Seat Strengthening

[Dave Larnder]

Hi Guys

I have a little trouble with my driver seat back starting to go back at an angle. I get in with my right hand on the passenger seat to take my (excessive ) weight off the seat back, but it must be that I lean too far back when I drive.

So I need to know how to reinforce the seat back to stop this annoying reaction. At one stage it caused a tear in the seat base which I took to have welded up but it has not cured the lean back.

Any ideas? anybody had the same problem?

 

Dave

[Ian Vincent]

Both my seat backs had the same problem, but it's not the back that is the cause of the problem it is the floor of the seat. I welded up the cracks that had formed and then welded strips of 1.5" x 1/8" thick flat along the line of the bolts on each side with a bend up at the end to support the back rim past the end of the pressing where the rearmost drillings are located. I then drilled through the flat and bolted the seat to the top runner. Not original, I know but no one can see because it is underneath the seat.

 

Rgds Ian

 

PS I use the elbow behind the B post to help me get in and out of the car.

[Fireman049]

Hi Ian ~

 

Do you have any photo's of your modification?

 

Tom.

[james christie]

These cracks in the seat bases, particularly the driver's, are a well known sidescreen car problem. To add to the repair difficulty, the steel used is paper thin and wet carpets have often caused some corrosion.

I managed to braise mine up and use big penny washers to spread the force about abit.

No doubt Stuart or Tom will be along soon to give some hands on advice

 

James

[stuart]

These cracks in the seat bases, particularly the driver's, are a well known sidescreen car problem. To add to the repair difficulty, the steel used is paper thin and wet carpets have often caused some corrosion.

I managed to braise mine up and use big penny washers to spread the force about abit.

No doubt Stuart or Tom will be along soon to give some hands on advice

 

James

Your right there James, every one I have ever seen has been split round the runner mounting holes and at the sides where the back bolts to the base on the passenger one and also on the rear sides of the drivers one. I use very large repair washers (often known in the commercial vehicle world as "Mudguard washers") for each of the mounting holes and strips of 2mm steel as well (B&Q do some great sections of strip and right angle steel that is ideal for this)

Stuart.

[Alec Pringle]

https://www.weightwatchers.com/uk/

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[Ian Vincent]

Definitely not PC Alec!

 

Rgds Ian

[Dave Larnder]

Ian and Stuart

I have always used thick penny washers on each bolt, but still have that problem.

Stuart, Are you saying that you use angle iron strips as well? and if so what size do you use? and how does the upstanding piece feature in the seat squab?

I put my problem down to the fact that I have very limited movement in my right ankle, and as I lead in with that one ( my car is LHD:) I have to lean hard on the seat backs. Lucky for me it doesn´t affect my right pedal actions.

 

Dave

[Dave Larnder]

Hi Ian ~

 

Do you have any photo's of your modification?

 

Tom.

Hi Tom and Ian

Yes! I would like to see a pic or two. Also Ian did you have to use longer bolts welded to the seat runners?

 

Dave

[Ian Vincent]

I'm afraid I didn't take any pictures of the mod and it would require me removing the seats to take some. When I next remove the seats I will do.

 

The modification really wasn't any more complicated than a couple of flat strips of steel about 1 1/2" x 1/8" (40mm x 3mm) welded along the line of the bolts on each side of the seat on the bottom. Obviously, I could only put a weld on the pressed out areas where the drillings are and at the back end I bent the strip up and welded it to the rear of the seat pan to support the back rim. The mod is invisible unless you remove the seats

 

Yes I did need to weld longer bolts to the seat runners.

 

Rgds Ian