Seat help

Hey guys, I’ve got a 2020 limited and am looking for some help with the seats.

A little background on that I’m 6’ 170 coming from a 2012 4Runner trail edition. This is my first vehicle with leather seats. I took an extended test drive in a platinum before deciding to make a purchase on this one rather than a new 4Runner. I noticed that the seats seemed to sit a little high for my liking but figured a few modifications would help for some of what I attributed to the body sway. Added rear sway bar and had planned to put some bilsteins on to improve suspension. After the sway bar though I’m really starting to worry that my issue is the seats. I don’t have any side support and feel like I am in a really high seating position, giving me a really unsettled driving position. I am constantly sliding around in turns and am just not comfortable while driving. It takes away any sort of enjoyment I have in driving the truck through turns or what previously had been curvy back roads.

needing to get some advice on whether or not upgrading the suspension might help or if there are any seat modifications I can do. Cloth seat covers? Would another kind of leather, like katzkins help with the sliding? Really worried this truck may just not work out for me if I can’t get more comfortable driving it.

 

I have a 2020 SR5 with leather. I don’t experience sliding in the seat. Have you tried lowering the seat frame front and back with the button controls?

 

I believe it is as low as it can go with the controls

 

Aside from a front TRD sway bar in additioN to the rear, I can’t think of anything else. The rear sway bar did it for my 17 and my wife’s 14. I can’t speak to the front sway bar though but there are threads on it.
Tundra has more body roll than most trucks I’ve driven so I have to brake a little more than normal. Katzkin is slicker and smoother than factory but softer so you fit into them better. I have Katzkin and my wife has factory leather. I can’t say it will lock you in any better though. I also have bilstein shocks and my wife’s does not, I don’t notice a difference in handling.

 

thanks, that’s a lot of good info. The katzkins were on my radar. How much did it actually effect the comfort of the seats? I what do they normally run?

 

Are you using any products on the leather? Anything like armor all or those interior detailing sprays will make those seats really slick and you will slide.

Suspension isn’t going to keep you planted in the seat. The rear sway you added is about all you are going to get that would provide any appreciable difference in body roll. Of course there are different spring/shock/strut combos you could try but that will be a lesson in futility, both in money and time.

My limited seats are not as posh as the Platinum seats. The Limited pleather is a bit smoother like a vinyl but I don't slide out of the seat. My neighbor has a ‘19 Platinum and the seat cover material is much nicer...has more grip and feels more plush under my ass.

One thing I have been thinking I would do is add the Platinum leather seat covers and rear seat heat. I suppose you could go with cloth...you def wont slide on cloth.

 

Not using any products on the leather. I had a thought to add a cheapish cloth seat cover and see if that helped—it so maybe upgrade at that time. Most options left to try and just pricey and worried if they don’t help it will be a waste of money/time

 

I think the katzkins are much more comfortable. My entire seat kit was $600, and I installed them myself. That was pretty difficult and hard to justify as a trial for your issue.

 

Do you have captains chairs? You could try changing your seats out. In addition, if you go to an upholstery shop, they can remove your factory seat covers and increase the size of your side bolsters on your factory seats. They can also shave them so you sit lower and build custom seat rails. It all really depends on how much you want to spend.

 

Wet okole neoprene seat covers are nice...Ive had them in several other vehicles. Added cushioning and you wont slide. Something to consider before doing a full re-cover option.

 

I am the same as you, love Neoprene seat covers. I’ve had them in all my Jeeps. Naturally I bought them for my Tundra. They were the Cover Kinds, from and rear. Garbage. They fit horrible, looked totally aftermarket, were loose in so many places. I had them in all my Jeeps and they looked amazing. Maybe it’s just me, maybe it’s a Tundra thing, maybe the price tag of the Wet Okale makes them fit better. I’m personally sticking with Katskinz when I decide to change out the interior.

 

Wait...you said something different...you said Cover Kings...they totally suck, just as you describe. Not even in the same ball park. I too tried Cover Kings once thinking I’d save a buck and sent them back the same day.

Yes, Wet Okoles are spendy, but balancing the cost against the ass pain of tearing the seats apart and additional cost of Katskins to do a full recover is where the Wet Okoles are appealing.



.

 

I’ll look into the wet okoles. Otherwise I think it’s just going to come down to understanding the limitations of the truck and if I can’t get used to it having to part ways with it

 

Where are you located @Tundrarunner4s ? I'll trade you the Katzkin covered seats in my 2020 SR5 for your Platinum seats.

Seriously, I paid WAY too much for my Katzkins, but I included the Degreez heated/cooled option and then had one of their installers do the installation. I think the leather/vinyl package was just under $1,300, plus $900 for the Degreez, plus another $1,200 for the install. Looking back, I should have just purchased a Platinum.

 

Sorry, I misread. You've got a Limited, not a Platinum.

 

You can test drive a cloth SR5, or go as far as testing other brands to see if you get the same sensation.

As soon as I drive my wife's Lexus it's a soft supported smooth ride. On the other hand my Tundra feels high up, boxy ride, more side to side sway, but I like that tank-like truck feeling.

 

Something I’ve seen mentioned around is that switching to a stiffer sidewall on a load range E tire can help some with body roll/lean. Does anyone have any thoughts on if this could be a significant help? Also would going to a bilstein 6112 vs 5100 do anything for the roll of the truck? Any other recommendations for suspension upgrade to help ride quality in the $1,000-$1.200 installed range?

 

Sounds like you bought a pickup but you want the ride of a sports car? It’s a truck and they all ride about the same...give or take.

E-load rated tires on a half ton truck will allow you to feel everything but wont stop the roll.

Lower it.

 

Definitely am guilty of wanting it to feel a little sportier. Idk about sports car level, but coming from a 4Runner with kdss just do miss the ride. Maybe I just need to go back to a 4Runner or midsize truck.

 

If a rear sway bar didn't reduce the body roll enough for you, tires aren't gonna help.
E rated tires will only make the ride stiffer/rougher, 5100s or 6112s are going to do the same thing.
I have the 6112/5160 combo on my 2014 Tundra, the ride is stiff as fu(k..

I guess you miss the small confined cab/seats of your 4-Runner.
I went from a 1997 4-Runner (raised 2 small kids in it) to a 2005 Tundra (raised teenage kids in it), to a 2014 Tundra (kids are grown) and never looked back.
The 4-Runner/Tacoma interior/chassis is too small for me now.

If you want an SUV, get another 4-Runner, if you want a truck, you should have bought a Tacoma..

 

I put sheepskins that are pretty thick and it vastly improved my enjoyment of the seats in my 1794. Mine is a 16 though and no idea if they've done stuff to the 20 seats. My covers are really thick but give a lot. Course I wasn't sliding around corners before either but the stock leather was certainly slick.

 

I don’t have any issues with sliding in my platinum. I’m 6ft 180 And it fits nicely for me. I would say go to the dealer and check out a platinum to see if it’s the type of leather that makes you slide. Platinum models have an upgraded leather. Would help narrow down the issue, good luck!