Early 90 centre seat

EvangelicAtheist · May 23, 2019

does anyone have a picture of the seat frame / rails of an early 90/110 centre seat please? I’ve currently got a newer Defender centre seat in mine but I’ve bought a full set of the older style replacement bases and backs and I want to put the “proper” centre seat in. I’ve been looking on eBay but haven’t seen any come up so I am going to see about fabricating one from scratch so could use a guide.

Gmacz · May 23, 2019

Mine is held in by gravity and has a thin piece of wood at front and back. 85 90.

tottot · May 23, 2019

The early 90/110 used series 3 "delux" type seats. Fitted to series 3 frames. On one's I have seen only the drivers seat was on sliders.

Azzymodo · May 23, 2019

Not sure if these help, let me know if you need anything else, it’s from my 90 TD5 hard top

tottot · May 23, 2019

That is the later type seat frame, not what he is after.

14platoon · May 24, 2019

EvangelicAtheist said:
does anyone have a picture of the seat frame / rails of an early 90/110 centre seat please? I’ve currently got a newer Defender centre seat in mine but I’ve bought a full set of the older style replacement bases and backs and I want to put the “proper” centre seat in. I’ve been looking on eBay but haven’t seen any come up so I am going to see about fabricating one from scratch so could use a guide.

If you mean the square type squab seats then the outer seats should have a different bracket, this is kind of a double bracket to incorporate the centre seat, they’re quite difficult to get hold of. However, I squeezed my centre seat between the two outer standard seats and managed to fit the back rest using cotter pins. If it is the old style square squab seats then let me know, I’ll put a photo up which will explain it better.

Rodeo Joe · May 24, 2019

Could you put up a picture anyway, I might have some kicking about if I knew what they looked like.....

Gmacz · May 24, 2019

Seatbelt or lapbelt gets in the way of pics.

14platoon · May 24, 2019

The above is how it sits, no frame just st sandwiched between the other two (you can undo the outer frames and jiggle them about to fit this in nice and tight).

The above centre seat has round bars which handily pop through existing holes in the original single frames, just use split pins to secure, no need for the special double frames. It can all still fold forward too.

EvangelicAtheist · Jun 9, 2019

Thanks for the replies, sorry I've not been back to check its been a mad few weeks.

My driver & passenger definitely don't have any "double" frame to them and I can't quite work out what you've done there, but my new seats are arriving next week (back order) including the centre, so I will see what's what.

Worst case I just keep the newer style that I've already fitted and retrim it to look more OEM but I'd rather put the squab style in as I like the "bench" look.

EvangelicAtheist · Jun 9, 2019

14platoon said:
The above centre seat has round bars which handily pop through existing holes in the original single frames, just use split pins to secure, no need for the special double frames. It can all still fold forward too.

Its that last picture I can't quite work out - does the centre seat back fit onto the back frame of the 2 outer seats?

I get the base, it just sits sandwiched which isn't what I was expecting but at least there's no frame to make up.

14platoon · Jun 10, 2019

Exactly that. I don't have double frames either. The new centre seat back should come with 2 round pivot points or pins fitted on the edges of the seat pad frame.
These pivot points handily fit into the existing frames of the outer seats (existing holes) At least that's what happened with mine. I just had to undo (not completely) my existing frames and just edged them in slightly.

EvangelicAtheist said:
Its that last picture I can't quite work out - does the centre seat back fit onto the back frame of the 2 outer seats?

I get the base, it just sits sandwiched which isn't what I was expecting but at least there's no frame to make up.

tly

EvangelicAtheist · Jun 10, 2019

14platoon said:
Exactly that. I don't have double frames either. The new centre seat back should come with 2 round pivot points or pins fitted on the edges of the seat pad frame.
These pivot points handily fit into the existing frames of the outer seats (existing holes) At least that's what happened with mine. I just had to undo (not completely) my existing frames and just edged them in slightly.

tly

Thats really helpful thanks.

I can see the problem I am going to have... when I ordered the seats (Exmoor) there are 2 versions of the backs apparently, a pin version and a bolt version. My OEM seats are bolted, so that's what I ordered, but from your description probably what I wanted was the pin type... but I am sure I can rig something up maybe with short lengths of stud and a thin nut or something.

I remembered that it had a very sorry looking centre squab and a tatty green cushion for a backrest when I acquired the vehicle, which I assume was standard army issue lol. Still got them somewhere.

14platoon · Jun 20, 2019

You fitted these yet?

EvangelicAtheist · Jun 20, 2019

No, still waiting for the damned things, I ordered them over a month ago. They are waiting for the metalwork apparently and I am promised them next week. Will update the thread when I’ve had a go at fitting them.

14platoon · Jun 20, 2019

EvangelicAtheist said:
No, still waiting for the damned things, I ordered them over a month ago. They are waiting for the metalwork apparently and I am promised them next week. Will update the thread when I’ve had a go at fitting them.

Nice one. I just bought a lap belt for my centre seat. Fingers crossed should be easy as they’re clip on from a Wolf

EvangelicAtheist · Jul 1, 2019

So, the new seats finally arrived this morning from Exmoor.... and it's got me confused (easily done!!)

The original seat backs were fitted to the frame & runners with 2 bolts through a bracket, which kept the seat back rigid. The interior of the frame had nuts welded on so you could bolt through the frame into the seat back.

The new seat backs have a little pin protruding one each side, which seem to fit the upper of the original holes on the bracket (probably need opening out a little) and are secured with a washer and a cotter pin but then the seat back isn't rigid anymore. Are they designed to just rest against the rear bulkhead? It looks like it works like that and the nice thing is they can be folded down to access the area behind the seats, but it just seems a bit odd that there is no way of fixing them upright. Also, as the bases are on runners, if you pull them forward then the seat backs end up at an obtuse angle!

Another difference is that the seat frame / rails is canted upwards at the back, and the original squab bases were also tapered at the very back so you can actually slide the base in below the seat back. The new seat bases are flat which means most of the base isn't resting on the rail, only the front and rear which seems to me like it will cause it to bend eventually.

I haven't even looked at the centre seat yet lol.

EvangelicAtheist · Jul 1, 2019

14platoon said:
The above is how it sits, no frame just st sandwiched between the other two (you can undo the outer frames and jiggle them about to fit this in nice and tight).
The above centre seat has round bars which handily pop through existing holes in the original single frames, just use split pins to secure, no need for the special double frames. It can all still fold forward too.

So your picture makes sense now I've seen my new seats, so if I may ask a few questions:

1. Are your seat backs retained in an upright position by themselves or do they just rest against the rear bulkhead?
2. If the latter, how does this work if you slide the seats forward or backward, presumably this changes the angle of the backrest?
3. As the new seat bases are flat whereas the original frame isn't (and the original bases were shaped to fit the bases) have yours suffered from distortion at all due to only being supported at the front and rear?

thanks

Tim

EvangelicAtheist · Jul 1, 2019

Well the driver and passenger seat are in, not sure I am convinced of the idea that they just rest against the back but I will give it a try as I can’t see how they are designed any different.

Will probably have to fabricate something for the centre seat but that’s for next weekend.

14platoon · Jul 2, 2019

EvangelicAtheist said:
Well the driver and passenger seat are in, not sure I am convinced of the idea that they just rest against the back but I will give it a try as I can’t see how they are designed any different.

Will probably have to fabricate something for the centre seat but that’s for next weekend.

View attachment 183113

Sorry for the late reply, just seen this.
Mine rest on the back exactly the same as yours. You can fit seat back stops/brackets (original figment) which holds the seats forward but is pretty upright to be honest.
You shouldn’t need to fabricate anything for the centre seat. Undo the outer seat frames slightly, then jiggle the centre seat in between the two outer frames. Squeeze it in tight by doing up your outer seat frames. Then fit your centre seat Back rest into the lower hole on your existing brackets, I can see the holes in your picture. This will mean the centre seat back pad sites slightly lower than the outer but it looks perfectly normal and saves a lot of messing around.

Early 90 centre seat

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