2 Passenger Bench Seat?

[7Dust]

Saw a pretty cool truck on Fleabay today - it had a passenger bench seat with two sets of seatbelts.

It looked military and like it belonged in the truck. Are these common enough to have a chance of finding them?

I'd really like to take my two small children with me on rides and not have them share the same seat and belt.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Mine came with two pairs of seat belts on the companion seat, it was previously an Air Force truck though. The seat belts in my truck are completely independent of the seat, I don't believe they have anything to do with the seat.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Yup, what he said.

 

[7Dust]

I'll start looking for a passenger bench seat. Mine is definitely too small for two individual belts.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I add a second set of belts on all my deuces.

 

[7Dust]

^^^
The passenger seat has a belt but the seat is smaller than the drivers seat.

Once I find one of the bench seats, thats what I will do too!

 

[wsucougarx]

I am in the process of adding a middle seatbelt as well. In fact all my trucks are now wired for VIC-1 for the middle guy now

 

[Boatcarpenter]

Here are a couple of pics of my bench seat.

 

[steelandcanvas]

^^^
The passenger seat has a belt but the seat is smaller than the drivers seat.

Once I find one of the bench seats, thats what I will do too!

Can you post a photo of your "passenegr seat"?

 

[Gravel]

Here are a couple of pics of my bench seat.

Same thing I have in mine. It really needs a padding upgrade though, the original pad is like sitting on some straw thrown in a burlap bag... Add that to the fact that this seat is not suspended like the springers, it has all the creature comforts of a park bench on a hay wagon going over a wagon trail.. Wait, at least a park bench has a tilted back......

 

[asgtoolman]

Saw a pretty cool truck on Fleabay today - it had a passenger bench seat with two sets of seatbelts.

It looked military and like it belonged in the truck. Are these common enough to have a chance of finding them?

I'd really like to take my two small children with me on rides and not have them share the same seat and belt.

Check with Pete @ John Winslow Sales in Halifax NC--I believe he is converting a bench seat truck to one with 2 HEMTT seats for someone at the present time.
I put one HEMTT seat in mine and left my bench seat and added the third [middle] seat belt, used the existing mounting bolt locations--just doubled up on the two inboard mount locations.
Be sure to get the correct drivers side legs for the bench seat because they normally depend on being bolted to the side of the driver's "box-type" seat.
Shipping is probably going to be a problem because of size and weight, whereever you buy one.

 

[AceHigh]

The M35A3 has 3 sets. Driver and 1 passenger have shoulder belts.

 

[7Dust]

Can you post a photo of your "passenegr seat"?

Its just a small box type seat that flips up so you can store things inside of it. I'll get a pic of it during the daylight.

Only thing is that the drivers seat next to it is a spring ride seat with the seating cushion in terrible condition - nothing left but foam. I'm almost embarassed to post pics of my seats up

I figured once I got a place for my kids to ride, then I could look for a drivers cushion next.

 

[Akicita]

The passenger bench seat is wider than the driver's seat and may be wide enough for two people but the knees of the person sitting in the center are going to be in the way when the driver shifts gears. If your children are still small this will work but three adults crowd the cab.

I figure the reason for that seat being wider is to allow more room for the machine gunner to stand and turn on the folded down back of the bench. Well, either that or I just don't want to admit that I'm no longer as skinny as I used to be when I was 18.

 

[asgtoolman]

Its just a small box type seat that flips up so you can store things inside of it. I'll get a pic of it during the daylight.

Only thing is that the drivers seat next to it is a spring ride seat with the seating cushion in terrible condition - nothing left but foam. I'm almost embarassed to post pics of my seats up

I figured once I got a place for my kids to ride, then I could look for a drivers cushion next.

Sounds like someone moved a standard "box type" driver's seat over to the passenger side and added a spring ride seat for the driver.
Does the passenger seat have a forward/backward adjustment lever on the inboard side of it? If it does, that's exactly what happened.

 

[jesusgatos]

I've got an extra bench seat if anybody needs one. Converting Mah Deuce to modified springer seats. Parts are in CA (95037). Send me a PM if interested.

 

[LanceRobson]

I'm unfamiliar with the M35A3 series and can't speak to Air force policy but the official policy of the Army is that the cab width is too narrow for three occupants. They are thinking of the crowding of the driver with a standard transmission to operate and are concerned about the middle occupant being impaled on the shifter in an accident.

The lack of the shift lever being operated while driving and the lever not being in the way may explain the third belt in an A3.

The bench is as wide as it is due to it's secondary function as a gunner's platform for ring mount equipped trucks. That's why it has the diamond plate back, low profile seat cushions and the little lugs that keep the top solidly in place when the seat is folded as opposed to bobbing on the cushions. The seat goes over to the operator's seat to keep the gunner from falling between the seats.

It's your truck so do what you want but the Army sees a third occupant as a safety hazard in both the operation of the truck and in accidents.

For our M44 and M809 series stuff we have been yanking the bench and putting in a second spring seat base with a CUCV bucket seat. The profile of the seat and base gives a lot more leg room and a more comfortable driving position. The legroom is handy since I'm 6'4" and our sons go up to 6'6".

Lance

 

[7Dust]

^^^ I think two seatbelts on a standard bench seat will work out fine for me. My children are still pretty small.

Apparently I do have a standard box drivers seat moved to the passenger side. For now, they can both fit in that single seat together so I figured a small bench would make them a little more comfortable.

 

[AceHigh]

The lack of the shift lever being operated while driving and the lever not being in the way may explain the third belt in an A3.

The A3 is the same as the A2 except for the shift tower, and it is close to the seat. Still it is fine for 3, not ideal but OK.

 

[steelandcanvas]

^^^ I think two seatbelts on a standard bench seat will work out fine for me. My children are still pretty small.
Apparently I do have a standard box drivers seat moved to the passenger side. For now, they can both fit in that single seat together so I figured a small bench would make them a little more comfortable.

I agree, maybe you can swing a deal with Jesusgatos and give the little ones a nice safe place to sit. Good luck!