Mk1 underseat box

[anewman]

This is one of those rather simple jobs, but thought I might bring the info together in one place. The great thing about these boxes is all the required parts are little more than £10 and they're easy to fit. The following shows a box fitted to the right seat (driver's side in RHD vehicles). Thanks go out to all those who have previously posted details on the underseat boxes.

Required items.

You need

4x seat runner bolts (part number: N 908 921 01) - £2.35

2x torx screws (part number: WHT 001 867) - £0.28

Seat storage box onyx black - £7.46

Right (part number - 6Y0 881 578 A47H)

Left (part number - 6Y0 881 577 A47H)

Total = £10.09 including VAT.

TX20 Torx screwdriver

Triple square XZN 10mm key and suitable ratchet wrench

Torque wrench (optional)

First if your model has side airbags or seatbelt sensors (i.e. any wires and plugs under the seat) undo and remove the battery negative terminal.

Put the seat all the way forwards, and using the triple square XZN 10mm key remove the 2 seat runner bolts.

Now adjust the seat as far rearwards as possible and remove the two front bolts. The lever can be pushed down if you don't have an extension bar handy.

If you have a seat with plugs and wires you can tilt the seat back and carefully unplug these.

Remove the front trim, one side clips in, the other has one clip and a screw holding it.

To fit properly some screws holding existing bits of trim need to be removed. These are the ones which line up with holes in the storage box (remember there is one just behind the front lid at the top too). Keep the screws safe in order to reuse them. Offer up the box to the underside of the seat ensuring the top edge fits behind the fabric and all clips at the sides fit. Refit the screws removed previously and fit the 2 new screws to the rear. Be careful not to tighten too much as the threads strip very easily. If you strip the threads you can use a slightly larger self-tapping screw.

Refit the seat with the new bolts tightening to 24nm. If not using a torque wrench tighten firmly but don't overdo it.

The finished product...

Box opened

Edited 28 July, 2010 by anewman

[Jonny5ive]

If you buy the box for a LHD model you can fit one under the passenger seat too!

Edited 28 July, 2010 by Jonny5ive

[Dmac1969]

I know my car has one fitted as standard , but I have forgotten under which seat it is , I could have sworn it was the passenger side. Ive only had the car 5 years 2 months .........lol

[Leodhasach]

My Fabia Elegance had one on when I bought it, but under the passenger seat...what gives?

Anyway, good guide, and I now quite fancy having a box under my driver's seat too

[DRJ]

The Mark 1 Fabia has the box under the passenger seat unless the optional CD Changer is fitted which displaces the box to the driver's side.

[Clunkclick]

I've had the boxes and a new set of triple square bits ready to go for the last two years but haven't got round to doing it.

Do you have to take the seats fully out of the cabin to fix the boxes ?

This job also presents an opportunity to clean out the inaccesible cavities down the side of the seat rails where all the crumbs fall and clean and re-grease the rails. Will normal LM gease do ?

Nick

[jimp]

hello,

i have a box under the passenger seat, one under the drivers would be very useful.

My drivers seat can be raised and lowered - will a box stil fit?

[ap0gee1978]

Yes, a storage box will fit under the (adjustable height) driver's seat, and yes, you need to take the seat out - unless you're ET! Just make sure you order the correct one, as they're obviously different for which side of the car they go on...

As for replacing the runner bolts, I was told at the time that it isn't necessary - and certainly they're not torqued down much, as they were below 28Nm (the minimum for my torque wrench) when I took mine out. A blob of threadlock was all I used in the end, although clearly it's at your own discretion / risk as to whether you re-use your bolts!

Oh, and make sure you don't get any grit falling into the threads where the bolts go in, as the multi-spline bolts can't actually take much torque and round off quite easily. DAMHIKT...

[anewman]

Yep I'd imagine a quick wire brush to clean up threads and a little threadlock would do the job as opposed to buying new bolts, but they don't cost too much. Presume the main thing is that the bolts don't end up loosening over time.

I didn't take the seats fully out of the cabin, just laid them down, but I have the rear seats fully removed.

+1 on height adjustable seat, the one featured above is height adjustable.

I didn't bother re-greasing the rails, a little general lithium grease should be fine.

[mrgf]

Hi, very interested in this mod... Do you know if it will fit the later MK2 Fabia at all? I have a greenline and they wont fit them from new as its meant to be weight saving! The parts for a MK2 are also seemingly much higher than this so firring a Mk 1 set will be nice! I may be wrong but I had the impression the later ones were actually DRAWERS, not boxes/cubby holes like this... I prefre these as there seems less chance of them falling open, throwing stuff under the pedals, which I have BOTH sides of the car! Mine has the black/onyx trim so should match fine but not sure about sizing, etc. if seats are interchangable, like many VAG cars, then I guess it should work.

BTW, you listed right and left parts, is that the right (Drivers side) and left (passengers side) or just two parts for the ONE side? If this is correct, does anyone know the left hand side part numbers? At this price, I MAY just have a bash to see if they fit and if not, sell them again, if they do, let others here know.

Any insight would be great.

Edited 28 October, 2010 by mrgf

[anewman]

BTW, you listed right and left parts, is that the right (Drivers side) and left (passengers side)

Yes I believe that was it

No idea on the Mk2 sorry. The Skoda Shop website suggests they're only good for up to 07 models.

[mrgf]

Dont suppose you could give the box front a quick measure when you have a few mins spare? Just width and hight will do. i can then see if it is around the same size as my panel. If it is, I guess it will fit. I would be most grateful. either metric or imperial will suffice.

Thanks, in advance,

Gary.

[giandougl]

Hello 'anewman'

Good illustrations and most helpful advice.

Daft question I know before asking it but.??

Not quite sure what parts you refer to as in:- right (part number 6YO 881 578 A47H)

:- left (part number 6YO 881 577 A47H)

Unless this refers to the left box or right box ?? please confirm.

[anewman]

Dont suppose you could give the box front a quick measure when you have a few mins spare? Just width and hight will do. i can then see if it is around the same size as my panel. If it is, I guess it will fit. I would be most grateful. either metric or imperial will suffice.

Sorry missed this thread. Regarding the original blank covers. Part numbers marked on back are 6Y0 881 097 and 6Y0 881 098 (not sure which is left or right). Each has 3 clips on one side. The other side has one clip, a horizontal screw hole, and is deeper. Height 176mm, width 264mm.

Not quite sure what parts you refer to as in

:- right (part number 6YO 881 578 A47H)

:- left (part number 6YO 881 577 A47H)

Unless this refers to the left box or right box ?? please confirm.

Yes box for left seat and box for right seat. I see there's potential for a mix up. I'm pretty certain right = driver's side (RHD) left = passenger.

[ianr8]

A big thank you for the original guide.

I fitted both storage boxes this morning. Total time was 50 mins and that included vacuuming under the seats.

I took out the rear seat squabs and just leaned the seats back. No need to take them out completely.

Cheers

Ian

[xa0sx]

What's the part number for the passenger side box please?

[DRJ]

Isn't it showing for you in response #14?

[Lew0-VRS]

What's the part number for the passenger side box please?

Answer is in first post.

sent from my dribble bus using ketchup !

[xa0sx]

Already got the drivers side, ordered the bits for the passenger side

[TimVRS12]

Just spotted this. Awesome mod. I had on in my previous car and was hoping there'd be something similar for the fabia!

I'm actually looking to mount an amp under the drivers seat, this may prove to be a good mounting shell for it.

Can someone be so kind as to provide me with the internal measurments to the box? I'd be ever so grateful.

[anewman]

Quite small, might not be practical for mounting most amps. Roughly 13cm high, 23cm wide, 10cm deep - although it is not a fully uniform cuboid shape inside. Can't remember when I fitted them if there's space behind and you could cut the back off.

[DRJ]

Very approx 230W, 150H, 180D

EDIT - sorry - didn't see the response above before posting - measurements I've noted were taken with a tape

Edited 31 December, 2011 by DRJ

[TimVRS12]

Fantastic thanks guys!

[PD75]

Well 5 years after seeing these boxes in an Elegance in the showroom, 4 and a half years after buying the Combi and a year and a half after first reading this how to do, I finally got around to fitting a pair of these today. Hardest part was lifting the driver's side seat out past the steering wheel. Had priced these in UK @ £8.10 + delivery per side so was amazed that the price in glass beads ~ sorry Euro, + stab in the back tax (vat) came to only 23.68 (pair) from Skoda Ireland. Have a spare light bulb set, tyre pressure gauge and scraper in one box, bog roll and small torch in the other.

Would have been ideal to keep a weeks supply of fags in but I gave up at the new year..........should have got them all those years ago!

Now...... will I get that Armster armrest .. or not?????

[Mansars]

Can I ask where in Ireland you got them?

As Im jusy over the border and may risk trying them on a MK2 at that price.