Broken seat from Even Brake Portable Braking System?

[Pangaea_Ron]

I have a Roadmaster Even Brake Portable Proportional Braking System that I use in my 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo.

My driver's seat metal frame has broken in several places. The lower rear right vertical bracket has sheared, and the left rear horizontal frame itself has also fractured. The welds to the tube surrounding the rear of the molded metal seat bucket frame have also broken.

I took it to my local mechanic, and he has seen this happen to Jeep seats before, and has tried to repair it, but suggested that is cheaper to find a used seat to replace it.

I'm a big guy (240 lbs), and have probably stressed the seat, but I loaned my Jeep to some really big guys, and it came back broken. As I was installing my braking system for towing, I noticed that it exerts a great deal of pressure on the seat front during braking. Could this be a part of the problem?

I fabricated a new bolted bracket to repair the sheared bracket, and had welder (a true artist) repair the fractured bracket, and I used large diameter hex head self tapping bolts to attach the tube to the bucket frame.

I have also fabricated wood blocking to transfer the forces from the braking system module directly to the front of the metal base rails of the seat, rather than relying on the braking system to transfer forces through the seat front.

Any thoughts?

[Pangaea_Ron]

Yep

[dons2346]

I think you answered your question in paragraph #4

[rmmpe]

I've installed my Even Brake to 3 vehicles and never noticed major strain being placed on the seat(s) during the initial test.

[luvlabs]

I think between you and your really big friends, your weight caused the failure(s). Braking forces aren't that great and are very intermittent compared to you sitting there and bouncing up and down.

Replacing the seat would be the best way.

[WyoTraveler]

I had a seat break in a Dodge Ram Charger several years ago. DW & I removed all the fabric from the frame. I reinforced the frame & welded the broken areas. We then replaced the fabric. Seat was better than new.