[Styles]

It's well know the 3rd row seat weighs a bit and is a little too big for one person to muscle around without dragging the hooks on the carpet (or vinyl). I wanted to be able to install and remove the seat on my own with relative ease and move it wherever it needed to be without scratching the van or the hooks on the floor. I use a tall floor jack to support one side when taking out / installing the seat but a standard height jack would work just fine.

I started with a furniture dolly from the local home depot since the castors were cheaper per lb capacity when attached to the dolly. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-1-000-lb-Capacity-Furniture-Dolly-33700/100057209

The size worked out well. I cut the carpeted ends off leaving the castors installed. Next I used the throw away non carpeted pieces cut to fit and sistered the pieces on the underside of the carpeted piece so that it was double thickness the entire length. This serves to space the castors up.

Next are some 2x4s cut to 44" attached in parallel to the carpeted castor parts 10.75" to the outside edge (make sure the castors can spin freely). and set in 3.75" from the outter edge so that the carpeted parts just clear the front hook levers on the seat when installed. I attach the dolly to the seat with a small ratchet strap over the center of the seat center mount.

 

[Vadim]

How do you offload this setup from the van down?

 

[Styles]

I use a floor jack to hold one side while I lift the other.

 

[kdadams69]

How do you position it to get it in and out of the van?

 

[Styles]

How do you position it to get it in and out of the van?

The seat is tilted forward for removal and the dolly attached. It comes out of the front hooks and onto the wheels when stood upright again then I just turn it 90 degrees and go straight out the back.

I've also found that taking the headrests out make the seat removal way easier for both the 2nd and 3rd rows.

 

[kdadams69]

I see. I have been struggling with the third row. Only removed and installed once and I had a tough time getting it past the two side walls near rear doors. I like the dolly idea. I just happen to have a home made one and will try and adapt. Thanks for the idea Styles.

 

[hank]

great idea! I move my back seats in and out with a regular hand truck - center the hand truck then lean the seats back until they're lying on the hand truck. In and out of the car I lift one end in, then lift the other end and "walk" the seat in, rocking it back and forth until it's in place. This is a little rough on the van's floor, but since I have thick rubber flooring in mine I don't worry about damaging the carpet.

But it surely is a task I don't look forward to - anything to make it easier, thanks!

 

[emcain]

Thanks for the idea, my local Lowe's stocked that dolly and I will be building one based on your specs!

 

[Styles]

Cool. Let us know how it works out.

 

[kdadams69]

Success.

Thanks to Styles and his great pics with dimensions, I repurposed my existing four wheel dolly to his specs and wow! It is spot on and made it oh so easy to spin inside the van and bring it out longways. Cannot thank you enough Styles as this was my wife's biggest complaint. She is a mere 125lbs and can lift but I don't want her to have to work that hard. The comparisons to her old long gone 04 suburban third row are fading away!

 

[emcain]

I created one bases on the specs provided by Styles and it worked well. Not of caution, make sure your fingers don't get pinched by the steel frame. It weighs a lot. Thanks again for the idea! I have mine sitting in a storage area on the dolly.

 

[fishtales]

Styles:

Does that small block on top of the 2x4 between the end of the 2x4 up to the carpet cross member have a purpose? Looks like it is flush with the top of carpeted piece. I see them in your picture taken from the side view once the seat is on, but not in your assembly directions. I want to make one and am seeing if this should be added or not.

Thanks

 

[Styles]

Styles:

Does that small block on top of the 2x4 between the end of the 2x4 up to the carpet cross member have a purpose? Looks like it is flush with the top of carpeted piece. I see them in your picture taken from the side view once the seat is on, but not in your assembly directions. I want to make one and am seeing if this should be added or not.

Thanks

It's there to take some of the load off the 2x4 just to keep it from getting beat up since there is just the small lip of the seat that sits on it. It's made from cutting a grooved banding block in half lengthwise. I had a couple and they were a good fit.

 

[vito_447]

Great Idea - thanks for posting - I took my rear out by myself - dragged it on a dolly cart to the back of my shop & put it under a 8 ft table - where it will probably sit for most of it's life unless I want to become a shuttle bus driver - I think I will construct a unit like yours just in case I need to use it -