Question about power buckets

[bigcrippledan]

Hello everybody! I've found a set of power buckets with the console out of a 96 for $25 (brackets and everything). However I'm not wanting or needing them to stay power. So I have a silly question. When I recover them can I just remove all the electronics and everything? Or just like..cover up the controls and have no negative side effects? Sorry if this is a really stupid question. I'm just kind of doing everything as best I can pretty much on my own here, haha. Thanks in advance for any answers!

 

[sewlow]

I like the power option. Micro-adjustable! As opposed to the manual pre-set positions.
But if you don't want the power, you would have to replace the electric tracks with the manual ones. Otherwise, your seats will be impossible to move. They'd always be in the same position.
Why no electrics? It's just a two wire hook-up. Power & ground. Three if the seats have the lumbar air bag.
If the seat motors have issues, it's not hard to get them up & running again. Check all the wiring connections, & switches.
The seats in my black truck had been submerged in a ditch when they were in the original truck. Then left to sit for a year.
When I got them, the motors were still full of water. Corrosion everywhere. Took them all apart, cleaned them, polished the rotors & stators, a bit of simple re-wiring, & for the last 7 years, they've never quit working.

 

[bigcrippledan]

Is it really that easy? I don't think there's anything wrong with the motors I just didn't think I needed electric seats. I'm swapping them into my truck which is currently a raggedy old bench seat. I'm not sure if the guy I'm buying 'em from is including the rails in the purchase. Unless rails and brackets are the same thing just called differently. Sorry, I'm new to this whole customization thing and trying to learn it all. The seats are from a EC and I have a RC. I've seen a couple threads here that showed steps to the process but I can no longer find them. :/ Is there a thread you know of that does a step by step of the swap? I'd be pretty appreciative, man.

Also thanks for the reply. I think I may keep 'em power!

 

[SixSpeedSS]

When I swapped the buckets (power drivers side & lumbar both) into my '96 from the split (non power, but lumbar both sides) bench...the power connections were already in the truck. It was completely plug & play. Only had to drill one hole as well.

Hopefully you got the inside seat belts as they are different from a bench seat.

 

[sewlow]

They will bolt in. But, you will have to drill 4 holes in the floor for the inside tracks of the bucket. Some guys have had to modify one of the inside rear mounts. I'm not sure which, as my truck didn't need this. My truck originally was a bench, too. The seats are out of an Escalade.
If the seats don't come with the tracks, then I don't know if I'd buy them. But for the price he's asking, it might be worthwhile to find some tracks at the wreckers. I would insist on the tracks, though.
It could be that he's not including the uprights. You'd have to get 2 more. You can use the outers from the bench on the buckets. Another set from a bench could be used for the inners, but they may have to be modded. Not sure of that, 'cause I haven't had to do that. I'm only going from my experience. Someone else that has done that could probably chime in with that info. It could be that they don't need to be modded.
He might not be including the uprights. Get him to clarify!
I wired mine into the distribution block for the stereo. I only used 2 of the outlets for the stereo, so there were 2 more outlets that I didn't use. I grounded them to the mounting bolts for the seats that go through the floor.
I got to remove the seats from the donor myself, so I cut the harness on the other side of the connection. That way if I ever have to remove the seats I don't have to undo all the wiring. Just undo the clip connection as the originals were.

 

[SixSpeedSS]

OP...is your truck an ext cab or reg cab? If ext cab, then major mounting issues on pass side (tilt/slide).

On mine, I got seats out of a 4dr tahoe (identical material). Then I used my pass side lower seat and pass side upper from the bucket. I had to move one bracket over to make it all work. Driver's seat bolted in with one hole needed to be drilled.

The whole job wasn't too bad. You'd be hard pressed to tell that my truck didn't come with buckets from the factory.

 

[bigcrippledan]

My truck is a regular cab

 

[SixSpeedSS]

OK then much simpler.

The EC & Tahoe 2dr pass seat is entirely different than any of the other trucks. The whole seat is different.

 

[sewlow]

The whole job wasn't too bad. You'd be hard pressed to tell that my truck didn't come with buckets from the factory.

Yup! Wasn't too hard at all. An easy afternoon. Hardest part was lugging the seats into the cab! As usual!
The same with mine, too. Can't tell that it was originally a bench seat truck.

Another thing. Use the biggest washers possible on the underside of the floor for the new inside bolt holes. Don't want those bolts pulling through the floor.

 

[bigcrippledan]

Hmm..I'm now wondering about all the rails and things. I know he pulled these seats because he put newer style buckets in. I'm not sure what all is included. If he doesn't include them I have like..15 junkyards within a couple of miles that I could probably find this stuff at. I just can't pass up what he's offering for $15. When I was priced last for some buckets in a rougher shape the dude was firm on $75 with no brackets at all.

Assuming he doesn't include the tracks or anything other than just mounting brackets I could find them online too right? Like maybe from LMC or Classic Auto Parts or something I'd imagine.

But again thanks guys for the input! I greatly appreciate it!