False Floor - Storage set up

[Tubby]

Hi

I’m looking at pulling out the rear seat in my 2001 Hilux Duel Cab and getting a false floor that bolts into the existing seat assembly.

Will be putting the fridge and other items that I would prefer to place in a dust free environment.

Also I am thinking about mounting a auxiliary battery (sealed) and compressor in the cavity behind the seat where the jack is. I'm still exploring options on where to shove the battery. There are differing opinions in where to place the battery under the hood and I'm leaning towards not reasembaling the motor....

So has anyone out there pulled out the rear seat in there 4by, I have found something similar on outback 4WD interior Accessories, which will give you some idea what I'm looking at. http://www.4wdinteriors.com/floor_extension.htm


Cheers

[BundyRumandCoke]

I dont know about Vic, but in Qld, if you permenantly remove the rear seat (permenantly means forever, or a substantially long time, whatever that means) then its considered a vehicle modification, and a plate is needed.

[Ruffy]

I dont know about Vic, but in Qld, if you permenantly remove the rear seat (permenantly means forever, or a substantially long time, whatever that means) then its considered a vehicle modification, and a plate is needed.

It would only matter if you went for a roadworthy. If you've got seats you have to have seat belts. If there's no seats in the rear it doesn't matter.

[MKPatrolGuy]

I dont know about Vic, but in Qld, if you permenantly remove the rear seat (permenantly means forever, or a substantially long time, whatever that means) then its considered a vehicle modification, and a plate is needed.

It would only matter if you went for a roadworthy. If you've got seats you have to have seat belts. If there's no seats in the rear it doesn't matter.

In Vic it only applies to vehicles with (I think) 12 or more seats and or over 5 tonnes. IE no std 4wd.

[Tubby]

I dont know about Vic, but in Qld, if you permenantly remove the rear seat (permenantly means forever, or a substantially long time, whatever that means) then its considered a vehicle modification, and a plate is needed.

It would only matter if you went for a roadworthy. If you've got seats you have to have seat belts. If there's no seats in the rear it doesn't matter.

In Vic it only applies to vehicles with (I think) 12 or more seats and or over 5 tonnes. IE no std 4wd.

Thanks.... I didn't even think of that........

might ring the RTA up and listen to some elevator music anyway, just to be safe.

[g60boy]

Hi

I’m looking at pulling out the rear seat in my 2001 Hilux Duel Cab and getting a false floor that bolts into the existing seat assembly.

Will be putting the fridge and other items that I would prefer to place in a dust free environment.

Also I am thinking about mounting a auxiliary battery (sealed) and compressor in the cavity behind the seat where the jack is. I'm still exploring options on where to shove the battery. There are differing opinions in where to place the battery under the hood and I'm leaning towards not reasembaling the motor....

So has anyone out there pulled out the rear seat in there 4by, I have found something similar on outback 4WD interior Accessories, which will give you some idea what I'm looking at. http://www.4wdinteriors.com/floor_extension.htm


Cheers

i did this in my lwb mk, made up a sqaure frame out of 25mm by 25mm mild steel box section, 8-10mm ply on top and used some of the factory seat bolt holes, but mines only for light camping gear and to sleep on.
because of the different higths in the floor i can fit heeps of stuff under it eg: tool boxes, amps, mashed up hitch highkers . if your worried about the legal side of things just use it when you need it, i just take the seats out and tuck the seat belts under the floor. cheers scott

[BowTieGQ]

I've taken the rear seats out of my LWB GQ and replaced it with a false floor. It has lift up sides sort of like gull wing set up with lift off hinges for easy removal. Makes the rear long and flat. It can easily sleep two or I can get the wheelbarrow in the back for work. Not good for access therefor not the best for storing things regularly used but that's not why I made it. Takes about 15 mins to change over to the seats for the kids.

[GUJohnno]

I dont know about Vic, but in Qld, if you permenantly remove the rear seat (permenantly means forever, or a substantially long time, whatever that means) then its considered a vehicle modification, and a plate is needed.

It would only matter if you went for a roadworthy. If you've got seats you have to have seat belts. If there's no seats in the rear it doesn't matter.

In Vic it only applies to vehicles with (I think) 12 or more seats and or over 5 tonnes. IE no std 4wd.

Thanks.... I didn't even think of that........

might ring the RTA up and listen to some elevator music anyway, just to be safe.

The following comment has been provided to Four Wheel Drive Victoria by Vic Roads.

This issue has been blown out of all proportion. There is no reason seats
that are designed to be removable cannot be removed. Doing this DOES NOT
alter the seating CAPACITY of the vehicle. Seating capacity is defined by
the Australian Design Rules as the maximum number of seating positions for
which the vehicle is DESIGNED - ie not the number of seats actually fitted
at any point in time.

[GUJohnno]

Recommendation
Removing seats, where no tools or only simple tools are needed, where no structural modifications are involved; no change in vehicle category and no commercial gain is sought; does not need approval and so is not committing an offence. No AVSR is affected nor are any ADRs breached.

You can find more info here
http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au/seating.htm
http://www.fwdvictoria.org.au/pdf/seatsout.pdf

[Shadow]

I dont know about Vic, but in Qld, if you permenantly remove the rear seat (permenantly means forever, or a substantially long time, whatever that means) then its considered a vehicle modification, and a plate is needed.

It would only matter if you went for a roadworthy. If you've got seats you have to have seat belts. If there's no seats in the rear it doesn't matter.

In Vic it only applies to vehicles with (I think) 12 or more seats and or over 5 tonnes. IE no std 4wd.

Thanks.... I didn't even think of that........

might ring the RTA up and listen to some elevator music anyway, just to be safe.

The following comment has been provided to Four Wheel Drive Victoria by Vic Roads.

This issue has been blown out of all proportion. There is no reason seats
that are designed to be removable cannot be removed. Doing this DOES NOT
alter the seating CAPACITY of the vehicle. Seating capacity is defined by
the Australian Design Rules as the maximum number of seating positions for
which the vehicle is DESIGNED - ie not the number of seats actually fitted
at any point in time.

This statement is misleading as it was issued as a response to a question regarding removable seats, not fixed seats. Removeable seats such as the ones in the back of 100 series cruisers that just unclip.

Im sure if you rang vic roads and asked the question about fixed seating , as opposed to removeable seating, they would give a very different response.

In unbolting a seat you have changed the design of the vehicle and when reinstalling the seats you must install them using the corect bolts, all the bolts etc. Uncliping a removable seat does not change the design, and when reinstalling a removeable seat you dont need to use correct grade bolts, torque them to the right setting (farking tight) or make sure all bolts are installed, you just clip them in, nearly foolproof.

As already said in QLD if you remove any fixed seat, you need to get a mod plate. If you remove the removable's with no intension of refitting them you are also supposed to get a mod plate, but then, when ever someon asks, "yeh gonna put them back in next month".

[GUJohnno]

"Rule 32 of the AVSRs states that "any seat in a vehicle must be securely attached". There is no requirement that a seat must be permanently attached where removal would require more than simple hand tools. It is presumed the intent of this AVSR is to mandate that seats are fixed or secured adequately to allow safe operation and carriage of occupants. It is silent in regard to allowing the removal of seats."

From VicRoads

"Removing seats
The requirements for removing seats will vary depending on:

• the original number of seating positions
  the new number of seating positions
  which seats are removed
  when the vehicle was manufactured

An Approval Certificate is not required if:

• the number of original seating positions was less than 10"

There is no issue, as far as VicRoads is concerned, with removing seats such as what Tubby want to do in the back of the HiLux.

[Tubby]

All right.... I get the jist........ I'll take my chances


Back to the original message... has anyone out there removed the rear seat and what have they done, I've seen one on overlandsr
which used a product called "Kube-Loc"


Cheers