6ft 2 in tall cramped in the driver seat. Is there a way to extend the seat track so that it goes futher back or is there some control that allows the seat to have more flexibility than i have been able to find. Is there an aftermarket product that addresses the need for more driver leg room for tall guys?

I am also 6-2 and can't fit very well in this car. What gives? any solutions?

I am almost 6'6" and do not find the leg room that bad. Of course I would like more room, I always want more leg room! I have sat in a lot of cars, and I have not found many that accommodate tall drivers, unless it is a very large, or expensive vehicle. I seem to have more room in my E than in my old Explorer though.

I am 6' 5" and have the same issues. I currently drive a Civic. The VW Passat is the only car that I have driven in recently that has lots of leg room. It seems like it would be easy to drill two new holes in the floorboards and move the seat back. I am sure there are liability issues though. I will keep checking as well and if I ever get any news of course it will be posted here.

- CK

This actually has been the best car for legroom and head room i've had, Now i know i've had a few small cars (subaru GL, Toyota Corola...ect)

But i've had no problem what so ever, even on a few long road trips.....

only problem i've had is trying to get in to the back seats....not made for tall people back there.

Seems like the "driver height" problem were seeing here is a lot like of the other problems were seeing - simply a matter of perception.

I am willing to offer an olive branch here and share my leg room.....after all I am only 5'5 and have plenty left over :D

Just trying to help!

Peace out
Diane

I am surprised that people have had leg room problems. I am 6' 5" and the E has the best room I have seen in a very long time.

Perhaps my height is all in my torso! :)

Later
Scott

- long, long legs and short body. 6' tall 36" inseam.
In my opinion, I would like about 2 inches more leg room and the steering wheel placed could be allowed to raise higher.

The Element front seats are perfect for those with long torsos, and the back seats are great for long legs and short torsos.

Thank everyone for the response to my original question. I may need to offer some clarification as it appears that leg room is both relative and a matter of preception. In 1986 i owned a Honda Prelude that allowed ( if memory premits) me the flexibility to extend my legs fully even if it had to be behind the pedals. While not the best driving position, these two or three inches offered comfort on long streaches of highway. For me its not a matter of the most legroom or head room i have ever had. It just seems to me that i should be able to sit in the drivers seat and extend my legs fully if i choose to without getting out of the seat. In my Prelude (memory) there was no room in the back when my seat was fully pushed back. I probably would have understood if the front seat would have not allowed me to extend my legs. In the E however im surrounded by space ( head and rear) except where i need it. My original question still stands. Is there a way to gain additional leg room in my incredible multi purpose adventure tool?

I am 6'7" and need a bit more legroom (my right knee is always hitting the lower corner of the front console. Anyone know if it is possible to allow the front seat to slide back further than the track allows? Or possibly modify the console. I am looking for any creative ideas. Thanks

I'd remove the front seat altogether and just drive from the back one. Why carry all that extra weight around if you really don't need it anyway? And why didn't Honda think of that?

LOL im the same height ( 6' 7") and have the same problems. Good luck in your search if you find anything let me know.

I am 6'8" and have no leg problems. Yes, I realize that our legs will hit the console, but there are far many more cars with worse leg room. Try tucking your right leg slightly under your left while using cruise control. I owned a '97 Ford T-bird prior to my 'E' so maybe I just feel like I have tons more room than before...which I do.

I have never had that problem at all and I think the E is the roomiest vehicle I have ever owned. But then again, I'm only 5' 5".

Ger

i would like to purchase a element but i have the same problem no matter how i put the driver seat back it just doesnt have enough leg room. if it could slide back just 2 more inches it would work great.let me know if someone can figure this out

i not an element owner yet, but on my hyundai santa fe there is a way to mod the seat and make it slide back a few inches. what we do is we put the seat forward all the way, then locate the seat stops and cut them off with a dremmel tool or a file. maybe the e is the same way? if you do it watch that the seat doesnt slde all the way off the track when you adjust it. even if you cut off the seat stops the seat will still lock into position and be safe. (atleast its that way on our seats) :)

take the seat with track out to any one who welds in roll cages for race cars and they will fabb up a new seat frame for the bottom of the seat that sandwiches between the factory tack and seat bottom remember safety is a factor here too. do not off set too much 2 inches is fine because weight is also a problem

While I love my Element, the leg room just sucks on the passenger side. At 6' 5" it is way more confortable in the back. I wish Honda would have added a few inches in the front. Drive side is fine but more room would be nice.

- CK

I have a similiar problem with leg room. I borrowed hand controls from a friend of mine and installed them. Now I can drive using my hand for acceleration and braking while my legs can be crossed or in some other position. I really do like the E, but I do wish they would have considered more leg room.

you know if you change anything to the front seat you might just loose your warranty.

the only part that would be effected by the warranty would be the seat. for example, if you cut off the seat stops and the transmission goes out, then the tranny would still be covered under warranty unless the dealership could prove that cutting off the seat stops made the tranny fail. if the seat stops could be removed then this would be the best way to add a few inches. there is always the part where you could the seat rail to a fab shop, but that always brings the chance of the seat rail failing in an accident because of a bad weld or bad engineering. removing the seat stop (if its the same as on a hyundai santa fe) will not hurt the integrity and strength of the seat. :D

honda
let the driver seat travel back 2 or 3 more inches.it would sure help tall people

Clown 6, have you tried raising or lowering the seat?

I've had my friends Anita, Dave and my brother John drive the car. From 5'6" to 6'2" and from 130 to 230 lbs there haven't been issues.

Can you give Honda a comparison to other vehicles?

Dave

This is a strange comment,but I love to hear all comments/feedback, may I ask how tall you are?

I know several members who are 6'0 to 6'7 and none have voiced any concerns on this.

I am of course only 5'5.....so I actually only have one complaint about the seat adjustment, while the seat is in it's most forward positin the seat blocks the seat belt from returning to the side of the car fully, and when I am in a hurry I often end up slamming my seatbelt in the door denting the plastic on the door sill.

Us shorties get the same problems ;-) I have the same problem with my seatbelt, but I had it with my civic too. I developed a habit of pulling on the belt just so and it would snap back into place when I got out. I do the exact same move with the element.

It doesn't sound real good when the door closes if you don't get it right, but I haven't had any boo boos from it.

As far as the seat, I have it almost all the way up, and it is as high as it can go. I find that my knees are very close to the dash this way.First time I have ever had a leg room issue with a car! I am 5 1".!

I'm 6'2 and have no problem with fitting behind the wheel. My only complaint about leg room would be the tilt steering. It would be nice if the steering wheel tilted up higher for getting in and out.

I'm 6ft3 with a 32" inseam. With the drivers seat pushed all-the-way towards the back, and the knob turned so the seat is all the way down, my right knee leans against the center console kinda uncomfortably sometimes. An extra inch or two would make it more comfy for me. :D

I'm 6' even with an inseam of 30-31" but I find that I could use just a smidge of extra legroom. Maybe the size 12 boats makes a diff... :oops:

Has anyone customized their seat rails to move farther back? I am looking to customize them so that they can slide about 6 inches farther back. Any suggestions on how to do this?

How tall R U? At 6-1, I have plenty of legroom.

[quote:16647d4326=" "]How tall R U? At 6-1, I have plenty of legroom.[/quote:16647d4326]

I am 6'4" with a 35 " inseem

I am 6'2" with a 34" inseam and move the seat 1 or 2 clicks up from the farthest setting.

How far are you reaching with your hands/arms to get to the steering wheel? Are your elbows locked when holding the wheel?

[quote:aed05f751b=" "]I am 6'2" with a 34" inseam and move the seat 1 or 2 clicks up from the farthest setting.

How far are you reaching with your hands/arms to get to the steering wheel? Are your elbows locked when holding the wheel?[/quote:aed05f751b]

I was just asking if anyone knew of any custom seat rail extentions. I really was not trying to justify my need. I feel as if I need them. All I have gotten was more questions about whether I am truly too big for the current seat.

Trust me. I am. I was in a car accident and broke my phemur and found they they do not prduce a rod long enough to properly fit inside my leg to brace it while it heals. I mention this because my legs have always been too long for normal things.

Now that **** is out of the way, does anyone have an answer to my original question?

Its all about proportions, folks. I'm 6' even, and more of my height is torso but, like crj_lll, I could use a smidge more legroom too.

I'd be interested in hearing if anyone has managed to move or modify the seat rails to allow for a bit more legroom. Lord knows we could easily sacrifice a couple of inches of rear legroom without inconviencing anyone! ;)

On longer trips, my legs start cramping up if I can't fully extend them now and again. This hasn't been too much of a problem since we make bathroom (for me) and smoke (for wife) stops along the way.

I don't think moving the seat back a few inches would work.

I looked at it when I first got my "E", I also wanted a few more inches. One fabricator thought it was possible, but he wouldn't do it due to possible liability problems. Besides, he pointed out to me the seat back is already about an inch behind the door jamb. If you move the seat further back, you wouldn't be able to get out without opening the rear door.

[quote:50bf6e5461=" "]I don't think moving the seat back a few inches would work.

I looked at it when I first got my "E", I also wanted a few more inches. One fabricator thought it was possible, but he wouldn't do it due to possible liability problems. Besides, he pointed out to me the seat back is already about an inch behind the door jamb. If you move the seat further back, you wouldn't be able to get out without opening the rear door.[/quote:50bf6e5461]

As far as the liability issues go, you are exactly right, unless we instal them ourselves and just have the fabricator build them.

As far as the door jam, sacrifices for the things we want.

Has anyone modified the driver's side seat for a taller person? Does anyone know if Honda has aftermarket seats that sit lower and further away?

I am 6-foot 6-inches tall. The Element has great headroom and side room but it is very strange that Honda did not allow more leg room. When I test drove an Element, the steering wheel in the highest up position and the seat in the furthest back position, yet my knee was tightly wedged under the steering wheel. The salesperson is saying that a seat rail extension would resolve the problem, but I am not so certain.

Then of course there are warranty and car insurance issues if a modification is done.

Seattle Tall Guy

Has anyone modified the driver's side seat for a taller person? Does anyone know if Honda has aftermarket seats that sit lower and further away?

I am 6-foot 6-inches tall. The Element has great headroom and side room but it is very strange that Honda did not allow more leg room. When I test drove an Element, the steering wheel was in the highest up position and the seat in the furthest back position, yet my knee was tightly wedged under the steering wheel. So much so, that it was difficult to turn the steering wheel. The salesperson is saying that a seat rail extension would resolve the problem, but I am not convinced.

Then of course there are warranty and car insurance issues if a modification is done.

Seattle Tall Guy

[quote:f9cc284cc1=" "]Has anyone modified the driver's side seat for a taller person? Does anyone know if Honda has aftermarket seats that sit lower and further away?

I am 6-foot 6-inches tall. The Element has great headroom and side room but it is very strange that Honda did not allow more leg room. When I test drove an Element, the steering wheel was in the highest up position and the seat in the furthest back position, yet my knee was tightly wedged under the steering wheel. So much so, that it was difficult to turn the steering wheel. The salesperson is saying that a seat rail extension would resolve the problem, but I am not convinced.

Then of course there are warranty and car insurance issues if a modification is done.

Seattle Tall Guy[/quote:f9cc284cc1]

Dumb question but... you do have the seat lowered as far as it will go using the adjustment knob, right? My girlfriend's dad is also 6' 6". He took my Element for a drive shortly after I bought it and commented on how comfortable it was.

I wish my E had a seat rail extension for the driver. I am 6'5" with a 35" inseam, and find the legroom a little "short" for a tall driver.

Maybe I will drop by West Coast Choppers this weekend, to talk with the people from Monster Garage, to hear what they would recommend. :lol:

http://www.westcoastchoppers.com/

Hey Tallguy, if you can successfully run a search, you can save a lot of time, and keep a lot of people from telling you that it's perfectly fine the way it is, or that you don't really need it, or that you wouldn't like it anyway.

As far as I know, noone has had any success getting more legroom by any combination of new seat, new rails, or modding the old rails. So when you are successful, tell everyone how you did it.

Keep an eye on my thread. I have thought of a solution to give us tall guys about 3 to 6 inches farther travel backawrds.

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6908&highlight=

Stay turned. I may have thought up a solution that is safe and cheap. I will keep you posted, Have to find a skilled welder to make sure the work is done right first.

Yea I'm in the same boat as you guys. I am 6'5 and i fit in there "Ok". I just really love the car and I got it about a week ago. Please post any new info you guys find here. thanks!
KVN

Mabye the seat extension is not for driving? :roll:

I have the opposite problem...I'm only 5'2" and would love if the seats could go up higher! I feel like I have a foot of headroom!

I really do not know why 6'6" people are having issues. I am 6'8" and have none whatsoever.

Maybe I am just so used to being crammed into much smaller cars that this ones looks and feels like so much more.

Oh well, I am not going to knock anyone's personal comfort. I just thought I'd give my $.02

Maybe your 4' 8" from the waist up and 2' 0" from the waist down - hence more leg room! I think all of this depends on your inseam length and other dimensions. Just because one 6' 6" or 6' 8" person fits nicely in an Element, doesn't mean the next one will.
Good luck all you giants!

Yes,I agree that the seat could use a little more travel.I am 6ft 1in and I find that my legs could use an inch or two more room. Also could use a real dead pedal to rest my left foot on . :)

I'm 6' 1" with a 32" inseam and I seem to have lots of legroom. But I also would like to have a deadpedal...I had one in my Jetta and it was quite comfortable for my left foot.

[quote:a351a5c109=" "]But I also would like to have a deadpedal....[/quote:a351a5c109]

Sooooo, put one in. Not too hard, huh?

Bill

See http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm

[quote:bc6fa98387=" "]See http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm[/quote:bc6fa98387]

That's crazy! Wow!

-brendan

But it just goes to show that our site certainly doesn't have the "corner on the market" for techno-nerd behavior re: Elements! :wink:

I have just bought a 2004 Element and have just 350 miles on it. I have not found a comfortable position for my left leg. This is to the point that even on a 15 minute drive my left foot gets cramps. I have adjusted the seat height as well as the distance back. I am very surprised by the lack of leg room on the left side, I suppose this is due to the wheel well. I am 6' 2" and weigh 170, and have never had this problem with any other car.

Has anyone else experienced this. If so any solutions?

Doesn't the left leg have as much room as the right?

However the Element does not have the angled dead peddle that you may be used to. Someone, I believe RamblingDan, has made his own.

You might also experiement with lumbar pillows. Sometimes leg pains are caused by nerves being pinched where the exit the spinal column.

paulj

Paul is correct. See
http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/dead_pedal.htm

Also
http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm
--a more extreme solution, one might say, but it has worked beautifully for me for 12,000 miles so far.

I am 6 1 And weigh 214 lbs. and have had no issues. I usually kick off my left shoe and put my foot on the rounded piece below the little ledge, and above the coin drawer. Works for me.

I am sorry you are having issues, I hope you can work it out. I had a Ranger pick up one time. After driving it for 9 months it was history, just could not make it work.

Really tall people could take out the front seat and sit in the back, that would be cool.

One more thing, Rambler, does this thing you call the dead pedal really make a difference?

Rambler, you are hardcore...props!

Its amazing when you see the custom work for years on a sporty car like the RSX then come here...the spirit remains even thought the mods change.

While my RAV4 has a well defined dead peddle, I probably use it most to help me shift positions in the seat. I don't really miss it on the Element. The seats are comfortable enough (especially the seat bottom) that I don't have to squirm around much. I put my left foot in a variety positions - straight ahead, crossed in front of me, etc.

I did have some fit problems right after buying my Element, that manifested themselves in some neck and upper arm numbness. Turned out the problem was the seat back was too straight. Adding a low seat cushion gave my shoulders room to flex, solving the problem. That is why I suggested considering the seat back as well as the leg position.

paulj

My problem is with my right knee. My knee rubs/leans against the console and starts to grind against my knee cap. Well . . . perhaps grind is a little strong, but anyway it is annoying and does become sore on a long drive.

Fortunately this is my wife's car, so I usually only drive it when we are together and then only in bad weather :-)

Bear

Thanks to all that have responded to my question on leg room. I will try the dead pedal and I am sure this will work. It is great to have a web site like this and friendly people willing to take the time to respond!
Greg

One more thing, Rambler, does this thing you call the dead pedal really make a difference?
It does for me. YMMV.

My problem is with my right knee. My knee rubs/leans against the console and starts to grind against my knee cap. Well . . . perhaps grind is a little strong, but anyway it is annoying and does become sore on a long drive.
Try some adhesive foam tape. I have Frost King R516 Rubber Foam Weatherseal Self Stick Tape (1 1/4" x 7/16"), covered with clear packing tape for durability, strategically placed for this purpose:
http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/images/tape.jpg

Adding a low seat cushion gave my shoulders room to flex, solving the problem.
PaulJ is right on, as usual. A cushion will also make up for the seat's decided lack of integral lumbar support. My current fav is a Tempur-Pedic lumbar cushion (http://www.tempurpedic.com/comfort/lumbarsupport/), modified so as to stay put without interfering with the side air bags:
http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/images/lumbar.jpg
Pricy but wonderful, though the viscoelastic foam does get stiff in the cold.

I always feel that I am too close for comfort. I don't get discomfort, but I would like to be a little further. And I'm just 5'10"

I'm 6'2" and 170, felt comfortable in my stock Element since the day I test drove it. I guess the dead pedal could help you though. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but I feel that from all the vehicles I considered, this one had by far the most room up front for driver/passenger so I think your comment about space is stretching it a little.

I will have to add. On a MT trans I had to move the seat up a hair from all the way back. But automatics, I like to stretch.

... from all the vehicles I considered, this one had by far the most room up front for driver/passenger so I think your comment about space is stretching it a little.

This is quantifiable. Below are legroom specs for the Element and six competitors (2004 model year). Members are invited to add to the list.

Sorento: 42.6 inches
Rav4: 42.4
Grand Vitara: 41.4
XL-7: 41.4
Xterra: 41.4
CR-V: 41.3
Element: 41.0

Front seat needs to got back just one more inch. I'm 6'4" with long legs and just need one more inch to be confortable in the front. Right now it gets just a little bit tight and I feel 'contained' in the front seat.:-x

Would you settle for 2" instead of just 1"? (http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm) :)

Would you settle for 2" instead of just 1"? (http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm) :)
:D Do you mean 2" more, than you already have?? If the answer is yes, then my answer is yes that would be nice.

That is so cool. Leg room. Great post Dan.

I'm looking at inheriting my wife's E as my primary ride. One problem. I need about three more inches of leg room on the driver's side. For short trips, I can deal with it. Unfortunately, my drive to work is an hour. Has anyone found a solution to this problem that doesn't involve a welder? If not, has anyone had a custom shop move the seats? How much was that? Thanks for your time.

Three or four would work too. You can always move the seat forward.

Not sure how much help this is but a coworker sat in my E and had the same issue. He bought a Matrix and loves it. Maybe a trade in is the answer. The E isn't for everyone.:cool:

Hmmm.. I'm just a tad over 6'4", with a 36" inseam, and I have plenty of legroom up front. I'd also be leary about modifying seat tracks -- in the event of a crash with injuries you might be in some serious legal hot water should you injure yourself or someone else (and need to make a claim).

ramblerdan has an answer for you. (http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm)

Oh, and BTW you may want to check a little further next time. There is an active thread (http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20180) with current posts on exactly this issue over in the Dear Honda forum.

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks. I really appreciate it.:D

Geeky, no doubt about increasing liability. Any mod along these lines increases personal (as opposed to Honda's) responsibility. Good that you find the stock leg room adequate; how much bending at the knee one can tolerate is a matter of taste.

W3asel, you said "no welding" in the other thread, but once the tracks are off, it's easy to take them to a professional welder, and it shouldn't cost too much. Consider not divulging the application; I got turned down by the first shop I went to because they were afraid of liability.

Outpost, thanks for the references and links. Quick work there!

As I said in another thread, if I were to do it again, I'd remove the front & rear brackets from the rails, have the rails welded to lengths of steel square channel, and then weld the brackets to that. Would eliminate worries about a possible failure in the butt welds in the future, plus alleviate some of the cutting I had to do on the plastic panels. In that scenario, one concern would be that the maximum seat height would be an inch or so higher than stock, allowing a tall driver to sit too high for the shoulder harness height adjustment to compensate. (Having the shoulder harness too low could cause spinal compression in a crash.)

Hello -

I am tall and have a 38 inch inseam. The driver's seat in an Element is a little snug for my legs, and the glovebox on the passenger's side makes that side even more uncomfortable. Has anyone ever done any sort of modification that will allow a little bit of the generous leg room in the back seats be moved to the front seats?

Thanks - Tall1 in MN

RamblerDan has done such a mod. Do a search for this name and find the post.

Look Here: http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm

RamblerDan has done such a mod. Do a search for this name and find the post.

Look Here: http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm

Wow, the finished product is awesome, but it looks like it'll take some work. Good luck!

Rambler dan gives a nice How to on his site.

http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/index.htm:)

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif
:)

I haven't had a chance to look at my Element tracks. However on all of my honda Civics I took the seats out, took the tracks out, and then re-drilled the seat mounting holes all the way to the rear- about 1 1/2- 2" further back. This worked great and cost me NOTHING!! I'll have to check my E and I'll post again.

I've decided to get a used Element for long distance camping trips. I'll be in the driver's seat for probably 8 - 12 hours a day while commuting to the camp site. I'm looking at a low mileage 2003-2005 with 4WD/AT. I think the Element will work perfectly for me in all respects but one: I'm 6'5" tall and with the seat all the way back and down, my knees just barely clear the dashboard. I gave the seat mounts a quick look, but wasn't able to see much. Is it possible or has anyone tried to move the driver's seat back a bit? If I can move the seat back another inch (or two would be even better) I should be set.

Any advice?

yes yes you can theres some one who has done it. :| but i can't seam to find the post.

ramblerdan is your man.

He has moved his driver's seat back and modified his steering wheel for a better view of the gauges.

The search function can find posts by him.

Cheers

Thanks, found the post and Dan's very good how to here:

http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm

This is a little off topic from the initial question, but I was wondering about my driver's seat a bit. As I was getting out of my E the other day I went to slide the driver's seat forward to reach for something and noticed that it is not spring loaded as the passenger seat is, sliding forward and back. I can't remeber the last time I moved the seat, I don't let too many people drive the E. Has my spring popped or is this standard?

ramblerdan is your man.

He has moved his driver's seat back and modified his steering wheel for a better view of the gauges.

It seems to me that there are some very serious safety issues with ramblerdan's steering wheel mod. Cutting the circle of the wheel dramatically weakens the structure - this is simple structural engineering. When I asked my insurance people about coverage should I be injured by the wheel, so modded, in an accident, I was pretty sure my agent was about to have a stroke.... Cut up the safety structure and you can expect your insurance people to drop you like a hot rock. I'm sure that if you crawl thru the fine print of your policy you will find that if you compromise safety structures you will be on your own.....

Is there any way to add some length to the drivers seat track in order to get more leg room?
If not factory, some type of after-market product?

If you're ever in New York buy ramblerdan a beer.:)


http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm

Curses! Irv's first on the scene again!

Tell us about your E, Noctilux1.

Is there any way to add some length to the drivers seat track in order to get more leg room?
If not factory, some type of after-market product?

How tall do you have to be to need to extend the seat tracks? I'm 6'4" and have the seat no more than 1/2way back!

^ Then I guess it doesn't apply to you.

I've test driven the Element. Gone out four times so far, love the car. I'm in the process of refinancing for several reasons. This car purchase will come from that deal. I have decided on the E, especially for the headroom. I'm 6'6", 280 lbs. When I've driven the E my right leg in particular has very little room, my knee rests on the center console. Driving is part of my job, about 40k a year on average. I spend a great deal of time in my car and am just trying to be as comfortable as possible. This seems like a great car. I am going to purchase this car in the next couple of weeks. Thank you for your help.

If you're buying a 2007, note that the parts are different from those on 2003-06 models, so your seat track conversion might vary.

http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/eoc/03-07seat_tracks02.gif

If I were to do it again, I'd try a slightly different method:

1. Remove front and back brackets, track floor cover fastener bracket, and support tube from the factory U-channel (track);

2. Weld those parts, matching their relative positions, to a square steel channel the same size and length as the factory U-channel;
a) drill/file holes for the front cover clips;
b) verify fit with floor mounting and support points and the track floor cover;

3. Weld the square channel to the U-channel track, staggered two to three inches forward.

This should be stronger and more durable than the butt-welded, cantilevered extension I used.

Good luck, and please report back.

Thank you ramblerdan, that sounds like a plan. I'm sure I can get someone in the DC area who can actually perform that task. I will post a photo when I get my E.

I have an 07 E and I love it, but there's one thing I'd like to change. I'm 6'8" and would like to move the driver seat back. In previous vehicles, I've unbolted the seat from the floor & drilled new holes 2 inches further back, then reassembled. Has anyone done anything similar or different to accomplish the same goal? More legroom would be great!

Ramblerdan did this on his 2004 E way back when. Do a search for it and you'll find it.

Is there a fuse that could be removed to disable the seatbelt buzzer?

I had the seat in my 06 lowered a couple of inches and moved back a half a foot. It cost $500.

http://www.vintageip.com/ebay/elementseat01.jpg
Here is the seat up front.

http://www.vintageip.com/ebay/elementseat02.jpg
This is the seat all the way back. It goes further than I need it to go, and still is able to go up to normal size person position too.

http://www.vintageip.com/ebay/elementseat03.jpg
And this is the seat in the back.

elephink

This is from Ramblerdan:

http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm

I had the seat in my 06 lowered a couple of inches and moved back a half a foot. It cost $500.

elephink

I'd be very interested in having this done too. Who did you have do this for you?

My E is a company car & I'll be getting rid of it in 2 years, so if I can't figure out how to move the seat back for free, I'll just have to suffer

I drove a Toyota FJ Cruiser 6speed MT STERLING this weekend & loved it. My problem with my E is that my right leg rests on the center dash where the shifter is. The FJ gave me tons of legroom & had several features of the E like rubber/plastic floor & waterproof seats. Its also a real 4x4. I may get it when my lease is up on the E.

Elemental_ed, did you figure out a way to redrill the seat mounting holes on the E? That is a mod I could do myself.

There's about a 1 1/2" rise in the floorboard at the front seat mounts that prevents you from simply shifting the tracks back as you would if the floor (and the track brackets) were flat.

http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/eoc/seat_rail_angle_bracket.gif

A compromise solution would be to remove the front angle bracket and put a new, stout bracket in its place, facing the other way and even extending out a bit. That would gain you another couple of inches, though you'd have to drill new holes in the floorboard for the rear brackets and clear the garnish and floor insulation/liner accordingly.

Note that this applies to 2003-06 seats. The tracks on 2007 seats are slightly different, and I haven't looked at them closely enough to know if the same mod will work.

http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/eoc/03-07seat_tracks.gif

I'd remove the front seat altogether and just drive from the back one. Why carry all that extra weight around if you really don't need it anyway? And why didn't Honda think of that?

Chocolate milk just came out of my nose... Thanks!:grin:

Check out Rambledan's modification. He is 6' 5" and adjusted his seat track with a little ingenuity and a welder.

Guys this thread is from '03 I think they found the answer or moved on to a more height friendly vehicle:rolleyes:. Drew:)

Maybe he hired some kid to drive him around and is enjoying the ridiculous amount of leg room in the rear seats.:rolleyes:

Hello,

I'm thinking of getting an element (2006 EX) but am 6'8" and almost fit perfectly.

Has anyone had experience in unbolting the driver's seat and moving it back between 1 to 3 inches? Does the floor allow space to drill new holes to do this?

Are there particular versions that have more interior (console / knee room) space for the driver?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Yes, search for posts by Ramblerdan and go to his website. (I'm too lazy to look it up right now.)

Welcome to the club.

I think you will find all the information you need on this site.

Ramblerdan has the information you need. He has also posted several How To's that may hold some interest for you .\\

http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm

Follow the link !

Dom

Thanks for the replies! I checked out Ramblerdan's site and it has some interesting stuff.

Glad I found this site! I have to show the seat track mod page to my mechanic buddy and see if he would be willing to spend a weekend with me to get it done.

Thanks again!

Pictures!http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/eoc/spacer01.gif

Apologies if this has already been answered - I searched the forums and couldn't find anything related.

I'm 6'5" and love my 2004 Element, however the seats don't go back quite far enough for me, and my knees clonk the dash on occasion, and the cramped nature makes it uncomfortable on longer drives.

Does anyone know if there are any available mods to extend the seat rails and allow the seat to slide back further? There's plenty of room in the cabin, but may be other logistical restrictions.

Thanks in advance!

Here you go:

http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm

Thanks for the quick response. Unfortunately, given the complexity of the endeavor looks like I'll pass on this method. I was hoping for something aftermarket and/or a little more plug-and-play, unfortunately. I'm reasonably handy, but not up to the level to attempt the mod described in that link.

Thanks again.

I hope you have cruise control. Lowering the seat allows for a little more leg room (at least on my '06.)

Regards,

I would love to be able to lower the seat another inch, but that is probably not in the cards.

as a 6'10'' almost new 09 E ex owner I find it a bit snug around the leg room issue. I wonder if anyone has encountered similar issue and might offer solutions to this..a couple more inches would be great (41.0) straight from the factory

appreciate any wisdom in this matter.

Thanks

phil

Have you thought of having someone chauffeur you around in the back seat, there is a lot more leg room back there.:D

Actually there are several EOCers over 6'5" that probably have useful info for you. I believe some have even swapped out the seats for a little extra room.

Oh and welcome to the club. Hope you can make the E work for you.

Have you thought of having someone chauffeur you around in the back seat, there is a lot more leg room back there.
Yes but headroom is somewhat limited. My 6'2" son (he's my "little" boy) needs to recline the seat a bit when riding in the back.

as a 6'10'' almost new 09 E ex owner I find it a bit snug around the leg room issue. I wonder if anyone has encountered similar issue and might offer solutions to this..a couple more inches would be great (41.0) straight from the factory . . .

A lot of things would be nice straight from the factory, but wouldn't the right time to ask have been when you were "almost an E owner"? We welcome prospective E buyers (and former owners) as well as current owners.

I can see 6-10 being a problem, I'm slightly shorter and could use another inch of legroom, but compromised because my wife is much shorter and can just reach the pedals with the stock seat.

It's feasible to have the stock front seat of an '09 re-mounted using custom-built rails, and easier than on an early Element because the outboard anchors aren't on the B-pillar. There are a couple of threads about legroom and custom seats that are relevant, and see http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm

Possible sources : http://www.corbeau.com and http://www.wedgeengineering.net/

Does anyone know anywhere I can go to get the driver's seat track extended by a couple of inches? It is just too cramped for my gas pedal leg. Thanks

Does anyone know anywhere I can go to get the driver's seat track extended by a couple of inches? It is just too cramped for my gas pedal leg. Thanks

RamblerDan has an explanation of how he did this here:

http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm

Welcome, Ward. Please fill in your profile so we know whether you have a MY 2003-06 Element or a MY 2007-09, which has different seats.

Love my 2003 Element but I need a little more leg room in the drivers seat (I'm 6'5"). Is there any way to move the stock seats back or will Aftermarket seats work better?

Thanks

Look for posts containing the term "seat rails". Some people have modded the rails, some have added stacks of washers with great success.

My seat-rail modification (http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/seat_tracks.htm)

A couple of EOCers indicated their intention to do this but never reported back.

Discussion on lengthening the seat rails (http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1248)

Discussion on propping up the front of the seat rails (http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50514)

Thanks. ramblerdan I'm just south of you in Voorheesville. You know of anyone in our area that has done this or where I might be able to get it done?

The welder who did my rails back in '04 is out of business now, but I have also used Govel Welding in Colonie and was satisfied with their work. They don't seem to have a Web site, but here's their Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Govel-welding/165744096779624).

I wouldn't tell the welder that the rails are for a car seat; he could be spooked by the potential liability. He'll likely know what they are when he sees 'em, but it's nice to have plausible deniability. A mechanic (if you need to use one) might have the same problem, so in theory you could use one mechanic to remove the seat and separate the rails from the seat base, and a different mechanic to put everything back together. "Oh yes, those seat rails are just as they came from Honda!"

Measure and record the unmodified rails' dimensions, particularly the distance between the front and rear brackets, so they're sure to be welded back in the right spots. Note well the orientation of the front brackets—they look "backward," and need to stay that way. It would help to give the welder full-scale drawings of what you want. If the welder cuts the brackets and support tube from one rail and uses the other, untouched rail as a model, it should be straightforward.

The new square channel (the method I'm recommending, not the way I did it) will need to be a few inches longer than the tracks; 3" to 4" should be plenty.

Finally, you will need to disconnect and reconnect an airbag connector under the seat, so follow the airbag safety protocols in the Honda service manual to the letter.

When I did this mod, I bought a new seat base just in case I messed up the original tracks, but ended up not needing it. Whether you choose to invest a couple of hundred bucks in an emergency backup depends on your level of confidence in tackling this job.

Good luck, take pictures, and let us know how it works out. I'd love to see someone improve on what I did!

P.S.: If you have a rocking seat, this will be the time to replace the bushings.