LocostUSA.com

I was wondering anyone has had success re-molding the plastic seats from Jegs, Summit, etc... My wife got me a pair of identical seats for my B-Day.. I was planning on buying them separately (21" for driver and 18" for Passenger), but given that she out planned me I have to make a few adjustments to them.

I was able to use a 2" load ratchet strap to "squeeze" them down enough to fit between the walls of my +442. The passenger side actually required me to move the tunnel 1" inboard to make it, but they fit.

I know I will need to take them out again at several points, so rather than go through the hassles each time, has anyone found a successful method of either heating them or otherwise deforming them permanently so that they won't have to be man handled each time?

I don't think cutting them (saw, router or sander as I've seen others do) is something I really want to do as I'd have to start cutting on the inside of the passengers bolsters to get it between the walls, even with the 1" tunnel movement.

Any one got a secret for this??

Thanks,

KS

If these are the single piece plastic one, I think you'll be unhappy with them. Even if you get them fit in there, the real problem is that they're non-porous. That is, they don't breath. Moisture from your skin has no where to go and ends up softening your sking. Meanwhile, engine vibration conducts directly into the seats and between that and the moisture, it'll rub the skin right off your back, right along your backbone.

Before you use these seats, go rent a kart for an hour - they have the same kind of seats. Your back will be rubbed raw.

Oh.. see now you hit my weak spot for fun.. I LOVE KARTING!!!! I 1st went karting in Germany and spent nearly every available hour in the Kart track down the street from the hotel. The guys thought I was a hermit, until they figured out where I was going then they all wanted to join in!! I was actually in more discomfort from the cramped position of my legs than the seat!

I planned on making a Goretex covering for them so I'm not too worried about moisture and while at it was planning on putting in some extra padding to make the long drives a bit more tolerable.. Paintball has taught me a lot of lessons about moisture control and padding, so I plan to put the skillz to good use!!

If there is no known way to do it other than cutting it, at the price I got these for, I may just go at it with a heat gun while tensioned and see what comes of it! What's the worst that can happen? I end up with a malformed seat and I get to try it again.

I got them to fit without cutting them.. I was just hoping to find an easier method to move them in and out of the vehicle!

Thanks for the warning though.

KS

BTW.. It can rub off all it wants on the backside... I got a bit of extra padding there already or I wouldn't have needed a 21" seat!!

I don't know what type of plastic they are made of but a heat gun works well. FYI, there is a large temp difference between a heat gun and a hair dryer.

Got a hot tub? Take them in until the get a bit soft, then shape them. If you don't get it right the first time, you'll just have to sit in the hot tub again and again until it works right! (I've heard that this is how some skaters/hockey players "adjust" plastic skates to their feet. Take with plenty of salt.)

Are these HDPE? (polyethylene) Using heat should be doable. Time helps too. I would be cautious with a heat gun, likely too hot. Even sunlight under a plastic sheet might be enough. I left a kayak outside over the winter and the snow mushed in the bottom some, so it can be convinced to slowly bend even in cold temps.

Nether10: No Hot Tub... could see that working though!

Horizenjob: Good to know about the time aspect of it. That's definitely a player in this then.

OK, so what I think I might do then is a two fold approach. They are in place now, so the time and pressure aspect of it is already working then.

I have portable kerosene heaters for the garage that I can position the car over, blocking off the parts I don't want heated or modified and over a while introduce spacers between the tubes and the seat. This would basically push it into position. I can monitor the heat input into the seat and do it slowly. Not quite a hot tub, but it should work.

I may just give it a couple of weeks to see how the pressure alone works out, but as long as I don't get it too hot, does that sound like a logical plan??

KS

Yeah, about +700*!!! Although the wife's hair dryer gets pretty darn hot!!

Actually used to depopulate bread boards with my trusty heat gun. Neck down the nozzle, block off some of the intake.. gets the solder just hot enough to release and you can pull the parts right off.. beats a Solder Sucker anytime!

KS

I know they were a present from your significant other but why didn't you return them and get the sizes you needed?

The one side is fine, the other is a bit tight.. OK a lot tight.. 21" seat in a 18" slot!! The cost to return ship the one and ship the replacement out would be more than a new one. She got a really great deal on shipping because of the total price.. a single seat wouldn't qualify.

So if I test these methods out and it fails on the Passenger Seat, then I simply purchase the correct one and move on. Given the ideas here and my excess of time over money, I'm willing to give it a go before plunking down any more cash.

The wife was fully supportive of returning it until I explained the cost and she's OK with me destroying it if it'll equate to roughly the same cost.

Path of least expense first!

KS

Typically manufactured plastic parts have a small logo on a b-surface (not visible to the eye when installed). It will probably be PE, PP, or ABS, either way they all can be formed with heat. Being that it is a seat im sure the wall thickness is well above the typical 1-1.5mm wall thickness of the parts i deal with (auto interiors). Also from plenty of past experience i would just use a heat gun in the areas you want changed. Sitting them out in the heat will likely deform more then just the area you want changed. Also a 102-103*F hot tube will not create enough heat to get the 3in you need.

I'll have to look for the logo. They feel like polyprop. Not brittle like ABS, or I would have snapped the thing to bits when pulling the bolsters together to fit the passenger seat!

Since I lost my heat gun in the Great Northern Migration of 08, I'll have to look into getting one to try your input out! I don't think I'm going to be able to focus the heat from the kerosene heaters well enough to not inflict collateral damage.

Thanks,

KS

This may be a bit out in left field, but is the seat symmetrical about the centerline? And hollow? What about simply cutting 3" out of the middle and heat welding it back together? (Heck, if 18" is as tight as it sounds, maybe you don't even need to weld it back together!) If you're willing to go to the lengths to destroy it, you may as well consider all options, right?

Pity exchanging them isn't viable...that really is the ideal solution.

I'm still scratching my head how you're even getting close to squeezing a pair of 21" seats into a 442. I had to check your build log to be sure you've got a tunnel with a driveshaft in it. 1" + 21 + 5 + 21 + 1" is 49", which is 3" wider than a 442, if memory serves. Even if you somehow had a 4" wide tunnel, it still doesn't add up.

I like the segment and weld idea. I'm not entirely sure how you'll weld the plastic, but I'm sure it's doable. Seems like HF has a plastic welder. Worst case, two thin strips of metal with some adhesive and screws or something.

Got pix?

-dave