Installing Ford Transit Seats in a Chevy Express Van

[Guoseph]

I got some transit seats from a friend and want to install it in my chevy express awd passenger van. I got 2 double seaters, 2 single jump seats, and half of the 4 person back row. It's not all gonna fit but I was gonna attempt a 2/2/(2+1) configuration if I can get the rails to line up.

If you have installed Transit seats or any other seats in a Chevy Express AWD, can you please help me with the following?

If you had to buy the seat rails, which ones did you buy and do you have a link or part number?
Did you need to reinforce the ford seat rails under the van?
Are there accessibility issues when working underneath where fuel tank, drive train etc prevented you from accessing certain bolt locations?
Are there "no drill zones" on the floor of the chevy van?

Thanks a bunch,

Alex

 

[Gat]

I added these to my Econoline and they've worked great for two years. Here are a few pics of my install. I know it's not an Express but hopefully it'll give you something. Can't wait to see the install! Let me know if you have any questions.

Here are some pics of my install of Ford Transit seats into my E250. I mounted the rails through the floor and body cross members using grade 8 hardware and large body washers. The longer rails use (3) bolts to mount while the shorter rails used (2) bolts each. I was lucky that the spacing of the body cross members were perfect for the rail lengths (I only had to drill one additional hole in each rail).

I mounted the seats in the rails and then marked the floor for the holes. I had to massage two areas where the floor ribs interfered with the rails (all rails are on the lower portion of the ribs).

Placing the rails : http://imgur.com/7iccQOI
Seats in : http://imgur.com/PnU4zZ3
Foam mats around rails : http://imgur.com/8WAxxmL
Wood floor cut around rails : http://imgur.com/LJ7YNQP
Done! : http://imgur.com/sSdIUIB

 

[Guoseph]

Thanks, those pictures help. I really like using that foam stuff, I think I have some of that from when the kids were little.

Did you have to buy the rails or did they come with your seats? Did you do anything to reinforce the bolts under the van? How did you tighten the bolt/nut above and below at the same time? Two people one above one below?

 

[Fork-N-Road]

Did you have to buy the rails or did they come with your seats?

Rails are available separately on eBay

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

There should be a sticker with (3?) colored dots on it attached to the seat framework under your seat. This corresponds to the proper stickered seat rails as I understand it.

 

[Gat]

Thanks, those pictures help. I really like using that foam stuff, I think I have some of that from when the kids were little.

Did you have to buy the rails or did they come with your seats? Did you do anything to reinforce the bolts under the van? How did you tighten the bolt/nut above and below at the same time? Two people one above one below?

My seats came with the rails. I bolted through the floor in areas where there was also a body cross member. I used large washers on the underside as well. Yes, it took two people to get the hardware tightened. Seems I was always the one under the van

 

[Suganuma]

Gat - just trying to clarify what we're seeing in the photos. Did you use two double seaters or is that 4-man bench? Any clearance issues as you went in to finish off the walls?

 

[Gat]

Gat - just trying to clarify what we're seeing in the photos. Did you use two double seaters or is that 4-man bench? Any clearance issues as you went in to finish off the walls?

I used two double seaters next to each other. I don't plan to finish the interior walls so I haven't had any clearance issues.

 

[86scotty]

They will be much taller in your Chevy than you think, like to the ceiling tall.

 

[710m]

I hope I'm not to late to the party. But my build thread shows how I put my Transit seats in my Chevy Express (post #41).

Quigley 4x4 Chevy Express build

(I'll probably use Scepter MWC water cans with either a foot pump or a drop in whale pump.... I LOVE my foot pump, draws from a 7 gallon reliance jug. Highly recommend, my biggest thing with the Surflow 12v pumps is the noise while cycling. Also negates the need for a valve on the faucet and...

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