Can Ford or Chevy bench mount backwards?

[dleeallen]

Continuing my daydreams about a van and packaging our family of 4 into one without a pop top. My kids are still young and will be in child seats for quite a while yet so I think keeping the first bench in place in a passenger van would make sense. Wondering if once arrived at camp if we could turn the bench around? Obviously swivel captains chairs would also work but trying to limit costs.

Currently thinking we'll have a platform bed for two adults in the back, maybe sleeping sideways in the windows for a little extra space. Then use that bench for a bed and maybe even a hanging bed over the front seats like a VW.

I'm not familiar with the way the benches mount in either Ford or Chevy. Not really looking to latch it into place, just have it be stable so we could all sit facing each other like a dinette.

 

[hyperboarder]

Thinking about the mounts I installed in my E250 (stock) I can't imagine why you couldn't flip them. I can't remember off hand if the mounts are symmetrical on the seat though. If they are, it should work. If not, I don't think they would.

 

[Herbie]

Astro van benches can definitely be flipped. Imagine Express/Savanna can also, but can't attest to that for sure.

 

[bknudtsen]

Not on an E-Series. The mounts are asymmetrical on the van floor (no two rows are the same) and are designed to mount forward only. Also, the Ford benches weigh a ton, which would make flipping them impractical.

 

[hyperboarder]

Now I'm going to have to try it. I only have one seat in the middle row position per bknudtsen's pic above. I really think it can be done.

 

[fielder441]

Don't see why the mounts couldn't be flipped. The newer style mounts are one piece.

 

[fielder441]

Don't mind the mess, had a parts van close and gave it a try. It works. Wouldn't be hard but could be a hassle.

 

[H2Ohammer]

I have a 2012 E350 and its easy to flip the benches. Just take the bench out, undo the 4 or 5 (depending what row) bolts and turn the bracket around. The benches are heavy, get a friend to help ya when it comes time to move them back in. You will lose function of your outer seat belts...Once everyone that has a belt is buckled in, whether its safe or not is another thing..

 

[Corneilius]

Don't mind the mess, had a parts van close and gave it a try. It works. Wouldn't be hard but could be a hassle.

Parts van ******

 

[dleeallen]

Did you have to take the mounting brackets (the legs) off the seat to turn it around?

I was thinking about just popping the seat out and turning it around.


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[fielder441]

You will have to flip the floor mounts. 8 bolts, not a huge deal but a hassle...

 

[fielder441]

Couldn't pass it up wanted 1500, offered 500 hoping he wouldn't take it and he handed me the keys. New tires and it's a chateau so it had nice buckets in it. Drove it home 120 miles. My wife laughed when he said ok.

 

[hyperboarder]

I can confirm, you'd have to flip the mounts or customize some (wouldn't be hard, notch them), but as is it wouldn't quite work.

 

[ert01]

A little off topic, but kinda related...

My family of 4 fits in our ford EB van just fine. No pop top or high top yet.

My girls are 2 and 3 so they're still in car seats. What I did is keep the front 2 buckets and I mounted a bed/bench from a Chateau van as the second row seat. When we fold it out into a bed, that's where my wife and I sleep and we put a mattress down on the open floor space behind the seat for the girls to sleep on. There's actually lots of room for all of us but obviously we don't have built in cooking or storage in the van. And I do plan to get a top sometime when the girls are bigger.

 

[dleeallen]

That's a layout I hadn't considered. I'd been set on me and my wife sleeping on a bed farthest back in the van. Too much looking at SMB layouts!

So ert01 - you have a total of four bucket seats plus the bed/bench? The driver and passenger, plus two more passenger buckets as the second row? Then the third row is a bed/bench? Behind that is a mattress on the floor?

And you just leave the car seats attached in the second row buckets all the time I assume?