So, I'm not sure in which portion of the 3rd Gen forum this post belongs. But, I thought it might be of some use to someone.

I have the front bench seat in my Dakota and I've been considering removing the middle the seat and replacing it with the center console. I never use use the seat as a seat and can't imagine trying to squish an adult in there. Kids aren't an option given the requirement for child seats these days. Maybe a dog would lie there. Anyhow, I'd like the storage space and additional cup holder with the console. I've read that there were brackets that were a part of the driver and passenger's seats. But, I could really see them. So, I figured I'd unbolt the seats and lean them back to get a good look. Besides, it needed a good cleaning under there, too.

So, while I had the seats leaned back, I took some pictures and compiled them in the document that I have attached to this post. For those wondering what it looks like under the seat or just what it takes to remove them to clean under them, this might be useful to you.

For those wanting to swap the middle seat for a center console, I would require cutting and rivet removal. The brackets on the passenger side are riveted and are not integral to the passenger seat. You could drill out the rivets and remove the brackets. The brackets on the driver's side are integral to the seat. You would have to get new brackets for the bucket seat setup or cut off the bracket arms. This assumes the center console doesn't fit on top of the brackets. I don't have any photos of how it goes into place. But, I assume it would sit right on the carpeted floor.

 

Read This Thread that I posted back in 2011, I did exactly what you wish to do. There are explanations and plenty of pictures showing what you will encounter to make the job easier for you. It's one of those mods that I can appreciate everyday that I'm in my truck. Read through it before you start.

 

Great write-up. Thanks for the link.

Looks like the only thing that changed was the center console. The seats are the same between the '05 and the '11.

 

Close. Looks like they got rid of the passenger seat airbag sensors at some point too. My 2011 does not have the weight sensors in the lower seat cushion.

 

I've got two cables under my passenger seat. I have heated seats. So, I assume one is for the heater. I thought the other would be for the seat sensor. What would the other be for? 'Cuz that would make working on the seats a lot easier if that sensor were missing.

 

Could also be a club cab versus quad cab thing on later years also. Maybe they only kept them in club cabs?

I had a 2005 Quad Cab that went to the dealer several times for issues with the weight sensors on the front passenger seat.

My 2011 quad cab has no electrical connections on the front passenger seat at all. I even had them apart last week to clean the covers.

 

Mine is a quad cab, too. I know one of the wires under my seat is for the seat heater. I had the cover off the driver's seat a couple of weeks ago. I was trying to steam the cushion to see if I could firm it up a bit (didn't work much...just reformed the edges). And, the cable under the passenger seat looks exactly like the heater cable on the driver's seat. Maybe the second one is for the back heater or the seat belt chime when the passenger doesn't buckle up. :/

Either way, it's nice to know that I don't have to worry about a butt sensor in the seat.

Oh, thanks for the picture with the driver's seat removed. Good to see how the later ('08-11) console sits on the floor. Looks like I have two options:
1) Find someone with bucket seats that wants to trade for my bench seat.
2) Cut the brackets like Dakotaff did when I can find a console at a reasonable price. (not $200)

 

I started down the same route and ended up just swapping the left and right lower cushions. The driver side cushion is a little thicker so it was a tight fit when moved to the passenger side seat frame.

To use the passenger cushion on driver seat frame, I just picked up some 1" high density foam to add some thickness to the bottom of the cushion before installing. I added one extra layer for good measure.

​​​I feel like the drivers seat is about 3/4" higher now but it is MUCH more comfortable. They always felt very hard to me but now feel a little plush.

I can probably get another good ten years out of this thing.

 

I hadn't thought of swapping the sides. They seemed like mirror images of each other when I looked under the seat. But, adding the high density foam underneath is a great idea. Got any pictures? Is it basically just a flat insert that sits between the wire supports and the OEM cushion? What foam did you use?

 

I wish I took some but was in a rush.

I just used whatever I could find at Joanne Fabrics. It wasn't as dense as the OEM foam but worked. The stuff I bought was 1" thick, about 22" wide and on a roll about 4' long. I cut two pieces that fit perfectly in the pocket of the bottom side of the cushion and curled it at the front to match the cutout for the seat frame.

One extra step I did was cut out and glue part of an old towel to the bottom of the foam to help keep the seat frame wire from cutting through it. It did look like the OEM foam had some sort of protective cloth on the bottom for that same purpose so I tried to do the same.

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