Does anybody have a picture of the bare floor w/out the mat or board? I have the 158 pass and wanted to see if I can add a 5th row of seats. I need to see if it has the factory molds to add the seat brackets/anchors. I was able to convert the 3rd row (2 seater) into a 3 seater by adding the bracket/anchor.
Picture of Bare Floor
- Thread starter mgameros
- Start date
sikwan
06 Tin Can
MGameros:
I tried looking for a picture of one via the internet and couldnt' find one.
I think you could do it, since George has gone through a different route according to these pictures...
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=730&highlight=seats
...you can see cutouts in the wooden floor for the seat receptacles. I'm not sure if the metal base is stamped for the receptacles, but it does look like they are in Georges pictures. Even if the metal base is not stamped for the receptacles, you might be able to do it with the wooden floor acting as a spacer so that the receptacles mount flush through the floor to the metal base.
It's interesting to see that George has a 140, and there is a third rectangular hole cutout in the wood for the 2 seater position.
And it looks like the metal is also stamped in that location.
I'll have to crawl underneath my vehicle to see if there's stampings. If not, I believe you can do it.
Seek
I tried looking for a picture of one via the internet and couldnt' find one.
I think you could do it, since George has gone through a different route according to these pictures...
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=730&highlight=seats
...you can see cutouts in the wooden floor for the seat receptacles. I'm not sure if the metal base is stamped for the receptacles, but it does look like they are in Georges pictures. Even if the metal base is not stamped for the receptacles, you might be able to do it with the wooden floor acting as a spacer so that the receptacles mount flush through the floor to the metal base.
It's interesting to see that George has a 140, and there is a third rectangular hole cutout in the wood for the 2 seater position.
And it looks like the metal is also stamped in that location.I'll have to crawl underneath my vehicle to see if there's stampings. If not, I believe you can do it.
Seek
On passenger T1N vans, the second back row seats are a two-seater. However, DC builds the van with the plywood floor pre-punched to knock out and the bolts for the receiver cup of the third leg of a 3-seater seat to install. That converts a 10-passenger van into an 11-passenger van.It's interesting to see that George has a 140, and there is a third rectangular hole cutout in the wood for the 2 seater position.
Seek
From YahooSprinterVan Post 1326:
Changed passenger seat location
Message #1326
For those with a passenger Sprinter:
I do not usually need my full 4-rows of seats, but the 2-3-2-empty row seating arrangement forced by the lack of a right leg receiver cup on row 3 meant I also lost a seat and had to store a 3-seater.
I was able to move the 3-seat forward to the 2-seat location. I purchased a new "take-up device" (901-950-02-74 - $17.59) for the right leg of the bench seat. Even though the small receiver seems to fit the leg, the large receiver is a must because of the mounting holes. The floor covering is already marked by Mercedes for cutting through. Stay a little on the inside of the larger marks. Once cut through, for 2002 models, the plywood floor has already been cut out to accept the receiver, and the hole filled with a plastic filler (what a waste of time and money - simply setting up a knock-out would have been cheaper and easier). Then the fun part. The two nuts to bolt down the receiver are already set in the H-frame at the factory. However, Mercedes fills the nuts with two short bolts, and then 2-spot-welds them in. A 4" grinder is small enough to get rid of the spot welds. The part does not come with bolts. So I had to buy two 1 1/2" 10mm-1.5 pitch bolts and hardened washers. The next problem is that the new bolts' hex-head can block the rear of the seat leg from entering the receiver, as it has two C-clamps (instead of the one the front has) that straddle the head of the bolt. I took a Torx bolt (which has a narrower head then the hex bolts I got) from the front of one of the other receivers to use on the back of the new receiver. (Use some type of Lock-tite on the bolts.) Now I have a 2-3-3-empty row seating arrangement.
And since then, I have purchased a 3-seater, and now have a 2-3-3-3 seating arrangement.
NOTE that the cargos Sprinters do not have the bolts pre-installed.
Last edited:
KenB
Member
Seek,
It is normal for the 2nd row of benches to be ready to setup for a 3-seat bench because there is an 8-seat option in the MWB 2004 model (as in my 2004, which actually came with 10 seats)... I usually need 8 seats, plus more cargo area.
As a condition of accepting mine from the dealer I made them put in the third bracket in the row that normally has a 2-seat bench... now I put the 2-seater in the back and can take it out easily as needed.
They had no problem adding the third bracket except that they used normal head bolts instead of the Torx-head bolts that were on all the other brackets.
I also retained the third bracket in the last row so I can put it back as before.
the rubber mat is perforated (scored?) and ready to open up to have that extra bracket and you will find a plug under that scored part to put the new bracket into. If you can feel plugs under the mat in the back of your LWB, then you have the holes for the brackets underneath.
can't imagine that the LWB model would have bracket holes for another row, but it could be that way. Anyone looked since this thread was newer?
KenB
It is normal for the 2nd row of benches to be ready to setup for a 3-seat bench because there is an 8-seat option in the MWB 2004 model (as in my 2004, which actually came with 10 seats)... I usually need 8 seats, plus more cargo area.
As a condition of accepting mine from the dealer I made them put in the third bracket in the row that normally has a 2-seat bench... now I put the 2-seater in the back and can take it out easily as needed.
They had no problem adding the third bracket except that they used normal head bolts instead of the Torx-head bolts that were on all the other brackets. I also retained the third bracket in the last row so I can put it back as before.
the rubber mat is perforated (scored?) and ready to open up to have that extra bracket and you will find a plug under that scored part to put the new bracket into. If you can feel plugs under the mat in the back of your LWB, then you have the holes for the brackets underneath.
can't imagine that the LWB model would have bracket holes for another row, but it could be that way. Anyone looked since this thread was newer?
KenB
Seek I did look at thread before. Looks like it has the stamps between the wheel wells but that is a 140 version and I have the 158. I wonder if the factory uses the same metal floor for the 158? I just dont want to cut the floor board if it doesn't have the stamp.MGameros:
I tried looking for a picture of one via the internet and couldnt' find one.
I think you could do it, since George has gone through a different route according to these pictures...
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=730&highlight=seats
...you can see cutouts in the wooden floor for the seat receptacles. I'm not sure if the metal base is stamped for the receptacles, but it does look like they are in Georges pictures. Even if the metal base is not stamped for the receptacles, you might be able to do it with the wooden floor acting as a spacer so that the receptacles mount flush through the floor to the metal base.
It's interesting to see that George has a 140, and there is a third rectangular hole cutout in the wood for the 2 seater position.
I'll have to crawl underneath my vehicle to see if there's stampings. If not, I believe you can do it.
Seek
Altered Sprinter
Happy Little Vegemite
European Sprinters 158 will take a 16 seat capacity, the rear seat which is fixed non movaxble may not have been a US option
Richard
Richard
I'd guess the 158 140 and 118 share the same stamping for the floor between the rear wheels.
On the 140 there is a seam just between row 2 and 3... I'd guess that's where the 158 gets an extra 18" of floor pan including new stampings for the seats.
Like Seek observed: on my 140 there was a precut hole in the wood and the stamping to receive the 4th seat cup for a 3 seat bench in row 2, but as mentioned the cut-off studs are spot welded to the threads.
I do have the 140 Passenger van...
cheers
George
On the 140 there is a seam just between row 2 and 3... I'd guess that's where the 158 gets an extra 18" of floor pan including new stampings for the seats.
Like Seek observed: on my 140 there was a precut hole in the wood and the stamping to receive the 4th seat cup for a 3 seat bench in row 2, but as mentioned the cut-off studs are spot welded to the threads.
I do have the 140 Passenger van...
cheers
George