Need more legroom, any suggestions? 87 4Runner

[Ctenosaurian]

Hello-
I picked up a nice 87 4Runner a few months ago and love the truck. That being said, my biggest complaint is that the stock seats do not slide back far enough for me to have enough legroom. I am 6'1" and was wondering if anyone has come across any later Toyota seats that slide back further and are relatively easy to install. I have seen someone put in 2nd gen 4Runner seats, but I am not sure that they would slide back any further. Any help?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Devilmans Hand]

you can always fab up some "custom" fixed seat brackets out of some flat stock. I did this when I installed a captains chair into my 86 runner. Fixed position seat now, but I'm the only person that drives my truck.
Cheap and easy solution.
Just bolt seats to flatstock, bolt flatstock to stock holes in the floor.

 

[PAToyota]

I forget exactly how everything is attached with the stock seats, but you should be able to take things apart and reattach the sliders such that the seat is mounted a couple inches further back on them.

I put a pair of Subaru seats in my pickup and then a pair of Recaros. I made up brackets out of flat plate that bolt into the holes in the floorpan, bolted the sliders to the seats, and then positioned the seats and sliders where I wanted them before welding the sliders to the floor brackets.

 

[Devilmans Hand]

I believe the sliders are riveted onto the seat frame in three or four places per slider. You'll need to drill them out and even then it is still a PITA to relocate the mounting holes.
This project will be easier if you can weld.

you might just be able to create a new base that mounts to the floor, then bolt the seat frame with sliders to that base. Kind of like the simple fix for a fj40.

 

[dorton]

I think the new base for same seats will be the best route. Most of the later seats have a thicker bottom section height, which being 6'3" makes my head too close to the roof.

 

[PAToyota]

This project will be easier if you can weld.

Even if you cannot weld - drill the rivets out, figure out how you want things set up and mark everything, then take it to a friend or shop that can weld it back up for you.

 

[PGH854runner]

what i did was grind off the dimples that stop the track from sliding further back......then welded the tracks together solid......most people hate driving my truck because if your short you cant reach the pedals.......btw im 6 foot 325lbs

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Are you sure the seat is all the way back? I drove an '85 Runner for 10 years without being bothered by a legroom issue, and I'm 6'5" with a 35" inseam. On the other hand, a stock 40 or 60 series is seriously lacking in this department. The 2nd generation seats are very nice, if those would work out for you.

 

[Ctenosaurian]

Thanks for all the advice. I pulled the seats out to see if I could modify them to slide back further and was probably going to be drilling out the rivets. I only need another notch or two and I think that will make a big difference. I was hoping to avoid having to make new mounting brackets.