Why don't the headrests tilt?

Axxlrod · January 22, 2004

After driving my Yukon for a year now I am disappointed that the front headrests on the bucket seats don't tilt forward. If I lean my head back to rest it on the headrest, I end up staring at the roof liner.

I believe Denali's come with tilting headrests. Can I order those and will they fit onto my seats? Anybody know the part numbers and where the best place to get them from?

Thanks.

99-2door · January 22, 2004

Yes, ythe denali headrests will fit. I am not sure that you can order just the headrests though. Even if you can they will be pricey.

Shaners · January 22, 2004

The head rests in my '01 HD with the LT package tilt also...

If you have leather interior, then maybe you can find some at a salvage yard. I don't know if they would fit, but I can't imagine that GM makes different seatbacks for all their trucks.

toddgotfish · January 22, 2004

one word eBay

noodlesandsam · January 22, 2004

I have a 2001 Yukon XL SLT, and that has headrests that tilt. It is spring loaded, with detents for the positions, not a friction setting.

Randall

hcvone · January 22, 2004

The Escalade's tilt as well

jpendlum · January 22, 2004

It's called Cost Savings. Cheaper to make those non-tilt headrests than the tilting.

If you are looking to add video, you might look at the Vizualogic headrests. They all tilt and have the screens built in too. They just released the 9" version and wow, it's a big screen.

Email me if you have any questions.

MyBigToy · January 23, 2004

Jason's got it right!

They eliminated the articulating headrests from the Avalanche for the 2003 model year. It's called removing something that most consumers won't notice to increase the profit margins.

MBT

Plainsman · January 23, 2004

My 03 Sierra HD doesnt tilt, and worse yet the rears dont come off. That is a real pisser.

I found out how to pop the headrests off now though.

MyBigToy · January 23, 2004

Plainsman:

They don't want you to be able to remove the headrests easily. However, you can modify the parts so that you can remove them without pushing the pins in with a tool. Quite a few people with Avalanches have done this modification so that you don't have to run the front seats forward when you fold the seats down before dropping the midgate.

All you have to do is grind or file a 45 degree angle into the "grooved" notch that is at the bottom of each headrest rod - make it look the same as the rest of the notches in the headrest. You can then remove the headrests at will.

MBT

Plainsman · January 23, 2004

Plainsman:

They don't want you to be able to remove the headrests easily. However, you can modify the parts so that you can remove them without pushing the pins in with a tool. Quite a few people with Avalanches have done this modification so that you don't have to run the front seats forward when you fold the seats down before dropping the midgate.

All you have to do is grind or file a 45 degree angle into the "grooved" notch that is at the bottom of each headrest rod - make it look the same as the rest of the notches in the headrest. You can then remove the headrests at will.

MBT

Why dont they want you to remove them?

MyBigToy · January 24, 2004

Potential liability. They figure people might remove the headrests and never replace them. They are only there because of federal motor vehicle safety standards requirements. I work for a seating supplier, we build the seats for the Dodge Ram truck.

Get ready for much larger headrests in the rear seats starting with the 2006 model year - the regulations change and they have to be larger so that they don't have to be raised to keep someone from hitting their head on the rear glass in an accident.

MBT

Plainsman · January 24, 2004

Ok, so no real good reason then

Thanks much man.

Axxlrod · January 24, 2004

Thanks for the info, guys. It's annoying to think about all the small things that GM has deleted from their trucks/SUVs over the last couple of years... such as lock on center console, rear cargo area door lock/unlock button, under-hood lamp, tilting head rests, to name a few. And yet they increase the price each year.

Anyway, I still would like to check into ordering tilting headrests. Can anybody point me in the right direction (besides Ebay, already checked). Part numbers would really help also.

Thanks.