akdoggie

Yes the buckets will fit Bad....If you use your console. You have the stubby right?

paker

Would someone kindly explain seat construction? Rail, frame, track. If I take a seat from any vehicle (say Cadillac CTS), not the whole seat but the top part without metal, what becomes the issue? If there is a car seat anatomy 101, I will read it up. I don't comprehend the complexity seat swap, why I have to take a seat out of certain years, certain models. Thank you.

OhioLariat

The frame is typically part of the bottom of the seat assembly. This attaches to the top side of the (movable) rails, while the bottom part of the rail assembly bolts to the seat brackets. (Sometimes/usually the brackets and lower rail are one piece.)

Unless you are willing to do great modifications involving welding, new frame-attached threaded fastening points, etc., you are limited to using brackets which fit the existing bolt pattern(s) of the vehicle body. Matching seat bases (frames) and their bolt holes to other rail/bracket assemblies can be easier, but the width (of both the frame and the seat body itself) must be closely measured. Seat belt angles and attachment points must also be taken into consideration.

Because of all the variables in fitment, finding seats that are direct bolt in is the best way to go, and these are usually from vehicles of the same family and generation. There are some manufacturers, though, that used the same bolt patterns for multiple vehicles and years.

​​​​​​..

paker

Thank you for the explanation. What I was thinking: since our car seat track looks like the photo with 4 bolt holes at the top, I could take a seat from another car and fasten to these 4 holes.

At the salvage yard I found several expeditions but the fabric part is torn. Obviously Expedition parts are in demand and good seats seem to be taken by professional ebayers quick. What if I take a track from Expedition and find a seat of matching color from another car?

EDIT: Ignore this post. Later model Expedition seat seems to be a lot more complicated than this photo. I think this photo is for 97-03.

paker

I got power seats from 2004 Expedition. When I removed the seats, I wasn't aware there are 2 types, memory and non-memory. Unfortunately, I got a memory type. A practical difference from my perspective is this:

Non-memory type:
14 gauge wire runs between switch and motor, carrying 5A current. No mod is needed as far as I am concerned. Just connect 2 main wires to battery and ground.

Memory type:
Connecting 2 main wires to battery and ground doesn't move the seat. The memory module sits between the switches and motors. Switch has 20 awg signal wires running to memory module and 14 awg wires run between memory module and motor. I need to bypass the module and tie 14 and 20 awg wires together. So here is my question. Would you feel comfortable to run 5A over 20 awg wires?

akdoggie

18 gauge says it will carry 16 amps. I'd still put a fuse in line for grins and safety. I didn't know you got memory seats until last night., The module is avail on Rock Auto.

paker

Thank you AK for the assurance. I will go ahead and starting cutting and splicing. With inline fuse. Now a used module is available from me

Edit: I compared to no-memory passenger seat. Since they are mirror images, on the passenger side (all 14 awg):
YEL/LB & RED/LB: seat front up-down
YEL/LG & RED/LG: seat rear up-down
YEL/WH & RED/WH: seat front-back
GRY & GRY/BK: seat recline
RED/WHT & BLK: +12 & ground, same color wires at the black connector

on the driver side (all 20 awg):
GRY/LB & GRY/YE: seat rear up-down
YEL & RED/YE: seat front up-down
BRN/OG GRY/WH: seat front-back
BLU/YE * GRN/OG: recline
OG/LG & BLK/BL: +12 & ground, same color wires at the green connector.

In summary,
for passenger seat, RED/WHT ---- +12V, BLK ---- Ground,
for driver seat, DARK GRN & OG/LG ---- +12V, BLK & BLK/BL ---- Ground.

No need to cut and splice wires. Memory module stays in place.

paker

Power seat conversion is finally complete. Since I don't need most of the pins,


Lift the center locking piece out.




Remove unnecessary pins



Passenger side plug is prepared


Driver's side needs more wires. Yellow plug is for seat belt. ORG/LT GRN (green plug) and DK GRN (black plug) are connected to +12V. BLK/BLU (green plug) and BLK (black plug) are ground.


Project is complete. Now I need to find a seat cover that doesn't slide. These leather seats get hot quick under Florida sun. These are perforated but that doesn't help in Florida.

Thank you all for your advice. Any car seat cover recommendation?

paker

I would like to use the fan for air flow to seat bottom and back. Attached is the wiring diagram. What kind of motor is this? The resistance between + and - terminals is about 4 meg ohms. And it doesn't run on 12V.
Thank you.

EDIT: If anyone knows how climate control seat works (using Peltier thermoelectric device), please advise what kind of voltage and amperage I would need.