Procedure
1. The first step is to remove the original seats
from the cabin and remove the cushioned seat base from the seat
frame to expose the nuts and screws which hold the seat frame to
the seat runner.
2. It is important to fit the new seats into the
cabin to ensure that the width would allow the seats to sit as central
as possible especially on the driver’s side.
3. The next step is to unscrew the seat frame from
the seat runners. This is held by 4 screws per seat (2 on one each
side). The backrest adjuster mechanism also needs to be released
by undoing the 2 nuts and bolts in order to gain access to the screw
which sits under the mechanism.
4. The other side of the backrest is held in place
with a circlip. Simply undo this and the backrest will release from
the base.
5. Once you are at this stage you will be able
to lift the entire seat frame off the runners.
Once this is done you will realise that your new seat has 4 screw
holes presented on the base of it. You will also realise that these
holes do not line up with the holes in the original seat runner,
hence the need for an adaptor plate. This will provide a plate onto
which the seat runner can be attached to the underside and the new
seat to the topside.
6. Measure the distance between the holes on your
seat runners. This will provide you with the overall width of adaptor
plate that you need.
7. This is where it gets a bit more complicated.
You need to ensure that when the runners are at their full extent
rearwards with the seat in its normal state of recline that will
not touch the bulkhead. In order to do this you:
(a) Set the seat on its back on a flat and level
surface.
(b) Measure from the flat surface up to the rearmost
hole on the underside of the seat. You will need to use this distance
in order to position the seat on the adaptor plate correctly.
(c) Measure up the holes on the seat runners so
that you can drill the adaptor plate.
(d) Next you need to insert the bolts which hold
the seat runner to the seat box.
(e) Slide the seat runner back as far as it will
go. It will not go beyond the small flange which runs along the
base of the bulkhead. Then take the distance from step (b)
and measure this from the base of the bulkhead forward and mark
it on the adaptor plate.
This will mean that you can slide the seat back fully and it will
not result in the backrest of the seat rubbing on the top rail of
the bulkhead. To make sure of this we moved these marks 15mm further
forward.
(f) Finally mark up all of the rest of the holes,
drill and fix down.
8. By using the adaptor plate you can space the
seat up if you feel it is too low.
9. We used 4mm hot rolled steel sheet to ensure
no deflection or bending as the weight of the seat and passenger
sits on the two seat rails which are actually set between the width
of the original seat runners.
10. Once all of the fabrication, measuring and
fitting had been done, we removed the adaptor plates from the cabin
and rounded over the corners, napped the edges and painted them
with a double coat of smooth black Hammerite.
Done,
Now hop in and enjoy the supreme comfort.
P.S. You will need to adopt a new and interesting enter/exit jump
to avoid destroying your side bolsters :)
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