| [ Total Views: 740 | Total Replies: 13 | Thread Id: 95408 ] |
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 shokwave2
A.k.a.: Matt Hamilton
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 03:58 PM |
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Customising seats - is it legal?
Anyone have info or experience on if it's legal to lower a seat by cutting and re-welding the frame, and if so how low can you go?
I'd like to lower my stock beetle seats by a couple of inches, as i feel i sit a bit too high. As seen in this picture from TheSamba.com, all you do
is cut the frame and remove a small amount, and then re-weld.
Is this legal, especially in NSW? Has anyone here done it?
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 barls
A.k.a.: Mr indestructible
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 04:50 PM |
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probably not. try ringing the rta tech support line. they will give you the low down without the bullshit.
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shokwave2
A.k.a.: Matt Hamilton
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 07:37 PM |
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Hmmm, i'll have to give them a ring next week. If it is illegal, would you say it was safe? Would the weld hold up in the event of an accident?
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barls
A.k.a.: Mr indestructible
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 08:31 PM |
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depends on your welding skills. personally i wouldnt trust anything less than a boilermaker personally.
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Mattriots
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 08:35 PM |
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Just do it
A cop wouldn't know the difference if he pull you over
If your welding is half decent it'll be fine
Let's face it, if your in a crash in a beetle, your pretty screwed anyways!!
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 Bizarre
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 08:47 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by Mattriots
Just do it
A cop wouldn't know the difference if he pull you over
If your welding is half decent it'll be fine
Let's face it, if your in a crash in a beetle, your pretty screwed anyways!!
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"just do it" - Wrong answer
Cop might not - but an insurance assessor in a fatality will
Think carefully, dont publically promote the wrong answer
Futue te ipsum!!!
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barls
A.k.a.: Mr indestructible
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 08:49 PM |
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mattriots,
you may not know this as you havent been on here too long but in a crash your almost better off if you build them right.
i walked away form this one with just two bruises.
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silver
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 09:05 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by barls
mattriots,
you may not know this as you havent been on here too long but in a crash your almost better off if you build them right.
i walked away form this one with just two bruises.
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with your head thats astonishing!
Keeping it real !
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TorxKiwi
A.k.a.: Dean Newell
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 09:20 PM |
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How the hell does the roof of a car get caved in like that!!!! Walking away from that is unbelievable.
"Ownership of a Beetle is not a destination it is a journey." |
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barls
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 09:32 PM |
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at least im still better looking than you silver. 
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Mattriots
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| posted on February 17th, 2012 at 10:37 PM |
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Ouch, that's some crushed beetle there!!
Glad you walked away from that mate,
But I fail to see the drama in lowering the back of a seat by 2 inches
If it's welded properly, it'll most likely be stronger than stock, and I doubt anyone could tell.
2inches of backrest isn't going to kill you nor save your life
Early beetle seats are dodgy from the factory anyway
I've actually just finished modifying some 79 beetle seats, converted them to lowbacks and put them on early rails. I also re welded a whole heap of
rubbish factory welds. End result is rock solid
But that's my 2c. Take it or leave it
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Joel
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| posted on February 18th, 2012 at 08:30 AM |
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You're missing the point.
If the welding is done properly it's not a drama safety wise, it's a legal issue.
If you're in an accident any more than a $500 fender bender then the car is gonna be thoroughly inspected by both a Police crash investigator and an
insurance assessor who are trained to pick up on things like that.
It's illegal to modify seats mounts unless you get them signed off by an engineer then all is fine and dandy with the world and you can enjoy
not head butting the roof going over speed bumps.
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shokwave2
A.k.a.: Matt Hamilton
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| posted on February 18th, 2012 at 11:54 AM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by JoelIt's illegal to modify seats mounts unless you get them signed off by an engineer then all is fine and dandy with the world
and you can enjoy not head butting the roof going over speed bumps.
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Cool thanks Joel.
So to go through an engineer, what's the process? Does the RTA assign you an engineer? Do you contact the enigneer before the modification?
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barls
A.k.a.: Mr indestructible
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| posted on February 18th, 2012 at 12:35 PM |
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contact them before the mod. get one off the rta’s list of engineers to make it even easier.
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