[mr2ns]

Gents, the wife is now driving the GV 05 as a daily. But the dash under the steering wheel does not suit her desired seating position. Her knees hit it and therefore she is at a stretch to reach the steering wheel. Anymore upright on the seat angle and she will be eating the steering wheel.

Soooo has anyone tall or those sick of the complaining from their misses ever "hacked" their dash plastic under the steering wheel? Pics please...

[MrRocky]

Try a different model, you will however learn to love the gv

[fordem]

Quite seriously - I don't see how "anyone tall" could/would be hitting their knees against the dash plastic under the steering wheel - I'm just around six feet, my son is several inches taller, he drives with the seat all the way back, I don't, neither one of us has ever had a problem with the plastic.

The other thing that puzzles me is how anyone with perhaps normal or average proportioned body could be sufficiently far forward for their knees hit the plastic, whilst simultaneously having to stretch to reach the wheel and being close enough to "eat it" - he/she would need to have very long legs and very short arms - my wife has perhaps longer than average legs, and a relatively short torso, and I've never heard her complain.

I'm not certain what you define as a GV 05, but the SQ series GVs were on the market in 05, that plastic panel is held in by I think it's four screws and a couple of clips, JB series were also available in some markets and I know the panel on that is also removable, but, I have not removed it as often as I have the ones on the SQ so I can't tell you how to do it off the top of my head.

[squibby]

mr2ns wrote:

Soooo has anyone tall or those sick of the complaining from their misses ever "hacked" their dash plastic under the steering wheel? Pics please...

What... do you mean like removed the panel, cut two knee holes in it and then fibre glassed some 'knee bumps' into the lower dash? to accommodate someone who obviously is just sitting too close to the steering wheel?

Just unscrew the lower dash panel and sling it. It might be all jaggedy down there in an accident though...

[mr2ns]

I know its sounds funny and weird but I just wanted to find out if anyone has modded it.

In her case, she is short and when she goes to place her foot on the brake her knee bangs the plastic. After these comments I made her sit it in and adjusted the steering wheel slightly higher (as she was pressing brake it would almost hit), dropped the bum of the seat all the way and just adjusted the to the point she has a few mm between her knees and plastic. The plastic is secure and its 05 2.5L v6 5 door.

She took it for a drive and thinks its a lot better. Time will tell as she was developing neck and shoulder pain from driving it...

Dont worry... we love the car.

[30ONA]

First thing my dad taught me before I drove. How to sit in the car properly and set the mirrors. He is an ex rally driver from the sixties when cars were basic.

What he taught me was not quite as clinical as the following but along very similar lines. Maybe a bit patronising but https://www.google.com.au/amp/m.wikihow ... d-optus-au

[fordem]

This might be more of an issue for a woman than it is for us men, but, if you sit with your knees outwards they won't hit the dash - having said that, two of the ladies that drive my SQ (an 05 2.5 V6 will be an SQ) are short enough that they need the seat all the way forward and I've never heard any complaints, so it may just be how she sits - there are certain things that cannot be done whilst keeping your knees together.

[fordem]

30ONA wrote:

https://www.google.com.au/amp/m.wikihow.com/Adjust-Seating-to-the-Proper-Position-While-Driving%3Famp%3D1?client=ms-android-optus-au

That is not worth the time it took to read - and I gave up after the first few.

Quote:

Adjust the rake of the seat. This should be as parallel as possible to the steering

This would appear to be impossible to do - I say 'appear' because they do not define which part of the steering the rake of the seat should be parallel to - the column or the wheel - but anyway you twist & turn things, the rake of the seat and either the column or the wheel are going to be at a significant angle relative to one another and nowhere even remotely close to parallel.

They also feel the rake of the seat should be set to an upright angle of 110~95*, with no indication of what that angle is relative to (presumably the horizontal), and the image shows the 110~95 as a vertical separation not as an angle.

Quote:

Adjust the steering height. Where adjustable, the steering height should be adjusted to as parallel to back angle,

Please tell me how you adjust the height (presumably of the steering wheel) to be parallel to the "back" angle (presumably the back of the seat).

[30ONA]

To be honest I didn't read in as much detail as you.

My method then, or dads method plus a bit.
1. Sit in seat. Adjust forward/back till leg position is comfortable. In a manual push the clutch to the floor. Your leg should still be slightly bent when at the floor. Release the clutch for the next step.
2. If fitted tilt the seat base to take up any gap under your thigh to support the weight of your legs.
3. Sitting comfortably, with shoulders back and head straight, put your arms out horizontal and straight. The steering wheel should be adjusted so that your wrists rest on the 10 and 2 position of the steering wheel. This is where you hold the wheel. If you have airbags, 9 and 3.
4. Set your mirrors. A lot of people set the sides so they can see down the side of the car. I think this is pointless. I find they are best adjusted into the blind spot between your peripheral vision and the limits of your centre mirror. When reversing if you towards the side your looking a touch you can see the sides of your car without adjusting the mirrors.

[30ONA]

fordem wrote:

30ONA wrote:

https://www.google.com.au/amp/m.wikihow.com/Adjust-Seating-to-the-Proper-Position-While-Driving%3Famp%3D1?client=ms-android-optus-au

That is not worth the time it took to read - and I gave up after the first few.

Quote:

Adjust the rake of the seat. This should be as parallel as possible to the steering

This would appear to be impossible to do - I say 'appear' because they do not define which part of the steering the rake of the seat should be parallel to - the column or the wheel - but anyway you twist & turn things, the rake of the seat and either the column or the wheel are going to be at a significant angle relative to one another and nowhere even remotely close to parallel.

They also feel the rake of the seat should be set to an upright angle of 110~95*, with no indication of what that angle is relative to (presumably the horizontal), and the image shows the 110~95 as a vertical separation not as an angle.

Quote:

Adjust the steering height. Where adjustable, the steering height should be adjusted to as parallel to back angle,

Please tell me how you adjust the height (presumably of the steering wheel) to be parallel to the "back" angle (presumably the back of the seat).

Agreed. Just read through it. Those bits don't make sense but the rest is on the right path.

[fordem]

30ONA wrote:

4. Set your mirrors. A lot of people set the sides so they can see down the side of the car. I think this is pointless. I find they are best adjusted into the blind spot between your peripheral vision and the limits of your centre mirror. When reversing if you towards the side your looking a touch you can see the sides of your car without adjusting the mirrors.

The limits of the center mirror are the determined by the width of the rear window aperture which will ALWAYS be narrower than whatever vehicle you're driving - not setting the side mirrors to show the sides of the vehicle will therefore leave a blind spot right against the side of the vehicle - setting the side mirror to show the side of the vehicle reduces this blind spot to that obscured by the C pillar, which on some recent vehicles can be sizeable.

$3 will get you a pair of 2" self-adhesive blind spot mirrors that will allow you to set your wing mirrors to see both the sides of the vehicle and cover the blind spot you're talking about - put them in the outer top corner of the wing mirror and in most cases you can see the rear tires in them.

I learned to drive in the '70's at a time when a driver's side wing mirror was an extra cost option, and passenger side wing mirrors were simply not available - my "work vehicle" was a mk1 Ford Escort panel van with just the center mirror, so all I could see was what was directly behind the van, and only if it was high enough (the van had barn doors with two small windows) - looking back it was probably a miracle that I was never involved in an accident with that van, but trust me, I learned the value of being able to see behind me.

[30ONA]

I think we are splitting hairs. I adjust them just pass being able to see the side of the car so 100% of the mirror is useable. Being able to see the side of your car all the time is a waste of mirror.