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Bench seat swaps?


fisch

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I did a search for bench seat above and got some info. But I am wondering what is the best bench seat swap for a 521. What is the most comfortable bench that'll fit?

 

I read on cardomain that someone used a leather one from a Jimmy?

 

I love Pac's little buckets. But my daughter is 5 and I'd love to get an extra seat belt so my wife and daughter can cruise around with me. So I'd like a bench, at least until the day my little girl is to embarassed to be seen with her daddy and his ratty datto.

 

I feel springs through my levi's on the 521. There has to be a better solution!

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I have no idea about the 720 seat, but it seems like a lot of people were having issues with the 620 seats being too wide, so you might want to stay away from those. Personally, I want a bench in mine as well, but the seat cover on mine is fairly shredded... the foam is still fairly intact though, so it might be reusable. I'm just planning on taking off the seat cover, reconnecting all the springs (so they don't poke into my ass), and making a quick little cover for it. If I'm super lazy I might even just get an Ikea futon cover and make it fit. Last I checked they were about $30 for the cover in the material I want, and some even had little squares or ridges or whatnot sewn in. Same price as buying material, about half the time to make it.

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I ended up recovering mine. tried a pair of s10 buckets and console they sit good but really wanted the bench.

d21 720 seats are comfy but they are a bit too wide and too long in the legs to fit the 521

620 is the same prob.

just have a quality shop redo yours.

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my 620 had a d21 (hardbody) bench.. it SUCKED!!!!! that thing killed my neck and back sooooo bad... its now in blue's truck .. hey he wanted it.. lol .. but now i have some buckets.. they do push me into the steering wheel a little.. but i feel as if i have way more control over the truck now.. and not sliding around is awesome too.. not to mention my neck an back pain has gone away!

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finding decent 521 bench seats are not easy. most are ratty beyond eye sore. better to just have one recovered. no the 620 doesn't fit well. i've seen a 521 with a toyota bench but dont know how it rides. i have benches in both my 521's and would rather not have buckets. i sometimes have to tote 3 people around and the buckets are way stiff. as if you dont already feel the road enough. i've even seen astro van seats in a 521. besides i like my 521 to be original as far as planting my ass in it.

 

basically the only decent 521 seats i've seen have been reupholstered.

 

any mini bench will work if you make sure it isn't too wide and make some brackets for it. i wouldn't mind seeing some newer bench models fitted in a 521.

what does a bench cost to be redone? $300-600?

 

we need a ratsun upholsterer with ratsun prices.:cool: anyone??

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my buckets are way more comfy and i feel way less road bumps then i did with my hardbody bench.. IMO.. the only thing i Dont like is how close i am to the steering wheel but as i've said i feel as if i have more control now.. also im now able to have speakers (or other stuff) behind the seats.. and inbetween.. when i take corners my ass doesnt side into passenger seat.. an when i sit stuff on the seat or between them it doesnt go flying all over the place.. anyways thats my .02.. im not tryin to talk you into buckets.. just sayin they're not That bad.. as for the 3 people riding with me crap... i LOVE havin buckets.. Sorry only enough room for 2 now, HAHA! i hate reachin between some dudes legs to shift... especialy reverse

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When you don't have a rear seat, a bench comes in handy... ;)

 

Or, at least for those of us without kids (sorry Fisch). As for sliding around and all, I'm pretty sure you could mount the seatbelts closer together behind the seat and snake them between the bottom and back... if you reupholstered the seat in actual fabric you probably wouldn't slide around so much, and if you want comfort you could put in a high-density foam over the springs, then put some lower density foam over top... the lower density foam would hug you, but the high density stuff would keep you up and off the springs... or you could spring for some of that fancy memory foam, but that might be a bit pricey...

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I mocked up some 240sx seats in my 521. I am actally a little further away from the wheel than with a bench. But... I sit WAY lower in the cab, lol. Which is okay. And I'd imagine that I would fell alot more of the road too. But they seem like they are going to work just fine. The outer brackets bolt right up to the stock points from the bench seat too, oddly enough. I need to fab a little spacer for the inner bracket though. The seats are cheap, and easy to come by.

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I have tried several bench seats in my 521 and none were good other than the stock one.My first 521 had a toyota bench that was too wide.I replaced it with a stock seat that I still have.

I tried both of my 620 benches (72 and 76)and they were both too wide.They hit the doors.I like the stock bench but space is very limited and it sits kinda high.I have subaru gl buckets modded in there now and I love them.I have also tried several buckets and these are by far the best for comfort and space.

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  • 8 years later...

i used the bench from a mazda b2000. perfect fit!!! only thing is the indentation in the middle. but it works for me. if you cover it you wont even know its there...

DSC02571.jpg

We need more pictures of this truck.  Do you have a thread going for this truck?

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  • 2 years later...

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