As you could see from the disassembly section, we were in desperate need of new captain’s chairs for our truck. Fortunately we found Stallion Customs. Not only do they custom build each and every set of seats ordered, they also offer custom embroidery as well. Stallion Customs has supplied us with a set of the most awesome Captain’s Chairs we have ever seen. We supplied the logo for the embroidery and we were absolutely amazed when we saw how well they turned out. The seats will definitely be a one of the centerpieces of the truck.
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We opted for the model #22 captain’s chairs with inside arm rests. These are very close in nomenclature to the factory seats. The first issue was figuring out how to install the new seat pedestals which were supplied by Stallion Customs. One problem was that the floor of the cab came from a donor truck which had a bench seat instead of captains chairs. The other problem was that the rear mounting ‘feet’ did not come close to matching the contour of the floor. The solution was to remove the rear mounts completely and create our own replacements which were about two inches taller. Next, we aligned the pedestals with the factory mounting locations for the outside supports. Once they were secure, we marked the carpet for the inside mounting holes with a permanent marker. Using the gasket punch, we formed the holes in the carpet and then drilled 3/8″ holes in the floor.
Once the holes were located, we scientifically determined the optimal height for the rear mounting tabs (we eyeballed it). The tabs were secured with clamps and then welded to the pedestal. After a trip to Spectrum Industrial Coatings, we had them looking better than new with a high quality semi gloss black powercoat finish. Now all we had to do was install the bolts. We used grade eight hardware to fasten them to the floor.
Next, we gently eased the seats into place and after tightening four lock-nuts, the seats were installed. The arm rests are pretty ingenious. Instead of bolting on like the factory seats, they had a ‘twist lock’ design for which we simply slipped them into the seat backs, pushed and pivoted. Kind of like opening a prescription bottle. Voila, we have seats. We owe a special thanks to the folks at Stallion Customs for their support and their very excellent product.
Now we can actually slide the passenger seat forward as well as let the back of the seat come forward to allow very easy and unobstructed access to the rear passenger area. This is an amazing improvement. The factory mounted passenger seat only swung up and in the way to get in or out of the back of the cab. According to Mike, the owner: “There is no better ride on the open road. Stallion Custom Seating has earned a reputation for top of the line comfort and support. No matter what your seating needs are, superior craftsmanship and materials can help you cruise in healthy comfort. From pick-ups to RV’s, from sport utility vehicles to vans, Stallion Custom Seating can convert a standard ride to smooth sailing.” And we certainly agree after seeing the quality and workmanship that went into these.