Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

So I'm working on fabricating a minimally intrusive bracket/ latch system to enable second and third row seats to be folded down and flipped out of the way without having to actually remove the seat. I Can get some extra brackets made up, but obviously it will cost me a little bit extra. Before I do it I wanted to determine if there was any real interst in the brackets or a kit to install in your vehicles? The goal is to use preexisting seat frame mounting points without damaging the seat covers. I'm not sure on pricepoint yet, but would be interested in realistic prices others would be willing to pay for this option. Thanks in advance!
Shawn

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

Shows somewhat interesting.....

I just cannot picture this in my mind to determine if it would be practail or not. The theory is sound if indeed it works as you mentioned.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

mite be interested in that

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

yes, sounds interesting

but i would just look into using the 60/40 seat from a 73-91 burb and have an upholstery shop rework a correct year seat cover to fit. only big issues would be the shape of the floor is different and you'd need to put some. sort of plate behind the side panels to support the bracket for the backrest. maybe you could look into this and make us a kit?

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

I'd be interested as well, particularly if it was adaptable to non-original seats, like later model seats (since that's what I'm using in front). Not sure what I'd pay for it, but I could see paying $100 to $200 for a set of brackets that I thought work work well. For more than that, I'd just fabricate something myself.

I hope that helps.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

Thanks for all of the feedback guys.
I looked at using those seats. The problem comes in at a couple of spots. I like original style seat covers. To use the 60/40 split means having to have custom seat covers made and upholstered. That can really cost alot. And if your like me and have seats that have nice seat covers (new) already, then it would be cheaper to figure out a way to use the existing seats. Also, the 60/40 seats end up folding flat, leaving no where for the third row to go. The only real
difficulty has been figuring out how to make the seatback fold flat, although I think I have it figured out now. The piano hinges on the 60/40 won't work because the seat cushions are thick. I'm currently trying to work on incorporating a latch for the seatback. I'm trying to incorporate it into the brackets as one unit, making it easier to install. I'll let you know when I get it all done up.
Shawn
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Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

ummm.....the third row is supposed to be removed and the second row becomes an extension of the cargo floor.

adapting the upholstery would be a pain, but it would be a real slick setup. i'd love to go that route with my burb, but i won't be hauling cargo as often as passengers so i'll just use the factory style seats and add the third row. another nice thing about the 60/40 is you can haul some long items and still have some options in terms of passenger capacity (trips to home depot with several buddies, etc).

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

I am aware that the third row is supposed to be removed. I don't particularly like that set up. I don't know if you have ever been out and had to remove the third row to put something larger in, but it can be a real pain, especially if your by yourself. The problem with adapting the second row out of a square body is the way the seats fold and are made. The back of the seat bolts directly to the floor on a piano hinge, so it doesn't quite sit right if you try and use the stock seat and adapt it to fit. I agree the 60/40 is a nice idea, but if you are using stock style covers, like houndstooth for instance, you will spend a small fortune getting the seats custom upholstered to look like the stock seats. And if you try and use the stock frames they will also have to be custom made. Trust me when I say I looked into this option. Including trying to use a narrow second row with a utility bucket seat. Together they were too wide. The narrow second row seat is wider than 60% part.
The other reason I wanted to make the second row fold and flip is for easy entrance to the third row. If you just make it fold flat, getting into the third row is kind of tough since you then have to step up and over the laid flat seat back. And our seat frames were not made to be layed flat and stepped on, so it might end up damaging them longterm. Hope this clarifies my thought process.
Shawn
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Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

i've grown up with suburbans (i was 3 in 1983 when we started the family tradtion).

my dad had a 72 burb with a blazer rear seat as a third row and then three factory 9 passenger burbs (84, 87 and now a 99) so i have lugged that seat up and down the cellar stairs many times. i'm out of shape and have a heart condition and i do it one handed. and are you trying to put your grandma in the third row or something? big whoop about having to climb over the seat back. usually you put the kids and younger adults back there anyway. i still say the gm arrangement from 73 up works the best for dual purpose. if i wanted a minivan i'd buy a minivan...they were designed to have stow and go seating.

*sometimes we just flip the back down and slide the third row seat forward on top of the (folded) second row when we need a little bigger cargo floor to save on pulling the seat out completely.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

I actually love the idea of a fold-away third row seat. I love it so much, I've been debating fabricating some sort of jump-seat arrangement for the third row, like on old Monteros or on the 90's FJ80 Landcruisers.

To me, part of the utility of a "sport utility vehicle" is lost when you have to spend time managing a heavy, bulky third row seat just to have flexible people/load carrying options.

I can carry one one-handed too, but I'd rather not. And I'd rather not have it take up space in my garage when it's not in the Burb.

Just my $.02.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

the problem is the third seat is still in the way unless you restructure the floor to hide it.

my dad has had his burbs loaded up many times helping people move and it wouldn't have been possible without getting the seats completely out of the way ( flat 8 foot cargo floor).

the one stupid thing GM did was put in that honkin rear a/c unit. several times we couldn't haul something that fit through the rear hatch because it hit the @$#%& a/c box on the 87. guessing the 72 unit presents similar problems. now THAT is something that needs to be redesigned.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

I've owned a '99, a '88, and now a '72 suburban. I haul 'stuff' more than people, so the rear seat get in the way more. I did however buy a suburban again because my K -20 gets crowded (stick shift) and my Dakota crew is limited also (tight rear seat). There are times where a small group of us want to go somewhere with the kids in tow and mini vans don't hold the weight or tow big loads.

I thought about bench type jumpseats or F*#%'s folding Expedtion rear seat. As for storing seats , I already have the bench seat from my K- 20 in our kitchen and the wife hasn't been to happy about it.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

Hers is a link where someone did the '73 - '91 seat to the middle row.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=213960

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I don't want to have to remove the third row every time I need to haul something, or put the seat in if I need to haul people. I don't know when I will need to pick something up for my side business and they are usually pretty big items. I may drop the kids off at school, then go pick up the product, or install the products for a customer then pick up the kids from school. I don't have time to go by the house and pick up or drop off a seat.
I'm comPletely aware that the square body suburban seats can be used, again the problem is getting the seats to match the originals. And also there still isn't anywhere to put the third row. When I get these brackets done, the second row will fold down, then flip up against the back of the front seat, similar to newer suburbans. The third row will fold down and flip over into the space created between the now flipped up second row and the raised cargo floor. It won't be completely flat, but you should have a relatively flat cargo area for loading things. I think that there re others that would also like this feature, even though the seat can be carried one handed by people with heart conditions. I guess I just want the option for my pregnant wife ( who drives the burb on a regular basis also) to be able to top and buy furniture or whatever she wants without having to remove seats.
Shawn
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Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

I might be interested if adapting the rear seat brakets with folding ablity over to some new seat i purchased for rear of panel. I like the idea of having seats for more than two but don't want to kill my cargo space all togehter.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

X2 on the 73-91 seat. I put one in my '67 Burb. It was not that hard to put in. My installation was very similar to Faster57's. I made a thick sheet metal bracket to hold the seat back. I welded nuts to the backside of this. I drilled and bolted the piano hinge directly to the floor flush with the stepdown. I shimmed the outer bottom seat brackets and drilled new holes in the floor. Thats about it. The seat itself is very wide. It barely fits in the space. The bracket for the flipdown on the driver side can be kind of tight but otherwise no big deal to flipdown. One of the best 'mods I have made to my 'burb. I had to drill several holes but my floor was not a "virgin" to begin with as someone had installed a seat from an Astro which was to narrow and did not fold flat. It took me about 12 hours to get the install right but I also tend to work @ a snails pace. :lol:

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

He installed a fixed suburban seat frame on the passenger side with no access to the rear seat so I made a flip and lock mount it the seat frame this weekend. Just need to pull everything back out and paint the tan interior color and reinstall .Works great.
Attached Images

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

I have a 72 with the three seats. I really like the original look, and don't like late model year seats in a nice 72.
I would have zero interest in the product if it didn't employ original seats.
If you can make it work with the original seats that would be nice.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

I would be very interested in this... As soon as you can post a working prototype with detailed pictures / instructions, I think you would have a huge amount of interest!
I know I would seriously consider this if it works.
Good luck and please keep us in the loop!

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

Not to ruin anyone's day but this thread was started back in 2011.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

LOL - that's funny! Jumped in with two feet without looking first :-)

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

I almost did the same. I was going to post that the mounts couldn't interfere with hauling plywood. :lol::lol::lol:

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

Agree with Scott on this one. the rounded edges compliment the round tup of the Burb, square with square round with round.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

Regardless, people act like its a terrible thing to bring it back from the dead without realizing that this cult gets new followers EVERY DAY.

If they post first: "need help with seats" someone will say "search the forum for it" or do it for them and post the thread (2011). When someone comments on the old thread......"you idiot didn't you see how old that thread is"....?

Its a never ending cycle.

Re: Any Interest In Fold/Flip Rear Seat Kits?
 

I understand this a thread may be old, but did these brackets ever get made? If so, or if anyone would be able to recommend someone or a company who makes them please let me know.