Rear Seats not secure on 247 LSV

[rustie]

Any of you guys run into this problem.......

Got an '06 247 LSV, and the THREE rear seats (two corner and middle) are not mounted solid enough for safety...or even normal use. I've found that if you put your knee anywhere near the rear corner apex of either left or right seat cushions, they will tip and fall in to the storage box below (along with YOU!) Seems there is not enough of a "retaining ledge" to prevent the corner seats from slipping past the obviously insufficient 1" support lip that only exists ONLY at the side and rear....NOTHING to support the seat directly in the corner (where it falls past with any weight placed at that point). Anybody add some additional seat support in this area? Any Malibu upgrades to fix this??

Then, if you're stepping into the boat, and put your foot anywhere near the forward edge of the middle seat, it will flip up and slap you in your calf (or worse)....possibly causing you to loose your footing and eat the back of captains chair (ask me how I know!) This happens EVEN IF you have properly placed the seat so the two locating blocks are BEHIND the seat box beam. Anybody add any additional support blocks forward of the seat box beam to prevent tipping? Same question...any Malibu upgrades to fix this??

Edited May 4, 2009 by rustie

[DUKENO1]

I had (and I think several others with the pre-05 VLX hulls) a similar problem with my rear center seat falling

in when you stepped on one of the rear corners. Mine was fixed under warranty by my dealer. He added a brace

across the rear of the support/seat base. No problems since. I never had issues with my corner seats. I believe

others have fixed theirs by relocating the plastic blocks on the bottom of the seat itself.

I am sure others will chime in as this was a pretty common problem. I haven't heard of anyone with your

model having the issue however.

[chuckc983]

Not sure about the corner seats - but one dealer recemmonded attaching a hinge to the rear middle seat. This both secures the seat and add convience as well. Simple upgrade that would solve one of your three issues. As the prevous poster indicated - have the dealer take a look - may be warranty.

[rustie]

Not sure about the corner seats - but one dealer recemmonded attaching a hinge to the rear middle seat. This both secures the seat and add convience as well.

Excellent suggestion, and would certainly be permanent if it solved the problem.

But, I can only wonder that even with a hinge installed, wouldn't it still tip if stepped on at that forward edge....it just wouldn't pop out completely. Then again, maybe by securing the seat to the box frame with a strip hinge, it might not tip forward quite as easily as without it....possibly like the hinged side seats.

Cool info Duke....gets me thinking!

[Bill_AirJunky]

Not sure about the corner seats - but one dealer recemmonded attaching a hinge to the rear middle seat. This both secures the seat and add convience as well. Simple upgrade that would solve one of your three issues. As the prevous poster indicated - have the dealer take a look - may be warranty.

Seems like this would complicate the winterizing/summerizing process a bit. Getting to the shower, ballast pump to drain the oil, and v-drive would be a bit more of a PITA.

I've thought about adding some aluminum angle to the rear of all three seats to improve it a bit.

[68Slalom]

Isn't this something the factory should take care of

[hyperlite]

my 06 247lsv has a hinged center rear seat. i wonder why they arent all the same. my two corner remove but have never had a problem with them. i would take it to the dealer as a warrenty issue. good luck

[rustie]

my 06 247lsv has a hinged center rear seat.

Does your hinged center seat cause any issues with maintenance?

[kent]

I have had the same issue with my rear middle seat, its bitten several peeps so far. One of my friends was way tipsy and stepped down onto the middle seat when it flipped forward she fell backward and stepped right into the transmission area. When she pulled her foot out it looked like a freddie kruger attack ! Im def thinking of having it fixed... who knows, maybe Im next on its hit list !

[rustie]

.....! Im def thinking of having it fixed....

Not going the hinge route (would certainly make maintenance difficult).

I'm going with a length of .250" x 3"x3" 5086 aluminum "L" angle to fully support the center seat and prevent any possible tipping (full width of the seat). I'm also reducing the length of the top leg of the 3x3 (where the seat sits) to 2" so it does not extend past the bottom seat edge. May even make it slightly "V" shaped to allow a full 3" at the center, but rounded enough to prevent other injuries when the seat is off.

5086 is a new, extremely corrosion resistant alum alloy that doesn't even require painting....but I am painting it to keep everything color matched. It's only available most places in .250 wall thickness in 2x2, 3x3 and 4x4 "rounded profile".....so that's why I'm cutting the length of one leg to match the seat, making it 2x3 when I'm done.

Also, I'm spanning the back corner (at a 45º angle) of each corner seat with a strip of 1" wide x .090" 5086 aluminum to add total support at the far corners (cut from .090 5086 sheet). No more seat tipping for me.

These two mods will totally eliminate any chance of someone stepping through that center plastic cover and into the V-drive (no kruger attacks for me!)

Here's the link to the 5086 angle and sheet:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#aluminum-alloy-5086/=1qvjd9

Edited May 5, 2009 by rustie

[hyperlite]

i have never had mine hinge forward when someone stood on it. tell you the truth it stay down very well from the friction of the corner seats.

Posted Yesterday, 07:22 PM

I have had the same issue with my rear middle seat, its bitten several peeps so far. One of my friends was way tipsy and stepped down onto the middle seat when it flipped forward she fell backward and stepped right into the transmission area. When she pulled her foot out it looked like a freddie kruger attack ! Im def thinking of having it fixed... who knows, maybe Im next on its hit list !

mine has a hard plastic liner kind of like the ice chests in the center hinged seat. i have to pull the plastic liner to get to the transmission housing. i would check with the dealer and ask why i dont have a liner and a hinged center seat.