Fixin’ the Seats

As you know, my new Jeep seats arrived just this past week. So far I am very careful in what I am attempting to do. I am determined to do as much of work on this Jeep as I can. I’m not trying to build a show car by any means. I just want a well working and decent looking fun car.

The seat install is rated very easy. There are pictures on the web site of chimps installing the seats, so I know I could certainly do it myself. After all, it is just a matter of unbolting and re-bolting the seats together.

I started working about 11:30 AM. I determined that the passenger seat was the most needy since it had a 2X4 holding the seat back upright. The seat unbolted easily and I tossed it on the tailgate of my truck to see what to do next.
The seat adjustment slides were darn near frozen up from years of exposure. I began unbolting the slides from the seat and two bolts sheared off. The back two bolts were frozen in rust.



Not to worry. This is supposed to be fun! I am going to be patient with this if it kills me.




I finally got all the bolts off and lubricated and cleaned the slides. Since the bolts were useless it called for a trip to Home Depot for some new replacement bolts. I assume the driver side bolts are in the same condition so I sprung another 75 cents for two sets.

Its 1:45 now and I am on a roll. I have to coerce the back of the seat to the bottom of the seat and I blot them together. Then I bolt on the slides without problems.

Next, it’s just a matter of bolting the seat back in the Jeep.



Finally by 2:30 I have the passenger seat in and fully functioning. The driver side will be a snap.

Step by step, the seat came out, the bolts were rusted and ruined, and I cleaned the slides. I was having a fit though trying to assemble the seat, and bolt it together. After four attempts I notice that the nuts are welded on crooked. The seat is useless. No way can this seat work.


I now do not have a driver’s seat so I can not drive the Jeep.

I called the company to arrange for a return of the defective parts and I was informed that I have to wait until Monday.

Okay then…..I’m going to be patient. It’s Miller time anyway. It has to be 5 o’clock somewhere.

2 comments:

mr zig said...

well... the one seat looks good in there! - looking forward to more pics and updates! :)

Ali said...

I would like to see you "having a fit." I can enjoy a Miller while you have a fit - pure entertainment.