Third row Odyssey seat conversion? 2010 Honda Odyssey

roadgrader

I would like to make the third row seat recline into a flat position when we need to sleep in the van. It would need to be able to go back to upright position also.
Is there something in the mechanism that could be altered?

93tracker5spd

Hello! according to the Honda Odyssey owners manual, pgs 181 and 182 (included below), that vehicle already has a third row bench that will fold flat into the floor.
Good luck

roadgrader

Yes thanks, but we want to recline it flat so it can be made into a bed.

stever

My brother rigged up some plywood in his last Odyssey and I think that one was a 2010. He could have slept on it but it was mostly to organize all the camping gear. He couldn't use the same setup in his current 2013 Odyssey for some reason. But once it was in there, the seats weren't going to move or recline.

Only thing I can think of is to defeat the latch mechanism somehow but then you may compromise the seat safety, even if you figure out a way to do it. Maybe a van conversion shop could swap the seats out.

My wife and I have had a minivan since 1989 and have done scores of road trips, including one of ten months. Not once have we slept in the van - where does all your junk go when you do that? You must travel light, we'd have to set the tent up anyway just to have a dry place to stash the stuff we carry.

texases

Be careful sleeping inside. A friend did that in Alaska, left his gear underneath, it was a Suburban, gear was gone in the morning. 

roadgrader

Thanks for the info. We will probably end up building a bed and putting the seats in the floor. Storage will be under the bed. We like the storage space in the back when the seats are up but we have enough space under the beds if we have them high enough. We will stack them during the day and put up the smaller seat to have a place to seat in the back to dress.
We aren't gone more than a few days most of the time. Longer trips we bring a tent to store things. I just get to cold in a tent. The van has been real warm and quiet!!!!

93tracker5spd

Sounds nice, have fun and good luck!

stever

Vans are good for plywood - 4 foot wide sheets generally fit.

As I recall, my brother cut a sheet down to 4x6' and left some seats folded instead of stashed in the floor. That gave him the space under the seat for storage. I think just disappearing the seats and "building" on the flat floor would give you more space. You may be able to rig up some drawers as supports and have the drawers accessible from the sliders or back.

In any case, remember that all that gear can become flying projectiles in a wreck - the more you can stash stuff and tie it down, the better.

Or do like us and get some 0 degree down bags and some ear plugs.

roadgrader

We keep the second row seats out all the time so that gives us a lot more room. Thanks for reminding us about tieing things down. I forgot about that!!!
Thanks a lot for the suggestions. Except for the 0 degree bags and ear plugs