Suebeehoney70

I have a 2000 Chevy Express G2500 Van, which has been customized for handicap access from the rear with a power lift and a high top. (So the back of the van behind the 2nd row captains chairs is all cargo area with E-Track for tiedowns.)

I find myself in a position of needing seating for just one more person, and need to know if it's at all possible to replace the 2nd row captain's chairs with a bench seat that would seat 3. This isn't my favorite van, but it's what we have for now and need to run and maintain it until it dies, so I need to modify it, or look at buying another vehicle.

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I haven't seen it asked about a van with this particular configuration.

canucklehead

I want your captains chairs...lol
I took out my 2 rows of 3 person benches in my 2002 ls passenger. The long rails they fit into had to come out as well. In your case I don't know how the captains chairs were put in, but if you don't have the floor rails then you can't pop in a factory bench seat. Try going to a wrecker and see if there is one like mine there you can rob parts off of. I am betting the retrofit company that put in the wheelchair lift took all the factory floor mounts out for the benches.

Suebeehoney70

You'd be welcome to my captains chairs (nice tan leather ones) if I knew I could put a bench seat in there! You're right on the rear seat floor mounts - they're gone. And I suppose it's not possible to put new ones in without major expense - same with changing out the rails to take the captains chairs out and put a bench in their place.

The back of the van was completely customized for wheelchair-bound people in that it has a vinyl covering on the floor and wheelchair docks as well as rail for the tie-downs. It was originally intended for commercial use, like for a nursing home, but for us, it's great for hauling Mom's scooter, wheelchair and the big ol' dog kennel when we travel. I was creative and managed to fit all 3 in the back.

Daughter and grandkids are moving back home temporarily (with no vehicle of their own), which means not enough space in the van for my elderly mother, daughter *and* the 2 grandkids. Mom doesn't travel far these days, but it would be nice to be able to take everyone somewhere and not require 2 vehicles. We're short by just ONE seat.

We are going to be replacing this van in the next year or so, but for the time being, it's what we have to work with.

Another quick question - are door hinges one of the flaws in this particular model? The smaller side door on the passenger side (where the 2 doors open out to acccess the 2nd row seats) has had hinge problems since we bought this van - it acts like the hinge has been sprung at some point. It's really hard to open and close. A quick lube job on the hinge works only temporarily, then it's right back to being stiff again. A recent trip to the shop to repair the bracket on the leaf spring (broken by flying debris from a truck ahead of me) revealed that the hinge on that door is about to break and needs to be replaced. Just wondering if this is going to be something that will happen with the other doors too!

canucklehead

That has been a problem with all vans with exposed hinges. The rear door hinges are not exposed so no issues there. You may have to drive out the pins, polish them and lube and re assemble......that fix should last way longer....
try the wrecker idea...you might find some parts.....and if you cut the rails and just install the front part.....you might get a single bench in there.

Suebeehoney70

Thanks, Canucklehead! I'm going to check with my local body shop and see if it's something they can do - they're pretty creative guys.