mtv wrote:

Halestorm wrote:

flyingzebra wrote:When rebuilding 206 seats we ditched the springs and used Ceconite. It was way lighter and much more comfortable but a weird unexpected side effect was that you sat significantly higher. We actually had to shift the whole radio stack down in order to see it all and not have it blocked by the glare shield.
I'm also curious if it's possible to switch the old round back seats for square backs? I've got a '54 Wagon and want to switch. Any idea if that's doable?
Carry on and keep the pics coming!!

Ceconite itself should put you lower if anything over the springs, sounds like the foam they built up on the Ceconite was tall. Foam can be built up to any thickness desired, if you don't have an articulating seat perhaps building up some different sample thicknesses is in order to avoid having to move ones radios around.

It's so satisfying throwing away those old seat springs, just threw some away the other day, good times!

Sam

The springs give, allowing you to sink into (through) the frame, whereas the fabric, well shrunk, doesn't allow you to sink in at all, or at least very little. I replaced the springs on my Cub's seat back with fabric, and it moved me significantly forward, and I had to move the seat aft to accomodate.

As to articulating seats, bear in mind that they are maintenance hogs (mostly because dumb ass passengers grab the tops to yard themselves up out of the rear seats, and because dumb ass pilots get in their seat, then push against the seat back to re-arrange their undies, thus breaking the roll pins) AND, they are HEAVY mothers.

At one point, we were trying to lighten up a 206 amphib, and removed the articulating seats and replaced with the fixed seats. I forget what the weight savings was, but it was substantial.

I'd stick with the fixed seats.

MTV

robw56 wrote:After redoing my front seats with bladders I had the same thing happen. Now I sit noticeably higher in the airplane.

Quickdraw1 wrote:Corefile:

They came out of 2 diffrent airplanes and I wish I could tell you. We got one with the plane and the other we bought from Peter at Skywagon City. Just as the one gent posted about the 2 diffrent styles. You want to go with the first generation like my cousin did because the second generation are 15 to 20 pounds heavier. Our grandfather had the second generation in his '55 180 but he got a real good deal on them at Sun and Fun $30 each! That wa in the early '90's.

Good luck and keep it light.

Quickdraw1 wrote:The first gen articulating seats started in '59 on the 180 and my best guess is in the early to mid '70's gen 2 was introduced. When on the hunt for your seats try not to get suck on years because Cessna introduced them to the line (172, 182, 206 and etc) at different times. Just make sure they have a leaver on the side and a crank in the front because Cessna made a seat that just tilted back with a crank.

They did not make it easy.

I hope this helps.

corefile wrote:Oh man... I got the fever.. So I just tracked down some vertically adjustable seats, which I now own. I just doubled my budget for this seat refurbishment project (who am I kidding, was there really ever a budget). Which also means the two gems in the pictures above are now for sale

denalipilot wrote:Hi corefile:
Since you are redoing seats right now, I thought I'd post an idea that I've had if I ever redo my own seats.

Ever sit in the front of a Volvo XC-90? (Probably other cars have this too, but that's the one I'm familiar with)

They have a slim, totally unobtrusive top-opening pocket sewn right into the front panel of the seat cushion. Right under the crease in your knees. It's just right for all kinds of little cockpit items that you'd like to have handy.

I've thought that if I ever redo my front seats, I'm definitely going to try to incorporate that on both the pilot and copilot sides.

Good luck with your project,

-DP

edit: You can kind of see an example in this web-pic:

denalipilot wrote:Hi corefile:
Since you are redoing seats right now, I thought I'd post an idea that I've had if I ever redo my own seats.

Ever sit in the front of a Volvo XC-90? (Probably other cars have this too, but that's the one I'm familiar with)

They have a slim, totally unobtrusive top-opening pocket sewn right into the front panel of the seat cushion. Right under the crease in your knees. It's just right for all kinds of little cockpit items that you'd like to have handy.

I've thought that if I ever redo my front seats, I'm definitely going to try to incorporate that on both the pilot and copilot sides.

Good luck with your project,

-DP

edit: You can kind of see an example in this web-pic: