I beg for help!

We just bought a 2006 xB. My husband is 6'8" tall, and we MUST modify the driver's seat. His knees hit right next to the key hole.

The seat has to be moved further back, and preferably lowered also. There appears to be room!

But I can't find ANYWHERE who is willing to do the job! I'd love to buy parts on the internet and have someone install them, even if I have to buy a new SEAT also.

We need:Modified rails (further back, possibly also lower)
Someone to install them!

PLEASE HELP!!!

/Ashira

 

First ? did your hubby test drive this car? If not you must now drive him around while he sits in the back, there should be plenty of room for him there.

This job will must likely be a DIY'r. It will be hard to find someone to Mod safety equipment.

 

he must have really long legs for his height. I'm 6'4" and have tons of room in there.

As stated above, you looking at a safety concern if you do a hack job on it. I would say something similiar to a Z that would hook over the current seat bolts and then extend back. If you are going to be very serious about this, and I recommend you do, I would probably go the extra step and bolt through the floor pan with a large reinforcing washer and lots of silicon/waterproofing around the bolt hole. I can visualize what I'm talking about... but I'm not sure if anyone else can. If you can get an idea of what I'm talking about, measure it out and take your drawing and measurements to a machine shop and they should be able to fab up a satisfactory bracket for safety and to fit your needs.

 

Remember, when you move the seat you negate the effect of every piece of the car's safety equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, the airbag deployment distance and timing, the seatbelt angle and engagement point, as well as the driver position in the more heavily reinforced areas of the vehicle.

This is the primary reason why many shops will not alter seat position. I also would not recommend changing the seating position if at all possible.

Sorry this isn't better news for you.

-Alex

 

Duh, of course, we test drove like a hundred cars for him, and this was the best under $25k, believe it or not. We realized we were going to have to mod the seat rail no matter what. And yes, he has super long legs.

It seems it would be easier to LOWER the seat, since there is tons of room under there. We don't need that space, we need more comfort.

We spoke with a few people who own Scions who said how Scions are built to mod easily, and that lowering the seat or extending the back of the rails should be simple.

We are looking to pay someone good money to do it - we want it done right.

 

No, it doesn't negate the effect of all safety equipment, it reduces it to one degree or another.

People install racing seats in these cars all the time. Don't any of those have seat positions further back or lower?

We aren't talking about moving it a foot, we're talking about a few inches. And we have spoken with representatives that have assured us it does not void the warranty of anything but the seat/rails.

I've already considered all the possible negatives to this kind of modification.
Now I just need it done.[/b]

 

There has to be a way to do this . . . I am with you Alex on the "factory reccomendation" that we are supposed to tell people, but honestly I think you could do this. First off you shuold contact the state highway patrol office. When I retrofitted a power seat into a tacoma for a customer(never actually happened but I did the research for him and he never bought, THANKS!) that was where I ended up. I assume you will have to deal with the same thing. Apparantly, after the work is done it has to be inspected to be legal and you get a certificate for it. That's all I can give you, but try looking into some aftermarket seats and look at the rails they install those onto. Like everyone else said, this is probably a DIY or find a friend who "knows a guy" with a torch . . . I can't reccomend a shop to you, but as much as I reccomend against doing this, there are people who have installed other seats in their cars. The most important thing is to make sure the highway patrol looks at the car and deems it safe and legal to drive after you have done this.

*steps down*

 

I would call a Toyota Mobility shop near you. There is one in Indianola, Iowa that I know of but I am clueless of shops in Kansas City. Feel free to call me.

 

good idea, there is a place here called united access in springfield mo. anyone in KC know of a good shop for mobility stuff?