Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72788
Removing 3rd row of seats
Done a search but not got anywhere, how easy is it to remove the 3rd row of seats from the D3. They are just extra weight that has been dragged along for 44k miles and never used. I though that space would be better for storing "stuff" with a sheet of carpet covered mdf as a lid. LR Ins OK with this as a mod so getting to think "how hard can it be?"
Thoughts anyone???
27th Jan 2009 1:43 pm
Wex
Member Since: 16 Apr 2007
Location: Knackeragua
Posts: 5173
Didn't BCB do something along those lines Derek ? Or one of them?
27th Jan 2009 1:57 pm
heine
Member Since: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Midrand
Posts: 4054
I know Discoeast has done his , apparently it was quite easy . He is in Mozambique at the moment , I guess he will reply when he gets back
It's easy enough to unbolt them, but a 2 man job to lift them out. There are bolts under the plastic flaps in between the seats, and more each side under the narrow floor panels (you need to unscrew the load securing rings to remove these panels). Once all the bolts are out (about 8-10 from memory) it's easiest with 2 people to lift them out as they are bl dy heavy and bendy in the middle!Previously:
2005 D3 2.7 TDV6 S
1984 90 2.25 Petrol CSW
1992 90 200TDi Hard Top
1995 Discovery ES 300TDi
2003 90 TD5 Truck Cab
27th Jan 2009 2:56 pm
craig
Member Since: 08 Aug 2006
Location: Home of LR.
Posts: 2545
ISTR Slimer removed his in his first D3 ready for Morocco.
Theres some pictures of it on the board somewhere.
Should'nt take more than one hour, you may wish you had fingers like E.T. but the space created will stow recovery gear air jack etc
27th Jan 2009 3:00 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72788
Cheers everyone, will have a look at it as I'm fed up with tow ropes etc flapping around in between the front and middle row of seats. Will tell chief gopher (Mrs DSL) to get building up those muscles!
27th Jan 2009 3:04 pm
Bodsy Site Sponsor
Member Since: 06 Nov 2006
Location: In the Clubhouse
Posts: 21361
If you did a search for +seat +removal you would have found this....
PCH (search results from another easily found thread)...... wrote:
Removal of the 3rd row seats is not a hard job.
You need a Torx T50 bit and ratchet.
When you undo all of the bolts the rear seats removed from the rear in one piece. Don't even think about splitting them into 2 parts. You will need to have a second person to help you lift them out because they are very heavy and it is quite awkward to manouver out.
My boot box project is mounted on a customised base that replaces the seats, their mountings, and a few bits of carpet / plastic from here and there. I can't remember the order of disassembly, but it included the following items:
- undo 3rd row seatbelts, take of d-pillar trims to roll up and hide the unneeded seatbelts. Fortunately, the buckles/fixing points easily fit through the seatbelt runner holes
- remove the rear seats. These come out in one piece, but are bloody heavy and not well fixed together so when doing it alone you risk damaging the unit or yourself
- remove the tie down loops and plastic/carpet trims that run down the side of the boot.
With this lot out, I started building up my new stuff to replace it
- a section of carpet-covered 4mm (?) ply covered in stretchy carpet covered up the hole in the standard carpet that was left in the middle of the boot floor, where the seat mountings were.
- the main base is 18mm ply - it's heavy - but with the holes I wanted to cut in it I decided it was worth it for the strength. The main base is mounted by 6 bolts from the seat mountings and 4 bolts from the tie down eyes. I managed to incorporate the tie down eyes in my replacement base. Locating the bolt holes was quite a challenge, and in the end I used a router to do the final adjustments.
The space that is created by replacing the back seats is not massive. At it's deepest point it's about four inches. In mine I keep a 5m recovery rope, my impact wrench (in it's box), my tow hitch and a set of jump leads. You'd get a bit more in a full-width space but not much.
After all that, if you want my honest opinion Derek, it's probably not worth the effort. Would you be better seeing if you can get the parts from a five-seat base model?
27th Jan 2009 3:16 pm
Wex
Member Since: 16 Apr 2007
Location: Knackeragua
Posts: 5173
You'll need a Torx 50 for some of the bolts.
27th Jan 2009 3:18 pm
Mutuafides
Member Since: 22 Dec 2008
Location: Near the border..
Posts: 9
Well, I am most interested in your third row seats, seat belts, seat-belt exit points and also the boot side panels (corners) on the third row with the seatbelt location cutouts, because I need the seats for my children. In return I also have the corners for you without the seatbelt cut outs. Which color do the seats have?
This text came from someone else here on the forum (can't remember who) :
"Remove the 4 load retaining rings (held in by Allen bolts - 2 on each side) and the plastic covers over the 3rd row seat base latches (they unclip but you might find the clips snap as you take them off). With these bolts and covers removed the side panels will pull out to reveal the Torx bolts at the side of the 3rd row seats. Then you need to remove the Torx bolts in between the seats, which are under a plastic hinged cover at the front and rear of the mechanisms. With all the bolts removed, now comes the joy of lifting them out - they stay attached together, but kind of flex in the middle making handling even more fun . The best way I found, was to lift 1 side up, then turn the seat assembly around so they are removed through the rear door length ways - they are too wide to remove otherwise, without scratching the sides of the loadspace. You need 2 people to handle them, as they are heavy and awkward to move. "
27th Jan 2009 3:26 pm
Mutuafides
Member Since: 22 Dec 2008
Location: Near the border..
Posts: 9
And of course you can have all my parts from my 5 seater!
27th Jan 2009 3:33 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72788
Many thanks for even more info!!!
Sorry Mutuafides I'll need to put them back for selling the car, they may find a use in my cinema room rather than the shed!
Assuming I do the mod that is!
27th Jan 2009 5:01 pm
Mutuafides
Member Since: 22 Dec 2008
Location: Near the border..
Posts: 9
To bad... But if your wife wants them out of the house, toss them at me.
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dy heavy and bendy in the middle!
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