LJ78 front bench seat

[Ash Awbery]

Has anybody tried fitting a front bench seat to an LJ78/KZJ78? Specifically with the auto gearbox?

There may be a possibility of extending our family so I may need a 6th seat. My LJ78 came with a 3rd row but I took it out and install a dog guard so I can store all my off-road camping gear.

A front bench seams like it could be a “simpler” option.

Has anyone done it?

Does anyone have any pictures of how the seat mounts in the centre?

70 series are quite rare in the UK and even rarer with a bench seat so want to do some homework before jumping in head first.

The other option is I get my shorty back on the road and take two trucks but additional family members come with additional cost….

 

[coldtaco]

there isn't a front "bench" seat. the passenger seat usually in a HD 70 is a two person seat. there is still space between the drivers seat and the passenger seat. I believe you would have to find/install another captive nut for one of the bolts that bolts the seat frame to the floor. mine (HJ75) had the captive nut in the floor for the single seat passenger seat I just had to locate the position of the captive nut and remove the top skin over the captive nut. i don't have a LJ/KZ 78 here to see how the floor is for a auto vs a manual. as they say "anything is possible"

 

[Gubbtratt1]

I'm considering doing the same for my manual LJ70. 70 series 2 person passenger seats are very rare in Finland though. Will one from a 60 series fit? If so, how much will I have to modify the floor mounts?

 

[coldtaco]

I'm considering doing the same for my manual LJ70. 70 series 2 person passenger seats are very rare in Finland though. Will one from a 60 series fit? If so, how much will I have to modify the floor mounts?

i'm no expert but i'm pretty sure a 60 is wider than a 70, and the floor is different.

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

75 Series had a front bench passenger seat. So did Light Duty 70 Series trucks for General Markets. The latter were mostly LHD.

It would be worth looking for a 75 Series bench passenger seat from a wrecker in, say, Australia.

Chances are captive nuts are there.




Juan

 

[Ash Awbery]

there isn't a front "bench" seat. the passenger seat usually in a HD 70 is a two person seat. there is still space between the drivers seat and the passenger seat. I believe you would have to find/install another captive nut for one of the bolts that bolts the seat frame to the floor. mine (HJ75) had the captive nut in the floor for the single seat passenger seat I just had to locate the position of the captive nut and remove the top skin over the captive nut. i don't have a LJ/KZ 78 here to see how the floor is for a auto vs a manual. as they say "anything is possible"

Thanks for the info, I knew they weren’t a complete bench, in my industry we would refer to a twin or double passenger seat as a bench seat.

Do you have any pictures of how the seat mounts? In your 75? I have only ever seen them in single cabs and I have no idea if the floor or seat mounts differ.

 

[coldtaco]

Those rigs with a fuel tank under the front seats have shorter legs vs your style. So unless there were other models with the “bench” seat in models with the fuel tank in the rear you would have to fabricate longer legs. Maybe “poverty “ models of the 70/73/74 had “ bench” seats if so it would probably help a lot if you could find one of these. Of course you would need a appropriate lhd or rhd version.

 

[Ash Awbery]

Those rigs with a fuel tank under the front seats have shorter legs vs your style. So unless there were other models with the “bench” seat in models with the fuel tank in the rear you would have to fabricate longer legs. Maybe “poverty “ models of the 70/73/74 had “ bench” seats if so it would probably help a lot if you could find one of these. Of course you would need an appropriate lhd or rhd version.

Cool thanks thats the kind of info I need. They are not common here so I can’t really go a look at one to find out, and it’s an expensive project if it doesn’t fit. To be honest it might be easier to see if I can find another bench seat and make fit, if I’m going to have to mod it anyway.

Thanks again.

 

[Gubbtratt1]

Cool thanks thats the kind of info I need. They are not common here so I can’t really go a look at one to find out, and it’s an expensive project if it doesn’t fit. To be honest it might be easier to see if I can find another bench seat and make fit, if I’m going to have to mod it anyway.

Thanks again.

I've seen 60 series bench seats in LJ70s. I don't know if you'll have to do more modding than just new mounts for that though, which is why I asked about it earlier. I do also believe the ridiculously wide 1 person seats of some Volkswagen Caravelles could fit and be modified to a two person seat (add a seatbelt and maybe move the headrest to one side if you want to be really fancy). Most "bench" seats are much too wide though, since they're mainly in lorries and vans with much wider cabs than a 70 series.