OK, so its Christmas in May via UPS yesterday. Got my pair of Corbeau LG1 buckets and an 08 factory console. Somehow they both showed up at the same time even though ordered from 2 vendors. All good so far. Heres the question.
I'm replacing a factory vinyl bench in an 08 SD250. There is a middle passenger restraint (seat belt) that mounts to the rear wall of the regular cab. Looks easy enough to take out with minimal or no damage, but I'm concerned that I'm going to have to look at, or worse yet listen to some chime or something telling me the center passenger is not belted in. I thought of leaving the apparatus in and keeping the seat belt engaged somewhere behind the new console but would rather just eliminate it all and get rid of the (ugly) retractor mechanism taking up precious space in the regular cab.
Valid concern? Any ideas?
Help greatly appreciated here, thanks in advance.
-Ed

 

TOO EASY!!!!! Finished the seat install, thought I would leave the post up since it may help someone else.
1) The only interface is with the drivers side belt so no problem there.
2) The fixture holding the center seat belt in place is welded to the cabin wall behind its' plastic cover in 2 spots, one at the harness pivot point (top) and another at mid span holding the retractor assembly. I just neatly ground off the brackets and then deburred and dressed the cuts...no prob there.
3) Doing so leaves a nasty void in the "high quality" carpet like factory cover, in the XL anyway, so I'm going to have to find a lady to date who is well versed in the upholstery skills but it should be an easy enough fix.

Took the oppurtunity to sound deaden the back wall of the cabin and the floor since I had to run some sub wires anyway. As a builder, I had a ton of short lengths of self adhesive ice and water shield laying around. Probably not quite as effective as dynamat but sure couldn't beat the price.

The Corbeau LG1's installed as if they came off a shelf at Ford. For an extra hundred or so a seat, got the wide versions for my 50 year old a**. Unbeleivably comfortable, can't wait to take a 2 or 3 hour ride to see if they decrease fatigue. I'm guessing they will. Corbeau even has a bracket at the seat side for reinstalling the belt receiver. The microsuede looks like it might take a pretty good beating in a work truck so some slip covers may be in order. And it looks cool.
Time to install the sub, be glad to answer any questions about the seats.
-Ed

 

Pictures. <filler>

 

yea we want to see em

 

Not gonna make a promise I cant keep so the pics will be up Saturday AM at the earliest. Digital is out on the job thru tomorrow afternoon, worth the wait (for real) they look awesome and so does the fact console. I promise. I hate when peeps tell you something looks good and then don't post.
-Ed

 

I went to the website for those seats. I bet they look killer in the truck!

Dammit...I really gotta stop reading threads here. I keep wanting new things...

 

Not breaking a promise here but my star head carpenter left the camera at the job in Mt Carroll, 129 miles away. Won't be back on site until Tuesday. Will post then and try to set up a gallery. For a 2wd work truck, its looking pretty good. Bull and nerf bars, recon smoked cab lights, Michelin AT/2's on 18" bronze XD Hoss, 12 mm offset so they fill the wells real nice, bully step bar, wrinkle black billett fuel door, magnaflow chrome tip and just got original "Shelby" lookalike Powered by Ford emblems installed above the fender vents. Plus the seats, console, sub and tunes. I'm real pleased with the truck. Offed an 02 Silverado 2500HD to get this. The Ford is superior in every aspect except break neck acceleration, not gonna mod the mechanicals until after warranty expiration.
-Ed

 

Unless I can talk my right hand into signing off on about 7 large to put a supercharger in. Wonder if the Roush for the F150 could be tuned in properly to the SD????????wink

 

Can't wait to see the pics!

 

Any update? I'd love to see those pics...

 

Hey Andrew,
I'm a serious candidate for dysfunctional picture posting. Just got back from whitewater rafting in northern WI and the UP. Unpacking now. On an aside, I managed to squeeze 17.5 mpg out of the 5.4 avg, mostly 70-80 mph. I was impressed! All of it, though, on 93 Octane Mobil. Ran the 93 since my last BP fillup EVER was probably 20% water, 10% ethanol with the remaining 70% tank crud. Glad I charged it, BP won't be getting paid for that tank.
I'm gonna clean up the truck tonight and take pics tomorrow and will hopefully get them posted tomorrow night. Did about 1500 miles since last Friday, zero fatigue with the new seats although they could probably use a little more padding in the a** area of the seat itself. If I were 25 the firmness might be easier to deal with. Think I'll be adding a little cush b4 the next long run. Overall, they were great though.

 

Hi Ed,

Sound's like you had a great weekend! There's no rush to post the pics... just whenever you have time.

Thanks!

 

Pics? Pics? Pics?

 

Yoddle Lay Hee Hoo!

 

Pics? Is the camera still MIA, we are all waiting.