60/40 to Bench Seat Swap Issue

[CTScott]

49022

This weekend I drove/ferried down to Long Island for the awesome opportunity to trade Crashy #2's rear bench seat for AuxMike's 60/40 rear seat. I know it sounds like a crazy deal from his stand point, but his reason for wanting the bench was that he purchased a set of Katzkin leather seat covers, and opposite the Clazzio ones, the Katzkin ones are made for the bench only.

Mike and I were in communication before hand to verify that there would not be issues with the swap. People on here have swapped 60/40's in place of benches with only needing to pop some plastic covers over existing holes and punch a couple holes in the carpet. But, since no one has gone in the opposite direction, Mike wanted to be absolutely sure that he wouldn't have any issues. As it turned out, he was correct in being concerned.

We both pulled our rear seats ahead of time. My concern was stuck bolts, and in my case one of the rear most bolts turned a couple of revolutions and then the star portion of the head sheared. I couldn't get a wrench on what was left, so I ended up welding a 17mm nut to the bolt and then I was able to crank it right out.

After removing the seats we shot pictures of the mounting holes to compare. All of the seat mounting holes were present on both cars, but Mike noticed that his car lacked the two holes where the buckle portions of the seatbelts mount to the floor for the bench seat. With the 60/40 the buckle portions mount to the seat frame, rather than to the floor.

Here is how the buckle portions were mounted to the floor on my bench seat equipped car:

49018

Here is Mike's floor with no holes present where the seat belts are mounted on mine:

49019


At this point it was looking like we were going to have to cancel the swap, but then I put my 09, which has a 60/40, on the lift and noticed that even though it lacked the hole in the floor, that there was a nut and plate welded to the floor below that area. Mike took a look under his and snapped this picture of the nut:

49020


I made a template off my bench seat holes and headed to Long Island with a drill in hand. I marked the floor of this car using the template and drilled a small test hole. Sure enough I could see the bottom of the crown nut through the hole, so drilled the hole to proper diameter and we bolted the seat belts in place.

49021


I doubt that another swap like this will ever occur, but in the event that it does, it is now documented.

[cali yaris]

Quite a few people have wanted to upgrade to the 60/40 seat, and the bolt issue was documented. I'm glad you posted it with some pictures and a very clear description of how to fix it. :clap:

[yarisugi]

Just curious, where are the the seat belt buckles mounted on cars equipped with the 60/40 seat?

[Jason@SportsCar]

I made a template off my bench seat holes and headed to Long Island with a drill in hand. I marked the floor of this car using the template and drilled a small test hole. Sure enough I could see the bottom of the crown nut through the hole, so drilled the hole to proper diameter and we bolted the seat belts in place.



I doubt that another swap like this will ever occur, but in the event that it does, it is now documented.

That could have so easily gone wrong... Drilling that hole right on the money and not messing up a thread in that cap screw. Nice work. :thumbsup: I would not have been that confident, I would have taken a spare nut and bolt.

[cali yaris]

^ That's because he's CTScott. :laugh:

[CTScott]

I am installing the 60/40 in my car this morning and found that the holes that I was guessing would be used are not all the ones that are actually used.

It turns out that besides the three front most ones, that are mentioned in one of the DIY threads, that there are two additional ones for the inside front track bolts. I just realized that there is not a nut behind them, so I have a feeling that those that did the conversion prior just skipped those two bolts. I am actually going to drop the gas tank and weld nuts to the bottom of the floor pan.

Looks like a second thread will be coming with the DIY for installing the 60/40...

[auxmike]

CTScott IS as knowledgable and handy as we believe him to be. It was great to meet the man himself. He made a nice template and found the hidden nuts under the sheet metal first try! He used a special stepped drill bit to do the job. This was an even swap. No $ changed hands. Heck, he spent enough on the ferry ride and I got labor out of him when the Dr. Drilled the hole AND installed the seatbelts. Thank you SO much!

[auxmike]

As a footnote always research a project to death BEFORe you set out to do it.

[tk-421]

^ That's because he's CTScott. :laugh:
Accept no substitute! :thumbsup:

[WeeYari]

Just curious, where are the the seat belt buckles mounted on cars equipped with the 60/40 seat?

In order to facilitate the fore/aft sliding function of the 60/40, the belts are mounted to the seat frame. This was mentioned in the first post, hence the primary reason for this thread.

[WeeYari]

My concern was stuck bolts, and in my case one of the rear most bolts turned a couple of revolutions and then the star portion of the head sheared.

Exactly the same thing that happened to me. Back left. Couple of turns, then the star sheared off.

[sex]

I am actually going to drop the gas tank and weld nuts to the bottom of the floor pan.

Will you be using OEM nuts? Are you Herculiner-ing Crashy #2 as well since you're down there?

[CTScott]

Will you be using OEM nuts? Are you Herculiner-ing Crashy #2 as well since you're down there?

This is actually getting very interesting. I will be posting a new thread tonight for the 60/40 install, as I consider it a separate subject.

But, dang this is turning into a project. I dropped the gas tank, only to find a double walled section (with about 3/4" of air space in between) where those other two nuts need to be. I welded two M10 x 1.25 nuts to two large washers and am now thinking that I am going to drill a hole large enough for the nut to fit through, and then I will weld the outer edge of the washer to the inside of the floor.

[auxmike]

Yet they go through the trouble and expense of putting "invisible" nuts in my car knowing that they will NEVER be used (except by me)....

[auxmike]

Worst case scenario; weld the seats straight to the unibody:s

[nookandcrannycar]

49022

This weekend I drove/ferried down to Long Island for the awesome opportunity to trade Crashy #2's rear bench seat for AuxMike's 60/40 rear seat. I know it sounds like a crazy deal from his stand point, but his reason for wanting the bench was that he purchased a set of Katzkin leather seat covers, and opposite the Clazzio ones, the Katzkin ones are made for the bench only.

Mike and I were in communication before hand to verify that there would not be issues with the swap. People on here have swapped 60/40's in place of benches with only needing to pop some plastic covers over existing holes and punch a couple holes in the carpet. But, since no one has gone in the opposite direction, Mike wanted to be absolutely sure that he wouldn't have any issues. As it turned out, he was correct in being concerned.

We both pulled our rear seats ahead of time. My concern was stuck bolts, and in my case one of the rear most bolts turned a couple of revolutions and then the star portion of the head sheared. I couldn't get a wrench on what was left, so I ended up welding a 17mm nut to the bolt and then I was able to crank it right out.

After removing the seats we shot pictures of the mounting holes to compare. All of the seat mounting holes were present on both cars, but Mike noticed that his car lacked the two holes where the buckle portions of the seatbelts mount to the floor for the bench seat. With the 60/40 the buckle portions mount to the seat frame, rather than to the floor.

Here is how the buckle portions were mounted to the floor on my bench seat equipped car:

49018

Here is Mike's floor with no holes present where the seat belts are mounted on mine:

49019


At this point it was looking like we were going to have to cancel the swap, but then I put my 09, which has a 60/40, on the lift and noticed that even though it lacked the hole in the floor, that there was a nut and plate welded to the floor below that area. Mike took a look under his and snapped this picture of the nut:

49020


I made a template off my bench seat holes and headed to Long Island with a drill in hand. I marked the floor of this car using the template and drilled a small test hole. Sure enough I could see the bottom of the crown nut through the hole, so drilled the hole to proper diameter and we bolted the seat belts in place.

49021


I doubt that another swap like this will ever occur, but in the event that it does, it is now documented.

If anyone ever wants to trade (like AuxMike did) or sell their 60/40 seat (to reduce weight, or for any other reason) please PM me. I am a bench seat owner who wishes to become a 60/40 owner. I realize the beginning of your last sentence is probably true, but one can hope and put his or her two cents in just in case :biggrin:.

[yarisugi]

In order to facilitate the fore/aft sliding function of the 60/40, the belts are mounted to the seat frame. This was mentioned in the first post, hence the primary reason for this thread.
Thanks Wee. I totally forgot that those seats slide, too!

[Betrivent]

Did you seal the hole afterwards with anything?

[auxmike]

Not yet. I'm going to use scraps of carpet to cover those open spots.

[CTScott]

Did you seal the hole afterwards with anything?

On his we did not. It is not a bad idea to coat the bare edge of holes with primer. On mine, where I have now had to drill and weld, I did prime all of the bare metal.

[auxmike]

Scott, any updates?
I never thought I'd be so thrilled with a solid BENCH seat! Must be that fantastic Katzkin leather on it.... Thanks again for going through the expense and hassel to deliver and install:bow::respekt:

[CTScott]

Scott, any updates?
I never thought I'd be so thrilled with a solid BENCH seat! Must be that fantastic Katzkin leather on it.... Thanks again for going through the expense and hassel to deliver and install:bow::respekt:

Oh - Yeah. Here's the DIY thread that I created for going the other way (bench to 60/40), for those brave enough to try:

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42668

We did a run from CT to Hoboken, NJ for Thanksgiving with this Yaris, and my kids claim that the original bench seat was actually more comfortable than the 60/40 is. I told them that their comfort is a small price to pay for my ability to fold the seats flat.

[auxmike]

Wow, I was looking in the wrong spot for this that's why I missed it. Good work, happy the seats have a good home. :)

[fnkngrv]

I can honestly say that I am pretty sure I have never even ridden in the back of my Yaris yet...would be interesting to see if the girls are right or not just for grins. I have ridden in the back of one with the standard seat.

[CTScott]

I can honestly say that I am pretty sure I have never even ridden in the back of my Yaris yet...would be interesting to see if the girls are right or not just for grins. I have ridden in the back of one with the standard seat.

I actually think that they are correct. When I first got her, I sat in the back of Crashy 2 to scrape a parking sticker off the inside of one of the rear windows. I found it quite comfortable back there at the time. This weekend I sat in the back with the 60/40 and noticed that the head rest was extremely hard, making it rather uncomfortable. I then jumped in the back of my 09, and found that its 60/40 was considerably more comfortable because of the padding with the Clazzio leather covers.

So, I think a set of Clazzios (and seat heaters) are in order for Crashy 2. (This will also appease the wife, who hates to ride in Crashy 2, because of the lack of seat warmers).