Swap my split rear seat for your bench?

[Mr K]

Our car has the 50/50 split seats and having just had a 3rd child we’re very keen to swap for the 3-seater bench, preferably one with a 3-point central belt rather then a lap belt, though don't let that put you off responding. I can do all the spanner work.

My seats are a dark grey, almost black colour, a bit darker in real life than in the attached photo.

Anyone interested?

Mark

[Darren C]

Hi Mark,

I may well be wrong here, but for some reason I believe that the mounting points built into the car to attach the rear seats are different for the individual seats and bench seat options. This means that interchanging one for the other is impossible, (well nothing is impossible, but certainly not straight forward at any rate!!). :(

Skipton or one of the others will probably be better placed to confirm this though!!

Cheers,

Darren

[spike]

Hi Mark
From previous posts and some excellent pics taken by GrayB I think there is a good chance the bench seat could be swapped for the split seats.
What we need it two local club member with these options who want to swap. It should then be fairly easy to a test run and transfer the seats between cars and check out all the mountings are in the right place etc.
Getting swappers with matching uppholstery is likely to be the tricky bit but at least the Club would know if the conversion is feasible.
http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4919&highlight=rear+seat

I would be happy to help out if there is anyone in the Richmond (North Yorks) area with a bench seat who wants to try this out - I have the split version.

Cheers Spike

[Mr K]

Hi Mark,

I may well be wrong here, but for some reason I believe that the mounting points built into the car to attach the rear seats are different for the individual seats and bench seat options. This means that interchanging one for the other is impossible, (well nothing is impossible, but certainly not straight forward at any rate!!). :(

Skipton or one of the others will probably be better placed to confirm this though!!

Cheers,

Darren
There have been questions raised as to whether it's possible, with mis-information being put about (and subsequently corrected by the poster) that the mount points are part of the floor-pan. This is not the case; they are bolt-on parts. There are 4 at the front for the split seats, and 2 for the bench. I need to establish their location, to see if the 2 outer ones are in the same position for both seats. If not, I need to establish whether all cars come built with the ability to move them to the appropriate location (i.e. holes & captive nuts in all potential locations.

To help me I need someone with a bench seat to measure the distance, to the nearest mm, between the centres of the front mounting points, and also the rear ones, and drop me an e-mail with the info.

Mark

[Mr K]

Hi Mark
From previous posts and some excellent pics taken by GrayB I think there is a good chance the bench seat could be swapped for the split seats.
What we need it two local club member with these options who want to swap. It should then be fairly easy to a test run and transfer the seats between cars and check out all the mountings are in the right place etc.
Getting swappers with matching uppholstery is likely to be the tricky bit but at least the Club would know if the conversion is feasible.
http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4919&highlight=rear+seat

I would be happy to help out if there is anyone in the Richmond (North Yorks) area with a bench seat who wants to try this out - I have the split version.

Cheers Spike
Indeed. I haven't found the pictures you mentioned, but have looked at the workshop manual. Once I have the info I requested in another post and a "swapper" with the right colour seats I intend to do the job and document the procedure here.

Mark

[Darren C]

There have been questions raised as to whether it's possible, with mis-information being put about (and subsequently corrected by the poster) that the mount points are part of the floor-pan. This is not the case; they are bolt-on parts. There are 4 at the front for the split seats, and 2 for the bench. I need to establish their location, to see if the 2 outer ones are in the same position for both seats. If not, I need to establish whether all cars come built with the ability to move them to the appropriate location (i.e. holes & captive nuts in all potential locations.

To help me I need someone with a bench seat to measure the distance, to the nearest mm, between the centres of the front mounting points, and also the rear ones, and drop me an e-mail with the info.

Mark

I do recall starting my thread with "I may well be wrong here...", and it looks like this "may be" the case.

I was merely offering advice as I understood things, so apologies if I have been misleading.

Feel like a naughty school boy now!!:(

[Mr K]

I do recall starting my thread with "I may well be wrong here...", and it looks like this "may be" the case.

I was merely offering advice as I understood things, so apologies if I have been misleading.

Feel like a naughty school boy now!!:(
I think you have the wrong end of the stick. Someone else gave the wrong info in another thread - which I guess you read at some point. I wasn't having a go at anyone, just trying to get to the facts ;-)

Mark

[Darren C]

I think you have the wrong end of the stick. Someone else gave the wrong info in another thread - which I guess you read at some point. I wasn't having a go at anyone, just trying to get to the facts ;-)

Mark

You are probably correct about the other thread; which will be what I was reflecting on from memory.

No offence taken, merely exercising some humour!! :)

[Darren C]

Mark

One other thought, although the front mounting points are removable / 'may' already line up for both the two seat and bench options or could be fabricated to achieve this; the rear locking pin hole in the vehicle body could prove the biggest stumbling block, if not similarly aligned. (No doubt you have already considered this though!!).

Darren

[Mr K]

I'm hoping someone with a bench seat can measure their mount points so that we can establish whether the seats are simple swaps, and post the measurements here, and also check that there is preparation (2 holes with captive nuts for the front central mounts). I've measured mine, and attached a photo showing the dimensions, which are:

Front outer mount points separation (centre-centre) 730mm
Front central mount points separation (centre-centre) 190mm
Rear outer mount points separation (centre-centre) 910mm
Rear central mount points separation (centre-centre) 120mm

I've also attached a photo of one of the front mounts. Each of these are held on by 2 bolts which will need some type of star tool to remove.

Having looked at the manual again after looking at my car, I'm 90% certain that the seats are a straight swap, subject to transferring the 2 central front mounts to the car taking the split seats.

Mark

[spike]

Hi Mark
The pictures of the bench seat fixings were on the second last post of the attached link
http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4919&highlight=rear+seat

Cheers Spike

[ScotAlan]

Hi Guys,

The main problem I see is not at the front of the base, but at the back. The front mounts are fairly simple to add/ move/ swap; but the rear mounts are more difficult.

I have just bought an A2 after looking at about a dozen. All of the cars with split seats had a locking mechanism with a pin; A bit like a bonnet latch. All of the cars with the bench had a mechanism with a pair of stepped pins which slid sideways in keyhole shaped slots in the floor.

Both of these types can be seen in the photos already hilighted in this thread.

I am interested 'cos I ended up with twin seats, but would prefer a bench!...... However, I do not think it will drop in.

ScotAlan

[ULP]

I suspect ScotAlan is correct - it's the rear locking pins that make the difference.

However, in the interest of science, next time Darren C and I get together I'm sure we can have a go at this to answer the point conclusively one way or another.

Also, the four seat cars are homologated as carrying four people by the DVLA - if this can be changed the DVLA will need to be notified.

Anyway, Darren has a perfect solution to making the A2 child friendly - by the wife an A-klasse ;)

[Mr K]

The picture Spike linked to clearly shows that the 2 central rear mount points are both of a different design, as pointed out by Scotalan, and wider apart. As they are non-removable I've concluded that it isn't possible to swap, sadly. I hope someone proves me wrong.

Mark

[mjs4x4]

That's disappointing!

It looks like all of us with Bench wanting Twin (like me) or with Twin wanting Bench will just have to swap cars!!!!!!!!!


Mike

[Mr Smurf]

I also have the twin seats and would like a bench..

Why is it not possible to swap the mounts and then swap the seats?

[ScotAlan]

Hi Mr Smurf,

Anything is possible, and there is no doubt that this swap can be done; both types of seats obviously fit in the car! The front mounts could be easily adapted, but the rear mounts would require some fairly major cutting into the bodyshell of the car, and the fitting (possibly welding?) of a reasonable amount of reinforcement to the rear seat area.

While possible, it does seem to be outwith what most people are prepared to do to their cars; particularly since Audi , DVLA, and (no doubt!) insurance companies regard the four and five seaters as different vehicles.

After saying all that, If I can find a bench for sale, I will go ahead and get it fitted; So does anyone know where I can get one?

ScotAlan

[Mr Smurf]

There is one for sale in sweden but it is the wrong color code for me.

The seat is NID/YC and my code is NOG/YA

http://www.lagabasen.se/delutskrift.aspx?delindx=10713372

[GrayB]

Hi Mr Smurf,

Anything is possible, and there is no doubt that this swap can be done; both types of seats obviously fit in the car! The front mounts could be easily adapted, but the rear mounts would require some fairly major cutting into the bodyshell of the car, and the fitting (possibly welding?) of a reasonable amount of reinforcement to the rear seat area.

While possible, it does seem to be outwith what most people are prepared to do to their cars; particularly since Audi , DVLA, and (no doubt!) insurance companies regard the four and five seaters as different vehicles.

After saying all that, If I can find a bench for sale, I will go ahead and get it fitted; So does anyone know where I can get one?

ScotAlan
Hope you are good at welding aluminium... ;)

[ScotAlan]

Hi GrayB,

I don't weld ally, but I am a pretty good fabricator, and I know a man with a TIG.;)

I have built rally cars, drag cars, chopped motorcycles, and done innumerable engine swaps (currently V8 into Ascona, and helping with a mate doing a Twin-turbo Audi V8 into caddy van.....).

I would not see a seat change as a particularly big job.

ScotAlan

[Mr K]

I've no doubt it can be done. However I think it's a bad idea. The aluminium under the seat is very thin - it flexes if you push it gently with your hand. The rear mounts must be part of some stronger structure. If you cut and shut this area you run the risk of the rear seat coming adrift in an accident (which means the kiddies kill you, or a future owner, on their way to the windscreen). It's in the vicinity of the fuel tank too, which makes for more work in doing the job and no doubt adds to the risk.

Your positioning of the rear mounts will have to be accurate to < 1mm if you want to be able to remove the seat.

The mounts don't just need to be moved, they are different. You'll have to find a donor car as I doubt you'll be able to buy them off a bodyshell.

If you're going to do it you'd probably be better off finding a way of bolting the seat base to the car permanently.

Personally, I am resigned to having to swap cars to get a bench seat.

Mark

[A2Look]

Whats the big deal having the bench seat? I like the two individual ones!

[ScotAlan]

Hi A2look,

I prefer the individual seats too, but sometimes the kids want to take friends with them on a trip, so the five seats would be useful; All depends on your family circumstances!

ScotAlan

[A2Look]

Hi A2look,

I prefer the individual seats too, but sometimes the kids want to take friends with them on a trip, so the five seats would be useful; All depends on your family circumstances!

ScotAlan

I see what you mean, if you need the extra seat - then you need the seat... it makes sense. I just find the two seats in the rear look a bit better to me, and a bit more interesting. How sad does that sound? :o

[Mr Smurf]

If you don't need the seat the two seat version is better..

a. It looks nice and clean :)
b. Easy to remove only one seat if you need some more
cargo space but still need a back seat.
c. Really "large" adults can sit in the seats since they are
lager (wider) than the bench seats.

But when the family grows to two or three kids you don't have much choice..