Can crew cab rear seats recline?

wirelessness · 10-26-2004, 01:05 AM

Has anyone been able to figure out a way to get the rear seats in the Crew Cab to recline a bit? Maybe by moving them forward a little it would be possible to tilt back some? Any ideas?
Thanks!!!

TuffTitan · 10-26-2004, 02:19 AM

I had this issue with my Toyota Tundra, but that back seat was horrible! I don't think the Titan is bad at all. However on the Tundra, I was able to change the angle of the seats slightly by adding washers (which act as spacers) to where the seats bolt to the floor (front of seat only) This in effect causes the seat angle to change slightly. I'm not sure if this same practice will work on the Titan because I think the seats are mounted to the back wall rather than the floor???

VShortt · 10-26-2004, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TuffTitan

I had this issue with my Toyota Tundra, but that back seat was horrible! I don't think the Titan is bad at all. However on the Tundra, I was able to change the angle of the seats slightly by adding washers (which act as spacers) to where the seats bolt to the floor (front of seat only) This in effect causes the seat angle to change slightly. I'm not sure if this same practice will work on the Titan because I think the seats are mounted to the back wall rather than the floor???

That said, then doing the same to the lower bolts should effectively produce the same effect. I personally have never looked at mine to see how this could be done. Look at your mounting bolt or mounting plate situation. If its possible, then try a few washers on the bottom bolts. It should help considerably. Just be sure to make sure that they still fold properly.

bestatchess · 10-26-2004, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wirelessness

Has anyone been able to figure out a way to get the rear seats in the Crew Cab to recline a bit? Maybe by moving them forward a little it would be possible to tilt back some? Any ideas?
Thanks!!!

The position of the seat back is constrained by the latch mechanism on the rear cab wall. The position of the seat is constrained by the mounting bolts and cooperating threads in the floor. I don't think you are moving the rear seats forward without some custom seat brackets or custom modifications to the seat brackets. Since the passenger and driver seat mounting brackets overlap and inter-engage, this would require precise work. If you just put washers under the front mounting bolts, I don't think that changes anything with the seat back to rear cab wall latch mechanism.

I am not advocating this, but it occurs to me that modifying the seat back to rear cab wall latch mechanism might allow the rear seat back to recline a little bit more. Specifically, the seat back latch mechanism includes a bracket that bolts to the reat cab wall. A generally U-shaped wire latch member projects forwardly from the bracket and engages the cooperating latch in the seat back. This is the latch that you disengage by pulling up on the fabric loop. Perhaps the legs of the U-shaped wire latch member could be shortened so that the U-shaped wire latch member does not project forwardly as far, thus allowing the seat back to recline a bit further back before engaging the latch.

I have my rear seats out at the moment. The seat folding mechanism for folding the seat back down and the seat bottom up (the little grey lever on the side of the seat) does not appear to have any detent that restrains the seat back from reclining further. Rather, it appears that engagement with the latch on the rear cab wall determines the rear seat back reclining limit.

Proceed at your own risk, consult your doctor, etc.

P.S. The foregoing assumes (1) there is enough clearance between the rear seat back & headrest and the rear cab wall to allow further reclining and (2) the seat back latch mechanism will still engage the wire latch member with the wire latch member legs shortened and the seat back reclined further. If you visualize the rear seat back reclining further and the wire latch member moved back, this will cause the wire latch member to contact the cooperating latch on the seat back at a higher position on the seat back latch. If they won't engage at this new position, addition modification to the wire latch member (beyond just shortening the legs) would be required.

You would want to make sure of solid engagement of the latch, because the seat back will fly forward really fast in a crash.

And seat restraining mechanisms and latches are not that great anyway. A few years ago, I got rear ended while stopped in a traffic jam on the highway in a Tacoma by a full size Ford van going at a pretty good clip. The driver's seat broke loose from the slide rails, the seat back pivot mechanism failed, and my head went out through the back window of the king cab style Tacoma. I woke up in the hospital not remembering much for a couple of weeks (like my address & phone number). That is one reason I bought a crew cab, to have a little more space between my head and the rear of the cab.

wirelessness · 10-26-2004, 11:15 AM

Thanks for the updates. I am asking this question mainly because I am considering the Titan LE CC or the Armada. My wife wants the Armada and of course I want the CC. One of her main reasons is because of the reclining seats in the Armada. This is a valid point because we will use either vehicle for trips to the mountains with 4 adults. Two people will have to ride back there for 3 or maybe even 8 hours (Big Bear or Mamoth). I really want the pickup because of the versatilty. I cant try it out before I buy though.
Thanks!!!