scoobiedubes
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- #21
TBD! Will see if we are successful re-creating these, but if it works out then certainly. They're "modeling" them right now, so fingers crossed that we can make some without breaking the bank.
Looking for FJ45LV rear seat brackets for templating
- Thread starter scoobiedubes
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- fj45lv lv seat brackets
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It’s an LV money is no opject.
scoobiedubes
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- #23
Little update:
The shop I thought was going to do this for me said it was going to be 3 months, $400 per set (just the male end) and minimum 30 sets to make these. $12k! Yikes!
So I took it yesterday to another machinist that says he can do it for a fraction of that and can make just a single set at a time. What that means, I don’t yet know but I’m hopeful it’s <$200 per set. I figure 10 is the most that we can realistically make and break even on. He said it will take him about a month to finish it, since he’s just going to work on it between other jobs here and there. He wants to make them out of aluminum, I’m going to let him go that route at least initially and see how it turns out. For now we will just make one set, and then I’ll post photos and pricing and see if it’s something the rest of you want. One thing both shops agreed on is that spring locking mechanism that keeps it down when not in use (ie not rattling around) is going to be next to impossible to do. I think I can live without it, but something for the rest of the interested parties to be aware of.
@Tancruiser are you ok with me having them for another month? Hope you aren’t hauling the family in the back seat regularly or anything! Keep me posted on sending over the female side of the assembly, would be nice to have him working on them together.
The shop I thought was going to do this for me said it was going to be 3 months, $400 per set (just the male end) and minimum 30 sets to make these. $12k! Yikes!
So I took it yesterday to another machinist that says he can do it for a fraction of that and can make just a single set at a time. What that means, I don’t yet know but I’m hopeful it’s <$200 per set. I figure 10 is the most that we can realistically make and break even on. He said it will take him about a month to finish it, since he’s just going to work on it between other jobs here and there. He wants to make them out of aluminum, I’m going to let him go that route at least initially and see how it turns out. For now we will just make one set, and then I’ll post photos and pricing and see if it’s something the rest of you want. One thing both shops agreed on is that spring locking mechanism that keeps it down when not in use (ie not rattling around) is going to be next to impossible to do. I think I can live without it, but something for the rest of the interested parties to be aware of.
@Tancruiser are you ok with me having them for another month? Hope you aren’t hauling the family in the back seat regularly or anything! Keep me posted on sending over the female side of the assembly, would be nice to have him working on them together.
I’m I’m so ok with that no worries
I’m a machinist and I can always make my own if this guy can make them for that price I’d say well done.
scoobiedubes
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Yeah based on the time it will take them I think that would be more than fair, but I won’t hold my breath until I know for sure. Wish I had the skills to do it myself but definitely don’t!
Everyone has their strengths.
scoobiedubes
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- #28
Quick update - done with drawing up the male seat brackets and I will have them back in my possession on Monday, will get them back to @Tancruiser early next week. Might take them a couple of months to make me a set (found a machinist that's just going to do it as a side job), but will update everyone once I have them to see how everything went and will then talk to him about making a couple more sets.
I still need the female ends of the brackets, @Tancruiser is "out of office" - anybody else have some that they wouldn't mind me borrowing for a couple weeks? I think these are much more straight-forward, there appear to be only 3 or 4 pieces and probably can be stamped so those should be quick, but I want to make sure we match the factory ones as close as possible. PM me if you can help out, thanks!!
I still need the female ends of the brackets, @Tancruiser is "out of office" - anybody else have some that they wouldn't mind me borrowing for a couple weeks? I think these are much more straight-forward, there appear to be only 3 or 4 pieces and probably can be stamped so those should be quick, but I want to make sure we match the factory ones as close as possible. PM me if you can help out, thanks!!
Please return the seat brackets I need them 
scoobiedubes
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- #30
You got it, I’ll be back in Phoenix Tuesday will grab them and get them in the mail to you. I don’t think the shop needs them anymore they’ve got them all templated.
scoobiedubes
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- #31
Slow going here but fortunately the 4th and final place I took these parts to before @Tancruiser needed the parts back has been more of a "doer" than the other 3. Found a guy with a small shop that enjoys a challenge, the only hitch is that he insisted on doing it in Aluminum. After 2 shops that said no, and 1 other that wanted $1500-1700 per set (YIKES!) I wasn't in any position to be picky but it's looking promising. Photos attached. Still don't have any idea on cost (though he said "nothing crazy", which is obviously very subjective), but he did say he'd be willing to make some more if we're all happy with the final product. I want to wait and see how these actually work before anybody gets too excited but, finally some progress! Obviously still missing some pieces, and the spring mechanism is going to be the trickiest part but he said he thinks he can do it. Will keep you all updated. He's doing this sort of on the side of his day job, so it's slow going and I don't want him to push him. Wouldn't be surprised if it's another month before we have a final product.
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scoobiedubes
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- #32
I'm excited to say I have a new pair of these in-hand! We are going to work on installing them into my LV and see how they work. Still have to do the "female" end of this which mounts inside the seat (mine are there but broken), but I'm pretty thrilled with how these turned out personally. Spring functions quite well, and the aluminum looks great / won't rust. The little male end is stainless as is the spring on the mounted piece and the pin that secures the two aluminum pieces together. The "spacer" that mounts to the wall is plastic.
He said he's willing to make a few more of these if folks are still interested, with the understanding that these ones took I think 5-6 months to do so you'll have to be patient (he just does it in his spare time at work between jobs, and was done mostly by hand) and it isn't coming cheap. We're still going back and forth on price, if he charged me for actual time would certainly be $1000+, but hoping to get it into the $600-700 range. Guessing that's too steep for most folks here, I was just happy to finally find someone that was willing to take it on everyone else said no or quoted $1500-2000 for the pair.
Stay tuned on functionality, but un-mounted they work great.
He said he's willing to make a few more of these if folks are still interested, with the understanding that these ones took I think 5-6 months to do so you'll have to be patient (he just does it in his spare time at work between jobs, and was done mostly by hand) and it isn't coming cheap. We're still going back and forth on price, if he charged me for actual time would certainly be $1000+, but hoping to get it into the $600-700 range. Guessing that's too steep for most folks here, I was just happy to finally find someone that was willing to take it on everyone else said no or quoted $1500-2000 for the pair.
Stay tuned on functionality, but un-mounted they work great.
Very nice but that’s a lot of money for non own parts.
scoobiedubes
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- #34
Sure is. Although the non-OEM’ness doesn’t really even register to me for parts that are about as unobtainable as anything in cruiserdom (if you’re like me and have a truck without them). My only other option i found was to buy another entire LV for the brackets
I’m willing to pay it, I have no way of making these myself but don’t expect that others will want to put down that much. $500 was what I was hoping for, but we missed that target. I’m still happy with the results though, and appreciate the difficulty of making them more now after striking out with several other shops.
They are nice send pics when you get them installed.
scoobiedubes
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- #36
Here's the brackets installed, sorry for the slow updates on this I just finally brought the truck home today. These turned out great, ended up settling at $800 for the set. Bad part is he was basically doing this after hours at his place of employment and apparently got reprimanded for it. So I'm not sure if another set could be made, but if someone wants some at that price PM me and I will talk to him and see if he thinks he can do it somehow.
They function really nicely, and the female ends in the seat are much more robust than the factory ones were. I had a picture before I installed them, will try to find it and upload.
They function really nicely, and the female ends in the seat are much more robust than the factory ones were. I had a picture before I installed them, will try to find it and upload.
The fact that you were able to get these made at any price is a win.
scoobiedubes
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- #38
Amen. Can’t be choosy
KT40
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Bumping this thread up to the top.
Thanks to @scoobiedubes for loaning me his set of brackets, I was able to get them drawn. My best friends neighbor owns a CNC machine shop and has agreed to take this on.
I need to know how many people want a set? I can review this thread and see who has responded wanting a set. But, do you guys still want a set.
Just keep this thread going and respond on here.
Still working on the cost.
Thanks to @scoobiedubes for loaning me his set of brackets, I was able to get them drawn. My best friends neighbor owns a CNC machine shop and has agreed to take this on.
I need to know how many people want a set? I can review this thread and see who has responded wanting a set. But, do you guys still want a set.
Just keep this thread going and respond on here.
Still working on the cost.
