2005 Suburban Seats and Belts in a 1990

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bad_idea

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Elizabeth City, NC
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Ben
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1990
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V1500
Engine Size
6.2L Diesel
I have a 1990 Suburban with bucket seats in the front and a second and third row bench. I found a 2005 Suburban with the same seating configuration and would like to swap over the seats and belts. I can fit and weld seat tracks as needed, not too concerned about that. Would be nice if they bolt in though, anyone know if they will?

Next hurdle is the seat belts. I see the front seats and third row in the 2005 have the belts mounted in the seats, easy enough. My concern is the second row, does anyone know if the belts for the second row will bolt in?

Last issue to sort - the wiring. I would like power seats with heaters. I would prefer to pull the harness from the 2005 up to a point I can just wire in power and ground at the fuse block. Anyone have experience pulling the wiring?

Appreciate the help all.
 

Vbb199

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Random, but i see youre in NC.
im in salisbury.
Wanna sell those seat from the 90? Or trade?
 

bucket

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Nope, the seats don't bolt in at all and the fronts will require major floor surgery unless you don't mind the steering wheel in your lap and your head close to the headliner. The second row belts won't bolt in either.

As for the wiring, the old way just had a power and ground to the seat. I think starting in '03 a BCM was put to use. It wouldn't surprise me if the BCM had control over the seat heaters. But maybe not.
 

Bennyt

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I used those front seats in my '89 K5. I probably wouldn't have done it again. I had to weld a plate directly to the track as any type of spacer would have raised the seats too much as it is already a tight fit. The seats were also a bit wide and if you centered it with the steering wheel, it rubbed on the door panel. I had the widest Tuffy Console and it rubbed on that side too. I believe I had to actually offset the passenger to the outside to fit it all.

My seats had armrests which was nice but if I did do it again, I'd buy the seats without armrests and a narrower console.

Both seats had heaters but only the drivers was power. I used a Painless fuse box mounted on the kick panel behind the parking brake to power that and other electrical accessories.
 

bad_idea

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Well. That isn't the news I was hoping to hear. I'm going over to the guy's house today to look at the seats. I'll pull some measurements and do some figuring before I pull the trigger. Appreciate the feedback y'all.

Vbb199, I'd be interested in offloading the 90 seats if/when I get the newer seats swapped in. I'm open to trades, what you got?
 

Vbb199

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350, 502
Well. That isn't the news I was hoping to hear. I'm going over to the guy's house today to look at the seats. I'll pull some measurements and do some figuring before I pull the trigger. Appreciate the feedback y'all.

Vbb199, I'd be interested in offloading the 90 seats if/when I get the newer seats swapped in. I'm open to trades, what you got?


Squarebody parts of course, what else? :p
 

bucket

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I used those front seats in my '89 K5. I probably wouldn't have done it again. I had to weld a plate directly to the track as any type of spacer would have raised the seats too much as it is already a tight fit. The seats were also a bit wide and if you centered it with the steering wheel, it rubbed on the door panel. I had the widest Tuffy Console and it rubbed on that side too. I believe I had to actually offset the passenger to the outside to fit it all.

My seats had armrests which was nice but if I did do it again, I'd buy the seats without armrests and a narrower console.

Both seats had heaters but only the drivers was power. I used a Painless fuse box mounted on the kick panel behind the parking brake to power that and other electrical accessories.

And K5's have a flat floor. Suburbans have a big hump under the seat, like a pickup.
 

bad_idea

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Elizabeth City, NC
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Ben
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1990
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V1500
Engine Size
6.2L Diesel
I didn't get to go look at the 2005 today, our schedules didn't line up. Probably tomorrow.

I did look at my 1990 though. I see what you all mean by the hump in the floor under the front seats. Looks like it shouldn't be too much trouble to cut the hump out and flatten the floor. I'll just have to get some gas for my MIG welder. Have some sheet metal left over from flattening the firewall in my 79 Camaro.

Any experience with mounting the second row? I see the 1990 has a long piano hinge that mounts the back rest. Not sure how the 2005 mounts. Figure I can ask the guy if I can cut the mounts for the seats out of the floor of the 2005 (considering it's a part out) if it's too complicated to reproduce or adapt to mine.
 

R Carnella

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I did this front seat swap in my 90 suburban,a lot of work but sooo worth it! And you don't need bcm for seat heating but you'll need door modules from donor vehicle. The rear seats just didn't seem very compatible.
 

R Carnella

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O i forgot the seat heat also needs data signal from ecm (only works when engine is running)
I have a gen 3 ls swap,i should have said that first sorry lol
 

R Carnella

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