...it ain't as simple as it LOOKS! :lol:
That is, when you're trying to fit one onto an older XB-2003 (1998 in this case).
The good news: Both the side-slide and the new low-profile fore/aft slide assembly have a total combined height of 2". The older fore/aft alone bracket that was stock under the driver's seat of my 03, after removal, measures 1.75" high. So, although the factory advised that the addition of the side-slide would add about 1" to the seat height, in reality it only adds 1/4" to the original height of the seat when compared to the late 90's stock arrangement. Also, the new low-profile rig has 3/4" overall more fore/aft travel for the seat (3/8" each at front and rear) than the original '98 unit.
The bad news: The holes in the seat for the original slider don't come close to matching the new low-profile fore/aft slider's holes. The original had holes on 5.5" x 6" centers, the new one has holes on 7" (port/starboard) by 8" (fore/aft) centers. Worse yet, if you were to use the nice pre-threaded holes on the new low-profile assembly as a guide to drill new holes into the seat bottom, you'd be screwed, because they would be located at the very edges of the reinforcing plywood that is 'glassed into the seat bottom. NFG! (non-functional goods.)
So after much thought and examination, I have determined that what needs to be done is to drill new holes into the new fore/aft assembly sliding rails, on 6.75" centers fore/aft, while leaving the 7" port/starboard centers alone. These holes will then have to be threaded to 1/4-20 for the bolts.
(They MUST be using a newer type fiberglass seat shell in the newer boats with a longer bottom. There's no way this older seat could interface with the new hole dimensions and still have good structural rigidity, especially if you consider holding up to bat turns, etc. because the bolts would come through its bottom at the edges of the plywood.)
More fun, I get to drill and TAP the floor of the boat with six new holes (I am told by the factory an aluminum plate is 'glassed into the front floor) again 1/4-20 to mount the side-slide. I see great and wonderful opportunities to break the tap off in the floor and repeat some of my adventures of a year ago. So I bought two taps: 1 for the first 3 holes, 1 for the last 3.
When the new holes are drilled and tapped into the new fore/aft slider rail arms, I then will use these to mark new holes in the seat bottom to drill. Then the seat can be bolted down with red locktite onto the rails, as the last step AFTER the side-slide and the fore/aft slide are mounted into the boat.
The assembly of these pieces must be done in the proper order or you will have found yourslef trapped in a boxed canyon. It's like a Chinese puzzle, and will also require a lot of measurement to make sure things are lined up square, even, and centered. I want the seat to finish up exactly where it was originally when slid to the full starboard position.
This will be a project that likely takes most of a weekend day. I'll post pictures of the old vs. new parts and the assemblies.
That is, when you're trying to fit one onto an older XB-2003 (1998 in this case).
The good news: Both the side-slide and the new low-profile fore/aft slide assembly have a total combined height of 2". The older fore/aft alone bracket that was stock under the driver's seat of my 03, after removal, measures 1.75" high. So, although the factory advised that the addition of the side-slide would add about 1" to the seat height, in reality it only adds 1/4" to the original height of the seat when compared to the late 90's stock arrangement. Also, the new low-profile rig has 3/4" overall more fore/aft travel for the seat (3/8" each at front and rear) than the original '98 unit.
The bad news: The holes in the seat for the original slider don't come close to matching the new low-profile fore/aft slider's holes. The original had holes on 5.5" x 6" centers, the new one has holes on 7" (port/starboard) by 8" (fore/aft) centers. Worse yet, if you were to use the nice pre-threaded holes on the new low-profile assembly as a guide to drill new holes into the seat bottom, you'd be screwed, because they would be located at the very edges of the reinforcing plywood that is 'glassed into the seat bottom. NFG! (non-functional goods.)
So after much thought and examination, I have determined that what needs to be done is to drill new holes into the new fore/aft assembly sliding rails, on 6.75" centers fore/aft, while leaving the 7" port/starboard centers alone. These holes will then have to be threaded to 1/4-20 for the bolts.
(They MUST be using a newer type fiberglass seat shell in the newer boats with a longer bottom. There's no way this older seat could interface with the new hole dimensions and still have good structural rigidity, especially if you consider holding up to bat turns, etc. because the bolts would come through its bottom at the edges of the plywood.)
More fun, I get to drill and TAP the floor of the boat with six new holes (I am told by the factory an aluminum plate is 'glassed into the front floor) again 1/4-20 to mount the side-slide. I see great and wonderful opportunities to break the tap off in the floor and repeat some of my adventures of a year ago. So I bought two taps: 1 for the first 3 holes, 1 for the last 3.
When the new holes are drilled and tapped into the new fore/aft slider rail arms, I then will use these to mark new holes in the seat bottom to drill. Then the seat can be bolted down with red locktite onto the rails, as the last step AFTER the side-slide and the fore/aft slide are mounted into the boat.
The assembly of these pieces must be done in the proper order or you will have found yourslef trapped in a boxed canyon. It's like a Chinese puzzle, and will also require a lot of measurement to make sure things are lined up square, even, and centered. I want the seat to finish up exactly where it was originally when slid to the full starboard position.
This will be a project that likely takes most of a weekend day. I'll post pictures of the old vs. new parts and the assemblies.
