Crossbar behind front seats..Necessary??

[SafeAirOne]

Other than holding the seatbacks upright, how necessary is the crossbar that goes between the t-posts in a series III 109? (see photo) While browsing, I noticed that dormobiles don't have this bar. I don't know about pre-SIII 109s. I'd love to remove this bar so that normal-sized humans can sit straight in the back seat.

[LaneRover]

you'll have to remove the bar after finding new seats that don't rely on the bar for support.

[crankin]

I know that you could put a bolt in the seats to make them static (where they no long fold down). But, I am guessing that you might lose some structural support for the back section by removing the bar.

The back part of the seat has a thin sheet of wood (or at least mine did). I think that if you leaned back really hard it would snap that wood. If you are worried about it...you might make a square framing, to fit around each seats back, with angle iron to reinforce the back section.

[SafeAirOne]

I was thinking more along the lines of "Is this part structurally required for the rigid-ness of the body, or is it just there to hold up the seatbacks?" Putting new seats in is easy, but I don't want the body to fold up on me if there's a heavy load on the roof rack and I'm traversing challenging terrain with that crossbar removed.

[greenmeanie]

Looking at its design that bar is of extremely limited structural value as it will flex around the end plates. Other than the seat support I see no reason not to remove it. If you're worried about structural integrity run a brace from that bar mount down to the plates that mount the rear of the seat box at each side.

[SafeAirOne]

Looking at its design that bar is of extremely limited structural value as it will flex around the end plates. Other than the seat support I see no reason not to remove it.

Thanks--That's what I figured--I just needed someone to independently validate my thinking.

[LaneRover]

Thanks--That's what I figured--I just needed someone to independently validate my thinking.

I agree with the 'structural integrity' decision of the bar - but I would check to see if any new seats that you put in don't leave you with the same or less leg room.

[Eric W S]

If your looking to remove it and add some structure, there is an aftermarket company making a bulkhead removal kit for RoW Defenders. Some RoW D's still had the bulkhead like a siers truck. The kit basically has you trim the bulkhead down and adds a bar like the NAS defenders.

I bet a local fab shop would be able to make this bar cheaply and stoutly and you should be able to tie it in fairly easy.

Kills two birds with one stone. Adds structure and looses the impediment to seat movement...

[crankin]

You should be fine. But to make you feel even better about it....
A company in the UK called "Mudstuff" sells a kit for the center bulkhead removal and they do not put anything like a bar running across it.

Here is a link: http://www.mudstuff.co.uk/Bulkhead_Removal_Bar.html

[crankin]

If your looking to remove it and add some structure, there is an aftermarket company making a bulkhead removal kit for RoW Defenders. Some RoW D's still had the bulkhead like a siers truck. The kit basically has you trim the bulkhead down and adds a bar like the NAS defenders.

I bet a local fab shop would be able to make this bar cheaply and stoutly and you should be able to tie it in fairly easy.

Kills two birds with one stone. Adds structure and looses the impediment to seat movement...

3 minutes ahead of me...Eric had the same idea.

[Eric W S]

Mud Stuff! I forgot who made it!

[Dashface]

Great to know you don't need the bar - I was just about to put in some Defender seats and was wondering how that would work out

[greenmeanie]

Ah, it may not be structurally necessary but it will so a great job of splitting the rear passengers into smaller, less dangerous pieces if you stop suddenly and they are not wearing their seat belts.

[SafeAirOne]

Ah, it may not be structurally necessary but it will so a great job of splitting the rear passengers into smaller, less dangerous pieces if you stop suddenly and they are not wearing their seat belts.

It'll probably still do a good job on 'em with only lap belts (at least on mine).

[LaneRover]

FWIW Before anyone buys one, you might want to find out why the website says it doesn't fit Series vehicles.

It may be a simple reason that doesn't matter to someone who doesn't mind a little work to make it fit. But it may be a bit more involved.

Brent