Suspension Seat Isuzu NPS crew Cab

[Aussie Iron]

As a way of limiting cost and bureaucracy has anyone investigated getting the originals re-shaped and perhaps re-covered at a motor trimmer???
Cheers

Haven't found one (motor trimmer) that was interested enough to have a go yet. Well not true we have had the passenger side redone for a little improvement but not a lot. You are still sitting on it not in it. Drivers seat I find not to bad myself.

Dan

 

[WhereisFranklin]

So, have been to discuss OEM seat re-shaping with an upholsterer here in Noosaville. Turns out they have done this kind of thing on a regular basis.

Lo For example , putting some shape into a folding two seat flat back and bench to create a kind if double bucket arrangement. That was going into an old fj 40 Tojo. Nothing too radical but he showed me the result and it was much more of a sit in than sit on as previously.

Also done seats in 4x4s and bikes for adventure type rallies etc.

Short story is "Yes, we can do that."

I mentioned driver and 1 1/2 passenger and it was no worries re-shaping both. As the original seat covers would unlikely fit with extra shaping, then in all likelihood the seats would need re-covering in a new fabric.

Right, now for the hard bit...around $2200 with about a 3 day turnaround. Happy to have trial fittings etc.

Still not cheap and still on stock seats without suspension but would definitely improve the situation. I would have been happier with $1500. Only trimmer I have spoken to so far.

What's the general opinion?

Neil

 

[Bris31]

How about air cushion (still sit on, not sit in)?
For passenger seat, I got the idea from a truckies forum. Many long route drivers are using air cushions meant for old patients with back & neck issues.
So we went with a mosaic air-cushion (US made, starts from $200). 2 years now, no passenger complain, no puncture or air leak.
(Neil you can try this weekend when we meet ).

https://www.aidacare.com.au/products/cushions-positioning/pressure-care-cushions-roho/roho---mosaic/

For driver - nothing, as Dan mentioned above not bad. We both have baggy tyres and extended front leaves, which helps a lot.

 

[WhereisFranklin]

Thanks Brij.
Bottom line is I'm trying to find a cost effective way to improve unwanted movement when on less than perfect roads and tracks. I find the seats pretty good on the comfort scale but spend too much effort keeping the backside in place by overworking the gluteals and going for the white knuckle look at the steering wheel end.

The trimmer didn't have much positive to say about many vehicle seats especially those from commercial derivatives like our basic trucks. He deals with this kind of enquiry regularly and often from the offroad crowd. Cheers

 

[Cuddy]

Hi 4 x 4 truck, what seat are you planning on fitting to the passengers side? How will you access the lift up hatch to the engine??

 

[4x4 Truck]

Hi 4 x 4 truck, what seat are you planning on fitting to the passengers side? How will you access the lift up hatch to the engine??

I'm planing to fit another Stratos . Most likely we will need to remove the seat for servicing .

 

[Cuddy]

Will you be be able to fold the backrest forward and lift the engine hatch enough to check the oil without removing the seat?

 

[4x4coaster]

Apologies if this doesn't relate directly to op. But it is a question about aftermarket seats. Are the only options for Fuso or indeed Isuzu, new seats along the lines of Stratos Recaro etc or has anyone fitted say for sale of example Commodore or Celica or whatever seats to replace the church pews?? Very interested in Queenslanders who have achieved this. Understand that engineers and mod plates may be involved. Any outlets that do these on a regular basis...aware of ATW. Thanks, Neil

I picked up a pair of nicely shaped and compact seats from a 2000 ish holden astra. Same seats I used in the coaster bus and I found them quite comfortable on long trips.
They are about as compact a seat you can get with flat runners. I took my driver seat out and just sat the astra seat in for a test. I couldn't properly depress the clutch, ok, so I'm only 5'6", but my knees were also just clearing the steering wheel so it just wasn't going to work. So you need seats that are very compact in design or purpose built for that application.

 

[WhereisFranklin]

I picked up a pair of nicely shaped and compact seats from a 2000 ish holden astra. Same seats I used in the coaster bus and I found them quite comfortable on long trips.
They are about as compact a seat you can get with flat runners. I took my driver seat out and just sat the astra seat in for a test. I couldn't properly depress the clutch, ok, so I'm only 5'6", but my knees were also just clearing the steering wheel so it just wasn't going to work. So you need seats that are very compact in design or purpose built for that application.

Yes, I've gathered that the cabins of these trucks are marginal for this kind of modification and note the Stratos are quite a compact seat given they are the most common type people seem go have. I'm still leaning toward the re-shaping but I can't quite see the $2200 for the conversion as reasonable, so I'll pursue a few other trimmers and see what they can arrive at.

 

[Cuddy]

Stratos confusion..

Can anyone shed a little light on retro fitting a stratos LTSS 3000 drivers seat to the NPS. Stratos have told me you cannot buy an adapter kit to retro fit a LTSS (second hand from another vehicle)to the Isuzu, you have to buy the LTSS that is speciic to the isuzu because the mounting is built into the seat frame.

The part numbers i was given were 904 - 931. The 931 is the fitting kit number.

4 x 4 truck posted part numbers for the fitting kit of 927. I was told this was for a 2012 truck beacause there was some change made at that time by Isuzu??

Im not overly confident in the imformation i an recieving from stratos so was hoping someone may be able to offer any advice if they have been down this path.

Cheers

 

[SkiFreak]

Sadly, this is kind of true.
The mounting points for the rails varies between the driver and passenger seats, as does the rail kit.
I can only assume that this is done for clearance reasons. Having said this, with a bit of fabrication and a welder you could easily adapt any of the Stratos seat bases to fit a different Stratos rail set, as its only the mounting brackets that change.

Below are some images of my Stratos seat mounts, that are fitted to a Fuso FG84.
There are likely differences between the Fuso and Isuzu, but I would doubt that they would be significantly different to this setup.
Left image is the driver's seat and the right image is the passenger's seat.

 

[steve66]

Hi Guys,

904 is the seat part number, comes in either RH or LH, this is the same seat as the aftermarket guys fit to L'Cruisers.

You also need the slide rail kit that bolts to the bottom of the seat, sorry don't have the part number handy for that. That's the part with the handle sticking out in Ski's photos.

Then you have the rails that mount between the slide rails and the cab, this is the part that is specific to each vehicle. So not the bit that Ski has circled above, it's the ones below.

As I reported earlier I bought my rails from ATW but was told was TJM, my seat supplier, that Stratos now offer rails for the passenger side of the NPS. This would be the current post '08 version of the cab so you guys with older trucks would still have trouble.



Here's a photo of the ATW rails bolted to the seat.

Cheers Steve

 

[Cuddy]

Hi Guys,

904 is the seat part number, comes in either RH or LH, this is the same seat as the aftermarket guys fit to L'Cruisers.

You also need the slide rail kit that bolts to the bottom of the seat, sorry don't have the part number handy for that. That's the part with the handle sticking out in Ski's photos.

Then you have the rails that mount between the slide rails and the cab, this is the part that is specific to each vehicle. So not the bit that Ski has circled above, it's the ones below.

As I reported earlier I bought my rails from ATW but was told was TJM, my seat supplier, that Stratos now offer rails for the passenger side of the NPS. This would be the current post '08 version of the cab so you guys with older trucks would still have trouble.

View attachment 430877

Here's a photo of the ATW rails bolted to the seat.

Cheers Steve

Thanks guys.

Is that the passenger side Steve? do you have any photos close up of the drivers side seat? The NPS mount is a little different to the Fuso, the Fuso looks as if it would be much easier to make up some mounts for. I was hoping to be able to just buy the mounting kit to save some time as I am leaving for our trip around oz in a couple of weeks. It looks like i will have to fab something up if I dont buy the dedicated Isuzu seat...

 

[SkiFreak]

So not the bit that Ski has circled above

It may be different on the NPS, I don't know, 'cause I don't have one to compare with, but on my seats the brackets that attach the seat frame to the rails (the bits I circled) are very different on the driver and passenger seats.
Those brackets are welded to the bottom seat frame, making each seat fundamentally different (left and right seat adjusters aside).

To add some other potentially relevant Stratos information to this thread...
The rail kit design for the Fuso driver's seat leaves a bit to be desired too, as it hits the seatbelt stalk when you slide the seat backwards. Well, it did no my truck (until I modified it).

 

[steve66]

Hi Cuddy, Yes that's a passenger seat (sorry, missed that detail in your OT), my truck is a 15' model so already came with OEM suspension drivers seat so I'm no help sorry, I had a look and the mounts for each side are very different. The floor for the passenger seat is quite flat but the drivers side has a couple of bumps and jumps to get around, Ski's Fuso is obviously similar.

I don't know enough of the LTSS history to give you a firm answer but when I ordered mine I had to wait for it to be made, apparently they only make to order so there might be some truth in what Stratos say.

Good Luck! Cheers Steve