Can the middle row be moved backwards?

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TURNz

TURNz

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I thought of something today.... Mine is a Yukon XL, with the full rear doors. The floor in the rear is even with the wheelwells, the whole frame of my seats is in front of the "shelf" of the rear floor. I don't know if the regular Yukon or Tahoe has the same type of brackets - I know my OBS '96 Tahoe had brackets that were vertical, and mounted up against the "shelf", with the backs of the seats hinging from the "shelf". If your rear seat does this, about the only option you have to move the seats back would be to get a third row seat, go to a junkyard and cut the recessed mounts out of the floor of a wrecked vehicle, and cut/fabricate/install those mounts as far forward in the rear cargo area as you can. If you wanted to go through all that trouble, you'd have about 12-15" more legroom for the rear passengers, and the same amount less in the rear cargo area.

If yours looks like this, then you're SOL.....

View attachment 78346

My bad.
I couldn't tell from the first pictures that your floor was flat. Yes, mine has the step. Though it looks like there's maybe an inch or 1.5 between the bent part of the bracket and the step. I was wondering when you said 3 or 4 inches was possible.

Thanks again

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YukonXL04

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I thought of something today.... Mine is a Yukon XL, with the full rear doors. The floor in the rear is even with the wheelwells, the whole frame of my seats is in front of the "shelf" of the rear floor.
My bad.

Hey, so I have a yukon xl too and have toyed with the idea of moving the seat back as well. I have my 3rd row removed, never to be used again. So I don't need to be able to access that lever to slide the seat foreward. How far can I actually go back? Haven't gone through un bolting the seat yet to find out. Was hoping if I removed that lever I could go another inch or 2.
 

BigDaddy13440

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Hey, so I have a yukon xl too and have toyed with the idea of moving the seat back as well. I have my 3rd row removed, never to be used again. So I don't need to be able to access that lever to slide the seat foreward. How far can I actually go back? Haven't gone through un bolting the seat yet to find out. Was hoping if I removed that lever I could go another inch or 2.

The lever isn't for moving the seat forward, but to flip the back of it down, so you can have a 4x8 flat cargo area.

Where that lever is, put a piece of masking tape on the carpet right behind it. Take your seat out, and beat that piece of tape with a sledgehammer (I used a 3lb mallet). You want to dent that spot in (it's actually the wheelwell), I pushed it in about 1 1/2". Then set your seats back in place, but NOT on the studs - set them in as far back as they will sit, right up against the "shelf". Then measure the distance from the bolt holes to the studs themselves - should be about 2 1/2" or so. Make your brackets to that dimension, you're good to go.

If you have no intention of ever folding the second row seats down, you could cut off that lever, and with denting in that area, gain almost 3 1/2" in legroom. But I wouldn't advise that, we ALL have hauled some big bulky shit in the back.
 

YukonXL04

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Oh yea, na I definitely can't give up folding the seats down. Might be able to relocate it though. I was very disappointed in rear seat room in this thing. I might try pulling my seats this weekend and looking to see what I can gain.

Thanks alot!
 

Bucky1

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Looking at the 2011 Denali, I have 3-4" I could probably go back from stock before hitting the raised area. But mine aren't bolted down. there are welded in loops for the fold and tumble deal. Not sure how one would securely fab a bracket for that. Plus, we do need to consider that the belts on the pillar will be several inches ahead of the passenger's body.
 

bldn10

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You guys seem to know your stuff about our seats so allow me to confirm what I have heard.

I am looking for a "new" 02-06 because I need the full cargo area to haul stuff and the 2nd row seats in the next generation apparently don't fold flat. I'm finding a no. of good trucks but many have 2nd row buckets. So, are these statements true:
1. All 02-06 Tahoes and Yukons have 2nd row benches that fold flat (i.e. I can use any model year)
2. I can put the buckets from the "new" truck to my old one (to sell) and the bench from mine in the "new" one.
3. Both types of seats bolt right in to the same brackets, no mods needed.
 

PG01

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You guys seem to know your stuff about our seats so allow me to confirm what I have heard.

I am looking for a "new" 02-06 because I need the full cargo area to haul stuff and the 2nd row seats in the next generation apparently don't fold flat. I'm finding a no. of good trucks but many have 2nd row buckets. So, are these statements true:
1. All 02-06 Tahoes and Yukons have 2nd row benches that fold flat (i.e. I can use any model year)
2. I can put the buckets from the "new" truck to my old one (to sell) and the bench from mine in the "new" one.
3. Both types of seats bolt right in to the same brackets, no mods needed.

1. Yes they fold flat, only thing you lose space on is the headrests which flip back but its 3” maybe 4”.

2. Yes but, carpet maybe different or maybe just have to cut carpet for bolt holes.

3. Only mod I foresee is pulling the carpet in truck with buckets to locate the holes. It looks close tho so it may just swap right in, no holes to find....see pics, red circle0A2A1D21-62F4-45F8-9333-A72ACA102BF1.jpegB931C1E9-4FB3-464C-9819-917309E5B470.jpeg
 

bldn10

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Thanks for the photos; looks like you been there, done that.
The only problem I see is that the bracket under the bench center appears to be further apart from its complement on the right [in the photo] than the left side. I.e. I'll have to relocate that bracket in both trucks. Right?
 

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