Replacement front seats in Defender?

[Grizzly_Adams]

G'day All,

Has anyone replaced the front seats in their Defenders? You know, gone and bought some more comfortable aftermarket ones or whatever..

You see the problem is / would be accessing the battery and storage compartments under the front seats. :?

I was wondering if anyone had ever bothered to move both batteries (sorry I have a dual battery setup in there at the moment) out of that little compartment under the front seat? If so I could probably move my tools out of the other compartment and remove those storage boxes altogether.

Why? Well to give me more space for under-the-sill tanks of course :wink:

Of course then I'd have to make other easily accessible storage boxes, but I'm sure we could figure something out... but where would you put the batteries? Any suggestions? :?: :?: :?:

[rick130]

a couple of companies make Defender specific seats (with removable bases)
There was a thread on the old LRE board (now Land Rover Addict) about it. I'll see if I can dig it up.

[rick130]

apparently Aerotech were bought out by Saas and still supply a Defender seat.
The relevant thread on LRA is http://www.lrenthusiastforum.com/ubbthread...ge=2#Post299576 (http://www.lrenthusiastforum.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=299576&an=0&page=2#Post299576)

[tombraider]

Originally posted by rick130
apparently Aerotech were bought out by Saas and still supply a Defender seat.
Yep! I have a set and so does LRDEF110...

Cheers
Mike

[sclarke]

i have 1 aerotech seat on the passenger side for the missus.

Great seat....

i was lucky mine was $150 2nd hand.

[Tusker]

We tried a few months ago and got nowhere with Aerotech/saas, they're just not interested.

Just about every other seat needs an engineering certificate.

We did contemplate the Exmoor ones from the UK, but the $$ were getting a bit high.

Regards
Max P

[Ace]

Camel_Landy has some awsome bucket seats in the front of his defender, and they are genuine land rover aswell. They are bloody comfy. Matt

[juddo]

Just an idea, have you though about taking the seats to an auto apholsterer who can rebuild the original seats with more padding and better lumbar support etc. The cost may be comparible to buying new seats.

Cheers.

[Grizzly_Adams]

ok this is where I have to come out of the closet and admit to already purchasing some replacement seats when I was at the LR show at Billing this year... :oops: :oops: :oops:

I have the Exmoor Trim Trakker Le Mans in G4 trim - sitting in a shed in UK at the moment but shortly to start their journey over to Oz...

http://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/erol.html#807x...xmoortrim.co.uk (http://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/erol.html#807x0&&http%3A%252F%252Fwww.exmoortrim.co.uk)

http://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/images/90110frontseats/leman_large.jpg

I tried them out there and they were bl**dy comfortable.. I've also got the lumbar support and heater thingy (for those cold mornings in Qld? :roll: )

Yes ok so I had more money than sense, but you don't know what it was like there - it was brilliant... :twisted:

I'm sure that at the time we thought about how to get around the non-removable bases etc. and spoke about it with the salesman, but for the life of me I cannot remember the outcome. :roll:

Searching on the net shows most people just live with it as the seats are "easily removed" via a few bolts...

So I was wondering if anyone else had moved their batteries in a Defender?


... and yes, I do suffer from impulse buying....... my wife can be very.. uh.. understanding.. at times

[sclarke]

Originally posted by juddo
Just an idea, have you though about taking the seats to an auto apholsterer who can rebuild the original seats with more padding and better lumbar support etc. The cost may be comparible to buying new seats.

Cheers.

Thats what my drivers seat is.
Cost me about $40 in foam from Clarke Rubber and 1 hours work to strip the seat and fit the extra foam.

[RoverOne]

Originally posted by sclarke+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sclarke)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-juddo
Just an idea, have you though about taking the seats to an auto apholsterer who can rebuild the original seats with more padding and better lumbar support etc. The cost may be comparible to buying new seats.

Cheers.

Thats what my drivers seat is.
Cost me about $40 in foam from Clarke Rubber and 1 hours work to strip the seat and fit the extra foam.[/b][/quote]

I wish I had not put of buying the Aerotech seats when I had the chance. now my seats are about cactus. The drivers is broken at the lumbar position and both cushions are bread crumbing into dissintergration.

No time to muck around I'll have to get to an upholster, I want the job to last, then again the quote could result in a DIY weekend.

Cheers
Bryce

[p38arover]

Originally posted by RoverOne
[both cushions are bread crumbing into dissintergration.

No time to muck around I'll have to get to an upholster, I want the job to last, then again the quote could result in a DIY weekend.

Both my County cushions are also bread-crumbing everywhere - so I'd be interested in any quote you get, Bryce.

Ron

[aloa9061]

I just bit the bullet and fitted stratos series 2000(I think) really comfortable but you really notice it after a long drive. I get out fine my mate in my old seats in his car gets out really tired and stiff.

Also Ron, Josh has your springs

[rick130]

I think a correction may be in order.
It appears that Autoconcepts bought the SAAS brand name and designs. It sounds like this could be where the talk came about of Aerotech and SAAS now being one and the same.
Aerotech is the brand name of EDS Interiors, and so a specific Defender seat may still be available.
Can anyone confirm this ?

[DaveS3]

Can't confirm but im still sure that Areotech/EDS (Coburg/Preston) are no more. I think this is been the case for a few years (no more that 4 or so as thats when I purchased my stuff)

I think your on the right track with Autoconcepts/SAAS

A quick search in both the Whitepages and Yellow pages didn't find anything.

Dave.

[Grizzly_Adams]

So nobody has moved their batteries from under the seat in their Defenders?

How do those with aftermarket seats (w/ non-removable bottoms) feel about getting to the batteries etc.? I know it's not often you're there, but when you want to be there do you find it a lot of hassle?

[lrdef110]

Grizzly, the Aerotech seats have removeable bases just like the original seats.

Regards, Barry

[sclarke]

I just unbolt my Passenger Seat.
Takes about 2 mins if that.

Steve

[Grizzly_Adams]

Thanks Steve, that was all I was after....

[Pierre]

Youse are rite..

The crowd who have these seat designs (Aerotech) are Auto Concepts. They are in Mulgrave, Victoria - 18-20 Glenvale Crescent, near the corner of Springvale and Wellington Roads.

Phone 03 9545 0044 Fax 03 9545 0033

Contact (18 months ago) - Tony Maraschiello, and may well be the same man still

No 3 son's Deffie has a set in it - the first set that the new owners had made - a "prototype" seat, if you like.

They are very comfortable and fit well. Lift out centre bases.

They are very expensive ($700 ea) and empty the wallet well.

The only changes I have recommended are the repositioning of the centre strap on the base to improve battery access, and the repositioning of the rake adjusting wheel on the seat outside to allow trim clearance.

The worst thing that can happen is that they'll say no.

HTH

Pete

[RoverOne]

Originally posted by p38arover+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(p38arover)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-RoverOne
[both cushions are bread crumbing into dissintergration.

No time to muck around I'll have to get to an upholster, I want the job to last, then again the quote could result in a DIY weekend.

Both my County cushions are also bread-crumbing everywhere - so I'd be interested in any quote you get, Bryce.

Ron[/b][/quote]

If not this week will definately track down someone next week for a quote, probably more than one though.

Will get two quotes one for cushions only the other for full rebuild of cushions.

Clive's son bought front & back seats out of a Defender roll over at last years Expo for $200 for his County, I was a little ticked off he beat me there, they were great condition.

And guys BTW "Tusker" already told you that the Aerotechs are no more- FINISHED, he's spoken to new owner of old company.

Cheers
Bryce

[p38arover]

Originally posted by RoverOne+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RoverOne)</div><div class='quotemain'>If not this week will definately track down someone next week for a quote, probably more than one though.

Will get two quotes one for cushions only the other for full rebuild of cushions.[/b]

Excellent - although I suspect I'll buy the foam from Clark Rubber. I might go there this arvo to get a price on the foam rubber.

<!--QuoteBegin-RoverOne
Clive's son bought front & back seats out of a Defender roll over at last years Expo for $200 for his County, I was a little ticked off he beat me there, they were great condition.[/quote]

That would have been a good buy. I would like a Defender split rear seat. The fridge could fit where the single seat is located.

Ron[/b]

[tombraider]

Originally posted by RoverOne


And guys BTW "Tusker" already told you that the Aerotechs are no more- FINISHED, he's spoken to new owner of old company.

Cheers
Bryce
Actually spoke to my contact today, They WILL have them back in stock in early January but at this stage are sold out.

Cheers
Mike

[aloa9061]

Hi guys,
Mike they told me the same thing for 8 months. no next months the next month and so on.

don't bother just put somehting like stratos in and use wingnuts

[tombraider]

I purchased my Aerotech Defender seats from them in March.
Drove to Victoria and caught up with some friends and actually picked them up!

Best addition to the Defender I reckon.....

But then so is the lift, intercooler, ECU upgrade, 3" exhaust, Fridge, Twin shock upgrade, Comp bar, Winch etc... :roll:

Keep pestering them, I had my original seats re-bolstered but they failed again soon after.... Maybe its just that I'm a fat b***ard :!:

Cheers
Mike

[RoverOne]

Originally posted by tombraider
I purchased my Aerotech Defender seats from them in March.
Drove to Victoria and caught up with some friends and actually picked them up!

Best addition to the Defender I reckon.....

But then so is the lift, intercooler, ECU upgrade, 3" exhaust, Fridge, Twin shock upgrade, Comp bar, Winch etc... :roll:

Keep pestering them, I had my original seats re-bolstered but they failed again soon after.... Maybe its just that I'm a fat b***ard :!:

Cheers
Mike

Will follow up.

Maybe they had carry over stock from Aerotech when they took them over, we'll see what happens in January then I'll be about ready then.

If get mine rebuilt will shop around some one recommended & check out better rubber compounds similar to UK mob if possible.

Haven't had a chance to get quotes away all last week, going SEQ this week, so week after it will have to be.


BTW Tombraider what did you pay? they used to be $785 a seat from memory.
Cheers
Bryce