Raise the Seat in a 2nd Gen

Old thread, but I think Oswego has the correct approach.

I think it's probably OK to change the seat height if this was a reasonable society; however, let's say you are in an accident and somebody gets seriously hurt. Modifying anything even marginally safety related would be subject to insurance company review and potential for claim denial.

Things like factory optioned seat height adjustments were there for the NHTSA to test in their mandatory suite of crash tests should they have felt the need. An owner modification, regardless of quality of design/engineering does not have that "Stamp of Approval".

 

Just gonna state my opinion here, not here to argue as some other have been...
I think raising the rear only is your best bet, being that thats where youre butt is, the only problem with that is it may make it a bit uncomfortable if you go too far.
As for the safety aspect, everyone thats talking about all the aftermarket products are correct, but suspension, brakes, and other things like that arent designed to protect you in a collision, but to 'avoid' a collision mainly... so in the event of an impact, your brakes and suspension wont make too much of a difference other than where youre impacted... leaving your seat, seatbelt, and airbags to do what they were designed to do, 'protect you in an impact of any type'
So if you raise the rear it may make a difference in a side or rear impact... but ill leave the decision making up to you!

 

I don't believe it is. If an insurance company found out that any safety equipment was modified on a vehicle and same modification was not listed with the insurance company, I believe they can deny coverage. AFAIK, there is no requirement to prove the modification did not cause said accident - that would be another court case.

I'm not saying don't do it, and I'm not saying it isn't safe. I'm saying the vehicle owner is leaving themselves open to liability unless they have the blessing of their insurance company or have purchased modified car insurance. Google up the name of your insurance comapny and the words modified vehicle insurance and my reason for posting should be evident.

Hey, if you're young and live in an apartment, not much in the way of income etc., then it won't matter much. But for those with good jobs, houses with substantial equity, etc., then it becomes a much more serious consideration.

Like I said, if we lived in a reasonable society...but in many cases we don't. It's the same mentality that allowed people to lawyer up against Toyota when mostly they were too friggin' stupid to keep their floor mats in place.

 

I don't believe so... I think it's a matter of common sense, first. Else everybody who uses seat belt adjusters that keep the belt off of shoulders would find their insurance canceled. Insurance coverage could also be canceled because they found the 'wrong' brake pads, e.g., material other than OEM, were installed even if it had nothing to do with the accident.

I'm not even sure they can deny: I think they have to shift some of the liability to whomever was complicit in the accident or the effects of the accident if it worsened it.

 

Ultimately it's a matter of contract law - the vehicle owner signed a policy document that spelled out terms.

 

Which neither of us...obviously...know jack squat about!

And says, basically: "I'm an idiot. I need someone to pay for my stupid actions." And they agreed to it.

 

While I was in college I worked at a shop that did vehicle modifications for disabled drivers. Wheelchair lifts, raised van roofs, lowered floor vans, hand controls, that kind of thing. We lifted seats sometimes with custom brackets and spacers. We even retrofitted six way power seat bases into cars that never had them. Huge amount of liability for sure, but there are businesses out there that are doing this kind of work and making it as safe as it can possibly be without being factory engineered. Look in the yellow pages under vehicle hand controls and make a few phone calls.

On a side note: once you have seen someone who requires daily medications to keep from having massive siezures and does not have enough strength or mobility to pull a sweatshirt over their own head drive a vehicle, you will never feel safe on the road again. We had a couple customers who drove from their wheelchair using a joystick.

 

no one probably cares but the seats that I put in my truck are from an FJ cruiser and they have the ability to raise up and down a few inches with a little lever nothing electrical. so I was thinking that if you took your seats off there mounting brackets and bought a pair of mounting brackets from an FJ then put them on your seats.I know the mounts are the same but not sure of how the height adjustment system works. it sounds pretty involved but its the safest best way and no jerry rigging involved

 

i would do as the link says just the back for starters, can get the spacers at any home depot..

 

As long as the seat is secure it isn't a direct risk. The only risk I see with raising the seat would be the seatbelt's ability to restrain you in the new position. A pillow or raising the seat itself are no different. Would an insurance company deny coverage if the op got in an accident with a pillow under his butt?

 

Use Nylon spacers, and I would say find some thick pieces of rubber and put a washer or two on top of that, or until you get you desired height. I remember a lot of Jeep wrangler guys would use folded bicycle inner tuber to boost seat height.