pontiacdog

I've come across this problem in many 3rd gen f-body cars with a power seat.

There's unwanted movement in the seat when you sit on it, when you try to shake it, or when you drive it in tight corners.. - even though the rails are bolted tightly onto the floor.

I took apart my seat to figure out what is causing this slight movement (yes, I'm a perfectionist).
I think it's these sheets of metal that are under 19mm bolts. They crack over time and this causes movement to appear underneath the bolts:
http://i7.aijaa.com/b/00131/12360887.jpg

I'm planning on welding these pieces together. Just wanted to let you know in case you've wondered why your power seat feels loose and worn out.

majobis

iTrader: (3)

It's a common and doable fix (with a welder). See post 4 of the thread I made here: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/inte...issue-4th.html

navy02ws6

Very common problem with lots of later model GM bucket seats. We usually fix them here at work by just installing a rubber bushing under the 19mm bolts.

84 1LE

iTrader: (9)

The later style 3rd gens dont seem as sturdy as early style tracks.Seen a few at the JY like that.My 84 still has the original power track.

pontiacdog

How did you actually weld the piece together?

I can't weld so I took the seat to a car shop and they said the process would take so many man hours it's not worth it.
They explained that the whole piece would have to be drilled out since heat would destroy other parts of the seat mechanism.

Please excuse my stupidity but what kind of bushing? Do you have a picture?
I'm looking for a rather quick fix since this car is my daily driver.

Also, there's a "paste" that is used to fill holes in pressure tanks, some kind of chemical metal, and I was wondering if this would work here?

majobis

iTrader: (3)

I didn't weld, my friend did.

1. Make sure the track is off the seat (4 bolts).
2. Remove the nut from the bolts (as shown in my photo from the link above)
3. Use a clamp to squeeze the broken plate together and then weld, making sure to not weld over the bolt hole!

If you ont have a friend with a welder, bring JUST the seat track with you to different shops that do welding. This way, they'll see just how small and quick the job is. Note also that if there are ANY signs of stress marks on the opposite side, you should address those too. Trust me: it's so much easier to see the problem with the track off the seat. Good luck!