Has anyone devised a modification that will allow the seats to be installed and removed without having to unbolt the T-handle every time?
I hadn't heard of interference with the flap rod covers. That's good to know.
I removed the aft stop on my seat rails to allow the seat to come off with out having to remove the seat adjustment pin. I have not had any problems of the seat sliding off the rail moving the seat aft. The front stop is still in place. Please don't tell Van.
Greg...
You only need to remove 3 of the bolts; loosen a top one and pivot around it. Makes re installation slightly easier.
No need to cut the seat rail. There is another thread that describes a better approach. In the rail on the seat, there is a white UMHW plastic "bushing" that reduces friction for sliding the seat. If you taper the plastic bushing, the sit can be angled and removed with the flap tube cover still installed.
On the issue of removing the seat handle, I did something like Greg Hale did - I removed the rear stop. I then drilled through the bottom. There is nothing underneath, so I was going to put some nutplates for the bolts that hold the rear stop; but I found an easier way. Long clevis pins. Now I can just wiggle the rear stop up and off. I'm sure some safety guru will argue with this, but it's only the rear stops, not the front ones. They are still not that easy to wiggle off, but it's definitely easier than removing the handle.
John
Just curious, but for those that did all these seat mods, how often are you yanking your seats out? I mean for an operation that seemingly would happen only once a year it seems like a non-issue to begin with to me.
+1 on this approach. I believe this is the thread Mark is referring to:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=57756&highlight=rail