New Steeleng Back Seat moves backrest forward - undriveable

[hrk]

Wife wanted a back seat so grandkids can ride around, local shop installed one, made by Steeling, the kit seems fine, it has tilted the top forward, however the big problem, I no longer fit behind the steering wheel.

The factory seat backrest is at least 2 to 2.5 inches forward. Before I had plenty of room for my big gut, now, nope, cant get in between the steering wheel and backrest.

Is this a known issue, do these kits relocate the factory seat backrest forward, is there any adjustment or change in bracket installation. We don't have the manual for it since the shop did it and dropped it off just now.

Hopefully there is a fix or it's going to come off.

[Tom47]

Originally Posted by hrk

Wife wanted a back seat so grandkids can ride around, local shop installed one, made by Steeling, the kit seems fine, it has tilted the top forward, however the big problem, I no longer fit behind the steering wheel.

The factory seat backrest is at least 2 to 2.5 inches forward. Before I had plenty of room for my big gut, now, nope, cant get in between the steering wheel and backrest.

Is this a known issue, do these kits relocate the factory seat backrest forward, is there any adjustment or change in bracket installation. We don't have the manual for it since the shop did it and dropped it off just now.

Hopefully there is a fix or it's going to come off.

This is a common problem. The new backrest support for the front and rear backrests move things forward some. Mine move forward about an inch.

You may be able to fabricate a new backrest A frame that will move the front and rear back some. I did bend mine before installing for that purpose and it helped a bit.

Check out this thread and my post #15 for a possible solution. It will take a bit of work:

https://buggiesgonewild.com/showthre...ghlight=hinged

[hrk]

Thanks, It feels and looks more like 2 inches or more moved forward, have a message into Steeleng, can't believe they'd make a seat bracket that moves it forward at all, designing it to maintain factory seat position should have been key, if not, it's sloppy engineering, there is plenty of room to have offset that front part of the A arm.

Does the Madjax or others do the same, move the seat forward?

If so the solution may be to return the Steeleng unit and replace it

Does anyone have a measurement from the bottom of the steering wheel to the front of the stock backrest, it is for a 2000.5 DS model with one piece backrest.

[Tom47]

Originally Posted by hrk

Thanks, It feels and looks more like 2 inches or more moved forward, have a message into Steeleng, can't believe they'd make a seat bracket that moves it forward at all, designing it to maintain factory seat position should have been key, if not, it's sloppy engineering, there is plenty of room to have offset that front part of the A arm.

Does the Madjax or others do the same, move the seat forward?

I don't know about Madjax but the problem is in all of the ones with the A-frame seatback supports. There needs to be room inside the A-frame for accessing the bolts for the seatbacks. That is why I thought about the hinged one.

You may be able to remove the A-frame and bend it in a vise to give more room but you will never get 2" that way.

What could be done, maybe, is to bend the A-frame to permit mounting the front or rear seatback only, and then custom make one for the other seatback.

[hrk]

Called Steeleng, they asked for images, which I have sent, and said they may have some solutions, I could take the stock seat back and have the foam shaved, this one has the thick backrest on the later DS.

Here is the mounting system from the Steeleng manual, those yellow arrows point to the mounting U brackets that the seat sit on and pushes it forward,

[CP241]

I’d just cut those blocks off with a whizzy wheel and drill some holes in the flat strap behind it to mount your seat back. That should move it back a good bit.

I don’t know why steeling put those there. I’ve got a madjax and I’ve installed several modz seats and the my don’t have that block, the seat back lights straight to the strap behind where you have that block

[hrk]

I think the vertical supports for the seat may be separate parts, however the angle of the A frame, and it's width may not fit into the front seat slot, think the A frame is too wide.

Might just have to cut them down though, you'd think Steeleng would have different brackets one for short skinny people and a set for real sized people.

[Tom47]

Originally Posted by hrk

Called Steeleng, they asked for images, which I have sent, and said they may have some solutions, I could take the stock seat back and have the foam shaved, this one has the thick backrest on the later DS.

Here is the mounting system from the Steeleng manual, those yellow arrows point to the mounting U brackets that the seat sit on and pushes it forward,

Like CP241 said, cut those rectangular tubing pieces off. That will easily give you 1-1/2" without shaving the foam. That can be an option later if needed. I don't understand why my Steeleng A-frame does not have those and yours does.

I would do some bending to the A-frame also. About 1" below the tubing sections, bend the front and rear sections a few degrees at a time making sure you can still access the seatback bolts. You can even squeeze the top bend of the A-frame in a vise to close it a bit.

Or what I would to is cut the top bend off and pop rivet a strap hinge in it's place. That will give you another inch.