Battery box access with Supra seats?

[UdderlyOffroad]

Bear with me whilst I ponder this out loud, and perhaps someone on here can tell me if I'm talking out of my exhaust, or whether there might be a smidgen of sense in this plan?

The front seats on my 110 are rather past it. My mate has offered me the seats from his scrapper Toyota Supra circa 1990. Super comfy, supportive at the sides, and most importantly of all, as they're from a low-slung sports car, the runners are supremely low. In other words, I reckon they'll fit. Of course, they don't have removable seat bases. The seats would still be removable, just not without the aid of thules, however I can't see this being too much of an issue. To minimise the need to pull the seats out, I propose the following:

1) Cut side 'door' into the battery box so that the battery can be accessed.

2) Fit battery isolator switch for safety

3) Fit Anderson/Durite 'Jump' connectors to the front and back of the truck (also for removable winch).

Therefore, my question is the following;

a) Has anyone done 1), is it feasible without causing structural weakness issues?

b) The battery is currently free to rattle about, best solution for securing it (them?)? The battery of choice is the Tayna, based on this thread: Linky

c) Best location for the jump connectors?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts

[adam300Tdi90]

The battery of choice is the Tayna, based on this thread: Linky

Feeling anal here, so apologies. But it's the 'Numax' battery from Tayna (a distributer)

I'm going to fit a door in the front of the battery box, and have one Anderson connector which can be pulled into the passenger footwell. Can't think of a reason for needing any more myself (Obviously you may have other needs)..

Securing the batteries can be done off the shelf by this product from D4x4 Or make something like it...?

[Dinkydave]

Hiya mate

I've options 2 & 3 of your list on mine.

Both are bolted to the front of the seatbox so they sit behind the passengers feet.

Ade

[UdderlyOffroad]

Thanks for your replies Dinkydave and Adam

Feeling anal here, so apologies. But it's the 'Numax' battery from Tayna (a distributer)

No need to apologise...quite right. Incidentally, am surprised 86 Ah is

considered enough for a 200 Tdi (what with all the ancillaries we like to

run, as opposed to standard spec), but I s'pose 1000 CCA is truly mahoosive

(Manufacturers' inflated figures nothwithstanding).

I'm going to fit a door in the front of the battery box, and have one

Anderson connector which can be pulled into the passenger footwell. Can't

think of a reason for needing any more myself (Obviously you may have other

needs)..

I've options 2 & 3 of your list on mine.

Both are bolted to the front of the seatbox so they sit behind the passengers feet.

Fairy'nuff. Actually, I want to power a removable winch which will attach

to the drop-plate at the back (whilst the trailer is still coupled too). It

won't be used for recovery work but rather dragging a heavy boat+launching

trolley (or other rolling loads) onto a flatbed trailer. Will post some

piccies when I've done this particular mod. Front connector I suppose is

not strictly necessary but then why not?

Securing the batteries can be done off the shelf by this product from D4x4 Or make something like it...?

Thanks, looks fairly straightforward. Call me an old tightwad, but 47 notes

for a bracket seems fairly steep - will probably fab something myself ;-)

Again will post some pics if anyone's interested.

Still not sure if people think restricting access to the bat-box (by requiring tools for removal) is a bad idea, but given the measures outlined above I can't see any other need to access it quickly?

[Retroanaconda]

Well as long as you can still get in if you need to then it won't be a problem. It's only bolts after all.

Personally, I don't delve into my battery box unless there's a problem. In which case the tools are usually out by then anyway. However I'm one of the few who find Defender seats comfortable

If the extra comfort you will gain from the Supra seats is in your opinion worth the slight inconvinience you will suffer in accessing the battery/batteries then I would say go for it

[Orgasmic Farmer]

http://www.qtservices.co.uk/parts/competition/100-ultralight/seats-100-ultralight/challenge-seat-lower-base_challenge-seat-lower-base.html

bit spendy and its not easy to see how it works from the pic but we use this on the challenge truck and it works OK. So should be possible to fab something up yourself.

[UdderlyOffroad]

http://www.qtservice...lower-base.html

bit spendy and its not easy to see how it works from the pic but we use this on the challenge truck and it works OK. So should be possible to fab something up yourself.

Thanks Orgasmic Farmer, am sure I could bodge something similar together...preferably without setting the seats on fire whilst welding too close

That said, Retroanaconda has reassured me that 'tool-less' battery box access is a bit of a red kipper!

However I'm one of the few who find Defender seats comfortable. If the extra comfort you will gain from the Supra seats is in your opinion worth the slight inconvinience you will suffer in accessing the battery/batteries then I would say go for it

I don't find the defender seats that uncomfortable either, it's just they're a bit tired+past it. Which admittedly fits in with the rest of the truck at the moment...and yes I do realise if it's creature comforts I was after I should've bought a disco

Will post piccies soon as I have something to show...

Matt

[Dinkydave]

Mine were getting very old and tired,over longish trips they gave me quite a bit of back ache. I fitted a pair of RRC seats today and oolala they're comfy!

[UdderlyOffroad]

Matey is now uhming and ahhhing about donating the Supra seats, so it looks like I'm off scouting for suitable donors. Thusfar the consensus seems to be that the seats of choice are either RRC or MX-5s (with built-in headreast speakers! ). But just try finding some for a sensible money...

The thrones in my Donor-Disco 200 TDi, are, to use unparliamentry language, completely shagged!

Rear bench seat any good?

[barmiebrumie]

Mine were getting very old and tired,over longish trips they gave me quite a bit of back ache. I fitted a pair of RRC seats today and oolala they're comfy!

Did they fit easy ?, as I have a pair ready to go in my 90

Thanks

John

[Dinkydave]

Very easy to fit yeah.

You need some kind of support bracket under the seat box for the runners to bolt on to.

I've got some lengths of angle iron with some M8 bolts welded to it.

[barmiebrumie]

Very easy to fit yeah.

You need some kind of support bracket under the seat box for the runners to bolt on to.

I've got some lengths of angle iron with some M8 bolts welded to it.

Just what I needed to hear

Thanks

John

[reb78]

What Dinky said^^^^^^^^^^ same on mine. Had the RRC seats in for 2 years now and wouldnt go back to the old seats. There is a series seatbox going in the back of my defender and the old defender front seats may fond their way onto that...

[UdderlyOffroad]

Very easy to fit yeah.

You need some kind of support bracket under the seat box for the runners to bolt on to.

I've got some lengths of angle iron with some M8 bolts welded to it.

Sounds like my kind of fitment...off to Ebay it is then

[Dinkydave]

I did have electric RRC seats in a while back which were a bit of a nuisance to fit. I found the best way of fitting them and setting them in a nice position (I can't do electrics) was to tape the battery from a cordless drill to the cables.

I had to get rid of them in the end though as they gave me no leg room in the back, everyone had to sit sidesadle.

For some strange reason manual seats aren't quite so big.

Just thought I'd share