3rd Gen Ram Seat Swap Guide: Installing 5th Gen Seats (1500 DT)

So you’ve finally decided to ditch the flat, worn-out factory seats in your 3rd Gen (2002-2009) Dodge Ram. It is one of the most impactful upgrades you can make to your truck's interior.

The 5th Generation Ram 1500 seats fit surprisingly well with just a few modifications. If you are upgrading your 3rd Gen workhorse, this guide will walk you through exactly how to adapt the brackets and power up the seats so you can enjoy your new interior.

Tools & Materials Required

Before you start, gather these essentials. Having the right tools ready makes the job significantly easier.

The Essentials:

Socket Set & Ratchet: Standard metric sizes (13mm, 15mm, 18mm) and a T50 Torx bit.
Multimeter or Test Light: Crucial for verifying your power source (12V) and ground.Primary Wire (12-14 AWG): To run the main power feed to the new seats.
Wire Strippers & Crimpers: For secure electrical connections.

The Trick: Adapter Brackets

The floor pan architecture between the 3rd Gen (2002-2008) and 5th Gen Ram 1500 (2019+) Ram trucks is completely different - there are no similar measurements. Every hole needs relocated, so Adapter Brackets are the only way to complete this installation.

FarmStrong Inc offers brackets that allow you to safely install the 5th Generation Ram 1500 seats into any 3rd Generation Ram truck.

Farmstrong Seat Swap Brackets

Installation Instructions

Phase 0: Removing Old Seats
Unbolt your factory 3rd Gen seats using the eight bolts that go to the floor (four per seat). Remove the headrests to make some room, and lean the entire row of seats backwards. This will give you space to unbolt the center console/seat from the front bench. It's attached with four nuts which you can only easily access when the entire front row is tilted backwards. This allows you to remove the driver, passenger, and center seat all separately - a much easier task than moving a full bench seat.

Tip: This is the perfect time to deep clean or even fully replace your carpet!

Phase 1: Adapter Installation

Detailed installation instructions are provided by Farmstrong Industries.

Front Seats

Remove the mounting "feet" of the Ram DT Seats by grinding off the rivets
Fasten the Farmstrong Seat Mounting Brackets to the vehicle floor with your original installation hardware.
Fasten the center seat/console bracket to the floor.
Fasten the driver and passenger Ram DT Seat rails directly to the Farmstrong Seat Mounting Brackets
Fasten the center jumpseat/console to the Farmstrong Seat Mounting Brackets

Rear Seats

No additional hardware is needed, though you do have to modify the brackets.

Phase 2: Electrical Hookup

1. Identify Your Wires:
On the seat-side connector of the 5th Gen seat, you are looking for two thick gauge wires (usually larger than the rest).

Power (+): Often Red or Red/Orange.
Ground (-): Always Black.

2. Supply Power:
If you had factory power seats in your 3rd gen, you can re-use the power seat circuit in your 5th Gen upgrade. ID the power and ground wires - see photo for one example. They are the thickest gauge, black is ground and red is positive.

If you don't have power under your seat, run your fused 12V line (from your fuse box or battery) to the Power (+) wire on the seat. Connect the Ground (-) wire to a solid chassis ground point.

Summary

Upgrading to 5th Gen seats is a massive improvement in ergonomics and durability. With some adapter brackets and two simple wire connections, you can modernize your ride significantly.

If you are looking for a set of seats to start this project, check out our current inventory below.