tr2 Seat springy bobs

[mjdearing]

Hi all im refering to the sprung seat bases in a sidescreen car, well iv gone full circle with this one,originally had new sprung bases when i restored the 2 years ago but disliked the sat on top bounce bounce action even after tying springs together,sponge inside coils etc but u/s so had sponge bases made and fitted totally u/s bottoming out etc,more bases made this time firmer sponge now no give at all,park car and leave it for 10 yrs till now. So i want to sort this now ,iv measured the thickness of the spring wire used for the springs and its 3mm or 9 gauge, on an old TR2 base i have they measure only 1.5mm and alot of em,so i thinking of trying to find the correct springs or even making them and try to get back the original sense of sat "in" not on the seat, has anyone else had all these problems with their seats and overcome them,any ideas appreciated. Martin.

[Rodbr]

Hi Martin,

Typically the springs in repro ones are too thick, not enough springs and way too firm, and I hate foam. Suggest that if you have originals even if saggy go and visit your local auctions and find and old sofa and look at springs, some had similar to the TR ones.

I have seen a fix that uses three or four thciket spring in the centre towards the rear of the seat that works ok. To cover this you need loads of layers, hession sacking stretched and tied off with twine, horse hair (synthetic available from Woolies,) again tied off, scrim (sort of cotton wadding) finally cotton linen tied off over the whole lot, then fit the cover to achieve a domed centre that squidges as you sit on it Pack with more layers of scrim as required.

Either tie wraps or hog rings to secure the cover every two or three inches or more in places round curves.

Finally ease a layer of hessian sacking over the springs and under the edges on the underside.

 

If you get it right you have an uncle called Bob. No easy answer and it takes time to get the desired result but the difference is quite amazing. Forget repro seat bases they are a waste of time, look right but uncomfortable as hell.

 

Rgds

Rod

Edited May 1, 2014 by Rodbr

[AlanT]

This might help:

 

http://www.the-roadster-factory.com/Images/Customer-restorations/Runyan/T4-seat-springs/T4%20Seat%20Springs.html

[mjdearing]

Cheers Rod thats the way i will go mate i looked at an old dumped matress but not long enough and too thick,never thought old sofa + good book with missus furniture shopping till she see's what im after. Alan thanks well found,just shows yanks wont put up with **** i just cant believe people with seats with replacement bases arn't moaning more as this article shows the ones over here are so poor. I will order from TRF if my stig of the dump attempt fails.

Martin

[AlanT]

You can easily get foam with all kinds of different stiffness:

 

http://foamshop.co.uk/custom-cut-foam?gclid=CLGTs_6nq7QCFbMbtAodqWMAFw

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

"Pea on a Drum" is how my trimming friend described how I would be on the repro seat spring bases I had obtained. I am sure a 15 stone driver would find these seat bases fine, but at 11 stone I only just deflected them. They remain wrapped and ready for use on the garage shelf, for when I put on a bit of weight. I refurbished my old ones as an interim by stuffing foam in the broken spring coils.

 

The other issue I ran into with other repro spring bases was that they had no lateral stability. As you went round a bend the seat base leaned sideways with your seat. ( acting in a sort of parallelogram movement like the old Campagnolo Gran Sport or Record gear change mechanism) Having your bum squirm about is not a reassuring experience.

 

Cheers

Peter

Edited May 1, 2014 by BlueTR3A-5EKT

[Rodbr]

Personally I would rather have a cobbled together original spring base than a repro or worse foam. Foam is ok when used in conjunction with lateral springs or Dunlop stretch ribbon which pre-supposes that there is room below to allow settling to maximum weight depression. In My humble opinion foam wont work over time on a non sprung base as the TR 2,3&4 is. A seat spring base is a difficult thing to get and not get the symptoms Peter describes and the springs need to interlace.

I have the problem that not only am I tall but retain water (beer) like a sponge and weigh in at a slender 15 stone. I hope that my TR2 will provide a little more leg room with the seat going further back.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Rodbr

[Rodbr]

Hi Martin,

You might get something out of these, not cheap but probaly don't need that many.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Double-Cone-Springs-12-guage/dp/B002Z3H4R2?SubscriptionId=AKIAIKBZ7IH7LXTW3ARA&&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B002Z3H4R2&tag=stuccu0c-21&ascsubtag=5362b9b926a3dc60e4c34a19

[Rodbr]

Hi Martin,

You might get something out of these, not cheap but probably don't need that many.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Double-Cone-Springs-12-guage/dp/B002Z3H4R2?SubscriptionId=AKIAIKBZ7IH7LXTW3ARA&&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B002Z3H4R2&tag=stuccu0c-21&ascsubtag=5362b9b926a3dc60e4c34a19

 

I think what is required is 15 gauge spring 5-6" long

[uvc166]

Martin ,send new e-mail address,cheers Paul.

[Graham Harris]

I used the TRF rebuild kits and they are just great.

Graham

Edited May 2, 2014 by Graham Harris

[Ian Vincent]

I bought new seat bases from Skinner's. They claim that they are made to original spec.

 

Rgds Ian

[Lebro]

All this is too late for me, I refurbished my seats last year using TR shop covers, & bases.

 

As the driver I don't have any problem with the result, but my wife does not like longer trips, sais it is uncomfortable. I think she gets thrown around a bit on corners (& I don't go round them fast !)

 

Bob.

[TR24178]

I used TR shop bases which I thought would be too bouncy and with lateral movement, but I was wrong, I covered them with first a piece of canvas and then 2 layers of 1/2" scrim foam (white foam with a fine cloth bonded to the one side,) hog ringed it securely to the frame then covered it with loom state white canvas again hog ringed to the frame, pulled as tight as I could to stabilise the cushion.

The Hide cushion cover (homemade) which has another layer of 1/2" scrim foam to form the pleating sewn to its underside, was then fitted and hog ringed on, the result is a very comfy seat that is soft on the posterior but firm and solid and allows you to feel the car thru ones rear.

On a long trip from Quimper in Brittany to Cherbourg non stop it was superbly comfortable. We were pleasantly surprised, thought of getting some fine spring ones from TRF, but we don't even notice them so they must be good!

I think TR shop spring bases are excellent. No connection with them just a returning customer!!

John Worthing

[AlanT]

Take notice of the post above.

 

Hessian and hog-ties to listing wires is the traditional way to stabilise this kind of seat base.

Modern equivalents are scrim-foam and cable-ties.

 

It's not all down to the springs.