www.car-part.com

Find a seat from a higher trim level and swap it out before buying a new truck.

Without knowing your entire situation I cannot do more than offer a conjecture. Back pain is most often related to body mechanics. And muscle strength. So changing seats to eliminate pain may be like using a hammer to pound in a deck screw. Yes it might work, but not well.

If you can do a bit of back maintenance you may eliminate pain in more seats than your truck.

As a supplier to Ford, we find the engineering of the F150 to be unquestionably excellent.

Look up the McKenzie Lumbar Roll - the one w/o the strap. I've used them in my cars for 35 years for more lower back support. I even bring one with me when I travel for the rental car. Doesn't feel right driving with out it and I love to drive.

I had a Dodge truck once - never again.

Do you sit on your wallet when driving?

If so TAKE IT OUT.

Bob

Yeah, going from a paid for F150 that you LIKE to going into long term debt for a two year old newer truck over seats makes absolutely no sense.

You have some good suggestions here about fixing your problem with your seats and/or back. I would listen to them.

Why do you believe the Ram seats will be more comfortable for your back? What happens if you discover after buying the Ram you have the same back issues? I'd find a way to improve the seats in your current truck before I'd go into a lot of debt by buying a new truck and possibly experiencing the same issues.

quote:

I find the leather seats/cushioning much more comfortable in the Ram but have not ridden in one for a long period of time.

Easier in theory than practice, but actually driving one so equipped for a long period of time, at least several hours, is the only valid test. Sometimes something that feels comfortable at first doesn't work out with time, kind of like the gun that "feels good in your hand" when you hold it but can't hit the side of a barn with.

Given the dire straits all truck dealers are in these days I would suggest once you narrow down your choice get the dealer to let you have a couple day test drive.

I’ve done it twice and in both cases I ended up buying the vehicle. They may initially balk at the suggestion but given there are probably literally dozens of truck dealers near you I would think one or more would be willing....but don’t give them any money...

I’m a Ford truck guy. I’m currently driving my 6th F150, and I also owned a Super Duty. My career in the US Forest Service is one influence on my own purchase decisions. I’ve had work trucks of all the full-sized American manufacturers. The Fords were good for me at work and they have been in personal ownership too.

My last work truck was a Ram, and I will readily admit, it was a very good truck—the first “Dodge” I really enjoyed driving; both on the highway and up an old logging road.

My current truck is a 2013 FX4 and it has leather seats. I wouldn’t think cloth or leather would make a difference in lower back comfort. Somebody suggested adding a lower back pillow of some sort. Definitely worth a try. We have a touring car and although it has a power front seat and seemingly endless adjustments, it really hurt my lower back. I did a bunch of internet research and found out the problem was fairly common. Acting on a suggestion, I simply rolled up a towel and placed it at the junction of the seat back and cushion. Problem solved. Might work for you.

Does the Sport model F150 have power seats? ("Sport" implies a more "stripped" trim level than, say, an XLT.) Or a lumbar adjustment? A simple adjustment might make a difference. Do you wear a gun behind your hip? Nobody can drive like that for any length of time. I also found less discomfort when riding motorcycles or driving by putting my wallet in my front pocket.

I drove a Dodge Ram for 15 years and it gave me a sore back. I have a 2012 F150 with leather seats that I spend 4-5 hours a day in. The seat in that truck is the most comfortable of any vehicle I have owned, including a Mercedes SL. After all of the hours I have spent in that truck, the seat isn't even worn out. When I stopped driving my Dodge, the seat was falling apart with springs showing.

I have a leg limb discrepancy which is the root of having a lot of back issues & imbalances. I 2nd the "keep your seat heater on" even in the summer. My sports massage therapist suggested this when I got a car with heated seats & it really does make a difference. Also a good upholstery shop can make amazing upgrades to your current seats.

Test Drove a Ram Limited, it was well made, lots of new features, including Heat/Cooled seats.

Those AC cooled seats are dang nice especially down here in humidityville USA... For the short test ride it was comfortable enough.

If you want a new truck, have at it, now's the time, cheap money, huge discounts, they'll pay you to drive it off the lot...

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
they'll pay you to drive it off the lot...

Yeah, huh?

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
Yeah, going from a paid for F150 that you LIKE to going into long term debt for a two year old newer truck over seats makes absolutely no sense.

You have some good suggestions here about fixing your problem with your seats and/or back. I would listen to them.

When a guy wants a new vehicle, almost any rationalization will work. I suspect suggestions to help with the back problem won't extinguish the desire for a new ride.

I own a Ram 1500 Crewcab and came from a Silverado. I'm not a fanboy of any particular brand and dont much care who made it as long as its good.

Its been great so far. The features are fantastic for the price I paid and its very comfortable on long drives. We normally do a 3k mi roadtrip 2-3 times a year and its been great through all weather the top of the country can provide. I have the bench seats and enjoy the extra leg room as I'm pretty tall. The back support is just fine for me, no complaints or discomfort when hopping out. There are a ton of usb outlets for peripherals for your passengers and it very comfortably seats 5 (I can do 6 but i think the mid bench probably isnt a long distance seat). The panoramic sunroof is a big plus and quite welcome just about anytime. The heated seats are great and the heated steering wheel is one of the best ideas I've seen.

The circle shifter was weird at first but I got used to it. I did almost grab my volume on my radio instead but minor issue. I think its had two recalls all done with no issues.

Overall I'm quite happy with my truck. They used to offer a "lifetime" guarantee for around 2-3k. I have it and not a bad deal if you keep vehicles for a while.

Do the Rams still have bad transmissions and electrical gremlins? FIL and BIL both have had a few Rams over the years and the amount of effort it took to keep them on the road was ridiculous. Toyota and Honda replaced the Rams. I’ve known more people frustrated with Ram quality than were impressed by the quality. *shrug*

To answer a few of the questions: I don't sit on my wallet. There is power lumbar and I have tried different adjustments. I did talk to a custom upholsterer who does vehicle seats. He told me adding cushion or changing to leather wouldn't help since the pain is in my back and not in the lower part of my legs or butt.

The upholsterer did give me some ideas of custom seats but the ones he recommended were 2500-3500. Less than a truck but not ideal either.

I do have a foam lumbar support coming Thursday to try out. I was hoping it would have been here already but Amazon shipping times have been really delayed for non-priority items.

One poster suggested maybe I wanted a reason to buy a new vehicle. Although I get why someone might think that, I would actually really like to avoid getting out of the F-150 since it's paid for. I don't like debt and pay my purchases off quickly. If it wasn't for the several longer trips I take every year, I wouldn't consider a different truck. I am dreading driving the ten hours from MN to Mt. Rushmore again this summer.

I'm really hesitating on purchasing the Ram since I otherwise like my F-150. Although I do think the F-150 leans more and is a rougher ride than the Ram for sure.

Not sure what I'll do yet but thanks for all the feedback.

Wood beaded seat covers. All the cabbies love them.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GYF72OQ

quote:

Originally posted by RogB:

quote:

Originally posted by Bassamatic:
Yeah, going from a paid for F150 that you LIKE to going into long term debt for a two year old newer truck over seats makes absolutely no sense.

You have some good suggestions here about fixing your problem with your seats and/or back. I would listen to them.

When a guy wants a new vehicle, almost any rationalization will work. I suspect suggestions to help with the back problem won't extinguish the desire for a new ride.

You are so right! My suggestion was based mainly on the fact that he likes his current truck and he was only stepping up two years.

Having said all of that, yeah, there is nothing like a new truck.