Definitive comments on seat swap.

[mx71]

I got tired of the seat covers on my 85 Kc 4x4 and the lack of foam on the left side of the drivers seat, so I got some new seats today. I got them out of a 1998 Isuzu Rodeo, but could have just as well gotten them out of a 96-99 Honda Passport. There’s been a lot of talk on various forums that rodeo seats would cause you to possibly hit your head on the headliner. This wasn’t true for me and I’m 6’2”. I had sat the 720 buckets and rodeo seats next to each other and without measuring, the seat heights looked just about identical. I removed the rodeo seat belt receiver and just cleaned up the 720 ones, but other than that I’m loving the seats. I did have to flip the ECU over and mount it upside down and backwards, bending one of the brackets, but it fits and doesn’t hit the seat adjustment wire any more, while sill looking like a good mount. I’m hoping it being mounted closer to the floor won’t cause any heat issues. I’ll try to get some pictures when there’s some light.

[blownalcohol]

I have the Rodeo seats with the Rodeo tracks in my 82 King Cab and they definitely sit higher. The lap cushion also seems to lean lower toward the front. After driving awhile you find yourself wishing you had a seat bolster under your knees. If your 6'2" you would definitely be rubbing your head on my head liner without leaning the seat way back. That said, if you had buckets to begin with and you transfer the OEM Nissan tracks to the Rodeo seats they drop into a close to OEM position. That is what I did with my 86 720 and it worked out very well. 

 

If you did not find that to be the case with your install it would be very interesting to figure out what the difference is. 

 

[Lockleaf]

I'm running z32 seats in my 720. Barely had to ream the holes to make them bolt right in.

 

Seat height is close to stock.

[datzenmike]

Pretty sure all 4X4s would be bucket seat.

 

There's no excuse for being uncomfortable. There are lots of comfy padded and adjustable seats out there.

[mx71]

I had the buckets to begin with, did not swap the tracks, and I don’t hit my head with the seat in a comfortable driving position. I do have the seat all the way back though.

[Draker]

New seats are a great upgrade for those old 720 junkers. Made my 720 very pleasant to drive

[wayno]

The Plymouth/Dodge Neon seats bolt right into the 720, but they sit a little higher than stock, it's kind of annoying, but more legroom.

[mx71]

[blownalcohol]

Pretty sure all 4X4s would be bucket seat.

 

There's no excuse for being uncomfortable. There are lots of comfy padded and adjustable seats out there.

You are correct about the King Cab 4x4 but there were regular cab 4x4's with a bench. My 86 720 had one. When I put the Rodeo seats in the 86 I used the 82's seat brackets and 2001 Rodeo seats. That made the Rodeo seats very comfortable and corrected the seat profile. What I notice here is that the seats MX71 has installed are earlier model than mine. Hopefully I have the pic host straightened out so that you can see the pic I posted earlier. Is there a difference in the Isuzu seat brackets? He refers to having to mod the ECM mount and I did not have to do that with the 2001 seats and brackets. There was more than enough clearance.

[mx71]

What I found on various forums are that 96-99 rodeo seats are a direct swap. I wonder if the people saying the seats sit high are the ones that installed seats from outside of that range. Mine are from a 1998, verified from the emissions sticker under the hood. If I didn't move the ECU, every time I adjusted the seat back and forth, it knocked the wire off that connected the adjusting lever from left to right. It wasn't the seat itself that was hitting.

[mx71]

Is yours a late model 86? I think the later 86s had a lot more in common with the D21s than the older 720s. I notice you have different door panels and arm rests, as well as a cubby where my gauges are in the center console. You'll also notice by our door panels that my seats sit a good 2-3" below yours. Maybe they changed the mounts, or different packages created different floor pan molding processes?

[blownalcohol]

What I found on various forums are that 96-99 rodeo seats are a direct swap. I wonder if the people saying the seats sit high are the ones that installed seats from outside of that range. Mine are from a 1998, verified from the emissions sticker under the hood. If I didn't move the ECU, every time I adjusted the seat back and forth, it knocked the wire off that connected the adjusting lever from left to right. It wasn't the seat itself that was hitting.

 I saw posts saying 96 and up and one in particular showcasing a pair of seats from a 2002 as well as 96-99. Its hard around here to find anything that's not burned up from the sun pre 2000. The seats is the 82 aren't terrible definitely better than the OEM. I wonder if I could use the 96-99 seat rails on the later model seats and get more of an OEM profile?

[blownalcohol]

Is yours a late model 86? I think the later 86s had a lot more in common with the D21s than the older 720s. I notice you have different door panels and arm rests, as well as a cubby where my gauges are in the center console. You'll also notice by our door panels that my seats sit a good 2-3" below yours. Maybe they changed the mounts, or different packages created different floor pan molding processes?

 

No, its more of an 85 720, not an 86.5 hard body. By the way, Nice truck where did you get the bull bar?

[datzenmike]

You are correct about the King Cab 4x4 but there were regular cab 4x4's with a bench. My 86 720 had one. 

 

How did you reach the trans case shifter?

[Lockleaf]

There is a gap in the center of the bench and a fabric cover over the gap. The seat back is bench but the seat bottom is more bucket. I have one from a parts truck sitting in the back of my quad cab build.

[mx71]

 I saw posts saying 96 and up and one in particular showcasing a pair of seats from a 2002 as well as 96-99. Its hard around here to find anything that's not burned up from the sun pre 2000. The seats is the 82 aren't terrible definitely better than the OEM. I wonder if I could use the 96-99 seat rails on the later model seats and get more of an OEM profile?

 

I actually got pretty lucky with these seats. The rodeo had only been in there a few days and they weren't torn up. I didn't look at how many miles it had. They were disgusting though, so I used my carpet cleaner and removed several gallons of brown butt sweat from the seat cushions, and my handy little pressure steamer to clean all the dust and grease off the sides and frame. They were only $40.

[mx71]

No, its more of an 85 720, not an 86.5 hard body. By the way, Nice truck where did you get the bull bar?

 

Thanks! The little prerunner light bar came with it. It's just a universal one and bolted to the bumper. It's certainly not for strength. I got the truck for $1,000 running and driving, and the most major things I've had to do are a new carburetor due to a failed emissions test and new parking brake cables. Other than that, it's been a lot of vacuuming, cleaning and polishing. The paint looked like garbage when I got it, but I used some cutting cream and it's like new now other than some dents/dings. Lots of black spray paint, cutting cream, wax, tire shine, degreaser, aluminum polish and vacuuming/steaming. I've got all new exterior lights coming from kentigo that I ordered last night too. So far, including the carb/cleaning/parts/registration/purchase, I've got about $3,200 in this $1,000 truck. It seems ridiculous to spend that on an old Nissan, but it's become a hobby I guess.

[blownalcohol]

I've got about $3,200 in this $1,000 truck. It seems ridiculous to spend that on an old Nissan, but it's become a hobby I guess.

What can you buy for $3200.00? Not much, besides do you really want to be driving the same thing as everyone else? I don't know about your neck of the woods but these old trucks are getting scarce around here. Parts are going obsolete. That makes you hone your skills, figure out alternatives, make things work, be creative. Yes its a hobby and I like the challenge. If you have a nice 4x4 720 you probably won't pass another one every 5 minutes. I like that too. You could do a lot worse things with your $3200.00.

[datzenmike]

Comfort rules. Side bolstering is great in a car you climb down into and up out of. On a raised or 4x4 truck you squash your nuts every time you get in or out. Try to find a set with adjustable lumbar support. Reduces driver fatigue on long trips. Seat front should adjust up under the backs of the knees to support legs. This takes some of the weight off your feet and supports your right leg and foot on the gas.

[mx71]

What can you buy for $3200.00? Not much, besides do you really want to be driving the same thing as everyone else? I don't know about your neck of the woods but these old trucks are getting scarce around here. Parts are going obsolete. That makes you hone your skills, figure out alternatives, make things work, be creative. Yes its a hobby and I like the challenge. If you have a nice 4x4 720 you probably won't pass another one every 5 minutes. I like that too. You could do a lot worse things with your $3200.00.

 

Well, it's a second car for me, mostly to haul crap I don't need from craigslist/home depot or ride mtn/dirt bikesbut I end up driving it more often than my actual vehicle. I had an 82 2wd KC in high school and it reminds me of that time. I also just like the look of 720s, especially the Nissan versions.

 

Comfort rules. Side bolstering is great in a car you climb down into and up out of. On a raised or 4x4 truck you squash your nuts every time you get in or out. Try to find a set with adjustable lumbar support. Reduces driver fatigue on long trips. Seat front should adjust up under the backs of the knees to support legs. This takes some of the weight off your feet and supports your right leg and foot on the gas.

 

Unfortunately, I gave up lumbar adjustment on the 720 seats to none on the rodeo, but I'm happy enough with the lumbar it has, and now I don't have to use seat covers or have a spring poke into my thigh, so I'm thinking it's an upgrade. I definitely don't plan on taking this on long trips though. I'm not sure it would make it. Going from my daily driver to the 720 is like going from a 720 to a go kart. The suspension, wind noise, motor noise, and lack of proper climate control isn't exactly an incentive to drive it.

[blownalcohol]

Well, it's a second car for me, mostly to haul crap I don't need from craigslist/home depot or ride mtn/dirt bikesbut I end up driving it more often than my actual vehicle. I had an 82 2wd KC in high school and it reminds me of that time. I also just like the look of 720s, especially the Nissan versions.

 

My other car is a POS too! LOL. Wife drives the new one, I like my old trucks. 2 720 4x4's an F250 4x4, and my baby a 66 Chevy C-10 Short Wide 4x2 that bastardized a bit with a big block Olds 455.

[720inOlyWa]

Well, I just took the plunge and added 2002 Rodeo seats- and I am glad I did! What an improvement!

 

 

 

Since this picture was taken, I mounted the other seat up to the rails and installed it in the truck. I don‘t need all that fancy schmancy electric stuff, this is plenty good enough for a long drive. I am sure that I could do 8 hour days in these, if need be. Around town, a huge improvement in terms of comfort and ride.  I find that the seat angle is just fine, with no need to shim anything. Yes, it is about an inch higher when I am seated, but that is because there is ample padding and real springs supporting the seat cushion. I have back issues, and this is a real improvement over stock seats. A simple adjustment of the rear view mirror and the tilt wheel, and I am good to go. I like sitting a scosh taller in the cab.

 

Having said this, I am more determined than ever to re-build a stock seat in a much higher than stock quality sort of way, with a better biscuit, springs on the straps, smart padding, and real leather covers.

[datzenmike]

Nice! If the seat bottom does not tilt up at the front you can use washers to set it for your legs.

 

 

I have Subaru seats in my 710. There are electric, so infinitely adjustable. Raise or lower the back or the front of the seat separately or together to raise/lower everything plus forward and back. The seat back has manual lumbar adjust and it reclines. I thought they were vinyl but turned out to be leather. Leather is organic and seems to mold to you body. Only when putting them in did I find they also have electric heat. Not too bad for $50.

 

The old ones were 280zx and an improvement on the stock buckets but on long trips they were never comfortable enough. These I drove for days before remembering how awful they were and how comfortable these were. When you are comfortable you don't think of comfort.

[KimJongSkillz]

On 11/15/2017 at 6:08 PM, mx71 said:

 I got them out of a 1998 Isuzu Rodeo, but could have just as well gotten them out of a 96-99 Honda Passport.

Are those passports & rodeo's the same?

 

I have sourced some 99 passport seats out in the desert by me & definitely need to swap my seats.

[TheProtoSmith]

Datzen,Mike which Subaru seats did you swap? Seems like it would be great!