet Okole seat covers, this gave me extra padding and a normal seating position. The truck is very comfortable now.

 

I guess seats are kind of like shoes. There is not one size that fit all. I am in the camp that thinks the Tundra seats are fantastic. If I were committed to the truck, I would go to a good upholstery shop and see what they can offer. Maybe they can reshape on your current seat frames.

I would be cautious about aftermarket seats. They might be fine, but one risk is that they can really alter the ergonomics of the truck so that reach to the steering wheel and controls can really be altered. I used to have a BMW 2002 and the previous owner had put in a Recaro seat because of his spine problems. It worked for him but was not a good fit for me at all. YMMV.

 

I also find the seats in my 2015 pretty uncomfortable but it is only really a deal for me on long drives too which I do make several times a year but before trying to do something about it I took a long trip and realized that I need to stop for gas anyway right about the time that my ass falls asleep!

The real problem for me is just the angle is so odd and seems to push the shoulders forward unnaturally while also giving me almost no support under my legs and it feels like I am being pushed forward out of the seat.
Add to that the hardness of the foam in my seats is like sitting on plywood with newspaper on top pretty much and it can be tough over time to be comfortable in there for me too.

I think I am getting used to it though and while I can easily change the seat angle and height myself as I have in most of my trucks before the padding in the seat bottom is something else altogether at least for me and I need to ask an upholsterer for advice on that,if I remember?

 

I have a similar issue with my 2021. I recently added some seat lifters from DesertDoesIt.Com and it helps with the seat angle. A little pricey, but worth is so far. I've also found a decent seat pad from Amazon to help with the hard foam.

If anyone comes up with a solution from an upholsterer, I'm all ears!