Removing front passenger seat

[MattS]

I need to do it to facilitate a dog transport flight. Is it a total pain in the ass or a relatively easy undertaking. Mechano-tard minds wish to know the answer. Thanks.

[Piloto]

It is not that hard but tricky. I have done it several times. Here is my procedure.

1. Remove seat track cotter pins or bolts that are used to limit seat travel.

2. Adjust seat front level for maximum height.

3. Seat on the seat

4. Move the seat as forward as possible to unlock the front brackets from the track. You can do this by leaning back on the seat.

5. While leaning back and unlock on the front track slide back the seat all the way to the rear seat.

6. Pull the back of the seat with your hands to get it off the rear track.

7. Lift seat off the tracks.

To re-install do the above in reverse order (back tracks first). Don't forget to reinstall the tracks cotter pins.

Depending on the upholstery thickness this could be a 5 to 15 minutes job.

Good Luck

José

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MattS]

Thanks, Ill give it a try....

[carusoam]

Matt,

The same procedure, outlined by piloto, applies to the M20C. 

Two hassles I recall... 

[1] The rug getting pinched between the seat and rails.  Going back in is a slighlty bigger hassle.

[2] This also may give you an opportunity to see if the small wheels on the bottom of the seat are working or are in pieces.  (I don't know if the m20J has the small wheels to aid in motion on the rails)

-a-

[ErickR]

Matt,

This is so interesting that you are looking at doing this. I was considering the same thing earlier today in order to do a dog rescue. The person arranging the transport of the pooch ended up finding him a ride via ground transportation.

I have removed my seat a couple times in order to replace the carpet and some other work. Its fairly easy, just a little tight.

I hope the dog enjoys his ride..

 

[LANCECASPER]

On 5/6/2010, 5:02:27, Piloto said:

It is not that hard but tricky. I have done it several times. Here is my procedure.

1. Remove seat track cotter pins or bolts that are used to limit seat travel.

 

2. Adjust seat front level for maximum height.

 

3. Seat on the seat

 

4. Move the seat as forward as possible to unlock the front brackets from the track. You can do this by leaning back on the seat.

 

5. While leaning back and unlock on the front track slide back the seat all the way to the rear seat.

 

6. Pull the back of the seat with your hands to get it off the rear track.

 

7. Lift seat off the tracks.

 

To re-install do the above in reverse order (back tracks first). Don't forget to reinstall the tracks cotter pins.

 

Depending on the upholstery thickness this could be a 5 to 15 minutes job.

 

Good Luck

 

José

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glad I searched for and read this post - perfect procedure for seat removal.

[Tommy]

Just make sure you put it back properly. ie the seat is well and truly engaged to the rails. It may appears to be when its not'! The seat then can slip out during climb out. The instinct of your human passenger is to grab the yoke and yank it back when you are low on altitude and speed!

A recent sky diving plane crashed on take off in Queensland Australia was attributed to an unsecured pilot seat!

[Houman]

1 hour ago, Tommy said:

Just make sure you put it back properly. ie the seat is well and truly engaged to the rails. It may appears to be when its not'! The seat then can slip out during climb out. The instinct of your human passenger is to grab the yoke and yank it back when you are low on altitude and speed!

A recent sky diving plane crashed on take off in Queensland Australia was attributed to an unsecured pilot seat!

I have removed and reinstalled my front seats several times this year for interior redo and AOA install. One may to test to see if the seat is right back correctly on the rails is to seat in each and give it hard push backward and grab the seat and push forward also try different positions on the rail, if you find hard to move the seat, then it is not correctly back on the rails, always test this before take off to avoid the situation described here...

[Guest]

Once the seat stop bolts or cotter pins are removed front and rear of the rails, kneel on the wing walk, slide the seat fully forward, gently lift the front of the seat up to disengage it from the rails.  While holding the front up slightly, slide the seat fully aft until it slides off the rear of the rails.

Sitting on the seat while doing this is asking for damaged rails and seat feet.

Clarence 

[Shadrach]

Mine is a bit of a challenge as the cushion contacts the nose gear well just before the cleat comes off the track. I like to move the seat full forward and gently push the seat forward from from the rear passenger seat. After the front is disengaged, it's a matter of gently working the seat to the aft position and off the rails. Be gentle, as the seat is no longer held in the proper position by the front cleats and can bind in track if twisted or angled back.

[Oldguy]

4 hours ago, M20Doc said:

Once the seat stop bolts or cotter pins are removed front and rear of the rails, kneel on the wing walk, slide the seat fully forward, gently lift the front of the seat up to disengage it from the rails.  While holding the front up slightly, slide the seat fully aft until it slides off the rear of the rails.

Sitting on the seat while doing this is asking for damaged rails and seat feet.

Clarence 

And if you are 6'5" it is impossible to slide all the way up. Have done it Clarence's way several times.

[Hank]

6 hours ago, M20Doc said:

Once the seat stop bolts or cotter pins are removed front and rear of the rails, kneel on the wing walk, slide the seat fully forward, gently lift the front of the seat up to disengage it from the rails.  While holding the front up slightly, slide the seat fully aft until it slides off the rear of the rails.

Sitting on the seat while doing this is asking for damaged rails and seat feet.

Clarence 

This works very well for the right seat.

My problem is removing the left seat. The left corner of the seat cushion hits the sidewall rather early, it's difficult to get the front rollers out of the track. Once I do, though, it easily slides off the back.

[HRM]

On May 6, 2010 at 4:33:00 PM, LFOD said:

I need to do it to facilitate a dog transport flight. Is it a total pain in the ass or a relatively easy undertaking. Mechano-tard minds wish to know the answer. Thanks.

You must embrace the seat, Grasshopper.

Once you embrace it, it will pop on and off like nothing--skill at R&R'g it is often a measure of merit amongst Mooney owners who do not shirk from working on their planes.

I have found that SS "R' clips, sometimes called "Hairpin Cotter Pins" greatly ease the difficulty of the task.

Carpet is your enemy, it will catch in the seat carriage and cause you to make seriously damning curses. If the rails are clear so will be your path.

[wishboneash]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

This works very well for the right seat.

My problem is removing the left seat. The left corner of the seat cushion hits the sidewall rather early, it's difficult to get the front rollers out of the track. Once I do, though, it easily slides off the back.

I have the same issue sometimes. Remove all the contents from the flap pockets on pilots and passenger side to let the seat slide all the way forward. With sheepskin covers on, the difficulty index of putting back the seats does go up.

[kevinw]

Before you install the passenger seat you should remove the pilot side and switch them. Someone here recommended this so the wear is evened out. Made sense to me so that's what I did. The guys here are correct; a little more of a hassle going back in. Make sure both sides of the seat track are in place with a flashlight. I made that mistake and discovered it in the air.

[Royski]

If you swap the pilot and passenger seats, make sure your shoulder belt still fits properly.  After one annual I noticed that the belts no longer went across my chest but instead tended to slip to the side — turns out the seats got switched at annual.  Maybe you could move belt the attachment points as well? 

[HRM]

6 minutes ago, Royski said:

If you swap the pilot and passenger seats, make sure your shoulder belt still fits properly.  After one annual I noticed that the belts no longer went across my chest but instead tended to slip to the side — turns out the seats got switched at annual.  Maybe you could move belt the attachment points as well? 

Good point. My belts are mirror-images of each other, so if the seats are swapped, the belts must be as well (or flipped). Too much of a PITA IMNSHO to do for the sake of "even wear".

I now consider myself a master (not quite the level of Sensei Maxwell, but close) of pulling my seats in and out. All you need is to understand how they work and a bit of practice.

[thinwing]

On November 23, 2015 at 03:36:06, M20Doc said:

Once the seat stop bolts or cotter pins are removed front and rear of the rails, kneel on the wing walk, slide the seat fully forward, gently lift the front of the seat up to disengage it from the rails.  While holding the front up slightly, slide the seat fully aft until it slides off the rear of the rails.

Sitting on the seat while doing this is asking for damaged rails and seat feet.

Clarence 

exacty correct procedure..try to remove seat while sitting in it is ( pardon the expression)as* backwards!

[M20JFlyer]

Just a comment on this topic.

for those of you who have removed RF seat for a dog ( be careful with your comments)

l travel 80% just me in left front with a nice proper sized getti cooler that is my co-pilot.

completely changes the architecture of riding in a J or even the long bodies. Loading rear pax is a pleasant experience and allows pilot to be a part of the boarding procedures.. I have had many positive comment on 3 pax or 2 pax trips.

If one super sized American sized additional pax he/ she can spread out and has room to perform work on his computer or whatever's

solo in the back seat. My 120# wife even her and another < 170 pax are not a w&b in a Mooney.

the getti cooler and a Velcro curtain for priv I cy for bio necessary makes a 4 4.5 -5 hour trip comfortable...Not everybody's gonna buy into this but intelligent decent bio break utilities are not embarrassing to use. This is 2015 and the puritans lost that war

if it is necessary for fuel range/safety.  All bets are off even if it adds big part of an hourlong  to stop

If the wind bunny is my friend not my enemy 800-850 miles is doable and Lop if CAVU VFR DAY IT's just a bio Break plus the pax can help themselves to refreshment far better than carnival food on an airline.

5.5 hours @ even 10.2 Gph is how you stop buying airline tickets and standing in TSA LINE

Your any Mooney can do this

JUST Saying:::   Now start the screaming 

 

 

 

[cnoe]

I like it. Enough to actually say so rather than just clicking the like button.

[Hank]

Bill, that's "Yeti."  

[HRM]

Why'd ya have to go and do that? We were having so much fun!

[cliffy]

I did 5+20 once in my C but I could hardly crawl out the door I was so stiff.  More power to you if you can do it.

Now we do 2+30 or so and stop to walk around. I also carry ziplock freezer bags for the bio thing.

[M20JFlyer]

Hi. Hank

Nice picture of your $$40.00 vessel

IT'S spelled correctly...paying over $200.00 big ones for a 20 quart cooler is Getti. ... As in  ( gettO ) let's not go there

CNOE & HRM, I LIKE YOUR STYLE

for those still having fun  commutercruiser.com and check out the blogs on "Yeti or not to Yeti"

[Hank]

"To Yeti" is the right choice! The remnants of my 0500 coffee are still hot at 1100 (when it lasts that long; it's still too hot to drink until after 0600). And ice won't melt overnight if the lid is on.

Someone posted recently about having the Mooney logo laser engraved on theirs. Looked good!