When I see a set of seats, the dirvers seats is obviously more worn out, both the padding and the fabric.

Is there any reason that I couldn't get a swap the rails on a pair of front seats, making the fresher passenger side seat the new drivers seat?

i'm asking for both 3rd gen and 4th gen seats

 

well the first idea that comes to mind is that the buttons to adjust the seat would be facing the console.

 

sorry, manual seats... I'm also talking about swapping all the hardware... that is possible, isn't it? Is it welded, or bolted? I've never looked at the bottom of one

 

I just finished recovering mine and had to disassemble them to do so. The frames are actually right and left specific. Sure, you can change the rails, but the recline levers will not change over and they'll end up toward the console instead of the doors.

 

The way to do it is by removing the foam inserts/covers from the frames & swapping only those items.Ive done this on 2-3 occassions when dying seat covers.

The recline mechanisms are bolted on to the seat back/seat cushion frames.By removing them they could be swapped around, as the bolt patterns are on both sides of the frames.Ive never actually swapped frames around though.

Its just easier to swap the seat cushions/covers, but when i had the 2-3sets apart i did noticed the bolt patterns on both sides of the seat frames.So it appeared to me the frames could be swapped.The recline units & seat tracks are LH-RH specific.

You also have to realize the holes in the covers made by the bolts(& recline lever) going into the frames will be visible on the console side.Since this side facing out prior to swapping them.This was not an issue with mine though, as all 3 sets i performed this on were the GTA (articulated) seats & those holes were covered by the accordian material on the side lumbar.

 

Funny, I didn't notice that the bolt patterns were on both sides of the frame. But I wasn't looking for them either. I separated the backs from the seats so I could remove the old covers, but I left the foam padding on the frames, perhaps the foam covered the bolt holes.

 

I was refering to the GTA seats actually.So i cant speak for the other 3rd gen types.Also i never actually tried to swap them(frames).Since it was much eaiser to just switch the cushions/fabric over.