Modern center console rear a/c and heat

Hey all,

I’m wanting to swap in a newer center console into my crewcab build and want to add the rear heat / a/c functionality that it has the vents for. I initially thought there may be a way to leverage the suburban rear heat/ a/c setup but with head clearance in back row thats a no go.

I know southern air makes a retro kit for a/c, but doesnt include heat. The goal of this build is to be able to drive year round, so a/c is great but heat is a must as well. I’ve got a 3yr old, who loves riding in our k5, and loves big trucks, and thats partially inspired this build (also fueled by my desire to build a crewcab).

Has anyone tried retrofitting a modern center console rear hvac system into a square? With using full length console to dash, theres plenty of room to run stuff from engine bay to that spot concealed, so almost thought about running 2 vintage air setups (1 for front, 1 for rear). Other thought was running some y ducting to route heat/ a/c from front system through ducting to rear outlets, but then that reducing output in front row.

Very early stages of build, so have more research to do, but figured would ask to get creative juices flowing.

In terms of console, looking to use from 2019+ denali / high country tahoe/silverado, with matching heated/ventilated seats.

The center consoles in the trucks have no rear vents until the 2019 trucks. Can't speak for the Tahoe/Suburban but it was a big complaint on the trucks. So look at a 2019+ for a better center console.

EvilGenius said:

The center consoles in the trucks have no rear vents until the 2019 trucks. Can't speak for the Tahoe/Suburban but it was a big complaint on the trucks. So look at a 2019+ for a better center console.

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'03-07 crewcabs have rear vents in them


It's not going to be an easy task, I've never seen it done. But I've thought about it before. If you could use the ducting out of the modern console and then come up with a way to cut holes into the one that goes across the dash to hook them up, that would be about your only option. Might have to plastic bond some PVC or oval plastic of some kind to give the ducts something to grab onto. Also might look at adding a fan inline, wired/tied into the fan speed switch on the dash. Without that, it'll be hard to get the air to maintain speed to come out the vents in the back I would think.

The rear air in the squarebody Suburbans was all the way back in the cargo area above the tailgate/rear doors and uses a secondary evaporator with high pressure lines plumbed under the vehicle back up to the engine bay compressor, so that system wouldn't be much help for doing a modern center-console style rear air. The rear heat was a seperate system that had hot water lines running the same way under the vehicle to an independant heater core mounted in the cargo area.

Many newer cars have heat/AC ducts that come off the main plenum into the console for A/C or under the carpet area to get heat to the rear seats. Not easy to retrofit to your truck.

I’m no doubt simplifying it in my mind, but determined to figure it out. I’m determined to make this rig our family road trip cruiser, and creature comforts are going to be a big thing for my wife and making sure our son is comfortable. My son will think its awesome regardless but dont want him to be miserable.

Yes, thank you, you are right 19+ is what I need. The seats appear to be largely unchanged but the center console has vents 19+. I think i saw couple ads miss labeled on years. There was also the complaint about ventilated vs a/c seats.

Here is a jumper seat center console with 2 vents. No controls, so could all be cobtrolled on dash (with in-line fan) to turn flow on/off.

Not sure I would necessarily want the jump seat center console, because I need consol to cover floor all the way to dash.

Still need to work through the tcase shifter piece. Would certainly use cable shifter, and placement would be determined after i have console in hand to see fitment.

I’ve got some time on this one. Building truck from scratch, hoping to be in a position to figure out the hvac stuff next spring/summer, but trying to sketch out plan in the meantime.

Muddybuddy said:

I’m no doubt simplifying it in my mind, but determined to figure it out. I’m determined to make this rig our family road trip cruiser, and creature comforts are going to be a big thing for my wife and making sure our son is comfortable. My son will think its awesome regardless but dont want him to be miserable.

Yes, thank you, you are right 19+ is what I need. The seats appear to be largely unchanged but the center console has vents 19+. I think i saw couple ads miss labeled on years. There was also the complaint about ventilated vs a/c seats.

Here is a jumper seat center console with 2 vents. No controls, so could all be cobtrolled on dash (with in-line fan) to turn flow on/off.

Not sure I would necessarily want the jump seat center console, because I need consol to cover floor all the way to dash.

Still need to work through the tcase shifter piece. Would certainly use cable shifter, and placement would be determined after i have console in hand to see fitment.

I’ve got some time on this one. Building truck from scratch, hoping to be in a position to figure out the hvac stuff next spring/summer, but trying to sketch out plan in the meantime.

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My 2011 Burb has both controls and vents in the back of the console, but most of the cooling comes from the rear system that is contained behind the side plastics in the very back and is plumbed through vents in the ceiling. If you can get a good pick off point from the front AC box, you could do the plumbing through a tahoe/burb center console and have rear vents in the console and maybe even add some coming out under the seat.

Can't speak to the console but newer seats won't function stand alone without a data signal from bcm/ecm.

^^^ Listen to this guy. He has the best looking square ever!

R Carnella said:

Can't speak to the console but newer seats won't function stand alone without a data signal from bcm/ecm.

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What sort of signal do they need? I do recall reading that somewhere. I’m planning on a newer motor/trans into the truck, so hopefully that will make things easier.

Wondering if something like the cat delete o2 simulator idea would work to feed the signal (the concept, not them specifically)

I can only speak to my experience with this swap.
I used a doner 2006 gmc yukon,then swapped in motor/trans and factory ecm to my burb
I Also fitted the leather heated seats from the yukon.
I had to retain driver and passenger door modules and factory seat heater controls for the heat to work. All need serial data signal from ecm to communicate, basically the seats need to know the engine is running to work.
I disassembled the door modules down to just a pc board and mounted heater controls on the door panels.
I believe my success here is mostly from sourcing all this crap from the same vehicle.
But after 4 years of daily driving they're working great.