Fix your low passenger seat for FREE!

[IROCanSS]

Moral of the story...

DON'T DO THIS!


Just sent... don't want to offend anyone.

[Synner]

Originally Posted by IROCanSS

Synner uses even larger engineering geek terms than me. .

Thats cause I'm an architect but pretend to be a civil engineer for the Air Force. So I must make my statements aesthetically pleasing to the eye but who cares if they work, that's for engineers to figure out.

So I'm more of an uncivil moderately professional engineer. But blast physics I know, a little too well. LOL.

[IROCanSS]

Cool!!

That's what I always loved about architects.

A: here is the rendering for the new building management wanted.

E: how the hell do I make this work?

A: not my problem, but it looks cool. See ya!


Just sent... don't want to offend anyone.

[Synner]

Then hire more military architects (only the AF and Navy have them). We have to maintain everyones turd of a project we inherited over 100 years of civil servant screw ups and constant renovations done by the lowest bidder so we care a lot. Pretty sure that's why my hair is falling out so much faster now.

[ttexxan]

Hate to say this has been covered before....If in a crash hope the insurance people dont see...If so hope the person next to you of little importance. They look at the seat bolted in as a saftey feature....tampering with it in such a way could cause unwanted damage in case of accident. I think it looks cool, but would not hold up in court, insurance or an accident.

[SUX2BU]

Originally Posted by SteveFrench

Would there be anyway to lower the driver seat this way for us tall folk?

Nope.

Originally Posted by SSSoon

Thanks for posting; great idea. Tried to do it tonight but my Torx 40 was too small. Gotta get a bigger set of Torx bits. I wonder if maybe they changed stuff in the 2011s to a bigger one. Ah well, just another excuse to buy more tools!

Yeah, my bad it's Torx 50.

Originally Posted by Ject

Wouldn't it be "safer" if one was to buy 2 new bolts that were just a little longer before doing this... ?

I'd imagine you lost about 1/2 of the thread strength by backing it out that much.

Originally Posted by Mikes SS

Oh lord do people complain just to complain? If the Torx bolt goes back into the mounting nut for as deep as the mounting nut is, you lose no strength! What would the difference be if the Torx sticks out from the bottom 3/4 of and inch vs 1/4? Nothing.

Originally Posted by IROCanSS

I didn't notice the tapered section. He's totally right. Those CAN NOT be used to hold the seat down. Chance of failure would greatly increase of you were trying to use the taper section to mount the seat.

Synner uses even larger engineering geek terms than me. .


Just sent... don't want to offend anyone.

This bolt is REALLY long. Even after the spacer it still engages .505" of threads on a bolt that is .385" thick.

Don't worry, this isn't my first rodeo. I would hate to see you guy's reaction to the bolts that hold in 4th gen seats, those things were about half the thickness of these, and they didn't have any locating pins or anything.

[camaro_RS]

5'2" fiancé has always complained about the "too low" passenger seat that she can't see out of. Thanks for the DIY thread and the pics Sux.

[Berryp]

SUX Thanks for the DIY always helpful......

[Jrichards73]

I just replaced it with the power seat parts. Fully adjustable now and even goes lower. Girl friend is 5'2" and can raise it till her head hits the ceiling, and 6'7" coworker can lower it and have headroom to spare. About $550. http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166968

[mikeyroche]

My fiancee is 5'5, no problem seeing... She doesn't care if it feels really low, she doesn't need to see, she isn't driving.... Her words

[montyhp]

Originally Posted by Synner

Thats cause I'm an architect but pretend to be a civil engineer for the Air Force. So I must make my statements aesthetically pleasing to the eye but who cares if they work, that's for engineers to figure out.

So I'm more of an uncivil moderately professional engineer. But blast physics I know, a little too well. LOL.

The Corps just built us a new building. They are more concerned about having it look good so they can win awards than having it be functional. Fortunately we are a laboratory full of engineers so we stood our ground and came up with a pretty nice building.

[RADAR]

Originally Posted by IROCanSS

Ject... I am a civil professional engineer.

IF the nut holding the seat in (not the spacer nut)... Forget the bolt for now... If the nut has 8 threads, then you need 8 threads.

As Synner was saying, we have no clue how far the end of the bolt sticks out the bottom. If it sticks out more than the size of the spacer you put in, and the bolt can still get fully threaded (all 8) AND still sticks out the bottom, a longer bolt would not accomplish anything.

BUT... As Synner and I stated, the geometry of the bolt has changed. No denying that. Enough to make a difference? I didn't do the structural analysis on the bolt, the seat or the car.

Worst case, you get hit in the side and the bolt shears because you changed the force geometry and the seat flys out.... Willing to try it?

Oh, and if that happens and you kill your passenger, you better hope no one ever knows you modified the seat.

That's worst case....


Just sent... don't want to offend anyone.

I agree with the PE's responding. I could write a book on what could happen and why this is not a good idea without a structural analysis. The problem you will find is the amount of the fees for an actual analysis. To add, this to me would be risky for an engineer to sign off on. To much liability.

Think of it as a lever or a cheater bar/pipe that you would put on a socket wrench. The longer the lever the easier it is to turn or break something.

I would highly recommend not doing what is shown above. Sure it works, but in a collision.... possible failure.



FYI - A good off the wall engagement depth for threads is roughly 2 times the diameter of the bolt. However, required engagement depth will vary depending on the amount of threads per inch and thread pitch.

P.S.-I just thought of how you could get the analysis for free! Keep the spacer installed. <<----- (JUST KIDDING) If you get into a wreck and the seat flys out GM would be all over it. They wouldn't want to have the rumor of a possible recall etc., etc., etc... They would take everything down to the last nut and bolt to find out what happened.

[coloeb]

Upgrade to the power seat from the factory. If the person sitting in the passenger seat is not worth the 550.00 upgrade, perhaps the better question would be " Why are they sitting in your car".

[Genious]

Originally Posted by coloeb

Upgrade to the power seat from the factory. If the person sitting in the passenger seat is not worth the 550.00 upgrade, perhaps the better question would be " Why are they sitting in your car".

Gas Money.