Making The 3rd Row Adjustable

[WannaBe68]

Have been kicking around an idea to make the 3rd row bench adjustable. I'd like to be able to move the entire bench forward, without taking it out, to create additional space in the rear. Has anyone fab'd any type of adjustable / sliding brackets for this or does anyone sell anything that might work?
I've searched the forum search window, but no luck so far.

Thanks in advance!

[richard2717]

One burb I brought home had this done to it. They removed the seat and brackets, bolted a pc of Kindorf (strut Channel) to the original holes then using strut spring nuts bolted the original floor brackets to it. I don't know If that is what i would have done but I could not move the seat at all when I snatched on it.

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[richard2717]

The pics don't show the spring nuts I had already removed them b4 I thought to get a picture of the setup

[WannaBe68]

Thanks Richard, yeah that's the idea I'm kicking around, but maybe some kind of slide with a lower profile.
Thanks again!

[richard2717]

That is actually the deep channel they have it half that deep as well in the electrical section at Home Depot or your local supply house

[WannaBe68]

Hey Richard,
Would you happen to have an idea how the PO attached the front support to that U channel? It looks like the rear support bolted into the channel, but the front support is that funky shaped bar piece and it looks like it is just sitting on the channel unattached...
Thanks

[richard2717]

It attached the same way. I threw away the original clips he used. I have some here that are similar but they have a 1/4-20 stud in them which is not heavy enough, I am just using it here for picture reference. They make the spring nuts that are threaded without the small stud for larger bolts to bolt into but I am not sure how big you can get. I know they have 3/8 but not sure about bigger.


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[WannaBe68]

ahhh - okay that makes sense. This just might work...

Thanks again!

[Bigdav160]

Mitch, take a look here.

I think there might something more elegant than electrical struts.

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by Bigdav160

Mitch, take a look here.

I think there might something more elegant than electrical struts.

That stuff looks nice. I agree the kindorf probably not the best looking either it was just the only option I had ever seen lol

[WannaBe68]

Dave, thanks! In what spare time I have I have been burning up google looking for something different than the struts with little luck. Need to remember the search word elegant in the future :-) This outfit my man just might be the ticket!

[WannaBe68]

Dave,
I think I found what I have been looking for on that website you linked.
It is the track used to mount seats in Aircrafts. It's made out of 6351 aluminum and is only 1/2" tall...! Exactly what I thought I wanted. And they had the threaded stud lug fitting for it as well.

[Average Joe]

That is a slick set up! ^^^^

[MusicMan70]

Subscribed for a great link and better idea! Thanks for the topic.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by Bigdav160

Mitch, take a look here.

I think there might something more elegant than electrical struts.

This is a great reference I didn’t know existed. Thanks for sharing this Bigdav!

[WannaBe68]

Received the 6ft piece of track and it looks great! I cut it into two 3ft sections and laid them out and did some measurements. I found something that I'll have to figure out a solution for.
In Richard's pic above the track looks like it runs straight from front to back.
But after measuring my 3rd bench mounting holes - the front two bolt holes are about 28 1/2 inches apart and the rear bolt holes are 32 1/2 inches apart. So if I use those bolt holes the track will angle in kind-of like a V - Not sure if the seat will be able to "slide" straight back and forth. Might have to make a new bolt hole?

Edit - Just realized the mount is backwards in Richards picture. That piece mounts with the bend facing to the inside and the mounting holes running with the seat frame vs what's in his picture.

[adzints7]

Originally Posted by WannaBe68

Received the 6ft piece of track and it looks great! I cut it into two 3ft sections and laid them out and did some measurements. I found something that I'll have to figure out a solution for.
In Richard's pic above the track looks like it runs straight from front to back.
But after measuring my 3rd bench mounting holes - the front two bolt holes are about 28 1/2 inches apart and the rear bolt holes are 32 1/2 inches apart. So if I use those bolt holes the track will angle in kind-of like a V - Not sure if the seat will be able to "slide" straight back and forth. Might have to make a new bolt hole?

Edit - Just realized the mount is backwards in Richards picture. That piece mounts with the bend facing to the inside and the mounting holes running with the seat frame vs what's in his picture.

What about cutting the track into 4 individual sections?

[richard2717]

Mitch,
I just went back out to the one I took a pic of earlier. I had just glanced under it before because it looked like factory bracket underneath. It is the factory front bracket but they moved them in line with the rear holes in order for this setup to work. I looked at another floor that I have here and the front ones were narrower than the rear ones. On the one I took pics of they are 42" centers for both front and rear.

Richard

[WannaBe68]

Originally Posted by adzints7

What about cutting the track into 4 individual sections?

Hmm - I could be thinking about this wrong, but if I had 4 sections wouldn't I need a total of 8 holes? The 4 existing ones and then 4 new ones (1 new one for each of the 4 sections?). I'll take a look at that this evening and thanks for chiming in!

[WannaBe68]

Originally Posted by richard2717

Mitch,
I just went back out to the one I took a pic of earlier. I had just glanced under it before because it looked like factory bracket underneath. It is the factory front bracket but they moved them in line with the rear holes in order for this setup to work. I looked at another floor that I have here and the front ones were narrower than the rear ones. On the one I took pics of they are 42" centers for both front and rear.

Richard

Thanks again Richard... I'll take a look this evening, but thinking about it I am probably going to have to drill at least 1 new hole per side to get the track straight... Will report back after I gather some add'l intel...