Doing a little brain storming on seat risers for the passenger seat. Don't need it to be really drastic just about an inch. Thinking about something like this, instead of a piece of square tube steel. It would just require some longer hardened bolts to replace the existing ones for and aft, instead of two separate sets of different bolts and the square tube.
Your images didn't load but I remember seeing that someone did a passenger seat rise - it was either on reddit or another forum - he used square metal tubing. He didn't use longer bolts, what he did was created two mounting points for each connection point (one top, one bottom). If I were doing it I would go that route instead of using longer bolts.
(edit) - just read your post again and you were looking for something different than square tubing. I wonder how metal spacers would do? I would still think that you would want more surface area top and bottom.
I see them now - certainly looks cleaner than the square tubing. Is the washer compressing the carpet? Wonder if you could find spacers with the same outside diameter as the washer? I think about contact area and possible failure points. That small spacer on top of that washer would be worrisome for me.
I guess an option with that setup to make it more secure would be a couple of weld points (if the metal could handle it).
Use a bunch of fender washers for spacing ! Agree you want large surface area contact for stress in crash. The technical stuff probably would say the bolts might not hold up to an impact sheer factor ? One example, we use to use body harness when working on big equipment like tractor trailer cab. So we would use I beam large clamps to attach the safety harness, we are talking 16 inch I beams. Engineering condemed the use, a 200 lb person falling and strap impact was more then the I beam would support ! Maybe the building weight was a factor, but really could not imagine that as the case . then again, how much stress can the sheet metal body really hold back on ? It is the additional length of the bolt decreasing strength with sheer impact.
The passengers seat is extremely low. The drivers seat in our Kona is power and when adjusted all the way up is perfect. If your like me and would like the passengers seat to be as high as the drivers seat when adjusted adjusted all they way up you will need bring it up 2". I saw where someone used 2x3 tube which is a bit too much for me. You can use the same procedure they did but still be able to torque the bolts if you use a ratcheting combination wrench. I used the original seat bolts to fasten the 11 ga tube to the floor and purchased metric grade 10.9 flange bolts and nuts to fasten the seat to the 11 ga spacers. Painted them black and the dealer loved the mod.
I have raised our passenger seat ONE INCH. It has improved the passenger experience no end. I used 70mm long M10 x 1.25mm Fine Pitch Black Allen Bolt Socket Cap Screws High Tensile 12.9 with a 1 inch spacer.
Question..did you raise both front and back of the passenger seat. . where did you purchase the spacer and bolts. ? Could you tell me the order of how you did the process....I can’t stand the low seat and I want hubby to do what you did...thank you kindly
I like the look...would you mind telling me where you got your tubing and bolts..how high did it raise the seat? Do you feel that this is going to provide strength in a crash.? Thanks
Question..did you raise both front and back of the passenger seat. . where did you purchase the spacer and bolts. ? Could you tell me the order of how you did the process....I can’t stand the low seat and I want hubby to do what you did...thank you kindly
I know someone will not like this but... I used one inch square wooden baton cut to length and drilled and covered with black material. The allen screws I got of a supplier in the UK selling on Ebay,
My view is that the wood may not be as strong as metal spacers but I figure that the force needed to snap four high tensile bold would be enough to kill me long before the wood gave out.
A friend of mine has just exchanged his lovely Kona for a Suzuki Vitara because his wife did not like the low passenger seat.
[/U]nana2c2008#;18950]Question..did you raise both front and back of the passenger seat. . where did you purchase the spacer and bolts. ? Could you tell me the order of how you did the process....I can’t stand the low seat and I want hubby to do what you did...thank you kindly
I know someone will not like this but... I used one inch square wooden baton cut to length and drilled and covered with black material. The allen screws I got of a supplier in the UK selling on Ebay,
My view is that the wood may not be as strong as metal spacers but I figure that the force needed to snap four high tensile bold would be enough to kill me long before the wood gave out.
A friend of mine has just exchanged his lovely Kona for a Suzuki Vitara because his wife did not like the low passenger seat.
Well, for those of us without the Ultimate package, the bolts for the seats are E12 star's. I used round 1" diameter steel spacers, 2" high. Works thus far.
Works on all model Kona's, they all have a non-adjustable ride height passenger seat. :wink: Just be careful not to raise it too high about 3/4", without utilizing the square tubing. The steel spacers do not give enough support to the seat or bolt, and can be problematic in an accident. Otherwise, There is too much exposed bolt that doesn't have the shear strength. If they're too long, they'll just break off in an accident. Square tubing offer, two sets of bolts to secure the seat. I stick with them if you're going to raise it over 3/4".
I wish the US version did. No even the Ultimate doesn't. Maybe they'll introduce it in future years. Probably go buy another one pretty quick if they did. Really like the Kona it's a great SUV. Going to have to be patient until the Kona N comes out.
This just a quick question to DJKONA ..what type and size bolt did you use to fasten down the spacers ?? I realize you used 2 inch spacer ..I was thinking 1 1/2 inch spacer .any idea what bolt I would need ?? And yes ...I am not too bright when it comes to things in this regards ..thanks for any info you can put out there .thanks for picture regarding e12 star socket ..that helped me a lot
Well, im not a big fan of our show-off/garage option. Its very limited, and if you have alot of modifications, or pictures for that matter, it becomes unusable. So here is my Work in Progress (WIP) forward slash show-off thread. Comments good, bad, both within reason are acceptable...
While the Kona was in the air for the swaybar install I had Jason Irby from OC Wheel Recon stop by and do his magic on the front and rear calipers. Jason has done several of my cars and is a real professional. If you're in the Southern California area (specifically Orange County) give him a call...
I'm fairly new to the site so my apologies if this has already been posted. I purchased the Luxon rear swaybar from PartsCombined on eBay. The original bar comes in yellow and I had it powder coated a Toyota TRD red/orange color. Parts list is short: Mounting brackets, rear allen bolts and nuts...
Share what you did today with the Hyundai Kona community!
Example: Went ot the dealership and picked up my Kona!
Example: Finally got my window tints done, now I can't open my windows for a week
Example: Detailed the the interior and applied leather protectant on the seats.
Anything goes!
Just a couple of simple upgrades while I wait for my Luxon rear sway bar to finish getting powdercoated. Switched out the OEM 18" wheel center caps for the Hyundai black version with logo. Also, added a aluminum footrest to go with the factory brake and accelerator pedals. I'll post pictures of...
.
