Toyota Tacoma Seat Jackers (Make Your Ride More Comfortable)
Seat jackers change to seat angle to reduce lower back pain and improve comfort, especially on long drives.
Key Points:
- Seat jackers are an aftermarket accessory that improves comfort by adjusting the seat angle.
- There are little-to-no downsides to installing seat jackers.
- Seat jackers are easily installed or removed.
- Both genuine seat jackers (by Desert Does It) and knock-off verions are available.
- Seat jackers are most beneficial for long trips. We tested them on a 1,000-mile roadtrip.
- Genuine seat jackers are made in the USA with high-quality materials and are safe to use.
- Seat jackers will typically not void your warranty. If you're leasing, have a written agreement with your dealership.
Have you been complaining about lower back pain while driving your Toyota Tacoma? Your issue may be a lack of leg support which is common among Tacoma drivers. Thankfully, Toyota Tacoma Seat Jackers resolve the issue for many people.
This guide explains what the Seat Jackers are and shows you how they can help in your Tacoma. We look at the pros and cons while explaining how to install them. We also discuss our personal experiences using seat jackers during a recent road trip.
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What Are “Seat Jackers”?
Seat Jackers are manufactured by “Desert Does It.” They are not OEM Toyota products and cannot be purchased from the dealership.
Many Tacoma owners complain of a lack of leg support. The Tacoma Seat Jackers lift the front of the driver or passenger seat to add more leg support without negatively impacting the headroom. On longer drives, the Seat Jackers help alleviate lower back stress.
Because Seat Jackers are customizable, you can also lift the rear of the seat. This flexibility allows you to choose the perfect seating position for your needs, whether you raise the front, back, or both.
The front seat jackers raise the front of the seats by 1.25 inches, while the rear seat jackers can raise the rear of the seat anywhere from 0.25 inches to 1.5 inches.
It’s also worth noting that Seat Jackers can be installed on Tacoma models with powered and manual seats.
Benefits and Drawbacks
What causes this lower back pain while driving a Tacoma? From the factory, the Tacoma seats are positioned flat. This provides a lack of leg support, which turns into back pain on a long drive.
Here are a few benefits to consider:
- Provides a more comfortable leg position
- Helps with back pain and general comfort
- More comfortable during longer drives
- Ability to raise the seat height, if you are a shorter driver
- Provides more space in front of the seat
Additionally, Desert Does It sells a “multi-mount panel” that securely attaches to the Seat Jackers. With this panel, you can affix items for added storage.
It’s difficult to find any downsides to the Seat Jackers. There are only a couple worth mentioning:
- They are expensive, but only because they are created from high-quality materials and manufactured in the United States
- Lifting both ends or just the rear is only beneficial if you are short and need additional height
Steps to Install
We installed the front Seat Jackers to show you how it is done, but the process for the rear follows the same process. It doesn’t take long to install your new Seat Jackers, and you don’t need any advanced tools.
Step 1
Take out both front factory bolts from the seat base with your 14mm socket. Save these M10 fine-threaded bolts to be reused later at the same location.
Step 2
Loosen the rear seat bolts without removing them. By loosening them, you help the front mounts align more precisely.
Step 3
Push back on the front seat headrest or have a helper sit in the back while pulling the headrest to lift the front of the front seat.
Step 4
Put lift blocks below the front seat mounts, but be careful to properly install the roll pin into the hole in the floor.
Step 5
Use those M10 fine-thread bolts set aside in Step One and Blue Loctite to secure the lift blocks to the floor of the truck. Only use these factory bolts to fasten the blocks to the floor.
Step 6
Use the provided coarse-thread M10-1.5 x 25mm bolts and Blue Loctite to secure the seat to the lift blocks. Only secure them hand tight. If the seat rail hole isn’t lined up perfectly, lift up on the rail about 1/4” and thread the bolt slightly.
Step 7
Securely torque the four front and two rear bolts to 27 ft-lbs until they are tight. Then, you’re done!
Where to Buy
Expect to spend about $100 for the genuine Seat Jackers from Desert Does It. However, you can also find them on Amazon and Tacoma Lifestyle for similar prices.
There’s also the option to purchase knock-off Seat Jackers. Here are a couple of options.
- Timilge Adjustable Front Seat Spacer Lift Kit (2005-2022 Toyota Tacoma)
- 0.25” to 1.5” Seat Spacer Lift Kit (2005-2021 Toyota Tacoma)
If you want to choose an alternative product, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Fitment may be poor, and the products are usually cheaper because they aren’t made in the United States. Therefore, you may not receive the desired outcome you expect.
Are They Worth It?
If you only spend a short time in your Tacoma each day, you may not feel the need for Seat Jackers. In fact, most people don’t realize how important this aftermarket product is until a long trip occurs.
To test out the seat jackers, our content director, Jonathan, took a 1,000-mile trip in a Tacoma with and without the seat jackers installed.
“During my trip, it didn’t take long for me to notice how uncomfortable the seats were. I’m young and have no history of back pain, but the normal seating angle started to cause discomfort after 45-60 minutes of driving. Luckily, this Tacoma has lumbar support, which helped but did not completely eliminate the discomfort.
Looking at the product, I was a bit skeptical that it would make a difference in seat positioning and comfort. However, once I installed the seat jackers, it was pretty clear. It made a significant difference in the comfort of the seat, and I could tell immediately when I sat on the seat for the first time after installing them. It helped improve the overall comfort of the seat throughout the rest of my road trip.”
Are They Safe?
Yes, Seat Jackers are considered entirely safe to use in your Tacoma. There is no evidence to suggest that Seat Jackers are unsafe. They do not compromise the safety of the seat.
All Seat Jackers are constructed from high-quality materials from a manufacturing plant in the United States. These aftermarket parts don’t disrupt the integrity of the seat structure.
Will They Void a Warranty or Lease Agreement?
In 1975, the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act was passed into law. This is a very important regulation for drivers installing aftermarket parts. It states that you cannot have a warranty voided based on modifications made as long as those modifications don’t cause the problems that need to be warranted.
Basically, Toyota can’t decline your warranty on an engine repair because of your Seat Jackers. However, if the seat needs to be warranted because of a problem that the Seat Jackers caused, Toyota won’t be responsible.
As far as leasing goes, you don’t want to make any modifications without permission from the dealership. All agreements should be in writing, so you aren’t held liable when it comes time to turn the truck back in.
Related Content
Jack Up Your Ride
There’s no reason to deal with back pain anymore while driving your Tacoma. Check out the Seat Jackers to see if they are a good solution to your problems.
The slight angle adjustment is usually all that’s needed to create a more enjoyable ride. They aren’t expensive or hard to install, so there’s no reason to wait.
