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940 Unlocked Two Bonus Levels of Leg Room!

al_ngl

al_ngl

Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2011
Location
Lafayette, IN
...by removing two roll pins!

I am only 6'1" tall, but I find that the three Volvos I've had, apart from possibly my 760, were just a tiny bit on the cramped side for leg room. Well, today I tested a long held suspicion I've had as to whether more usable leg room can be gained in mere minutes simply by removing the two roll pins that are in the rear of the seat rails, as well as the rubber stoppers in front of them. I put the seat all the way back, and sure enough, the seat on my 940 had two more slots to go backward, but was locked out by the roll pins. A few minutes wiggling with vise grips, and I have at least an inch more legroom!

Granted, the roll pins were probably there for a safety reason, either to keep the seat from moving backward in a rear-end collision, or to keep the driver at a certain proximity to the airbags in the event of a front-end crash. Either way, the rear seat bolts stop the seat from coming off the rails, and if I really worried about it I could put longer bolts in with a stack of washers to make sure it was as good as two tiny roll pins.

Had anyone discovered this before? I didn't find anything on Google.
 
Strange. I'm a bit taller, but I never had that issue, probably have 5-6 more "levels" to go back and no, I don't have short legs.

Do your seats have height adjustment?
 
I'm gonna go look at my 740 seats right now and see if I can do that too. Inm 5-9" and I still need more leg room. My seats are fully adjustable but I'm still cramped.
 
nordmaschine said:
Strange. I'm a bit taller, but I never had that issue, probably have 5-6 more "levels" to go back and no, I don't have short legs.

Do your seats have height adjustment?
Click to expand...

Yeah I have the height adjustment, and I have to raise the front and tilt the rear back to be comfortable. I am a large guy overall, not really lanky, so that probably accounts for some of it. I'm also probably a little more leg than torso.
 
The issue I have is the seat back, the 700/900 are better than the early 200 but even on them the top of the headrest is too low. On the early 240 seats the top of the headrest ends up just above the base of my skull. I've always found it a bit odd since I'd have thought the seats would be designed for tall Swedes, I'm 6'1" so taller than average but not exceptionally so.
 
James10952001 said:
The issue I have is the seat back, the 700/900 are better than the early 200 but even on them the top of the headrest is too low. On the early 240 seats the top of the headrest ends up just above the base of my skull. I've always found it a bit odd since I'd have thought the seats would be designed for tall Swedes, I'm 6'1" so taller than average but not exceptionally so.
Click to expand...

Huh. The headrest is the right height for me, so at the same height I must have more leg, comparatively. Leg room is always way more of an issue for me than headroom is.

So far this "mod" has worked out really well. Took the car on a spirited back road drive, and could still access the wheel and pedals plenty for full control, as well as having enough room to be comfortable. Definitely the best improvement for the amount of time spent for anything I've done to the car so far!
 
Biggest complaint I've had with the 900 series, is the lack of headroom in the sunroof cars. I'm a tall guy with a big head and even with the seat in the lowest position my head was maybe an inch and a half from the headliner.
 
al_ngl said:
...by removing two roll pins!

I am only 6'1" tall, but I find that the three Volvos I've had, apart from possibly my 760, were just a tiny bit on the cramped side for leg room. Well, today I tested a long held suspicion I've had as to whether more usable leg room can be gained in mere minutes simply by removing the two roll pins that are in the rear of the seat rails, as well as the rubber stoppers in front of them. I put the seat all the way back, and sure enough, the seat on my 940 had two more slots to go backward, but was locked out by the roll pins. A few minutes wiggling with vise grips, and I have at least an inch more legroom!

Granted, the roll pins were probably there for a safety reason, either to keep the seat from moving backward in a rear-end collision, or to keep the driver at a certain proximity to the airbags in the event of a front-end crash. Either way, the rear seat bolts stop the seat from coming off the rails, and if I really worried about it I could put longer bolts in with a stack of washers to make sure it was as good as two tiny roll pins.

Had anyone discovered this before? I didn't find anything on Google.
Click to expand...

Has the seat arrangement changed over the years ? Did Volvo move the seats forward one notch ?

* Mandella Effect ?
 
I don't know how it could be a Mandela Effect, what are you saying the masses are mis-remembering about Volvo seat rails?
 
My issue with my 245 is my long legs. I had to swap out the stock steering wheel for a Momo Prototipo, because my left leg would either hit the steering wheel when using the clutch, or I'd have to have it all crooked to the left and hitting the door. That being said, now the steering wheel blocks the gauge cluster and I have to move my head around in order to see how fast I'm going. Just can't win :roll:
 
Streetliight said:
My issue with my 245 is my long legs. I had to swap out the stock steering wheel for a Momo Prototipo, because my left leg would either hit the steering wheel when using the clutch, or I'd have to have it all crooked to the left and hitting the door. That being said, now the steering wheel blocks the gauge cluster and I have to move my head around in order to see how fast I'm going. Just can't win :roll:
Click to expand...
Dude, 6'1" here and I have/had the same issue. I had to hack up a WRX seat and custom mount it, just to get an inch's worth of space between my knees and the wheel. The stock sponges that pass for seats in these cars are TERRIBLE, IMO.
 
I'm 6'1 and I almost didn't go with buying the 245 six months ago because the cockpit is so tight for me. It's the only negative for me, but now I'm going to try this mod out and see if I can squeak out an extra inch or two!!:):cool:
 
Im around 6'2 with a 245 I dont have a headroom problem but I feel that if i get into an accident my knees will infact become a crumple zone, and my right leg always hits with the center console, i may add memory foam there
 
6'4 here, i always feel my hair brushing the headliner. I could use a little less height on the seats. that said, i never have to use the sun visors so that's a bonus.
 
rom said:
6'4 here, i always feel my hair brushing the headliner. I could use a little less height on the seats. that said, i never have to use the sun visors so that's a bonus.
Click to expand...

On the front and rear of driver seat are the 2 short height adjustment levers.
Try to lower all the way, if you haven't already ?
 
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