72’ Cherokee 235 head room... or lack therefore

Rebel Lord

Rebel Lord

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Rebel Lord
So in my recently purchased 235 (my first airplane too) there is literally no head room. In the warrior I trained in I had adjustable seats and I always had it set as low as possible. Now I’m stuck with a fixed chair. It’s manageable right now, whenever I take off or land I have to sit up and duck forward and I’ve had my head set knocked off a few times when I lean forward to pick up the flap bar, and I also have to deal with the controls hitting my leg and knee board. In cruise flight I just kind of slump down and relax but even then I usually get a neck ache after flying.

So I need a longer term fix for this. Im trying to figure out if I can buy one of the newer adjustable seats and just get it reupholstered and slap it in there but I read that the newer models have different tracks. If so my next option is to have a mechanic lop a few inches off and weld it back together.


So those are my ideas. Anyone have any suggestions or comments?
 
Vertically-adjustable seats were an option on the '72 Cherokees, including the 235. Maybe you can find one at a salvage yard.

From the 1972 Cherokee 140/180/235 brochure:

PA-28-235 interior.jpeg
 
That's interesting. I'm 6'4", 240 lbs, and owned a series of Cherokees, including a Dakota, and never had a headroom or legroom problem in any of them. None of them had an adjustable seat, other than fore-aft.

The slab-sided Pipers, with their bulbous cabin tops generally offer more headroom than a typical Mooney or Bonanza.

Did someone in the past re-upholster the seat and put a lot of extra seatback and seatbottom padding in it?
 
GRG55 said:
That's interesting. I'm 6'4", 240 lbs, and owned a series of Cherokees, including a Dakota, and never had a headroom or legroom problem in any of them. None of them had an adjustable seat, other than fore-aft.

Did someone in the past re-upholster the seat and put a lot of seatback and seatbottom padding in it?
Click to expand...
Good point -- I'm 6'3-1/2" and never had a problem with the front seats of the '69-'72 Cherokees I instructed in, either, including the -140s. Have you checked to make sure you don't already have the adjustable seats, and they're adjusted full-up?
 
Pilawt said:
Vertically-adjustable seats were an option on the '72 Cherokees, including the 235. Maybe you can find one at a salvage yard.

From the 1972 Cherokee 140/180/235 brochure:

View attachment 75758
Click to expand...

Really? Wow maybe I can find one then.

GRG55 said:
That's interesting. I'm 6'4", 240 lbs, and owned a series of Cherokees, including a Dakota, and never had a headroom or legroom problem in any of them. None of them had an adjustable seat, other than fore-aft.

The slab-sided Pipers, with their bulbous cabin tops generally offer more headroom than a typical Mooney or Bonanza.

Did someone in the past re-upholster the seat and put a lot of extra seatback and seatbottom padding in it?
Click to expand...

Yeah the previous owner
 
Rebel Lord said:
https://www.texasairsalvage.com/main_view.php?editid1=204946

Ok found this adjustable seat for a 72 piper 140. Think this one would just slide in? It’s an easy flight up to this salvage yard and maybe I can trade the old seat in.
Click to expand...

Check with your mechanic to be sure, but as I recall the forward cabins, including front seats and attachments, were the same throughout the PA-28s of that era. That would include the -140, -180, -235 and Arrow. A parts manual might confirm that.

Good luck.
 
In my 1968 Cherokee 235 I put the seat all the way back in the track until it touches the back seat.
Even in cars my legs want more length than my arms so I tilt the seat back forward.
I have added a seat pad for the bottom and back to get my eyes and arms in more comfortable positions.
 
Congrats on the purchase.
You are a proud new owner... so, once the swelling goes down, you'll have more head room ;)
 
mryan75 said:
I'm 6'4 and fly a 1966 140.

https://www.clarityaloft.com/

You're welcome.
Click to expand...

Lol thanks, I will defiantly look into this. Flying on long cross countries are they pretty comfy compared to headsets? Also how is the noise canceling?

mikea said:
In my 1968 Cherokee 235 I put the seat all the way back in the track until it touches the back seat.
Even in cars my legs want more length than my arms so I tilt the seat back forward.
I have added a seat pad for the bottom and back to get my eyes and arms in more comfortable positions.
Click to expand...

The thing is that there is not alot of leg room for back seat passengers. So even though I dont usually ever have any Pax i want to fly like they are there so I have a standard seat position no matter what.
 
Rebel Lord said:
Also how flemsy are they? Would the break if I sat on them?
Click to expand...
They're excellent quality. Noise cancelling is very good. Extremely comfortable. I wouldn't recommend sitting on any headset. :)
 
Pilawt said:
Check with your mechanic to be sure, but as I recall the forward cabins, including front seats and attachments, were the same throughout the PA-28s of that era. That would include the -140, -180, -235 and Arrow. A parts manual might confirm that.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

As always Jeff you come up with stuff I've never heard of. How I would love to have adjustable seats in my airplane and head rests to go with them. I don't have a problem with mine but adjustable seats would be really cool to have.
 
Timbeck2 said:
As always Jeff you come up with stuff I've never heard of. How I would love to have adjustable seats in my airplane and head rests to go with them. I don't have a problem with mine but adjustable seats would be really cool to have.
Click to expand...

You keep upgrading and improving that plane, pretty soon the Cirrus gang will start spitting up their free bottled water on the red carpet out of envy.
 
I'll never have an air conditioner so I doubt they'll get too exited.
 
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