18-AUG-2013
All the way up
Using the YJ slides allowed a great deal of adjustment as seen here. I test fit my daughter in the seat at full forward and it's a great fit for her 5' 3" frame.
18-AUG-2013
Rear seat belt mounts
I still don't have my latching device figured out yet but I was able to get the seat belt mounts located and drilled. I will weld these solid so that the strength of the tube will still be there now that I drilled a hole in it.
18-AUG-2013
Seatbelt mount in saddle
I drilled and grooved the saddle to accept the center mounts for the belts. Since the YJ rear seat that I am using is narrow I am crossing the center belt mounts so that there is a proper belt fit for the passengers.
18-AUG-2013
Rear seat belt mounts
This seatbelt mount was a little easier to figure out and will be welded solid as well.
I also welded some side saddle extensions just to make sure that the seat stays in lin and won't rock at all especially if just one passenger was in the back.
18-AUG-2013
Rear belts
I was given a set of Crow 3" five point harnesses for my birthday about 5 years ago to install in my buggy but 3" belts were a little too wide to replace the 2" wide Simpson belts that were already in the buggy. So these belts have been in my closet sitting in boxes for the past five years just waiting for the "perfect" project!
Right now my idea is to just use the 3" lap belts for the rear seat but I have in the back of my mind to add a bar to mount the shoulder harnesses but the bar would have to be removable. At this point I'm undecided what I will do with the harnesses but the 3" lap belts will work out great.
18-AUG-2013
Fold and tumble
With all of the seats mounted, my version of the "fold and tumble" works out pretty well. I just have to finalize the latching mechanism for the rear seat and the rear seat mounting and belt mounting will be done!
I know I will have to devise some sort of latch or something to hold the rear seat up when traveling especially when I add the bars to mount the front seat harnesses to. When those bars are added and in place the rear seat when folded up will sit more vertical and will just fall.
21-AUG-2013
Rear seat latch
I was able to fit up, drill, and weld the rear seat latch in place. I made a little flat extension piece to come straight off the saddle to mount the latch on. Now when the seat is out in the down position the latch snaps locked and holds the seat firmly to the cage.
23-AUG-2013
Front seat belt mounts
I fit up the front seat belts and welded the mounting tabs in place, these are the center mounts.
23-AUG-2013
Front belt mounts
These are the side seat belt mounts for the front seats. All four tabs are welded at an angle to match the seat belt angle.
23-AUG-2013
Harness mounts
I finally figured out how I was going to mount the harnesses for the front seats. I was originally going to just run a horizontal bar at harness height from B toB pillars but that would put a bar across and in the way making it even harder for the rear seat passengers to get back there.
So I decided to change it up a bit and actually add some needed triangulation to the B pillar and also use the bars to mount my harnesses to, Since my seats recline I also needed to leave room for the seat to move so I put in a clearance bend. Now my new problem was going to be trying to figure out the angles and the crazy notching angles because these tubes intersect three other tubes.
24-AUG-2013
Angled notching
Here is on view of the notching at the top of the harness tube.
24-AUG-2013
Another view of crazy notching
Both sides cane out good with nice tight joints.