Discovery seats - horrible !

[VladTepes]

I drove the new (old) Disco for 400+ kms yesterday and am sore as, well .. I'm very sore today.

Across the shoulders (where seat is very hard) is one thing but my thighs are aching !!! (due to pressure from seat base)

I find it staggering that the seats in a Disco can be less comfortable than those in a Defender !

I think one of the issues for me is that the seat is not height adjustable (only recline and back/forward)

So solutions welcome but ideally ones that are not TOO expensive. I'm not interested in $1600 seats - just can't justify that - but if there are other aftermarket seats, or seats from other vehicles that just bolt in I'd be interested to hear.

Thanks.

(P.S. Otherwise I'm pretty happy with the car and will put up some pics in next few days)

[loanrangie]

I dont know your size and weight but i've not had a problem driving 900klms in one hit in my disco, maybe your seats have sagged ?

[Xtreme]

You've given the solution yourself ....................................
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
Trade the Disco for a Defender :wasntme:
Seat problem solved and as a bonus you'll be able to attend the Qld Defender Day. :D :D

[dullbird]

if you find the defender seat comfy why dont you put defender seats in your disco? may defender drivers in the UK put disco seats in there defender so at a guess I would imagine they would be a straight swap and if not I would imagine not a lot of mods to get them in

[Corgie Carrier]

Hi mate

I find the same thing, get some seats out of a range rover 86 - 93, they are wider and have an arm rest.

Change the complete seat and base and they will fit. There are captive nuts on the side of the trans tunnel to mount the rangie seats in the disco.

As for price, there was a set of leather seats in the give away section of the markets, don't know if they are still there or not.

Happy sitting :D

Neale

[VladTepes]

I was wondering whether Classic RR seats would fit? (and whether they are obtainable at reasonable prioces 2nd hand).

Probably the biggest issues is around the lack of (inability to do) up and down adjustment of the seat, A squab which tilted would also probably be handy but less essential.

I would imagine to fit some seats that raise up and down it requires different seat mounts as the current ones seem to be fixed height / can't be changed.

That's why I was thinking RR seats might work but I have no idea if that's actually the case.

[VladTepes]

Hmmm.. did some googling.

Found out D2 seats don't fit into D1 easily.

Did find this interesting....

Fitting Range Rover seats in a discovery (http://www.overland-rovers.com/ralphs-pages/vehicle-modifications/7-fitting-range-rover-seats-in-a-discovery.html)

My concerns are:
1. Legaility.
2. Would this system retain the same "crashworthiness" (i.e. not compromise safety)?
3. Availability of RR seats.

[Corgie Carrier]

On that site you posted, they would not be legal.

Look at the second pic, top line, see where the radio mic is sitting on that hump in the tunnel. Lift you carpet in that area and there are two captive nuts (may have plugs in them), both my discos have them (93 & 96).

He also used the disco bases. Use the rangie bases and they extend over to these captive nuts, so would be legal as you are using factory mouting points.

Find someone with a late 80s rangie and have a look at the difference in the base. The outside mounting point is the same as the disco.

Hope that all makes sense.

Neale

[TeamFA]

You've given the solution yourself ....................................
.
.
Trade the Disco for a Defender :wasntme:
Seat problem solved and as a bonus you'll be able to attend the Qld Defender Day. :D :D

That didn't hurt at all, did it...?

[VladTepes]

You've given the solution yourself ....................................
.
Trade the Disco for a Defender :wasntme:
Seat problem solved and as a bonus you'll be able to attend the Qld Defender Day. :D :D

Sure. On a completely different note ;) please advise where you park your Defender and when unattended.
Don't worry ....you'll have a nice Tdi Disco to console yourself with....




TeamFA - it did but you shouldn't point it out if you want your tools back... :lol2:



Neale - thanks. So specifically then what years should I be looking at as far as RR seats go. (I wouldn't mind electric, but would be quite happy with manual assuming they have the up down etc adjustment/s.

[Tank]

As I said in earlier post Disco 1 seats are horrible, go to the wreckers and buy a set of 80's/90's set of front buckets out of a Falcon shouldnt cost more than $50, fit them to your Disco and your bum will thank you, Regards Frank.

[Xtreme]

Harden up guys and take it the way it was intended.

[VladTepes]

Tank while that would be a partial solution it wouldn't fix the seat height being non-adjustable. Also I;d assume they wouldn;t bolt straight up to the land rover bases.

[brenno]

Don't bother with the RRC seats if you're a taller or more portly gent.

[VladTepes]

Why do you say that?
(I like to think I am taller rather than more portly).
Surely on the lower setting they must be lower than the height of the normal non adjustable disco seats....

[Tank]

Vlad. that's why we own Land Rovers so as we can modify them to fit us, Regards Frank.

[brenno]

Why do you say that?
(I like to think I am taller rather than more portly).
Surely on the lower setting they must be lower than the height of the normal non adjustable disco seats....

I bought some RRC seats to fit into my D1... Got as far as the drivers seat.

When I got it in, I found that my head was touching the sagging headliner where I was nowhere near it with the Disco seat, and my legs were touching the bottom of the steering wheel. I felt more cramped.

Sure, my arse was comfy, but the rest of me wasn't.

By the way, I'm 6'2" and 130kg.

[dullbird]

are rangie seats height adjustable???

[brenno]

are rangie seats height adjustable???

The one's I got weren't. From memory, they came from an 88-89 model.

[VladTepes]

Question 1:
I've seen elsewhere talk of the seat diaphragms being crapped out. How would I remove the seat base to check? Does the whole seat need to come out?

Could a broken diaphragm be the indirect cause of the agonising pain in my legs... ?

Question 2:
I gather D2 ES seats have squab tilt adjustment etc. Do D2 seats fit into a D1 ?
Are D2 seats any better than D1 seats ?

Question3:
I gather the seat bases from a 3 door disco have tilt adjustment whereas the 5 doors certainly don't. Now I'm not sure whether this means the commercial Discos in the UK or whether the Rosignol (which I think was the only 3 door model sold here in Aus) had adjustable tilt? Pedro ?

[sheerluck]

Question 1:
I've seen elsewhere talk of the seat diaphragms being crapped out. How would I remove the seat base to check? Does the whole seat need to come out?

Could a broken diaphragm be the indirect cause of the agonising pain in my legs... ?

Question 2:
I gather D2 ES seats have squab tilt adjustment etc. Do D2 seats fit into a D1 ?
Are D2 seats any better than D1 seats ?

Q1: quite a regular occurrence. No need to take the seat out to find out, just feel around underneath. If you feel a couple of flappy bits, then yes the diaphragm is bust. Yes, that would cause your discomfort. Exmoor trim make replacements, or search around on the D1 forum for alternatives.

Q2: No. D2 seats will not fit. Argument about if they are better or not is a moot point. You want D2 seats, buy a D2.:p

[PeterM]

Question 1:
Question3:
I gather the seat bases from a 3 door disco have tilt adjustment whereas the 5 doors certainly don't. Now I'm not sure whether this means the commercial Discos in the UK or whether the Rosignol (which I think was the only 3 door model sold here in Aus) had adjustable tilt? Pedro ?

The 3dr Disco seats are not tilt adjustable, they have a release lever that moves the entire seat base up and forward to permit access to the rear. There were other 3 dr Discos sold in Aus other than the Rossignol ones, just not many of them. My Disco is a 3dr 94 update so a rare beast in the grand scheme of things.

[disco2_dan]

Best way to solve the problem is to pour your self a big old cup O concrete and harden the %#*# up lol

[ozscott]

Vlad my 95 seats in the D1 are pretty good at just under 300,000k on long trips. My D2 ones got saggy so I had them re-bolstered - they are better than my D1 now but not by a lot. I do know what you mean about the upper seat hardness in the D1 with the shoulder blades, but overall still a comfy seat. Why not just get them re-bolstered to suit? Cheapest and quickest option and you can add support where you want it?

Cheers

[Utemad]

I think you have said your Disco1 is a 98 model.
In that case RRC seats won't be a bolt in fit as they don't have the seat box like a RRC or pre 97 Disco1.

Maybe softdash RRC seats would fit? I don't know but I would have thought they would have the more modern floorpan at a guess.

I bought some XR6 seats to fit in my Disco1 but never fitted them. I never got sore in the Disco1 seats. Just wanted to get tossed around less off road.

[VladTepes]

My Disco is a 1/96 build.

[Saitch]

I found the comments here quite remarkable. Our '97 D1 is a poofteenth under 300,000 & all who travel in him praise the seats. A mate of mine, who travels a lot with me in the D1 & has a 2004 Prado was going to see if D1 seats will fit his vehicle.
Vlad, all I can say is that yours must be really shot.
BTW I'm 185cm x 89kg.
Anyone who wants to try them is more than welcome!

[VladTepes]

That would be a great way to describe ourselves sort of like tyre conventions: height/weight x age

I'm 185 / 93 x 42 !


Back on topic - obviously the Defender seats I had suited me perfectly, and the driving position too. Must have been spoiled as I definitely find the Disco seats very sub-par.

Also I am looking out the VERY top of the windscreen so much that I often have to lean down a bit to see traffic lights, which can be very annoying. Thus some seats which could adjust a bit lower would be very handy.

[sheerluck]

That may be the difference Vlad, as I'm 172 / 80 x 42.

And yes, before anyone gets smart, I can see over the steering wheel. But I find the Disco seats just fine.

[Utemad]

I look out of the very top of the windscreen too. You find yourself ducking down to see when the traffic lights go green.

Have a look at the transmission tunnel. You will see that even if you make a new seatbox to drop the seat down you would be lucky to get an inch lower. Plus if you were to fit a more modern seat they all seem to be thicker in the base so lowering the box with a new seat would not lower the seat.

[disco2_dan]

Lol I'm 193cm and 130kg and 28, the seat I find ok compfort wise, but I agree looking out the top of the windscreen is quite annoying and I've been wishing there was a way to remedy the situation, as I'm sick of being honked cause I forgot to check if the light had changed yet or it changed just as I stopped checking lol

[Saitch]

Oops! 60 this birthday & I've got to remember to check for lights as where I live we don't have any

[VladTepes]

I look out of the very top of the windscreen too. You find yourself ducking down to see when the traffic lights go green.

Have a look at the transmission tunnel. You will see that even if you make a new seatbox to drop the seat down you would be lucky to get an inch lower. Plus if you were to fit a more modern seat they all seem to be thicker in the base so lowering the box with a new seat would not lower the seat.

Bugger ! But there MUST be a way.....

[Sussdisco]

my comment will be no help at all but, after reading all your comments, im pretty glad im only 5'9" and 65kgs (for once in my life haha), my disco is super comfy even after a 600km+ drive and i can see the traffic lights without ducking :P

sorry guys :P

[Spel1]

The main problem I have found with Discovery 1 seats is the poor lumbar support. The belt that is tensioned by the side knob has a habit of letting go - this gives the seat very poor comfort. I took my seat out, pulled up the back cover (pretty easily done) and repaired the belt with stainless wire where it had torn - basically reconnected it. I also added a layer of 10mm foam (like the cheap camping mattresses) behind the belt and in front of the spring. Result is much better lumbar support and still adjustable.
If the seat is getting worn on the door edge, before it gets too bad, swap it with the passenger seat (then do the above fix again). The lumbar adjusting knob ends up on the wrong side but that's the only difference.
If you are really tall, you can set the seat itself back to the next set of holes on the rails - I am 182cm so the standard position is OK - but if I had longer legs I would imagine a bit more distance would be welcome.
Simon

[Utemad]

If you are really tall, you can set the seat itself back to the next set of holes on the rails - I am 182cm so the standard position is OK - but if I had longer legs I would imagine a bit more distance would be welcome.
Simon

I've done this but had forgotten about it. I discovered it when I was investigating replacement seats.
Well worthwhile for us tall folk.