built a sliding rear seat

[rockerZ71]

I finally got around to working on my rear seat, have been wanting to be able to remove it easily and adjust the position so that the plastic box I keep behind it could be opened without opening the tailgate (it barely fits between the seat and tailgate).

Not done yet but it holds the seat and slides now. I plan to put a locking drawer under the seat, and put a bar welded between the 2 L-track fittings so that I can pull up from one spot because its kinda a pain to pull up on the 2 spring loaded parts while pushing/pulling the seat. Also will probably cut off the original "legs" the seat is mounted on and bend some 3/4" pipe to mount it farther out giving more open space underneath the seat.

The middle track isn't being used but I put it there for mounting seatbelts and whatever else I may need it for.


It works and slides pretty good. I took off the spring loaded pieces that lock the fitting in place on the front ones for now and just have them on the back. I had to push it pretty hard through the track a few times to wear the track a bit to make it work better, and I also ground down the fittings a little bit. I think this is because I bought some crappy track off of ebay. If I had known that northern tool sells it Id have just bought the L track there. I bought some smaller pieces there and it is a lot better.

 

[bmcqueen]

Good work

 

[rockerZ71]

thanks! Got one of those red single drawer harbor freight carts today, when I get home I'm going to see if the drawer part would work well under the seat if I cut it up a bit

 

[jim3326]

Looks good and functional ....but... also looks like you lost 2" of headroom. Don't know your situation, but after my 'SNAFU' I've decided to go for all the headroom I can get.

Jim W.

 

[Teal68]

Excellent idea, and looks great.

Is ur fuel access door hinged?

 

[rockerZ71]

Looks good and functional ....but... also looks like you lost 2" of headroom. Don't know your situation, but after my 'SNAFU' I've decided to go for all the headroom I can get.

Yeah, I did lose a little headroom. Not sure if that will be a problem, didn't think much about it. I may cut down the seat a bit because it looks like I will have some extra space with the drawer I am building in there. Or leave it as is if it looks like its not going to be an issue. I've never sat back there but I was thinking the seat higher up would make it more comfortable for adult legs, but now that you've got me thinking about head room I may have to rethink it a bit

Excellent idea, and looks great.

Is ur fuel access door hinged?

Its not hinged, just 4 rivnuts and screws. I (poorly) welded in a flange on 2 sides of the hole I cut to support the rivnuts. Then just took spray adhesive and stuck some toolbox liner to it that was slightly wider to seal the gaps on the other 2 ends. Might pretty it up at some point but it works for now.

 

[rockerZ71]

My office is close to harbor freight so yesterday I picked up another one of these red rolling carts that are $55 w/ coupon. The drawer ALMOST fits under the seat - it was about 1/4" too wide on mine. I also decided to use some other sliders I'd got off ebay a few months ago because they seemed a little higher quality and I am trying to eliminate any potential rattling (I've got plenty as-is). Because it was so close, I decided to just beat the legs of the seat apart with a 4lb hammer which worked pretty well. Needs to be mounted up more securely but the sliders are mounted to both the seat and the drawer and it slides fine. Then need to close up the gaps on the front and back so that the lock will be functional.

 

[jckkys]

I've been looking at both the L Track fittings from Cargo Equipment and Mac's Versa Tie connectors. The aircraft track system always seemed like the perfect way to mount the Bronco rear seat and a behind the seat locked tool or storage box. One thing you didn't mention is the ease of the seat removal and re-instal, or to have it facing the rear. In the Air Force we reconfigured aircraft for seats or cargo in minutes. They of course, have used this system for 60 yrs.

 

[rockerZ71]

I've been looking at both the L Track fittings from Cargo Equipment and Mac's Versa Tie connectors. The aircraft track system always seemed like the perfect way to mount the Bronco rear seat and a behind the seat locked tool or storage box. One thing you didn't mention is the ease of the seat removal and re-instal, or to have it facing the rear. In the Air Force we reconfigured aircraft for seats or cargo in minutes. They of course, have used this system for 60 yrs.

Yeah, it can be put in backwards no problem. And just being able to remove it without tools is awesome. I've had to haul tires and stuff home before without a trailer with me and the factory location of the seat pretty much leaves no room for larger cargo but being able to move the seat all the way up or backward is awesome. Also on long trips it will give my dogs more floor space to lay around when they don't feel like being in the seat.

I may do kinda the same thing with my driver seat so that I can move it back a little further. I'm 6'1" and have trouble seeing traffic lights - moving it back a little while keeping it as low as possible would be a big help.

Putting the seat in/taking it out of the track is easy enough when you basically just drop it in the track at the position you want, but because my fittings don't really fit very well in the track (I knew that before I started but went ahead anyways) its a little more of a pain than it should be. I may get some new track from northern once I get this project more finished, but after grinding the fittings a little its fine. It is easier to slide the seat all the way in/out starting from the end of the track at the back.

Next step besides finishing the drawer is to weld a bar between the two spring loaded things that lock into the L track so that I can pull them up with one hand and use the other to push/pull the seat

 

[rockerZ71]

these are the fittings I am using. I welded some steel rod onto them to give me a flat surface to attach the seat frame I built. With a little more thought I'm sure these could be modified differently to attach it a little lower down to the floor.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/110610232261?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Farrell Martin]

Damn Luke - I cant remember the last time I saw Keystone Light - probably college 25 years ago.

Well done on the seat idea - I have been considering the same thing. How is the track mounted to the floor. Do you think it would hold up in a wreck if someone was sitting in the back seat? I have kids that ride back there so want to make sure the seat would be securely mounted to the floor

- Farrell

 

[rockerZ71]

Damn Luke - I cant remember the last time I saw Keystone Light - probably college 25 years ago.

Ever since they raised the price of high life light at QT, I've been buying keystone

Well done on the seat idea - I have been considering the same thing. How is the track mounted to the floor. Do you think it would hold up in a wreck if someone was sitting in the back seat? I have kids that ride back there so want to make sure the seat would be securely mounted to the floor

- Farrell

The track is mounted with 1/4-20 bolts using rivnuts in the floor. I doubt rivnuts are the most secure way to do it - it could easily be done with nuts on the other side or even more reinforcement if you want I guess. There are a bunch of screws going through each piece of track, so I think it will be pretty secure. I'd probably have to have a kid to rid back there before I'd ever revisit the issue.

I've been working on the rear portion of my cage as well, and orriginally wanted to tie the track to the cage somehow. Lately I have been on the road so much though that I have been trying to simplify my plans a bit into manageable projects otherwise nothing will ever get done when I'm only home one week a month

 

[Viperwolf1]

I've been looking at both the L Track fittings from Cargo Equipment and Mac's Versa Tie connectors. The aircraft track system always seemed like the perfect way to mount the Bronco rear seat and a behind the seat locked tool or storage box. One thing you didn't mention is the ease of the seat removal and re-instal, or to have it facing the rear. In the Air Force we reconfigured aircraft for seats or cargo in minutes. They of course, have used this system for 60 yrs.

This is obsolete USAF L-track. I have a side mount truck tool box attached to it behind the seat now.

 

[rockerZ71]

This is obsolete USAF L-track. I have a side mount truck tool box attached to it behind the seat now.

hows that seat mounted to the track?

 

[Viperwolf1]

hows that seat mounted to the track?

There are special studs that slide into the track. They can be adjusted and locked down in 1" increments along it.