How To: Install 3rd Row Seating

33406 Views 18 Replies 8 Participants Last post by dreambodyfit, May 21, 2015

98DurangoJoe

Discussion Starter · Feb 6, 2012 (Edited)

4

In this thread i will be sharing my experience with installing 3rd row seating in my 5 seater 98 Durango. It is a pretty basic conversion and is not hard at all. It would be even easier if you take the parts from a donor vehicle yourself so you know exactly how it goes without thinking lol.

First things first, you need these parts for the conversion.

-Seat (4 Bolts)
-Rear panels with belt access holes (6 screws)
-Dual belt lock (1 Bolt and 1 washer)
-Belts (4 Bolts, 4 screws and 2 bolt covers)

These are the tools i used for this conversion (impact wrench was handy)

Sockets
-7/8
-5/8
-10mm
-extension

Torx
-T-45
-T-30
-T-15

Pair of plyers, phillips screw driver and a flat screw driver

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98DurangoJoe

Discussion Starter · #2 · Feb 6, 2012 (Edited)

10

Removing Panels and storage compartment

Using a flat screw driver i carefullty popped out the centre panel which was being held on by metal inserts

Once you have that off you will have one screw (phillips) at the top for each corner panel. and the rest just pops off (be carefull). the bottom trim panel near the bumper comes off also using a T-30 torx and a T-15 torx. Side panels have 2 screws each (phillips) that you also take off.

Now the storage

You will take the flat screw driver and pop these 2 caps (one on each side) from the floor and there are 2 bolts (7/8 socket) to take out with an extension

Open the compartment and there is one bolt (10mm) to remove

then in font of the compartment on the outside behind the middle seats are two more 10mm bolts that need to be removed.

Now the panels and storage is removed

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98DurangoJoe

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 6, 2012 (Edited)

8

Installing belts

Now, the side panels i left on, i had someone carefully hold them (bending open while rear compartment door was open) open while i installed the belts.

there will be an insert hole for the belt retractors

On the top of the retractors there are two hooks that you would hook into the two holes above the insert hole. then screw in the retractors with a T-45 torx (one for each side)

you will then screw the belt guide in (2 phillips screws ea. side)

feed the belt through the access hole in the interior panel and then screw and pop the panel back in, then screw the belt hanger to the wall panel using the 5/8 socket.

Then screw in the bottom of the belts to the provided bolts near the floor (the nut is part of the belt itself and is a 5/8).

Screw in the dual belt locks using the T-45 torx (it will have a tab to insert on the floor)

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98DurangoJoe

Discussion Starter · #4 · Feb 6, 2012 (Edited)

5

Installing Seat

Bolt the seat in using the 7/8 socket (4 bolts, 2 on ea. side)

Pop and screw the panels back in (usie the plyers to pull out the metal inserts because most of them will come off the panels and stay in the metal insert holes)

Now, Third Row seats are installed

Hope this helps, any questions or someone who noticed i missed something please PM me.

thanks for looking, and good luck

Joe

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brandofamily

· #5 · Feb 18, 2012

How are you going to handle the color difference.

TazRango

· #6 · Feb 18, 2012

I was going to say the same thing.. The how-to and the install itself look great, the tan parts in an agate interior, not so much..

Also, I noticed you didn't swap the 2nd row.. Does yours have the flip-up mechanism already? I thought 2-row trucks had a solid bench vs the flip-up.

98DurangoJoe

Discussion Starter · #7 · Feb 18, 2012

brandofamily said:
How are you going to handle the color difference.

I know, it sucks lol. But i had to get something fast to fit all my 4 kids in there and that was the first one to pop up. I'm still looking for the grey, just using this in the mean time. Only paid $100 for everything needed for the conversion and a bunch of other parts to. Was pretty quick installation so i wont be that bad to change it once i find the grey.

98DurangoJoe

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 18, 2012

TazRango said:
I was going to say the same thing.. The how-to and the install itself look great, the tan parts in an agate interior, not so much..

Also, I noticed you didn't swap the 2nd row.. Does yours have the flip-up mechanism already? I thought 2-row trucks had a solid bench vs the flip-up.

Thanks. Yeah, it looks shitty with the two colours lol, just for now though until i find the grey. But yeah my Rango's 2nd row already has the flip seats in it, looks to be factory.

TazRango

· #9 · Feb 18, 2012

Gotcha.. And good to know on the 2nd row!

That other thing I told you about is still in the works, I didn't forget!

98DurangoJoe

Discussion Starter · #10 · Feb 18, 2012

TazRango said:
Gotcha.. And good to know on the 2nd row!

That other thing I told you about is still in the works, I didn't forget!

It's all good, i enjoyed it lol. finally found something else i actually enjoy working on lol.

skitzo.d

· #11 · Feb 21, 2012

Is that the light grey or dark grey interior? I have the leather from the third row in dark grey. I also have the rear corner pieces and seat belts if you want them. I'll get them packed up, but shipping to Canada hurts a bit. parts wouldn't be much, but the shipping? I'll box them and check prices. I probably have your zip code, but send it again.

TazRango

· #12 · Feb 21, 2012 (Edited)

It would probably cost less for him to drive down to CT and pick them up... Shipping to Canada is a bitch, especially with the stupid import duties they slap on everything. Car seats are not something you can sneak through with a $0 value/gift exemption.

One time I sold a bicycle on ebay to a guy in Canada. Customs slapped a $170 duty tax on the bike - which sold for $250. And since the buyer refused to pay it, FedEx stuck me with the bill.. (I refused to pay it too, and now I can't ship with FedEx anymore).

98DurangoJoe

Discussion Starter · #13 · Feb 22, 2012

skitzo.d said:
Is that the light grey or dark grey interior? I have the leather from the third row in dark grey. I also have the rear corner pieces and seat belts if you want them. I'll get them packed up, but shipping to Canada hurts a bit. parts wouldn't be much, but the shipping? I'll box them and check prices. I probably have your zip code, but send it again.

pm sent

Amerch

· #14 · May 7, 2012

advice on how to

98DurangoJoe said:
pm sent

We are looking for parts to do this as well . How hard is it and where is the best place to get the parts ? We are in sunbury pa ,,,

We have 4 young kids so we really need to add the 3rd row

Snuffy

· #15 · May 27, 2013

I have the grey (same as the Durango used in this swap) 3rd row of seats, and I'm located in New Brunwick Canada. I'm more than willing to sell you my 3rd row, but I want the 3rd row storage compartment, so perhaps we could do a straight trade?

-snuffy

Durangomaryland

· #16 · Apr 29, 2014

5 door whore have any more parts? I am doing same conversion with grey interior. Cloth interior or anyone else have this set-up

Durangomaryland

· #17 · Apr 29, 2014

Any more people with parts

I am converting to third row. 98 grey interior cloth seats. Also any after market exhaust or air intake parts i am looking for as well

Durangomaryland

· #18 · Apr 29, 2014

Snuffy i have that grey storage and will trade

Snuffy lets trade now

dreambodyfit

· #19 · May 21, 2015

Where can I buy everything, and how much ? I need to put in a 3d row seat in my wife's 2004 Durango ? How long should it take to put together ? Thank you Mike

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