- First Name
- Nick
- Joined
- May 10, 2026
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 41
- Reaction score
- 81
- Location
- Chicagoland
- Vehicle(s)
- 2026 OBX SAS, 1969 Olds Cutlass
- Your Bronco Model
- Outer Banks
- Thread starter
- #1
One of the few things I don't like about my 2026 Bronco OBX (leather) is the firm seats, and the firm leg bolsters digging into the back of my thigh causing a pressure point.
Before I continue I'd like to point out that I am 6'6" tall, have stiff neck/upper back issues, my right arm sometimes falls asleep if I'm seated for too long, I see a chiropractor as needed and had to go to PT for a handful of visits earlier this year. So my situation probably isn't like most of you.., But I wanted to share since it's relatively easy to do if you feel the seats are too firm as well.
I picked a leather seat cushion from eBay for a 20-24 Explorer. I purposely got one that does NOT have the ventilation feature, so I didn't have to mess with the bladder thing that's on the bottom of those cushions. The Explorer seat foam is significantly softer than the Bronco's, enough that I actually sat lower because it compresses more. To the point I had to adjust the rear view mirrors. I removed the cushion and added some thin padding (the type you'd put under an area rug) to firm it up just a touch, still softer than the Bronco cushion. I also shaved the side bolsters down a bit using a 90* grinder and working slowly.
The plugs for the seat heater are not the same, but they both have 4 wires. I bet somebody smarter than me could figure it out.
The straps for the Explorer seat all have a home on the Bronco seat base, but they aren't as snug. They got even less snug after I shaved the bolsters down a bit. But, they have not come off after about 2 weeks of normal use.
I consider removing the seat mandatory for this swap. It only takes a few minutes and makes removing and reinstalling the base cushion rather easy.
The leather is not an exact match, but very close. So close that it just looks like a difference in shadows. I picked up another cushion for the passenger side as well, that will be the next free evening project.
I have no interest in messing with the seat back cushion due to the airbag.
It's a big improvement from stock. I will probably remove it once more to shave the leg bolsters a bit more and see how it feels. Comfort isn't really a measurable data point, but I'd say it's 80% more comfortable than stock.
Any questions, let me know.
Bronco left, Explorer installed on the right.
Shaving the side bolsters a bit, left the cover on for this at first but was worried I may accidently damage it.
So I removed the cover by releasing the plastic clips (no metal hog rings). Finished shaving the bolsters, and added some thin padding.
I'm confident that Ranger seat cushions could work as well, even F150 seats cushions look tempting.
This is the ventilation bladder thing that I avoided. If you want to really experiement, you could get one of these, along with the fan, and wire it on a seperate circuit.
Before I continue I'd like to point out that I am 6'6" tall, have stiff neck/upper back issues, my right arm sometimes falls asleep if I'm seated for too long, I see a chiropractor as needed and had to go to PT for a handful of visits earlier this year. So my situation probably isn't like most of you.., But I wanted to share since it's relatively easy to do if you feel the seats are too firm as well.
I picked a leather seat cushion from eBay for a 20-24 Explorer. I purposely got one that does NOT have the ventilation feature, so I didn't have to mess with the bladder thing that's on the bottom of those cushions. The Explorer seat foam is significantly softer than the Bronco's, enough that I actually sat lower because it compresses more. To the point I had to adjust the rear view mirrors. I removed the cushion and added some thin padding (the type you'd put under an area rug) to firm it up just a touch, still softer than the Bronco cushion. I also shaved the side bolsters down a bit using a 90* grinder and working slowly.
The plugs for the seat heater are not the same, but they both have 4 wires. I bet somebody smarter than me could figure it out.
The straps for the Explorer seat all have a home on the Bronco seat base, but they aren't as snug. They got even less snug after I shaved the bolsters down a bit. But, they have not come off after about 2 weeks of normal use.
I consider removing the seat mandatory for this swap. It only takes a few minutes and makes removing and reinstalling the base cushion rather easy.
The leather is not an exact match, but very close. So close that it just looks like a difference in shadows. I picked up another cushion for the passenger side as well, that will be the next free evening project.
I have no interest in messing with the seat back cushion due to the airbag.
It's a big improvement from stock. I will probably remove it once more to shave the leg bolsters a bit more and see how it feels. Comfort isn't really a measurable data point, but I'd say it's 80% more comfortable than stock.
Any questions, let me know.
Bronco left, Explorer installed on the right.
Shaving the side bolsters a bit, left the cover on for this at first but was worried I may accidently damage it.
So I removed the cover by releasing the plastic clips (no metal hog rings). Finished shaving the bolsters, and added some thin padding.
I'm confident that Ranger seat cushions could work as well, even F150 seats cushions look tempting.
This is the ventilation bladder thing that I avoided. If you want to really experiement, you could get one of these, along with the fan, and wire it on a seperate circuit.
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