What a difference an inch makes.

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MileHighDart

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Ok, minds out of the gutter people. Lol

Today I raised the bucket seats in my Dart up one inch, and when I jumped in to go for a ride it felt like a whole different car. I can actually hang my arm out the window without it hurting my shoulder.
I made the spacers with an 1-1/4 hole saw and one of my wife's old cutting boards. (Had to buy her a new one of course).
Threw in all new hardware too just so everything matched.

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That’s great, but keeping safety in mind you need larger diameter and higher strength bolts.

When you raise a seat that way, the shear strain on the bolt grows exponentially during a collision. While being more comfortable in the seat is desirable, losing strength in the connection to the floor can become the difference between a minor accident and a fatality.

Beef it up and enjoy the ride!
 
Ddaddy said:
That’s great, but keeping safety in mind you need larger diameter and higher strength bolts.

When you raise a seat that way, the shear strain on the bolt grows exponentially during a collision. While being more comfortable in the seat is desirable, losing strength in the connection to the floor can become the difference between a minor accident and a fatality.

Beef it up and enjoy the ride!
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f* *k man , he's not a 14 year old kid
 
Bulldozer said:
f* *k man , he's not a 14 year old kid
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I’m saying what needs to be said. Maybe he knows it, or maybe he doesn’t. But if I don’t say it, I’m the one at fault for not saying it.

Get over yourself. Advice is just that..advice. You decide whether to take it or not and then it’s on you.
 
I am (was?) 5'11 and have always hated "sitting low". I like to sit up and see over the darn fenders!!! Way back in the 70's I scored some scrap roller bearings similar to a typical C clip rear axle bearing. These were around ? 1" ? high The 70RR had long enough mounting studs to allow them under the seat. My 04 GMC 1500 I just bought, took considerable effort to "jack" as the seat belts are on the seats. I made spacers out of "I forget" 1 1/4 or 1 1/2" square tube.

That pickup has power seats, but when you jack up the seat lower, it screws with the relationship of the lumbar
 
Ddaddy said:
I’m saying what needs to be said. Maybe he knows it, or maybe he doesn’t. But if I don’t say it, I’m the one at fault for not saying it.

Get over yourself. Advice is just that..advice. You decide whether to take it or not and then it’s on you.
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my fault, I didn't realize you were the seat track spacer police. that's nice that you would assume responsibly if something were to happen. good looking out !
 
Bulldozer said:
my fault, I didn't realize you were the seat track spacer police. that's nice that you would assume responsibly if something were to happen. good looking out !
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I have to back dave up on this one,from zero leverage on the bolt to 1-1/2” height added. May be fine but in the event of a rear collision there would be a failure there.
When i build pedestals or raise them, i keep this in mind.
 
You know "Dozer" I see in your profile you have the word why, and I think to myself. Yeah "WHY?" why you gotta be a dick.

I thought the same thing ddaddy stated, and I think he did it in a reasonably polite way. I'm no engineer but I did stay at a holiday inn express once. What he has done is not a mechanically sound practice.

And to help you out milehigh. Pm me some measurements and an address and I'll machine you some aluminum ones. If you can figure the angles. I'll machine that in to the surface.
 
I think with 3/8" bolts (Grade 5 or 8) and put matching washers on the head of the bolt and under the nut on the floorboard it should be stable...
 
Being bounced around in a wrecking car does not sound like fun. All for being safe in this instance. Make sure you're using grade 8 or better bolts and nuts
 
MileHighDart said:
Ok, minds out of the gutter people. Lol

Today I raised the bucket seats in my Dart up one inch, and when I jumped in to go for a ride it felt like a whole different car. I can actually hang my arm out the window without it hurting my shoulder.
I made the spacers with an 1-1/4 hole saw and one of my wife's old cutting boards. (Had to buy her a new one of course).
Threw in all new hardware too just so everything matched.

View attachment 1715497931

View attachment 1715497932
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I read and see some the stuff you post and it almost seems like our two cars are connected somehow.
I lowered my drivers seat because it was too high after it was all installed and I drove it for a couple of days..
Had to cut an inch of the already finished frames that the sliders sit on.
I can tell you that every bit of what you are going through now will be soooo worth it in the end.
 
Just get a 1" nut and some grade 8 bolts. Our cars are death traps anyway compared the the 14 air bags in a new car...but were usually careful enough in them to avoid most situations, ie driving them everyday to work?? I should be so lucky.....
 
Blind Squirrel said:
You know "Dozer" I see in your profile you have the word why, and I think to myself. Yeah "WHY?" why you gotta be a dick.

I thought the same thing ddaddy stated, and I think he did it in a reasonably polite way. I'm no engineer but I did stay at a holiday inn express once. What he has done is not a mechanically sound practice.
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it's not that I'm being a " dick " as you say. he's a grown man working on his own car doing what he needs to do to make it more comfortable. then the naysayers and safety police come along and tell him it's all f'd up and everything he's done is completely wrong. according to who? have you done crash tests with a seat bolted on spacers? live and let live Christ.
 
I hear what your all sayin'.
Kinda wasn't thinking about crash ability when doing this. Was just trying to find a quick solution without all the cutting, welding, grinding, etc, of building supports from metal.
But I'm thinking now I'll get some 1x1 square tubing and weld up a better support system. I do have some serious braces underneath welded to the bottom of the floor so that part is done anyway.
Thanks y'all
 
MileHighDart said:
I hear what your all sayin'.
Kinda wasn't thinking about crash ability when doing this. Was just trying to find a quick solution without all the cutting, welding, grinding, etc, of building supports from metal.
But I'm thinking now I'll get some 1x1 square tubing and weld up a better support system. I do have some serious braces underneath welded to the bottom of the floor so that part is done anyway.
Thanks y'all
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I don't have pics now, it's night, but I used 90 degree angle iron welded the whole length of the track to raise it up several inches.

I'm prolly not thinking safety enough by attaching wooden block pedal extensions with duct tape. LoL
 
Bulldozer said:
it's not that I'm being a " dick " as you say. he's a grown man working on his own car doing what he needs to do to make it more comfortable. then the naysayers and safety police come along and tell him it's all f'd up and everything he's done is completely wrong. according to who? have you done crash tests with a seat bolted on spacers? live and let live Christ.
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You are being a dick. Ddaddy made an absolutely legitimate observation, and did it politely. He didn’t say what the OP did “was all f’ed up” or that it was “completely wrong”. He simply pointed out that it might not be safe, and it isn’t.

Every single one of us at one point or another has done something on our cars that we thought was a great idea —until we realized we didn’t consider something important. Happens to everyone. We “know better” but sometimes we overlook stuff. Most times it’s just something silly and it’s not a big deal.

But sometimes it has safety implications, like this. Ddaddy just pointed that out. He’s not trying to be the “seat track police”, he’s trying to help another member and keep them from making a mistake that could cause serious injury. It’s called looking out for people.

And heck, if milehighdart wants to ignore him he can, it’s his car and his life. At least he can make that decision knowing there might be consequences.
 
Back in my day, the ones that needed it, used phone books, nowadays, they have booster seats for that. :D
 
MileHighDart said:
I hear what your all sayin'.
Kinda wasn't thinking about crash ability when doing this. Was just trying to find a quick solution without all the cutting, welding, grinding, etc, of building supports from metal.
But I'm thinking now I'll get some 1x1 square tubing and weld up a better support system. I do have some serious braces underneath welded to the bottom of the floor so that part is done anyway.
Thanks y'all
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Ha see what I mean?
I used 1x1 tubing for floor brackets. :D

I have seen and read enough to now tell your future.
Soon you will think, Holy cow I think I'll cover my entire package tray with padded speaker cloth and under mount my speakers so there is no indication that they are there.

I have a pattern for the new board when you need it.:D
 
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