Need help - seeking an interior dimension/measurement

[yonah]

Greetings,

I've been in the market for an E350 for a while. Next week I'm going to check out an EB with an interior build-out. I would need to add either two rows of captain chairs or two 3-person bench seats to the van to make it work for my family. The van has good bones, low mileage, etc., so it may be worth the effort to remove a portion of the interior.

I need some help determining the rearmost position of the second-row bench seat in an Econoline. I think the most useful measurement would be from the carpet transition line at the rear of the front/cockpit portion of the van to the rearmost portion of the second-row bench -- which I would assume is the very top of the upper portion of the bench.

The below diagram depicts the measurement I need (measurement of the red double-arrow line). Click the image to enlarge for better clarity.


Thank you so much,

-Steve

[Big_ern_101]

I can get this for you tomorrow afternoon. Will be an "RB" but those dimensions are all the same. Do you need the measurement to the rearmost plane of the rear bench seat measured vertical, or do you need the measurement to rearmost point on the rear seat mount? Because of the angle of the rear seatback, these will be different measurements.

Note that if this van you are looking at started as a cargo van there is no guarantee that it has the mounts for the rear seats or seatbelts. If you have the VIN you can look up the original seating configuration.

[posplayr]

Originally Posted by Big_ern_101

Note that if this van you are looking at started as a cargo van there is no guarantee that it has the mounts for the rear seats or seatbelts. If you have the VIN you can look up the original seating configuration.

Yea the back side some of those mounting points may not be readily accessible and you don't want to use Revnuts.

[yonah]

Originally Posted by Big_ern_101

I can get this for you tomorrow afternoon. Will be an "RB" but those dimensions are all the same. Do you need the measurement to the rearmost plane of the rear bench seat measured vertical, or do you need the measurement to rearmost point on the rear seat mount? Because of the angle of the rear seatback, these will be different measurements.

Note that if this van you are looking at started as a cargo van there is no guarantee that it has the mounts for the rear seats or seatbelts. If you have the VIN you can look up the original seating configuration.

Thank you so much for taking the time - I owe you a beer . Yes, exactly, it would be the rearmost plane of the second-row bench seat. Below is an illustration (click to enlarge), but I think we're talking about the same thing. The measurement between “A” and “B”.



Regarding the seat mounting points, I was under the impression that the mounting hardpoints/braces are there in all E-series, but the holes may need the threads cut if it's a cargo van chassis. This particular van's VIN check returns an "INCOMPLETE VEHICLE" for the body type category - it is an "RV PREP" EB; and I assume was a cargo van chassis originally that was sent direct to SMB. Regarding the seat belt mounting points, I assumed they were there as well behind the wall paneling, but maybe I'm wrong.

Originally Posted by posplayr

Yea the back side some of those mounting points may not be readily accessible and you don't want to use Revnuts.

See above - as I understand it, the mounting hardpoints should be there on the body, but the holes may need to be tapped.

[1der]

Yonah - there maybe holes in the first bench seat position that are threaded or not. This covered the "crew option" which had a bench seat behind the driver seat. There might not be any mounting holes and reinforcements aft of that.

If the van does not have factory windows all around then it is definitely cargo based chassis.

[yonah]

Ray, thank you for clearing that up. Much appreciated.

[posplayr]

Originally Posted by posplayr

Yea the back side some of those mounting points may not be readily accessible and you don't want to use Revnuts.

Sorry, this comment was incorrect. It appears as if most all of the bolt locations should be accessible without much trouble as long as you can find where to drill.

Pictures from a 1997 E-350 RB Club wagon (3 rows of seats)

I have the first row first bolt (of 4 with 2 per side) is 19" back from the front of the left side step-down box.
The second row is 54" back.

In the pictures, you will be able to see that all the passenger side bolts are outside fo the frame rail. On the Driver's side, there is plenty of space to reach in between the frame and the floor to access the back of the rest of the screws. The seat belt holes on the floor are outside of the frame rails. There are bolt holes uo on the roof support on the passenger side.

Drivers side 1st row


Drivers side seat belt


Drivers side 2nd row


Passengers side 1st row

[Big_ern_101]

Rearmost plane of the 2nd row of passengers seats - Bench - 2006 RB Econoline

83 3/4" from the centerline of the rearmost bolt on the front passenger seat mounting location.

- figured this was more accurate than a split off the carpet that is not a hard point

Also note the rearmost plane of the 2nd row seat is directly in-line with the rearmost point on the seatbelt straps where they exit the cutouts in the side panel. Confirmed by laying it out with a 3 plane laser.

[yonah]

Originally Posted by posplayr

Sorry, this comment was incorrect. It appears as if most all of the bolt locations should be accessible without much trouble as long as you can find where to drill.

Pictures from a 1997 E-350 RB Club wagon (3 rows of seats)

I have the first row first bolt (of 4 with 2 per side) is 19" back from the front of the left side step-down box.
The second row is 54" back.

In the pictures, you will be able to see that all the passenger side bolts are outside fo the frame rail. On the Driver's side, there is plenty of space to reach in between the frame and the floor to access the back of the rest of the screws. The seat belt holes on the floor are outside of the frame rails. There are bolt holes uo on the roof support on the passenger side.

Drivers side 1st row
Attachment 50179

Drivers side seat belt
Attachment 50176

Drivers side 2nd row
Attachment 50178

Passengers side 1st row
Attachment 50177

Originally Posted by Big_ern_101

Rearmost plane of the 2nd row of passengers seats - Bench - 2006 RB Econoline

83 3/4" from the centerline of the rearmost bolt on the front passenger seat mounting location.

- figured this was more accurate than a split off the carpet that is not a hard point

Also note the rearmost plane of the 2nd row seat is directly in-line with the rearmost point on the seatbelt straps where they exit the cutouts in the side panel. Confirmed by laying it out with a 3 plane laser.

Gents, thank you both for your time. I really appreciate the photos and the measurements. I think it's a great addition to the body of knowledge on this forum. Very helpful

[posplayr]

Originally Posted by yonah

Gents, thank you both for your time. I really appreciate the photos and the measurements. I think it's a great addition to the body of knowledge on this forum. Very helpful

I'm surprised that you can gain access to what looks like all of the mounting points. I would have thought the gas tank would have been in the way, but there is generally about 2-3" of space between the frame and the bottom of the floor throughout.