Altering seat box

[Tbaumer]

I'm 6'3", so I added MudUK seat rails to increase my leg room. They are an improvement, but raised my sitting height almost 2". Now I duck a little to see lights at intersections & even more to see out my side windows. It'd be simple to fabricate a seat box that allows the use of extenders & have the seats at the original height. I can alter (or keep) the original seat box or bend a 16 gauge galvanized sheet metal seat box. As long as I allow room for the tunnel (The middle can stay raised - make the cubby more of an arm rest), is there any reason I shouldn't alter the design?
Has anybody done this? Any advise or ideas?

 

[Tbaumer]

I can also use aluminum YRM parts and alter them to lower only the seat sections. Trying to find out if this has been done with good results & no downside.

 

[rocky]

I've had the same concern about adding those seat rails.
Huh...lower the seat box...hadn't thought about that approach. Clever.
I think there is enough space under the current level despite the battery terminals to drop it an inch or so.

 

[RBBailey]

Isn’t the issue more about moving the seat back, than it is about seat height?

I’d figure that out first, then modify to do that one thing.

Personally, I’m going to raise my seat a bit just to replicate that RRC seating position feeling. I don’t need the seat back any further.

 

[Tbaumer]

Isn?t the issue more about moving the seat back, than it is about seat height?

I have the MudUK rail extensions that move my seat back and they are great for leg room, but also raise me up just enough that I can't just look to my left and see out the window without ducking a bit. My bigger concern in lowering the seat box is altering the riser piece at the rear of the seat box to allow the rail extension travel.
Looking for any reasons to NOT change it, before I do.

 

[CaptMilks]

What would happen if you did away with the risers and scooted back the original seat sliders. As the seat box angles back it might get you lower and more leg room too. You might have to add structure to accept the new mounting locations.

 

[RDavisinVA]

I have the MudUK rail extensions that move my seat back ...

?
Some have a hard bulkhead that would also be in the way.
I am 6' 2" and can cope, but building a new seat base that would push the drivers seat back and lower it by an inch would be nice.

 

[rocky]

'cuse me while I look at my truck. It has to be possible to mount the seat further back (safely) without raising the base of the seat which creates its own issues for us tall folk.

After all I spent way too many years behind a D1 craning my neck to see traffic lights.

 

[Tbaumer]

I'm going to take some measurements & draw something up. It looks like I can cut and bend the rear seat toe panel cover & the seat box to lower the area that the seat rails mount to. There is room in the battery box. Need to avoid compromising the B pillar...
I'll post pics of my drawings before I start cutting, so you all can tell me if I'm missing something.

 

[Tbaumer]

Took some time today (A lot more time than I expected) to remove my seat box.
I could have saved some time if I realized that I could pretty much remove it as one piece. Instead, I started drilling out & trying to remove each piece individually.

 

[Tbaumer]

Found some corrosion behind my drivers seat belt bracket. I'm leaving the seat box out until my 200 tdi swap - I think it should make the engine/trans work a lot easier.

 

[Tbaumer]

Here is my plan to lower the seat level back to the original height while still using seat riser/slider extensions: White lines will be the new bend to support the seat base, leaving the tunnel height unchanged. I will have to lower the park brake handle mount an inch or so, add an angle to seal both the inside edges where I lower the outer part of the seat box & possibly lower the battery box base to allow plenty of room for clearance. Am I missing anything?

 

[Tbaumer]

Looks like it won't be a problem to shorten the middle row toe kick panel at the back of the seat box where I plan, IF I can cut or lower the curved piece at the B pillar to toe kick without issue.
Unexpected side note: the toe kick panel/body had no fasteners at the chassis brackets (See pics), so that will need to be corrected.

 

[Tbaumer]

Started drilling out spot rivits & separating the parts. Removed the tool & battery box. Looks like I'll be picking up some aluminum sheet metal.

 

[Tbaumer]

Noticed some preexisting cut lines over the tunnel. The front panel was reinforced with a steel channel ran through another channel across the cuts. Curious...

 

[Tbaumer]

Sourced some scrap .080 aluminum (12 Gage - 2mm) & .064 (14 Gage) from a local metal yard. I'm lowering both driver & passenger side. The seat areas will be 2" lower to make up for the slide extension height.

 

[FlyersFan76]

I built my own using YRM metals. The previous owner really hacked up the drivers side and made it nearly impossible to mount standard width seats.

Can't wait to see your finished product.

 

[Bunyan]

Good write-up. I’m always amazed at what folks here can do with fabrication. I’m in the same boat, 6’6” and added the ExMoor (similar to MudUK) extenders/risers. I removed my risers as well since they placed me too high. Too bad b/c they actually trimmed it out nicely and covered up the unsightly sliders.
I’m debating on grinding out a section of the lip in the back for the tracks to slide back and bolt it down somehow. I’ve been looking at a style of racing seats (Braum or Corbeau) since the seat itself looks very low profile and maybe somehow bolt the seat to the box directly. I swapped out the steering wheel for a smaller one which makes shifting possible with the stock seat configuration.
This is on a ‘88 110 Stationwagon.

 

[Tbaumer]

Removed the floor panel in order to remove the kick plate/rear of seat box (what do I call this piece?), so I can alter it to match the lower seat design & add strength to it at my shop.
I have some work to do cleaning, prepping & rust proofing the newly accessible chassis top. Before now, paint on the under side made things look better than they were.





Interesting layered lap of the foam tape (?) to seal the corners of the floor plate.
The wire you see is holding the door from swinging all the way open & dinging the B pillar.

 

[Tbaumer]

Six braces at the rear of the seat box to the chassis - takes away most of my concerns about changing it structurally (I'll reenforce it also). I plan on retaining the channel design across the top (just stepped down at the seats) & radius corner design for strength.