So after stealing a lot of info off tbricks, I finally have something to give.
I had looked at some threads on here about seat alternatives for comfort (and to stop my floor from looking like I'm eating crackers 24/7). A couple months ago I happened upon a 2005 or so XC70 at the junkyard, and since I knew it has some god damn comfy seats I immediately separated the front two from the car and stashed them in my garage. With talk of fabrication, welding etc in those threads, I woke up today and went to the car shop prepared for mayhem since I really suck at metal working.
Turns out two hours later the seats were firmly bolted down in the car with just a little angle grinder massaging. Yes, my bread loaf cracked armrest is beautiful and it knows it. I know it matches the interior beautifully.
Quick guide:
1. Flip your (240) driver side seat over, unbolt the 4 golden side bolts. Get the rails out. Destroy everything seat height related.
2. Remove XC70 rails by removing the 4 torx nuts INSIDE not the ones outside. Cut all the zipties holding cables, and bolt off safety belt thinghy beforehand, or regret later. Throw the rails away.
3. Grind this welded nut off the front of the 240 rails, both sides.
4. Cut this height regulator guide tubing at about the same width as the welded nut, then give both a final massage, not too much. Cut that notch. Hammer that sheet metal exactly so, or you will regret later. Both sides.
5. Check fitment.
6. With the rails on the seat, and all 4 holes matching up with the XC seat ones, use two of the original XC short torx nuts to bolt the rear on, from the inside out (this is why we hammered the sheet metal).
7. If front nuts you grinded off left a slightly tight hole, enlargen with size M10 drill bit. Then use M10 bolts and nuts to secure the front.
8. Zip tie the cables out of the way, getting everything to work is a project for another day.
9. Do the same with the passenger seat, except its even easier, and you don't need to grind anything off. Just use the 4 original XC bolts inside out and you are done.
10. Enjoy seats ten times more comfortable than the original ones, and that don't give you up like Rick Astley when you doing them fast turns. And less creaky center console because not getting raped by seats anymore:
- I have no idea if this applies to V70, S60, S80 seats of the same years as well. If you can find out if front seats can be swapped between the XC70 and these cars, it probably does.
- You will be sitting higher in the car. I personally like it, and I'm almost 2 meters tall and am still 5-7 cm away from the roof, so no issue there. I like the higher position. Also its not bothering my knee-wheel equilibrium that I care so much about, although I am running a smaller momo wheel.
- I will eventually wire up the heating, and find newer volvo seatbelt latches so I can use these new buckles. The old ones now flop to the ground because the seat isn't supporting them anymore. Zipties seem like the obvious answer.
I hope it helps someone, now bask in the light of my new hid's with inverted daylight-indicator led lights (I hated the daylights on top):
I had looked at some threads on here about seat alternatives for comfort (and to stop my floor from looking like I'm eating crackers 24/7). A couple months ago I happened upon a 2005 or so XC70 at the junkyard, and since I knew it has some god damn comfy seats I immediately separated the front two from the car and stashed them in my garage. With talk of fabrication, welding etc in those threads, I woke up today and went to the car shop prepared for mayhem since I really suck at metal working.
Turns out two hours later the seats were firmly bolted down in the car with just a little angle grinder massaging. Yes, my bread loaf cracked armrest is beautiful and it knows it. I know it matches the interior beautifully.
Quick guide:
1. Flip your (240) driver side seat over, unbolt the 4 golden side bolts. Get the rails out. Destroy everything seat height related.
2. Remove XC70 rails by removing the 4 torx nuts INSIDE not the ones outside. Cut all the zipties holding cables, and bolt off safety belt thinghy beforehand, or regret later. Throw the rails away.
3. Grind this welded nut off the front of the 240 rails, both sides.
4. Cut this height regulator guide tubing at about the same width as the welded nut, then give both a final massage, not too much. Cut that notch. Hammer that sheet metal exactly so, or you will regret later. Both sides.
5. Check fitment.
6. With the rails on the seat, and all 4 holes matching up with the XC seat ones, use two of the original XC short torx nuts to bolt the rear on, from the inside out (this is why we hammered the sheet metal).
7. If front nuts you grinded off left a slightly tight hole, enlargen with size M10 drill bit. Then use M10 bolts and nuts to secure the front.
8. Zip tie the cables out of the way, getting everything to work is a project for another day.
9. Do the same with the passenger seat, except its even easier, and you don't need to grind anything off. Just use the 4 original XC bolts inside out and you are done.
10. Enjoy seats ten times more comfortable than the original ones, and that don't give you up like Rick Astley when you doing them fast turns. And less creaky center console because not getting raped by seats anymore:
- I have no idea if this applies to V70, S60, S80 seats of the same years as well. If you can find out if front seats can be swapped between the XC70 and these cars, it probably does.
- You will be sitting higher in the car. I personally like it, and I'm almost 2 meters tall and am still 5-7 cm away from the roof, so no issue there. I like the higher position. Also its not bothering my knee-wheel equilibrium that I care so much about, although I am running a smaller momo wheel.
- I will eventually wire up the heating, and find newer volvo seatbelt latches so I can use these new buckles. The old ones now flop to the ground because the seat isn't supporting them anymore. Zipties seem like the obvious answer.
I hope it helps someone, now bask in the light of my new hid's with inverted daylight-indicator led lights (I hated the daylights on top):
