[98DurangoJoe]

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.

Parts Needed:

• 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)

Tools Needed:

• Sockets
  • 7/8
  • 5/8
  • 10mm
  • extension
• Torx
  • T-45
  • T-30
  • T-15
• Pliers
• Philips screw driver
• Flat screw driver

 

[98DurangoJoe]

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

 

[98DurangoJoe]

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)

 

[98DurangoJoe]

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

 

[Justin Bareika]

good write up

 

[BigJay55]

The little cargo hatch behind the third row - How did you separate the backing from the rear of the seat from the top of the hatch?

 

[Snuffy]

Do you still have the tool compartment?