My 79 spider has a problem with the driver's seat. The seat does not slide forward or rear-ward. The seat is locked in the rear most position. The adjustment handle rotates but the seat is hitting something to stop it's forward movement. As you know, you have to move the seat forward to remove the rear screws that hold the tracks in place. I have removed the front two screws, so that is not the problem.
The purpose in removing the driver's seat is to tighten up the seat back, but I can't get the seat out of the car. Thanks Tom
Seat problem
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Ernie
- Posts: 113
- Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:07 pm
- Your car is a: 1978 Fiat Spider
- Location: Huntsville, AL
Re: Seat problem
Tom,
There might be a coin or something else foreign in one of the tracks. I had that problem but couldn't locate the object by feeling around for it.
Eventually, I got into the back seat and kicked like a maniac until the seat moved. My locking/unlocking lever was a bit stiff so it obligingly stayed in the unlock position for me while I kicked.
If you get it sliding you might run into the next problem. There were large phillips head screws in my tracks, all too tight to move at all. I didn't want to damage the screw heads and then be forced to carve the seats out. The trick is to use something like PB Blaster, put the screwdriver in the slot and tap on it with a hammer. This breaks the rust loose and allows the Blaster to work.
Ernie
There might be a coin or something else foreign in one of the tracks. I had that problem but couldn't locate the object by feeling around for it.
Eventually, I got into the back seat and kicked like a maniac until the seat moved. My locking/unlocking lever was a bit stiff so it obligingly stayed in the unlock position for me while I kicked.
If you get it sliding you might run into the next problem. There were large phillips head screws in my tracks, all too tight to move at all. I didn't want to damage the screw heads and then be forced to carve the seats out. The trick is to use something like PB Blaster, put the screwdriver in the slot and tap on it with a hammer. This breaks the rust loose and allows the Blaster to work.
Ernie
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mbouse
Re: Seat problem
most common besides a foreign object in the slides is general accumulation of gunk in the slides. get some of your favorite aresol lubricant and spray the heck out of those slides a couple of times over the next hour or so.
then, similar to Ernie, apply very firm pressure to the seat base at the rear and motivate the seat to move forward. eventually, it will move.
then, similar to Ernie, apply very firm pressure to the seat base at the rear and motivate the seat to move forward. eventually, it will move.
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manoa matt
- Posts: 3442
- Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:28 pm
- Your car is a: 1978 Fiat 124 Spider 1800
- Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Re: Seat problem
While dismantleing my 76 parts car I found clips that were installed below the seat rails but on top of the mounting tower. It prevented the seat from sliding forward enough to get at the screws. Some seats were installed with the large phillips head screws, while others were installed with shallow allen head screws.
If the phillips head screw just does not want to budge and the tip of the screwdriver buggers up the screw head, then the only recourse is to get an angle grinder or dremel and cut a slot into the head of the screw so a large flat blade can remove it. Especially good if the flat blade screwdriver has a square shaft or an area that you can put a wrench or vice grips on to create a longer lever arm.
When you replace them use hex head or shallow allen head bolts with anti-seize on them to prevent future frustration.
If the phillips head screw just does not want to budge and the tip of the screwdriver buggers up the screw head, then the only recourse is to get an angle grinder or dremel and cut a slot into the head of the screw so a large flat blade can remove it. Especially good if the flat blade screwdriver has a square shaft or an area that you can put a wrench or vice grips on to create a longer lever arm.
When you replace them use hex head or shallow allen head bolts with anti-seize on them to prevent future frustration.
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4babycar
Re: Seat problem
I had a similar problem with my 80. The screws were originally the shallow allen head variety but had been replaced with new non-shallow head bolts. With this scenario there was insufficient clearance between the bottom of the seat slide and the top of the bolt. I ended up taking a proper sized allen wrench and cutting it down so that it could fit between the seat rail and the bolt and I spend what seemed like countless hours turning out each bolt 1/8 of a turn at a time whilst nearly standing on my head. Once out, I purchased replacement bolts, ground the head down to the proper depth, painted and applied anti-seize and re-installed.