Bench seating for front

[E90400K]

You better have a good lawyer on retainer, many accidents happen that you have no control over, disabling airbags is very risky, if you do get involved in an accident and a passenger or yourself get injured where the airbag may have prevented that injury or made it less severe you could be held liable for the injuries, I doubt insurance will want to pay out in that situation. Even if you are not at fault the other driver’s insurance could refuse to pay based on the disabling of your airbags. Are you willing to risk your life and your passenger’s life over a bench seat?

Where did I say to disable the airbags?* I look at life differently than most people. I'm not scared of things. And I disagree about the accident control comment.

* "...he could retrofit the airbags from the Slate bucket seats to the bench seat. The bags would obviously not (edit: may not) work as well, but they would deploy in case of a side crash."

 

[E90400K]

For those of us without a welder or 3 D printer, is that a body shop mod?

Fabricator.

 

[EV Trek]

Where did I say to disable the airbags? I look at life differently than most people. I'm not scared of things. And I disagree about the accident control comment.

Did you not say this? “If you choose to add a bench seat without airbags (despite the error code you'll get - and have to work around), just make sure the primary safety device is in excellent working order.”

Then you talk about having an upolsterer modifying seats to add airbags. Those would not be certified or tested and even if they deploy they may not do it properly resulting in the same scenario.

 

[steveozz67]

What does that translate to in a narrower Slate? I’d love that option.

the 40/20/40 is percentage so if the seat is 60 inches wide it would be 24 in x 12 in x 24 in

 

[E90400K]

Did you not say this? “If you choose to add a bench seat without airbags (despite the error code you'll get - and have to work around), just make sure the primary safety device is in excellent working order.”

Then you talk about having an upolsterer modifying seats to add airbags. Those would not be certified or tested and even if they deploy they may not do it properly resulting in the same scenario.

I added to my previous response above, "* '...he could retrofit the airbags from the Slate bucket seats to the bench seat. The bags would obviously not (edit: may not) work as well, but they would deploy in case of a side crash'.", pointing to a suggested method how to add the Slate seat airbags back into the bench seat.

Again, @TPL has to decide himself what is his level of risk acceptance over the reward of having a 3-position bench seat. I've been a motorcyclist since the age of 13, if I had the attitude of that I must rely on an airbag to save me from death, I'd never get out of bed in the morning. If @TPL wants to mod his Slate to add a bench seat, I merely have suggested an approach.

Regarding testing and certification. No shit, the airbag retrofit would not be tested nor certified, but it is close to the same position in the Slate seat, so one could reasonably expect near the same effective performance. Again, it is a decision of acceptable risk to TPL. I for one wouldn't hesitate to make such a modification, yet all of us have different levels of risk acceptance.

 

[fxrdr31]

I was really hoping for a bench seat or hoping an aftermarket solution if anything

 

[Trace26]

Once I get my slate I'll be searching the salvage yards for the narrowest center seat I can find. Something like the F150 seat that's been mentioned before. Something with a 3 point seatbelt integrated in and that can fold down.

 

[EV Trek]

I added to my previous response above, "* '...he could retrofit the airbags from the Slate bucket seats to the bench seat. The bags would obviously not (edit: may not) work as well, but they would deploy in case of a side crash'.", pointing to a suggested method how to add the Slate seat airbags back into the bench seat.

Again, @TPL has to decide himself what is his level of risk acceptance over the reward of having a 3-position bench seat. I've been a motorcyclist since the age of 13, if I had the attitude of that I must rely on an airbag to save me from death, I'd never get out of bed in the morning. If @TPL wants to mod his Slate to add a bench seat, I merely have suggested an approach.

Regarding testing and certification. No shit, the airbag retrofit would not be tested nor certified, but it is close to the same position in the Slate seat, so one could reasonably expect near the same effective performance. Again, it is a decision of acceptable risk to TPL. I for one wouldn't hesitate to make such a modification, yet all of us have different levels of risk acceptance.

You missed the point entirely. It does not matter that they may work the same, you have modified the safety system and that alone can be problematic legally.
I don’t think any self respected shop would do it really, paper trail or not.

 

[E90400K]

You missed the point entirely. It does not matter that they may work the same, you have modified the safety system and that alone can be problematic legally.
I don’t think any self respected shop would do it really, paper trail or not.

I didn't miss your point at all. You have missed all of mine, though.

 

[EV Trek]

I didn't miss your point at all. You have missed all of mine, though.

Oh I understood your point, you were saying it is fine to do that if you are willing to take the risk, but I was saying if you do, you are putting yourself in legal jeopardy.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

the 40/20/40 is percentage so if the seat is 60 inches wide it would be 24 in x 12 in x 24 in

Skinny butts.

 

[E90400K]

Oh I understood your point, you were saying it is fine to do that if you are willing to take the risk, but I was saying if you do, you are putting yourself in legal jeopardy.

Understood, but every time you drive a car you are putting yourself in legal jeopardy. Life is a risk. I said at the beginning, the best safety device is you, the driver. Sure, there are degrees here underlying the topic, but again it a risk/reward decision.

And just saying, but have you ever been to an automotive upholstery shop? 🤣

 

[EV Trek]

Understood, but every time you drive a car you are putting yourself in legal jeopardy. Life is a risk. I said at the beginning, the best safety device is you, the driver. Sure, there are degrees here underlying the topic, but again it a risk/reward decision.

And just saying, but have you ever been to an automotive upholstery shop? 🤣

Yes I have many times, we have a shop not far from my house. They installed seat covers on my Solstice and a convertible top on my Camaro along with various other seat related repairs.

 

[steveozz67]

Skinny butts.

i yeah that's funny but my F250 is The front bench seat in a 2001 Ford F-250 (SuperCab/Crew Cab) has a shoulder room width of 68 inches and a hip room of 67.4 inches. The seat bottom cushion length is approximately 18.3 inches, and the front leg room measures 40.7 inches. so i dont know how much narrow the slate would be

 

[KevinRS]

My opinion is the primary and best safety device in a vehicle is the Driver. When I buy any vehicle be it a car, truck, or motorcycle, I make sure the primary safety device is in proper working order. Accidents don't occur by random chance*. If you choose to add a bench seat without airbags (despite the error code you'll get - and have to work around), just make sure the primary safety device is in excellent working order.

The problem is in many of the serious crashes that deploy an airbag, there are at least 2 of those "safety devices" involved. Yours may be just fine, and the one you have no control over may be the problem. Speeding, alcohol, inattention, etc and takes just seconds for them to cross that center line.