Physically moving the driver's seat back in the car

[Egregory]

Hi, I am new to the forum and although I did a search of previous threads I could not find anything on this subject.

I am considering buying a used Genesis (probably a 2010 with the premium package or above) but the one thing I have found with the Genesis that is a problem for me is that the driver's seat will not go back quite as far as I would like. I am a big guy and on my test drives I made sure that the seat was moved all the way back and that the steering wheel was retraced all the way in but I would still like another inch or even two of room.

So my question is, has anyone moved the driver's seat back in their car, wither with after market parts (rails?) or possibly by having a mechanic/body shop re-drill the track holes slightly farther back?

Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[homeofstone]

Not safe to just drill holes. If new holes are drilled reinforcement will also need to be added to properly attach seat for safety and seat belt system may not work properly if seat is relocated to far back.

 

[snork]

Wow, you must be a big guy...the seat goes back a long way IMHO

That being said, I've putzed around under my seat because my seatbelt fastened indicator had a loose connection (now fixed with the help of electrical tape relieving tension on the wires going to the harnesses). There is a structural channel/wireway under the seat and carpet which would block any attempts at removing the tracks and trying to remount them further back even if you were willing to go through the trouble of removing them and re-drilling them into the chassis. I also believe the rear-footwell HVAC duct snakes through this channel as well.

 

[PMCErnie]

I think you would be very happy in a 2009 Taurus. This car has the most amazing driver's seating room and seat adjustment features. No, it's not a Genesis but I enjoy driving my wife's Taurus very much when I'm not driving my car.

 

[Egregory]

There is a structural channel/wireway under the seat and carpet which would block any attempts at removing the tracks and trying to remount them further back even if you were willing to go through the trouble of removing them and re-drilling them into the chassis. I also believe the rear-footwell HVAC duct snakes through this channel as well.

Thanks for the info snork, since it is stuff like this that may make moving the seat impractical if not impossible. I was able to have the seat moved back on my 1998 Jaguar Vanden Plas by an inch but it might not be possible here.

Not safe to just drill holes. If new holes are drilled reinforcement will also need to be added to properly attach seat for safety and seat belt system may not work properly if seat is relocated to far back.

Thanks for the heads up but the guys who did it on my last car were very careful to weld in some extra reinforcement at the new hole sites. Also, I certainly agree that you do not want to move it too much but I don't think an inch is going to radically impact the safety systems.

I think you would be very happy in a 2009 Taurus. This car has the most amazing driver's seating room and seat adjustment features. No, it's not a Genesis but I enjoy driving my wife's Taurus very much when I'm not driving my car.

Thanks for the recommendation and I will keep it in mind but if I am going to move away from a Genesis then I will probably look at all kinds of cars. Surprisingly the Kia Optima Hybrid's (which I looked at as an environmentally friendly option) seats go back at least an inch farther than the Genesis' seats, but the Genesis is just so much better looking and luxurious than the Kia.

Anyway thanks for all the input so far, if anyone else has any advice or insight I would be glad to hear it.

 

[veed]

i'm no expert (nor am i particularly large, but i am tallish) ... but my 2011 4.6 has almost as much stretch area as my 2006 Taurus (c'mon ernie - a genny vs. a toad? seriously? ).

there are a couple of TSBs related to both steering column adjustment (11-BE-003) and seat adjustment (12-BE-011). maybe you have an issue there - i had to have the former done recently. might buy you that inch or two you're looking for.

 

[Navion 49]

I am 6'8" and have no problem with the seat travel. All the way back is perfect length for my very long pins.:

 

[Egregory]

i'm no expert (nor am i particularly large, but i am tallish) ... but my 2011 4.6 has almost as much stretch area as my 2006 Taurus (c'mon ernie - a genny vs. a toad? seriously? ).

there are a couple of TSBs related to both steering column adjustment (11-BE-003) and seat adjustment (12-BE-011). maybe you have an issue there - i had to have the former done recently. might buy you that inch or two you're looking for.

Thanks for the heads up veed but it is almost certainly not a malfunction because it was true of a couple of models I sat in, both a 2010 and a 2013.

 

[PMCErnie]

i'm no expert (nor am i particularly large, but i am tallish) ... but my 2011 4.6 has almost as much stretch area as my 2006 Taurus (c'mon ernie - a genny vs. a toad? seriously? ).

there are a couple of TSBs related to both steering column adjustment (11-BE-003) and seat adjustment (12-BE-011). maybe you have an issue there - i had to have the former done recently. might buy you that inch or two you're looking for.

You are obviously unaware that your 2006 Taurus is a different car entirely than the 2008/2009 Taurus. The later Taurus was formerly known as the Five Hundred from '05-'07. It has scads of headroom and cockpit room. It's also got 263 hp and a 21 cu ft trunk. It's a car for big people and that's why I recommended to the OP if he is looking for a used car. Here it is in our color, Smokestone.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/'09_Ford_Taurus_Limited_(MIAS).JPG

 

[Rey]

I am a geezer, and have modified seats on many cars, including the Genesis. My passenger seat was too low for my wife, so I raised it.
I just checked the mounting points on my Genesis seat with a view of how to move the mounting points backward. I think it would not be much of a problem to move it back say up to 1.5 in. Basically, what I would do is rig up a bit of strap iron to each OEM mounting point. I would have drilled the strap an additional hole for a new mount point about 1.5"; and mount the whole seat contraption to the chassis using the new mounting point. This mod should be as strong as the OEM. Keep in mind that the seat belt is not mounting to the seat frame.

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[Egregory]

I am a geezer, and have modified seats on many cars, including the Genesis. My passenger seat was too low for my wife, so I raised it.
I just checked the mounting points on my Genesis seat with a view of how to move the mounting points backward. I think it would not be much of a problem to move it back say up to 1.5 in. Basically, what I would do is rig up a bit of strap iron to each OEM mounting point. I would have drilled the strap an additional hole for a new mount point about 1.5"; and mount the whole seat contraption to the chassis using the new mounting point. This mod should be as strong as the OEM. Keep in mind that the seat belt is not mounting to the seat frame.

Thanks a lot Rey, I really appreciate you taking the time to look at yours and see if you thought it was possible. In the end I may find that I a fine with the seat where it is but I would be much more comfortable knowing that it could be moved.

As for your description of a suggested method, are you just suggesting taking 4 pieces of flat metal (strap iron?) drill 2 holes 1.5 inches apart (assuming that was the distance I wanted the seat moved back) and use bolts to secure the seat to the metal and more bolts to secure the metal to the original mounting points?

I was just curious about your suggestion since I believe when the mechanic I had move the seat in my Jag did it, he just drilled new mounting points slightly farther back. I could be wrong since while I am good at building computers I am not so technically knowledgeable about cars. Anyway I would like to know exactly what your suggestion is so that I can relay it to him should I have it done.

Also when you raised your passenger's seat do you remember if any of the cables seemed so short they would not allow the seat to be moved a little?

Thanks again for all you insight.

 

[veed]

mea culpa

You are obviously unaware that your 2006 Taurus is a different car entirely than the 2008/2009 Taurus. The later Taurus was formerly known as the Five Hundred from '05-'07. It has scads of headroom and cockpit room. It's also got 263 hp and a 21 cu ft trunk. It's a car for big people and that's why I recommended to the OP if he is looking for a used car. Here it is in our color, Smokestone.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/'09_Ford_Taurus_Limited_(MIAS).JPG

did not remember that. had a 500 as a rental once and was impressed.

 

[Rey]

My little suggestion does not have you changing the chassis mounting points. Unlike chassis of many years ago, the Genesis is a double wall chassis, which makes it difficult to change OEM mounting points.
The front two fasteners are two studs mounted to the chassis. The rear fasteners are bolts into threaded females in the chassis.
It is not difficult at all to raise the seat. I used some simple 1" channel as spacers. The front mounts are a little tricky. There is plenty of slack in the wiring to raise the seat an inch or so.