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Topic: Bolts connecting driver seat to base (Read 817 times) previous topic - next topic

Bolts connecting driver seat to base

1998 U-320

Several days ago we reinstalled the driver's seat in our coach back onto the base after having new foam put in the seat.

When I undid the original four bolts I noticed that they were a little loose in the holes.  They were 5/16 inch bolts.  The holes in the bottom of the seat, and in the electronic base, are drilled for 3/8 inch bolts.  Using a 5/16 inch bolt allows play between the base and seat.

On chairs these four bolts are acting as a stop against shearing type forces which happen all the time as the vehicle slows, accelerates, etc.  I was surprised to see that the factory used a smaller diameter bolt in this situation.

We changed the bolts out to 3/8 inch bolts.  A 3/8 inch bolt fills the hole completely and holds the chair in position.

Torque to proper specs for the bolt size, grade, and composition (zinc, standard, etc.). 

If you use the electronic controls to raise the seat you can get a torque wrench under the bolt head.  I used a set of vice grips to hold a wrench on the nylock nut so that it would not move while the bolt was being torqued.

Chris

Re: Bolts connecting driver seat to base

Reply #1 –
Chris mentions safety issues that can come up with driver seat, and co-pilot seat too.

Another seat issue that gets little attention is the through-the-floor mounting bolts.  It is assumed that since most of the floor construction is top wood, middle foam and bottom fiberglass, Foretravel welded steel structures at the points where the seat floor bolt holes are drilled.  This allows the original front seats to be securely attached to the coach's framework.

Foretravel and other service locations that do remodeling, when installing new seats with new bases often drill new floor holes for the new chair footprint.  And these new holes may not go through any steel structures.  No question that the new chair will be firmly attached.  I only mention that a DOT required mounting may be lost and I guess in a collision, if the seat belts hold up, maybe the floor bolts may not.

Re: Bolts connecting driver seat to base

Reply #2 –
When removing and replacing our seats the rollocks had stripped in several places but did go into steel structure. I drilled on down through the box beams and put washers and nuts on the bottom. Passenger seat wasn't into steel on the front fasteners so I put a three inch square "washer" against the bottom of the wood glass sandwich and a nut on the end of the bolts. I suppose they're strong enough for the driver/passenger, in a castastrophic crash to be cut in half with the seat belt. KInda like the old Shelly Berhman comedy routine with the lower half of the body staying the seat and the top half flying trough the aifplane.
Larry
1996 U295 36'
Build # 4805
Actually we sold it but just like to lurk