W639 seat change

[Yampiedog]

I'm looking at changing my two front seats. I have obtained a pair of Volvo V70 seats but the track is about 430mm which is about 10-20mm wider than my Vito seats.
Has anyone else fitted seats other than Mercedes ones in their W639.

I have considered swapping rails but the drivers seats on Volvo seat is electric.

I beleieve I have to make up some plates to fit them, any guidance / experience gratefully appreciated.

 

[Giantvanman]

Not done it myself but I have seen some attach/weld a length of decent gauge flat bar front and back across the seat box to carry the new seat. There is no intrinsic problem that I can see as long as the new bar is attached to the seat box well and is off sufficient strength to hold the seat both in use and during a collision. If I were to bolt the flat bar to the seat box rather than weld it on (the latter being the better option to my mind), I would use spread plates or hefty, large washers on the inner skin of the sweatbox to prevent pull through/tearing in the event of a collision.

 

[Yampiedog]

 

[Yampiedog]

That makes sense with the washers

 

[Yampiedog]

Would 5mm be thick enough and 30mm wide?

 

[Yampiedog]

Bought 5mm by 50mm and drilled two holes, now to see if bolts are long enough...

 

[Giantvanman]

Would 5mm be thick enough and 30mm wide?

Bought 5mm by 50mm and drilled two holes, now to see if bolts are long enough...

I missed your post. In my view, that bar is large and thick enough. As for the bolts, you NEED to have about the same amount of thread sticking through the nut as you would have had, had it been the normal fitting, if that makes sense. As I understand it, there has to be sufficient thread length left to allow for pull through and bolt stretch in the event of a collision.

To be fair, I haven't heard anyone else who is doing your kind of seat swap mention this; it is just something I was told many years ago by a very old and experienced engineer.

 

[Yampiedog]

It makes sense about the bolt length. Unfortunately due to the seat base and the fact that the seat rails on the beige seats are only 15mm wider than my current seats it means there is not enough room between bolts. I'm giving up on the Volvo seats. Disappointed though as they are so comfy.

Any suggestions on seats that will fit, looking for 415mm seat rail spacing (centre to centre)

 

[Yampiedog]

Full leather interior for Mercedes C class C280 | eBay

Watching this listing but the seller has told me they won't fit my van because they are from a car. All I was after was the distance between seat rails. Apparently they are from a 1994 C280. Anyone know the measurement of the seat rail width?

 

[Yampiedog]

It appears they are the same width!!!