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Thread: Seat removal and replacement

  1. #1
    Senior Member Andy's Avatar
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    Default Seat removal and replacement

    Removing and replacing the standard front seat of an FX-3 (and presumably the EX-3) is not easy, especially if working solo. I've been trying to come up with ways/modifications to make it an easy one man operation but I don't want to re-invent this if someone has already solved the problem.

    Have any EX and FX owners (or owners of other types that use the same seat and molded floor/plinth) come up with a technique or revised design that works well? I have slim hands but a 10 inch span and my fingers just don't work in the available under seat space.

  2. #2
    Senior Member ceslaw's Avatar
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    Default Re: Seat removal and replacement

    Agree. Trying to get a nut on that bolt underneath the seat is a major challenge.

    I am contemplating adding a 3/4" access hole in the area where the ELT was formerly located. A socket with an extension should make short work of the project. After the nut and bolt are installed a removable cover plate could be popped in place.

    Here is a pic with the blue tape showing the proposed location. I assume the layout on the EX3 is the same as the EX2.

    IMG_2229.jpg

    Any thoughts??

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Seat removal and replacement

    My original answer to Andy was going to be something like 'yea it terrible, deal with it'. But of course that answer wouldn't do anybody any good, but that is how I feel about the design.

    My technique is to remove the pins, side the seat all the way forward, the use a piece of wood to prop up the back of the seat allowing ok access to the batteries (I use 2 EarthX batteries, one as a main and one as a backup). But this is NOT a complete removal of the seat.

    But there must be a better way. I like your hole cutting idea but I'm always a little leary of removing material in unknown areas. I think the location of these holes would be ok, but unknown long term (it has my robust body sitting on top of it while I perform perfect landings everytime ).

    You would think CC would have come up with a better idea by the time they did the FX-3 series. Wonder what the X cub has?
    Last edited by aeroaddict; 11-09-2021 at 05:39 PM.
    Dan Arnold
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    Senior Member Andy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Seat removal and replacement

    Quote Originally Posted by aeroaddict View Post
    My original answer to Andy was going to be something like 'yea it terrible, deal with it'. But of course that answer wouldn't do anybody any good, but that is how I feel about the design.
    Access holes in the plinth are part of the tentative mod I have in mind but the access holes are only useful when the seat is tilted full forward.

    I'm toying with the the idea of using socket cap screws inserted through holes in the ELT facing "cheeks" of the battery/ELT insert.

    General idea is to make a pair of supports that hold the seat in the full tilt position whether the slider bolts are in place or not. A socket cap screw with bushing mounted would then be fed through the access hole, through the plinth seat rails, and into the seat bracket hole. Nuts and washers would then be on the outside face of the seat bracket.

    Seat tilt requires the seat to be full forward in the rails and that makes the straight line access pass through, not only the ELT/battery insert, but also the flange of the plinth. Having the hole just aft of the flange may work with a ball drive end on the socket screw driver.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Dan L's Avatar
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    Default Re: Seat removal and replacement

    I don’t know if the -3s are the same as the original seat base but here’s what I did with mine a while ago:
    https://forum.cubcrafters.com/showth...ht=Seat+slider
    Flying Carbon Cub EX #11 since 2011

  6. #6
    Senior Member Andy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Seat removal and replacement

    Quote Originally Posted by Andy View Post
    General idea is to make a pair of supports that hold the seat in the full tilt position whether the slider bolts are in place or not. A socket cap screw with bushing mounted would then be fed through the access hole, through the plinth seat rails, and into the seat bracket hole. Nuts and washers would then be on the outside face of the seat bracket.
    I had help available so I only implemented part of this. Seat was held in tilted position by two rear braces and temporary bolts in the front holes. A stackup of bolt, washer, and bushing was inserted from the inside of the plinth by a helper who used the temporary bolts as a position guide. The temporary bolts were pulled out as the stackup was fed through. Once each nut and washer was installed the seat was lowered and slid for best access for final nut tightening.

    The tilt supports would make this an easy one man operation if a socket cap crew, washer, and spacer were inserted through a small hole in the ELT facing wall of the seat plinth such that it lined up with the forward limit of the seat rail.

    CAUTION - Disconnect battery as will be working close to live ignition breakers.
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    Last edited by Andy; 11-19-2021 at 02:28 PM.

  7. #7
    Senior Member ceslaw's Avatar
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    Default Re: Seat removal and replacement

    Good idea Andy. And disconnecting the battery is indeed critical.

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