Mid-Size Truck Seat Height

turnerc7

Member
I am looking for a vehicle to start a family overland build on, I think a truck is the way to go.

I have a problem however, I would like to stay with a midsize truck to take advantage of the new small diesels and their mileage. In trying them I cant seem to get comfortable, all the seats are too low and end up hurting my back. I drive a Ram 1500 for work and its seating position is much better for me.

So the question is, is there a fix for this? I asked my local GMC dealer and they just said put a pad on the seat, perhaps a workable solution if not very elegant.

I would love to hear if anyone has had the same problems and if they have been able to solve them.

Cheers
 

alphaecho4386

New member
I'm 6'1 260lbs and I have a Colorado. It's much more comfortable than the Tacoma was for me, but it's still not amazing. I did a roadrip in it, several hours a day for a week, and never hated it, but never really loving them either. I came away with, "eh, they're seats and they work"
A full size was way more comfortable, but while I would be more comfortable in it, in all other ways of my life it would have been uncomfortable; Parking, mileage, fuel, more expensive purchase, and more. So I guess you can find some comfort there.

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
 

turnerc7

Member
Thanks for you input alphaecho4386

I had a very similar experience with my Tacoma when I had it. I actually think part of the reason I had back surgery was years of commuting in that truck, my only criticism of it by the way.

You are also correct in your assumption of the rest of the benefits of the mid size platforms and that is exactly why I am looking at them.

As for the seats, I am surprised that there are not brackets or frames being made to raise them, I have been in the automotive racing world for a while and there are racing seat frames in different heights, I wonder why there is no crossover that I can find?
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
You can put a block of billet Al under the seat mounts and use longer seat bolts if you need the whole seat up higher. Check steering wheel travel and visor height to make sure you can go up more.

I've had a similar problem. 2015 Ford Superduties have the curve of the seat set for people too short. Any one tall with a barrel chest, gets pushed forward by the top half of the seat back. Many trucks do this. The 99-2004 Mustangs are the same way. They didn't fix it until 2017, with the Superduties, a few years earlier with the F150.

Isn't there a diesel Dodge 1500 that gets mileage similar to the Colorado? I wouldn't look past the F150's either.
 

1stDeuce

Explorer
After sitting in a bunch of Toyotas and a previous gen Colorado, I would say it's not that the seat is too low, but that the floor is too high.
The newer "trucks" have me sitting more like a car, with my feet out front, instead of having my knees bent like a proper truck.
If this is the case, you would probably have to raise the seat 4" or more to get your legs where you want them... Probably not possible, unless you raise the roof too. ??

I think the last midsize truck with proper "truck" seating was probably the Dakota. Before that, the Ranger and S10.
 

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