78 Midget Seat Wont Move

[Midget78]

Hey gang. Yesterday I was doing some clean-up in my 78 midget and I wanted to move the back of the seat up. I depressed the seat lever on the side and I cannot get these things to move. After getting frustrated I then tried to move the lever under the seat to see if I could get them to roll forward and no dice. It seems like they are all the way back and reclined back as far as they will go and might be bound up? I jerked on them a bit but didnt want to over do it and create another issue. Any ideas on how to get these free?

 

[walshja]

with the seat back lever, I found if I push on the seat back a bit before trying to move the lever, that releases the pressure on the lever, and makes everything work.

the same with the floor lever, try and slide the seat back a bit before trying to engage the lever, that will take the pressure off and hopefully allow you to move the seat

 

[Gearhead]

on my Midget the seat backs were "frozen" or seized in the position that they were left in for many years I had to pull off the top seat cover and free up the adjuster mechanism lots of PB Blaster and they finally worked free

 

[tweety]

my '79 seats were pretty much frozen also. I pulled them out recently in order to redo the interior. While out, I ground down all the rust on the seat tracks and lubed them up with dry white bicycle grease. I also doused the recliner mechanism in WD-40.... the bulk of the mechanism is pretty much exposed at the point were the vinyl seat cover ends. That's the pivot point.

The seats slide and recline like butter now

Coating the pivot point in WD-40 freed up pretty much everything. Not sure if you can do it with the seats in the car though.

 

[Midget78]

I was thinking about when the weather gets warm enough for the top to go down to pull the entire seats out and work on them in the garage. I haven't ever pulled these seats so I figure I will get the manual out on how they unbolt. Then use the WD-40 and some grease and see if I can get things moving as they should.

 

[lbc_newbie]

Getting them out is the easy part. Putting them back in is a pain in the neck!

 

[Midget78]

Ed, I take it you have been down this road before. Any suggestion's on getting them back in if they are a real pain?

 

[lbc_newbie]

I greased and oiled mine real well while they were out. Also wire wheeled and painted. My complications were worsened by a new carpet kit and locating the seat holes in the floor through the heat-shield and carpet. I used an awl or philips screw driver from underneath to locate the rear bolts, then figured out where the front ones went with chalk or crayon. I had to duct tape the rails on as they kept falling off when I tried to put them in the car....maybe someone has a better idea. I did all this prior to getting on the BCF! I always think of all the times I was working harder, not smarter!

 

[walshja]

i just had my 2 seats out for a good cleaning.

there are 4 bolts, the front 2 bolts go up from underneath the car, and the 2 rear bolts go from the inside of the car down. removing the 4 bolts should allow you to lift the seat right out of the car.

the seats are on 2 rails, you are frozen up there, once you get the seats out you should be able to break the rails free, clean them up and lube. that will be the easy fix.

as far as your reclining mechanism I never took the seat covers off, so not sure how you will get them unfrozen.

putting the seats back in can be tricky, cause you have to put the rails on your seat frame, then drop the seat into the car while keeping the rails attached to the bottom of the seat frame, ensuring they stayed lined up with the holes on your floor pan.

have some carpet cleaner ready, cause wait until you see whats under your seat !!!

 

[tweety]

I really didn't have any trouble getting the seats back in..... It seemed like it was going to be a PIA, but in reality it was easy.

how about a single layer loop of blue painters tape to hold the rails together. It should hold long enough to install the seats, but will rip when you go to move the seat for the First time. You'll have to leave the tape there as you'll never be able to get it out with the seat installed, I doubt it will gum up the works though.

 

[JPSmit]

Ed, I take it you have been down this road before. Any suggestion's on getting them back in if they are a real pain?

I had no real problem getting them back in - at least by the second. New carpet

1. poked a hole up from the bottom. enlarged the hole from the top until it fit a bolt - dropped a bolt in all four holes.

2. lubed the rails and laid the seat in straight so the rails didn't fall out (grease helped them stay in place.

3. lined up holes - pulled out marker bolts and put in proper bolts and front bolts dropped in

4. same as front

done

 

[Jim_Gruber]

If everything is frozen up this might be a good time for a little electrolytic rust removal. You could drop seats with rails in a plastic pan, big tub designed for holding Christmas Wrap is $7.00 at Wally World. Drop seats with rails attached into 2-3 " of solution and submerge the rails only. A little washing soda, battery charger, a couple of fuses to keep things safe, some wires, a big hunk of steel for positive terminal anode and a couple of alligator clips and you are set. Overnight on the charger at 2 amps and these things will be rust free and able to be painted and cleaned up. Read up/google electrolytic rust removal and you'll see the details.

I tried this method on a BE rusted chrome grille and was amazed at the results. Bright shiny metal after I cleaned off the crud with a scrubby pad. Washing Soda by Arm and Hammer at most grocery sores, mix is 1 Tablespoon to 1 gallon of water.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

If everything is frozen up this might be a good time for a little electrolytic rust removal. You could drop seats with rails in a plastic pan, big tub designed for holding Christmas Wrap is $7.00 at Wally World. Drop seats with rails attached into 2-3 " of solution and submerge the rails only. A little washing soda, battery charger, a couple of fuses to keep things safe, some wires, a big hunk of steel for positive terminal anode and a couple of alligator clips and you are set. Overnight on the charger at 2 amps and these things will be rust free and able to be painted and cleaned up. Read up/google electrolytic rust removal and you'll see the details.

I tried this method on a BE rusted chrome grille and was amazed at the results. Bright shiny metal after I cleaned off the crud with a scrubby pad. Washing Soda by Arm and Hammer at most grocery stores, mix is 1 Tablespoon to 1 gallon of water.

 

[lbc_newbie]

You guys are like a bunch of mad scientists, man!

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Yeah but after trying this it really, really works. Now the biggest thing will be to see if he can get the seat track bolts to come free. Lots of PB Blaster in advance and not there are captive welded nuts on the bottom side of the floorpan. Don't try to twist those off.

 

[walshja]

there are captive welded nuts on the bottom side of the floorpan. Don't try to twist those off.

like I did !!! ended up breaking a Stanley wrench trying to do that !! luckily the wrench broke and not my car

 

[lbc_newbie]

I would NEVER admit that!!

 

[JPSmit]

there are captive welded nuts on the bottom side of the floorpan. Don't try to twist those off.

like I did !!! ended up breaking a Stanley wrench trying to do that !! luckily the wrench broke and not my car

and I did - though my wrench held and the nut came loose

 

[Midget78]

Geez, after reading all this I might just leave the seats alone. Actually, the challenge makes me more interested in getting it done. I think I will start with some PB Blaster then get at it in a few days after it does its job. The tape trick sounds like the easy way to keep the lower rails in line and some careful movement. The engineering on these cars really cracks me up sometimes. Some things are genious and some things are just down right thrown together without much thought. I guess thats what makes them so interesting. Thanks for all the tips and tricks.

 

[tweety]

there are captive welded nuts on the bottom side of the floorpan. Don't try to twist those off.

like I did !!! ended up breaking a Stanley wrench trying to do that !! luckily the wrench broke and not my car

and I did - though my wrench held and the nut came loose

on mine only the back ones were welded on, the front ones were nuts that needed to be removed