Seat Fitment Install Question (2GN)

LyricsNLines · Post by **LyricsNLines** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:29 am

I found some Chrysler Sebring 01 seats that fit into a 2nd Gen neon seat location. 1 of the lower front seat bolts line up but the arm is too short for the other to bolt in. For the rear 2 bolts, they dont even reach the factory bolt holes, so it looks like I may have to drill some holes for new bolts.

My Question:

Is their a special way to drill these holes for the seat? I know they won't be threaded so I may have to just drill the hole, start the bolt turning into the hole, and then impact it the rest of the way in. Is this safe kosher?

heydockyle · Post by **heydockyle** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:35 am

I would have little brackets welded onto the back of the seat brackets to make it reach personally.

TheRandom1 · Post by **TheRandom1** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:39 am

I would agree with Kyle here. If you just drill a hole and basically shove a bolt in as you're talking about doing, your seat will follow you into the dashboard if you get into an accident.

If I'm not mistaken, holes in the floorboard are reinforced with crossmembers and such, so just drilling a new random hole in the floor is about as smart as jumping out of a third story window with nothing but a trash bag as a parachute.

heydockyle · Post by **heydockyle** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:41 am

Exactly. The threaded part now is pretty deep, with a good 4 or 5 rings of threads. If you drill into the floorboard it's going to be really thin floorboard. So the part that you are threading will have like 1 ring of threads.

The more threads you have on the thing you are threading into, the better.

steamer1227 · Post by **steamer1227** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:08 am

Take my advice. ... I once did that with a racing seat in my old car when I was younger and dumber. Lol. The seat didn't match the holes in the car and they did not make a bracket for it either, so me being inpatient I went and drilled hole and bolted the seat down. It worked great for about 6 months until one day some ass pulled out in front of me. I slammed the brake pedal, missed the guy but ate the steering wheel with my face. Not cool. Lol. Busted my lip and then the whole trip home everytime I stepped on the gas the seat went all the way back to the rear seats and when I steped on the brakes up came the seat to the dash. Let's just say that it was like driving a freakin teeter tot. SUX.

So to fix that problem I fabbed up some brackets and made them work with OEM mounting points and bolts. Never had that problem again for over 3 years with that car. So PLEASE unless u like kissing ur dash at 40 mph DO IT the RIGHT WAY !!!

LyricsNLines · Post by **LyricsNLines** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 2:30 pm

very interesting intel guys, thx! Steamer any pics of what you fabbed up? Looks like I'm going to go that route.

Somehow I have not ate the steering wheel yet and I only have 1 front bolt in!

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 2:37 pm

What about trying to bolt the new seats to the Neon seat rails? That may work.

LilSparkPlug · Post by **LilSparkPlug** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 2:58 pm

^ that was my idea....see if your brackets will fit it. You could always drill a new hole into the bracket itself.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 3:26 pm

That would be safer than drilling holes in the floor

steamer1227 · Post by **steamer1227** » Fri Apr 16, 2010 10:15 am

No sorry I don't have any pics. That was about 8 years ago. Umm...... I'm not sure what thickness the steel was ( a friend had some extra scraps layin around), but all I did was weld the steel to the racing seats existing rail just to extend it back maybe another 2-3 inches. See it was in my cavalier and they have studs that come up through the floor that the seat had holes in the bracket to just place a bolt on it. So all I hadto do was to weld it to the rail and I could leave it flat and just drill a hole to match the stud. It did make my seat sit on the floor but I'm 6'4" 280lbs. So I needed as much room as I could get in a cavy. Lol. For a normal sized person the looked like a lil ol' lady that was in need of a couple of phone books to see over the wheel. Lol.

If you could swap the rails that would prob be ur best bet and you could prob make something if they aren't to far off.

Yea kissing the wheel really sux at those speeds. But trying to dive it home like that freakin sucked prolly worse cuz not only was In a rocking chair but I had to hold my lip cuz I was bleeding pretty good. Lol.

Good luck and keep us updated.

LyricsNLines · Post by **LyricsNLines** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 4:10 pm

Danteneon, the new seats are power so they require the lifted bracket.

NickKo · Post by **NickKo** » Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:02 am

TheRandom1 wrote: If I'm not mistaken, holes in the floorboard are reinforced with crossmembers and such

True.

- Nick

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:40 pm

A plate with a nut welded on could be put on the underside to bolt the seat in. Basically that's all that is used. Just have it welded once it is where it needs to be. IIRC, the seat belt latch is attached to the seat. If the inner part/latch fits the oem holes, then you are golden. The other side is not as critical, as the auto adjuster is anchored to the body. Just drill the holes and use a reinforcement plate. The only thing it has to hold is the seat in an accident. The seat belts/airbags are going to support your weight. If you have a hard rear impact, you are screwed even with the OEM set up. The seats bend back, and you slide out. It doesn't matter if you installed them or the factory.