put a 3rd row seat in a suburban w/o one?

[JoshG]

My wife and I are discussing selling off our 2004 Tahoe that gets horrendous gas mileage in favor of a late 90's diesel suburban which supposedly usually gets 18-20 (some even claim as high as 24, I'm sure it all depends on the gearing of the rear end).

We are looking for one with a 60/40 split bench seat in the front, cloth interior, 3rd row, and barn doors in the back...these are difficult to find. I have found them with way over 250,000 miles; but we aren't really interested in that.

However, I have found one with all the options that we want, except it doesn't have the 3rd row seat...in fact, there isn't even the mounting brackets for one, it is just all carpet. Apparently, that was an option then.

Here is my question, are the mounting points just under the carpet? Is it as simple as trimming out the carpet and finding a 3rd row seat? Or would it require finding the correct mounting points and then finding the matching seat?

Any help would be appreciated, also if your grandpa has a 1998 diesel suburban just sitting in his garage with less than 100,000 miles PM me!!!

 

[imiceman44]

My wife and I are discussing selling off our 2004 Tahoe that gets horrendous gas mileage in favor of a late 90's diesel suburban which supposedly usually gets 18-20 (some even claim as high as 24, I'm sure it all depends on the gearing of the rear end).

We are looking for one with a 60/40 split bench seat in the front, cloth interior, 3rd row, and barn doors in the back...these are difficult to find. I have found them with way over 250,000 miles; but we aren't really interested in that.

However, I have found one with all the options that we want, except it doesn't have the 3rd row seat...in fact, there isn't even the mounting brackets for one, it is just all carpet. Apparently, that was an option then.

Here is my question, are the mounting points just under the carpet? Is it as simple as trimming out the carpet and finding a 3rd row seat? Or would it require finding the correct mounting points and then finding the matching seat?

Any help would be appreciated, also if your grandpa has a 1998 diesel suburban just sitting in his garage with less than 100,000 miles PM me!!!

No it's not that simple and it's not that hard either.
I had a 76 blazer that had a hard mounted back seat, and I wanted the fold and tumble rear seat from the 78 and up blazer, which happens to be the exact same 3rd row seat in the suburban.
It was as simple as deciding where I want it, drilled 2 holes for the front hinges, and then cut 2 slots where the rear anchor fits, and then from the bottom I bolted down a rod accross both cuts whic gave me the attachment point.
I ended up covering the bottom to keep it water tight with just duct tape but I could have made something cleaner.
The other better option is to go find a blazer or sub that has one, maybe the donor of your seat, and cut those areas and welding them in for a factory look.
If you are not good at fabricating, you can get any shop to this for a few hours labor, or even find someone from this board that is close to you and willing to do this for a BBQ or a few bucks.
Just don't let this stand in your way of finding the right burb.
Where did you find the diesel burb?

 

[JoshG]

I have found several of them just buy typing in "4x4 diesel suburban" on clist, but it is very difficult to find one with every option we want. I think finding one with a front bench seat is hardest, so that might be what we want to get.

 

[djtejas]

what kind of mileage are you getting in your Tahoe?

 

[JoshG]

Only like 14-15, my mom had one in 96 and she would get only 16 consistently and both my 1996 and 1999 extended cab 4x4's got 16-18...so I had hopes of more than 15 mph. It is a bone stock truck, no big tires or nothing like that.

 

[djtejas]

Only like 14-15, my mom had one in 96 and she would get only 16 consistently and both my 1996 and 1999 extended cab 4x4's got 16-18...so I had hopes of more than 15 mph. It is a bone stock truck, no big tires or nothing like that.

seems like there must be something wrong...i consistently got 18 mpg in my 2001 Tahoe

 

[Fixer]

As far as the seat goes you should be able to bolt one right in, even if it did not come with one. That is the case with the late model Tahoes like yours (99+).

If it is the same for 90's models you just need to source the seat strikers and bolt them in the hook up the seats.

You just need to find someone who owns one or go to a junk yard and look.