Reversing middle seats, how to bolt them to the floor?

[Sickleft]

Hi,
A bit of advice needed please, apologies if this has already been answered!

I recently removed my side conversion kitchen and bought some seats with short rails to replace it. I want to install these so they're rear facing and meet the rear seats when folded down, the rear seats are the flip up kind and not on rails, to make a bed.

When the conversion was done a ply floor was glued in with carpet glued to this, the floor is in good condition so I don't really want to rip it up.

Are there existing bolt holes I could use if I drill through the floor and are these accessible from underneath the van so I can locate them? Do these line up when the seats are rear facing? I've heard that the middle seat won't slide back far enough to meet the rear seats on short rails.

My other idea is to drill all the way through and fit a plate and nut underneath the bongo. Am I likely to drill through something I really shouldn't
Otherwise I could use coach screws to fasten the rails to the ply floor, is this safe?

It's a 1996 4WD TD.

Any help gratefully received.
Thanks
Ben

[Bob]

Hi Ben

Coach bolts into the ply definitely won't be strong enough to hold the seat if you get in a bump, and may well fail in everyday use.

The original holes will be in place but I think they would be very difficult to access from below, and drilling blind from the top you could drill into anything and still find you can't get a plate on from below.

I honestly think removing (and maybe refitting) the floor is the only safe way.

There's a Fact Sheet on refersing the seat, that's worth a look, and from memory the rails will go in reversed, but as you say, there's a small gap between the seats. Some peeps just fill this with a couple of cushions.

Good luck.

[Sickleft]

Thank you for the advice Bob, I think you're right. I don't have the bolts with the rail, do you know what kind of bolt thread I need to screw into the vans existing fixtures?
Thanks
Ben

[Bob]

Not sure I'm afraid.

It might be worth contacting one or two convertors and asking if they remove the rails and might possibly have some bolts.

Otherwise the Lush Project's diagrams are excellent.