5th Gen Seats into a 4th Gen?

[emjohn4]

So whatsup with the seats you took out? They in good condition? You trying to make a few of them dollars back? Looking for some sport seats.

JP

Yup - I just posted the covers for sale today. The 4th gen seat frames had to be sacrificed for the swap...so only the covers are left.

https://www.ramforum.com/threads/fs-4th-gen-crew-cab-sport-oem-seat-covers.158367/#post-2234543

 

[slyangel9]

Got the back seats installed! I was able to reuse the 4th gen seat brackets, and install the 5th gen seats 'into' the brackets. I had to make 1/2-in spacers to install - while the seat supports were generally the same shape, they necked down at the mounting points.

I also had to use the seat back brackets from the 4th gen; apparently the hooks are a bit different on the 5th gen. So I cut the welds, and bolted them though the 5th gen seats with Grade 8 hardware.

Otherwise, all works and looks good!

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OMG!!! i've been wanting to do this and get rid of that middle jump seat. Since you re-used the same 4th gen rear brackets, could I simply get a hold of a 5th gen bottom seat (60% passenger side) and unbolt the 4th gen and rebolt the 5th?

 

[emjohn4]

OMG!!! i've been wanting to do this and get rid of that middle jump seat. Since you re-used the same 4th gen rear brackets, could I simply get a hold of a 5th gen bottom seat (60% passenger side) and unbolt the 4th gen and rebolt the 5th?

Yes (mostly), I think that would work. Since the 5th gen seat bottoms and backs are 1-inch narrower than the 4th gens, you'd still have to make a 1/2-inch spacer for each size; but if you do that, I don't see why it would not work!

 

[slyangel9]

Yes (mostly), I think that would work. Since the 5th gen seat bottoms and backs are 1-inch narrower than the 4th gens, you'd still have to make a 1/2-inch spacer for each size; but if you do that, I don't see why it would not work!

Thanks emjohn4, I took a look at the bolts that connect the brackets to the seat cushion frame and it appears there are two bolts on each side. Did the two bolts on each side line up or did you have to do some cutting/drilling to make the bolts line up?

 

[NHRAM28]

following this. couple of questions. I want to do this swap also, I have a 2017 2500.

did you notice any difference in the actual seat? I was looking at new trucks at the dealer today, the seat size and shape look exactly the same. I was thinking that you could just swap 5th gen seat covers on 4th gen seats. like with a katzkin kit or something. this may only be true on 2500/3500 trucks.

as for wiring... I have a friend with a 2020 tradesman so I can compare mine to his... the plugs under the seat look the same but I know for a fact the pins are in different locations for airbags. can you post a diagram?

 

[Canadian Mopar]

following this. couple of questions. I want to do this swap also, I have a 2017 2500.

did you notice any difference in the actual seat? I was looking at new trucks at the dealer today, the seat size and shape look exactly the same. I was thinking that you could just swap 5th gen seat covers on 4th gen seats. like with a katzkin kit or something. this may only be true on 2500/3500 trucks.

as for wiring... I have a friend with a 2020 tradesman so I can compare mine to his... the plugs under the seat look the same but I know for a fact the pins are in different locations for airbags. can you post a diagram?

The 19+ HD seats should be more or less plug and play. Might want to double check the wiring but the seats and the mounts are the same. The HDs are still using the cab from a 10-18 truck, they just added a similar interior to the 5th gen 1500s in it.
The true 5th gen 1500s use an entirely new cab with a flat floor, and bigger crew cab so the seats don't bolt up to the older trucks, which is what the OP was doing.

 

[emjohn4]

Thanks emjohn4, I took a look at the bolts that connect the brackets to the seat cushion frame and it appears there are two bolts on each side. Did the two bolts on each side line up or did you have to do some cutting/drilling to make the bolts line up?

I had to insert a spacer. Only one of the two holes lined up; so I built a spacer out of some bar stock. The one hole that lined up I did as a through hole in spacer, the other one, I bolted the spacer to the new seat, and the other one I bolted to the 4th gen seat bracket. This works out be three points of attachment as compared to the original two.

 

[emjohn4]

following this. couple of questions. I want to do this swap also, I have a 2017 2500.

did you notice any difference in the actual seat? I was looking at new trucks at the dealer today, the seat size and shape look exactly the same. I was thinking that you could just swap 5th gen seat covers on 4th gen seats. like with a katzkin kit or something. this may only be true on 2500/3500 trucks.

as for wiring... I have a friend with a 2020 tradesman so I can compare mine to his... the plugs under the seat look the same but I know for a fact the pins are in different locations for airbags. can you post a diagram?

The actual seats are significantly different. I don't think you could just add katzskin to the 4th gen seats and have it work.

 

[Naetimus]

How is your headroom in the 2012? Did your seat height lower, or are you in the same position as you were before?

 

[emjohn4]

How is your headroom in the 2012? Did your seat height lower, or are you in the same position as you were before?

They seem to be the basically the same position as the stock seats were.

 

[BKRush]

Please continue to post the wiring harness conclusions, i'm in the same boat here (gen5 long horn seats in a gen4 cloth seat truck)

Thanks.

 

[emjohn4]

I ended up using the 4th gen connectors on the 5th gen seats.

Here's the really tricky part (and I haven't finished it yet - found a new toy to distract me). The 4th gen seats...had the HSM below the drivers seat. The 5th gen seats, had the HSM below the passenger seat. So I took the 5th gen PASSENGER seat harness off, moved it to the DRIVERS seat, and moved the drivers seat harness to the passenger seat. That way...the 5th gen seats 'mimicked' the 4th gen setup (with the HSM on the DRIVERS side). When you do this, the seat fore/aft power motor connectors needs repinned to reverse the polarity, the others are fine. If you don't do this, nothing bad happens, just 'front' means the seat moves 'back' and vice versa.

PS: DT is the model designation for the 5th gen.

Attached is a pdf of the excel file (it is a work in progress). PM me your email andress and I will send the excel file. The airbags in the 5th gen connect just fine to the 4th gen computer, you just have to repin the connector. I have full functionality of the 5th gen seats, and have stalled with the passenger side heat (drivers is hooked up, passenger didn't pay for the truck anyhow), and ventilation on both sides. Like I said, new distraction...

 

[Stefan N]

Good job and nice toy!

 

[emjohn4]

Forgot to add one more file - this is the HSM between the 5th gen and 4th gen.

Super annoying - Chrysler changed the polarity pins for the HSM power in the 5th gen. However, DC connect did not show this!

See attached - again if anyone wants the excel file - PM me your email address.

 

[BKRush]

Thanks for the help, PM sent.
PS nice Toy have fun......

 

[BKRush]

just to be clear, you unpinned wires from the gen5 image below and pinned them in the gen4 seat harness?
Gen5 being top two images,
Gen4 two images below


Thanks.

 

[emjohn4]

just to be clear, you unpinned wires from the gen5 image below and pinned them in the gen4 seat harness?
Gen5 being top two images,
Gen4 two images below


Thanks.

Correct, with one minor detail. The 5th gen pins are not all the same as the 4th gen pins. For example, the power on the 5th gen, are the large spade pins on the top row. I ended up cutting those, and soldering them to the 4th gen pins I cut from the 4th gen seats and used as a pigtail.

 

[ScLeCo]

Are the 5th gen seats actually more comfortable? They look pretty much the same to me?

 

[emjohn4]

Are the 5th gen seats actually more comfortable? They look pretty much the same to me?

To me, yes. The 4th gen seats were very flat and wide; kinda like a church pew with padding. Or my rear isn't very wide to fill them out!

The 5th gen seats are much more supportive to my rear and legs, while having more bolstering to the hips. The back, by the shoulders, do not wrap as much, being more comfortable to me.

Perhaps I have a confirmation biases; perhaps a discerning rear end. Maybe both, they're not inherently mutually exclusive.

PS: I did finally hook up the passenger side heat. My wife appreciated that!

 

[ZJARCHER]

Did you happen to try the 5th gen center console to see if itll work?