Smith Cub Pilot Seat Options..........

So! Im getting ready to fit the front seat in my Smith wide Body, installed it and climbed into the cockpit and S**t !! This is really tight, Im 6'2" 235# and the seat is all the way back, (yes it has the adjustable seat track) my head just clears the cross bars, plenty of room for my legs But I am sitting up way way to strait........is there an option to make the seat back adjustable? (You know like cars now days you can adjust the seat back) Has any one custom made or fabricated a seat back that is adjustable? is there one that is available on the experimental market someplace?
comments, pictures and advice appreciated....................:sad:

I stuck a fixed Smith front seat in my Pa11 and the seatback angle was all wrong for me so I took a hacksaw and cut the back of the tube on each side and tilted it back till it was comfortable for me and rewelded it to the new position.

Glenn

Or, do what nearly everyone does with stock Cub seats: Do as Glenn notes, but instead of welding the seatback into a fixed position, mount it on brackets so that the seatback can fold forward for loading. That way, you can reset the seat back angle by making the stops where you want them.

If you're still sitting too high, how thick are your cushions? Maybe going to some thinner high density foam cushions would help.

MTV

Ditto Mike's last point. Been there...

Sounds like a plan, now, does any one have one? a plan that is, what kind of bracket? what kind of stops? I can fabricate just about anything, but sometimes I lack the ability to see it in my head, maybe a picture or a drawing, anyone?
Thanks for your help, I sure love this forum it has saved me many, many head scratchers.............

I had the same problem. So I cut an inch out of the front runners. The seat not only moved back enough but also was a little lower. I was freaking out at first but it all feels fine now. I am 6' 1". But I also had to bend the rear stick aft a little so as not to hit the front seat.

Ditto: I too am 6'1". My fit is the same with a thin piece of plywood on the seat frame. Any tilt back will require modifying the rear stick as did cgoldy. I have not yet made any alterations but am considering this: Cut the square track frame off the top of the tubular base. Shorten the vertical tubes about 2", bend/trim the diagonals to fit and reweld. The tilt can be set by varying the amount of cut off front to back. There is plenty of space below to do this. The back tilt could also be changed by heating and bending the two main side tubes to suit your preference. Then it can be built up with a nice Oregon Aero cushion to fit.

Don't forget to leave room for that under seat battery mod. Jim

K, after looking at my seat mount and skywagons idea I think I have a plan, I do have the under seat battery tray and intend to use this location for that purpose, I also have mounted a brake resevoir and park brake valve on the forward square tube, It does look like there is room for all of these things even if I cut and trim the rear legs down an inch or two and maybe leave the front legs alone, re cut the diagnal braces to fit and reweld the whole thing, also, I think I will incorporate the brackets to hinge the back of the seat for the ability to fold the seat back down and add a little more tilt back, I realize that I will have to modify the rear stick for clearance, I just have to come up with a way to hinge the stops for seat back folding purposes, does any one fly with out the rear stick? who really needs this any way? is there a rule that says you have to have the rear controll stick? I have noticed that they do make covers for the torque tube when the stick is removed...........would be very easy to fabricate a cover.............
again comments and advise appreciated

Thanks,

Rick

FA Dodge sells a folding seat back mod with an STC for reasonable.
How about cutting a bit off the rear seat legs? That'd give yo a bit of tilt and also a bit of headroom. You'd have to first splice a piece in so the bolt hole would be "right".

I never like flying with a rear stick in place, UNLESS we're actually doing instruction, and I'M in the back seat.

The folding seat back mod, ala Atlee Dodge, REALLY makes loading and unloading MUCH easier. Believe me, you'll really appreciate it after the fact. Also, anyone who rides in the back seat will have a LOT easier time getting in and out.

I don't have a photo of the seat back stops, and our CC18 is out of town right now. Hopefully someone else can post a photo of the folding seat back mod.

MTV

Thank you Mike, I have recieved a couple of PM's and have the needed picture of the Atlee Dodge Seat conversion, might be just as easy to buy the kit and install it myself verses fabricating one, that will depend on the cost...........of course

thanks everyone again for all the info ;-)

Rick

rotto789 said:

It does look like there is room for all of these things even if I cut and trim the rear legs down an inch or two and maybe leave the front legs alone,

Thanks,

Rick

Click to expand...

Be careful about cutting the rear legs an inch or two without cutting the front legs. Do some math or make a full sized drawing to see just how much tilt that will provide. 1 or 2" on the rear legs only, will make a lot of tilt. To my mind that amount of tilt will be excessive. Another idea would be to make a mockup out of scrap to check the fit and comfort.

Hi skywagon,
I think you are right, going to start with the seat back mod first, add a little more tilt, see if that helps, then maybe trim the legs a little after that, only if nesessary.

Thanks for your help.

Rick

I agree, for me it's not so much the angle of the seat itself, but rather the angle between the seat BACK and seat bottom that makes it very uncomfortable. Tilting the seat back aft just a bit makes it a much more comfortable setup. After doing that, I'd decide how much or if to cut off the legs.

MTV