Disassembling Seats

[aj81spider]

I'm going to address the broken seat back on my drivers seat, so I pulled it out of the car today. I got the back and seat apart, but the "L" shaped brackets that hold them together are firmly attached to the back with no apparent means to disconnect. How do I get those off so I can get the covers off?

As a side note - the pan on the seat has a tear in the metal, the back is broken, and I have a radiator that needs new mounting brackets welded to it. I'm getting perilously close to buying a welder and learning how to weld!

[toplessexpat]

Not sure what you mean by "L" bracket (photos?). I removed the base cushion (remove the cover first with the fairy ingenious plastic strip that holds the cover in place, and remove the cushion, then I just removed the side plastic covers on the hinge and unscrewed the back, leaving the brackets on the base..... These were 2000 seats though.

EDIT: .... and now I've re-read your .sig I can see that my thoughts are probably useless...

[aj81spider]

Here's what I'm talking about:



The other side is the same except with the adjustment knob. I'm speculating that there's a bolt behind the knob, but I can't get the knob off and am worried about breaking it.

I searched other threads and it appears that there are different styles of this bracket - some with covers and readily apparent bolts. This one has no cover and the only two bolts visible have been taken out (as you can see from the picture). The car is a '74 and I believe these are the original seats.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[aj81spider]

Got the knob off and there is no bolt under it. Now I am at a complete loss.

[toplessexpat]

Is that a solid metal rod going through the seat that can be gently tapped out? i.e. does the rod and the bolt provide the fixing?

[aj81spider]

I don't think so. I tried to tap it out and it doesn't move. I thought it might be a cover that was hiding a bolt, but I can't get under it at all.

Spent a good long time with it this afternoon and more time surfing this site and the net for information. I confess to being completely stumped.

[4uall]

this might help

http://www.international-auto.com/seat- ... lation.cfm

http://www.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopic ... 30&t=27631

[aj81spider]

Thanks Jay,

I had seen the second one and that was how I got the knob off. Unfortunately my hinge doesn't have a cover, so it's different than the one in that thread, and I didn't get any more insight than the knob.

The IAP link talks about taking out screws, but my problem is I can't find any more screws!

[4uall]

[aj81spider]

This is one of the few times the forum hasn't solved my problem.

I spent another fruitless hour in the garage today, and I've spent at least as much researching on the internet. I found a picture off the part:



Based on this I can't see what would be holding the hinges on. There are phillips head screws in the upper corner, but it is not clear where they would go.

The hinge will rotate, but it will not move up or down on the back. The metal bar between the two sides slides a little bit either way, so I don't think it is holding things together.

Still at a complete loss. Has anyone taken the hinges off a circa 74 seat back?

[seabeelt]

If I remember correctly, you have to pull and wiggle. Could just be rust holding it on. R/

[toplessexpat]

I was just thinking the same thing - is it just a (very) tight fit?

[aj81spider]

I pulled a string underneath the hinge. It goes fairly smoothly, but then hangs up on something which I assume is the bolt holding the hinge on. If you look at the picture you can see a captive screw to the right of the place the rod connects (the rod connection looks like it is covered with a cylindrical piece of cardboard in the picture).

I talked to Matt at Midwest Bayless, and sent him a picture. Apparently this is an aftermarket hinge so he could provide no insight.

Still working it, but definitely frustrated.

[toplessexpat]

Is it the opposite of what we think it is? (I'm not being deliberately obtuse!).

If you push and pull away the seat cushioning, is there a bolt going the OTHER way into the hinge from the inside?

[76was124]

This is one of the few times the forum hasn't solved my problem.

I spent another fruitless hour in the garage today, and I've spent at least as much researching on the internet. I found a picture off the part:



Based on this I can't see what would be holding the hinges on. There are phillips head screws in the upper corner, but it is not clear where they would go.

The hinge will rotate, but it will not move up or down on the back. The metal bar between the two sides slides a little bit either way, so I don't think it is holding things together.

Still at a complete loss. Has anyone taken the hinges off a circa 74 seat back?

Have you looked at the other hinge on the opposite side of the seat to see if there are screws holding the rod in place? Just wondering if you remove a screw on that side and then the opposite hinge with the rod still connected will pull out of the seat together?