Raising seats in a Defender

**CraigE** · 22nd June 2005, 10:07 PM

I am thinking of raising the seats about 2" in the Fender to give a little more leg room on the passenger side and maybe alittle mor in the back. What I am after is any recommended products or material to use as spacers or block to raise the rails and still be legal. Any ideas would be appreciated. I have seen the kits to allow the runners to go back further but do not want to impeed on the leg room in the back. The fortunate thing is both the missus and me are only about 5'9" so there is a godd 3 - 4 " above our heads.
Thanks

**DEFENDERZOOK** · 23rd June 2005, 06:07 AM

<span style="color:blue">i think BB did this to his.....he fitted a couple of lengths of square tubing under the rails....he can confirm if it was him or not.....but there were also some pictures of the mod on this site somewhere....</span>

**rick130** · 23rd June 2005, 06:55 AM

2" might be a little/lot too much.

My drivers seat is raised 22mm-7/8" as I'm nearly 6'2" and mostly legs. 4 pieces of round tube and it looks original. Definitely makes it nicer to drive for me, but raising the squab height 50mm.....I'd be guessing someone 5'9" would have their legs off the floor, apart from it being obviously altered.
Also, with the seat 22mm higher, it restricts my vision out of the side window, and I'm pretty short in the back for my height. (IIRC, a 36"+ inseam)
Try 3/4" to start with, you might be surprised how much difference it makes.

**sclarke** · 23rd June 2005, 08:36 AM

Have a look at my gallery.
i ripped the orig seat out and fitted a racing seat in.

http://www.aulro.com/modules.php'set_album...=view_album.php

Steve

**DEFENDERZOOK** · 23rd June 2005, 10:12 AM

how do you then access the underseat compartments if you cant remove the seat bases....?

im thinking of changing mine and that is what is stopping me from doing it....

**CraigE** · 23rd June 2005, 11:44 AM

All I am looking at doing is raising the actual runner via the mounts, so will not change the way the seat comes off the base. Not modifying above the runners or the retention system.
Thanks for the replies.

**sclarke** · 23rd June 2005, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by DEFENDERZOOK
how do you then access the underseat compartments if you cant remove the seat bases....?

im thinking of changing mine and that is what is stopping me from doing it....

OK. it unbolts in about 3 minuts or less.

If i was to have a problems with the battery then i would unbolt the seat and have a squiz.
I'm going to fit an isolator in the 12V + side to have that extra insurance that if i had to disconnect the battery in a hurry then i would then kill it via the battery switch.

**VladTepes** · 23rd June 2005, 03:25 PM

Originally posted by rick130
2" might be a little/lot too much.

My drivers seat is raised 22mm-7/8" as I'm nearly 6'2" and mostly legs. 4 pieces of round tube and it looks original. Definitely makes it nicer to drive for me, but raising the squab height 50mm.....I'd be guessing someone 5'9" would have their legs off the floor, apart from it being obviously altered.
Also, with the seat 22mm higher, it restricts my vision out of the side window, and I'm pretty short in the back for my height. (IIRC, a 36"+ inseam)
Try 3/4" to start with, you might be surprised how much difference it makes.

I just realsied there were windows at the side. I can't see out of them (well, ok, but only rocks and stuff) coz I'm a bit longer in the torso.

**p38arover** · 24th June 2005, 11:51 PM

See https://www.expeditionexchange.com/muduk/

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/muduk/DSC05985.JPG

Ron

british4wd · 25th June 2005, 08:18 AM

I am 5' 11" and I found the seating position in a defender I owned too cramped. All I did was put some spacers under the mounting points. But the best way is to have the runner fully supported , to do this just get some aluminium flat section and drill each end and install it.
Only problem I found was the reach to the handbrake was a bit too far, I was sittiing a bit too near the top of the screen for good vision.
I had only raised the seat by 1 inch.
One other thing I had done was repacked the drivers seat cushion, the foam had collapsed, may have put in a bit too much so that this combined with the seat lift was more than enough.

Alan

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