Cherokee seat rails and stops.

[EdFred]

I have no idea why I didn't notice this before, but my right seat in my 180 sits a bit further back then the left seat. So I crawled under the seats. Ok I crawled around to look under the seats. I don't think I could actually fit under them myself. And the seat rails have a hole pattern like:

O

O

O

O

O

O
.
.



O
.
.


The small green dots are where the rail stops are at on the left side and the orange dots are where the seat rail stops are on the right side. And yes there is a larger gap to the last set of holes. (seems to be about 3-4") I checked the cutouts which allow the seats to be removed, and they are in the same spots on each side, and if I remove that rail stop on the left side and use that last hole, it is a much more position for me at 6'-2". Why would the right seat be allowed to use that furthest rearward seat stop, and the left seat be forced to sit forward further ? Anything that would prevent my mechanic from tapping a hole in the left side rails in the same position as the right side rails?

 

[Brian Austin]

I would suspect the left side wasn't lengthened since the door is on the right. The right side needs to slide further back to allow entry into the plane.

In addition, I've found passengers (right side) tend to sit further back when I ask them to avoid resting their feet on the petals. Not sure it's really relevant to the seat position possibilities, though.

I'm not qualified to answer your 'can I adjust it question'.

 

[Stache]

Your mechanic would have to submit a field approval request from your local FSDO before tapping a new hole. Tapping new holes is a major alteration unless the manufacture allows it in the maintenace manual then it would be a minor alteration and only require a log book entry.

Stache

 

[L10MAN]

Hey Ed, just checked my parts book. It shows piper part number 62557-04 for all four seat tracks on PA28-150-160-180 s/n 28-1 thru 285868 and PA28-180 s/n 28-7105001 and up. That help any?
Ron

 

[EdFred]

Hey Ed, just checked my parts book. It shows piper part number 62557-04 for all four seat tracks on PA28-150-160-180 s/n 28-1 thru 285868 and PA28-180 s/n 28-7105001 and up. That help any?
Ron

Not sure. Like I said all 4 are exactly the same. The outside seat rails on each seat have no rail stop holes. The inside rails have the stop holes. But they are located in different spots. I guess I'll ask my mechanic to submit that approval.

 

[bbchien]

Ed, There's got to be a pair of aftermarket Piper Seat stops that clamp to the rail somewhere- Spruce or Chief....much cheaper and more direct.

ed @ 10:00: I struck out on the websearch! It's all CESSNA!

 

[PoAdeleted5]

No aftermarket seat stops for the PA28's. They don't have the problem that Cessna seats do have with the danger of suddenly sliding backwards, the rail wear problems and so on. Even if you took all the fixed stops off of the rail, the seat will stop when it hits the wing spar or the front carry-through.

Here's a picture of what the rails are supposed to look like. McFarlane makes PMA'd Piper rails. It's the same rail for all 4 locations.

http://www.mcfarlane-aviation.com/Products/?CategoryID=175&ID=28889883&PartNumber=MC62557-004&

Edit: Did some more looking in my Cherokee.

On the original plane, only one rail per seat has the seat stops screwed on. On my OEM rails, only the inside rail on each seat is drilled and tapped for the stops.

It would seem that someone may have mis-drilled yours, perhaps even at Piper. In any case, the rear stop should be behind the rear-most stop.

 

[mikea]

Ed,

I'm also 6' 2" on a stretchy day. On my 1968 Cherokee 235 I'm free to use the last seat rail hole - at least I can lock the seat back to within an inch or two of having my front seat back resting the back seat / wing spar.

I wonder if the seat rail stop on yours was deliberately moved forward for the comfort of a short owner/pilot. Doesn't it attach with a friction lock and bolt?

On my Mustang the front seat back touches the back seat. I had the whole floor pan modified to reattach the seat mount back when the car was brand new so I could drive it and still have blood flowing in my legs.

Neither vehicle has room for passengers other than kids behind me. In the plane I can pull the seat forward a notch. In the car I can't - at least not for long.