Seat Repairs...Anyone Do Them?

[bmwman91]

So, to top off having my car hit yesterday, the driver's side seat has decided to start coming apart.  The seat back will only lock into place at full-vertical, or tilted back to gangster status.  The teeth or whatever locks the thing up are not catching in the "reasonable" angles.

Furthermore, whatever secures the seat back on the right side is no longer doing its job.  I can cock the seat at weird sideways angles thanks to this.  Talk about unsafe, I need to either fix or replace the seat ASAP!

So, has anyone managed to disassemble their seat thoroughly?  I tried once before, but there were tons of tiny circlips and things that looked like they were not intended to ever be removed.  I have a decent machine shop at my disposal  so fabbing little brackets is not a big deal.  Still though, should I just save myself the trouble and drop $150-$250 at a wrecker for a clean black vinyl one?  Anyone have one for sale in the area (or willing to ship)?

Thanks guys, this has been a bad couple of days for the car!

[bmwman91]

Well, looks like I found some help.

http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/318isseat.html

[FL318is]

Let me know if you need pieces, parts or a whole seat.  BUT, I only have grey and blue cloth.  I do not remember which side but would be happy to look. recruiter613@juno.com

[tjts1]

I had the same problem with a pair of sport seats I picked up for cheap. The cause of the problem is the gas cylinders built into the seat. The 2 supporting the seat back wear out. But there are 2 more identical gas pistons use to lift the seat up and down and those one are hardly ever used so don't wear out. I reused my seat bottom pistons on the seat back. Worked great.

[bmwman91]

I had the same problem with a pair of sport seats I picked up for cheap. The cause of the problem is the gas cylinders built into the seat. The 2 supporting the seat back wear out. But there are 2 more identical gas pistons use to lift the seat up and down and those one are hardly ever used so don't wear out. I reused my seat bottom pistons on the seat back. Worked great.

Good to know!  Yeah the ones in the back must be shot because the seat does not raise itself.  That is the least of my concerns though...havin ghte seat back come half way off on the highway is not an experience I wish to repeat!

[tjts1]

Furthermore, whatever secures the seat back on the right side is no longer doing its job.  I can cock the seat at weird sideways angles thanks to this.  Talk about unsafe, I need to either fix or replace the seat ASAP!

Forgot to mention, this is also related to the pistons. When they wear out, the piston no longer keeps pressure on the lower mounting point. The piston can wedge itself into the locking mechanism for the right side of the seat back.

[bmwman91]

Forgot to mention, this is also related to the pistons. When they wear out, the piston no longer keeps pressure on the lower mounting point. The piston can wedge itself into the locking mechanism for the right side of the seat back.

LOL silly Germans.  Couldn't they have just used some damn springs!

"Aach dis schpringenschprocket does not have zee moving parts worzee of dis caaa!  We vill use das gaspeestons instead!"

[swiss318is]

....or tilted back to gangster status.!

my seat was broken inside and i had to weld it..!! to open a seat isnt a big deal.. just try! there are a few small screws, thats it..

[gjuuu]

slightly OT but will non sports seat backs fit onto sport seat bases??

[tjts1]

slightly OT but will non sports seat backs fit onto sport seat bases??

Yes but that would look silly.

[bmwman91]

Well, getting it apart was friggin easy.  Last time I tried it was a Tuesday night or something so I opted to JB-Weld the obviously busted part...these troubles are my own doing for being a slacker.

The thing is totally apart now and the tilt mechanisms are sitting in the garage soaking up some oil.  The pistons are actually fully functional, but when it was all assembled there was so much resistance / friction that they couldn't push the metal arms back up.  As soon as I started taking things apart a little, they worked like new.

So, with the pistons moved out of the way I will be welding the broken tab back together in the morning, and running a reinforcing-bead down the inside of the other tab's bend.  As much as I love taking crap apart & welding, I don't want to do this again soon.  Of course, I am going to overhaul the passenger seat next lol.  I think oiling all the stuff inside will help immensely.

[bmwman91]

OK, talk about an exciting Friday night.  I took pics while doing this and already for the tutorial up.  The last 2 pics will be taken in the morning of the final welded product.

http://bmw.e30tuner.com/articles_seatfix.php

[bmwman91]

One last update...

I rebuilt the passenger seat this evening.  It took all of an hour now that I know what I am doing.  The article I wrote also got updated to reflect a couple little differences in the 2 seats.  Yay for sturdy seat backs.

Yay for my car smelling like 3-in-1 oil.  Gag.

[dakon]

Bmwman, i have a question for you... Right now my drivers seat is having a weird issue..

The inside part of the seat back will move around freely on the hinge point at the bottom of the seat back. I can adjust the seat back angle and it will lock in, but there is something broken on the inside hinge part.. i am thinking that it might be the L shaped tab that you welded on your seat?

I looked at your DIY..
http://bmw.e30tuner.com/articles_seatfix.php

I will be taking the seat out next week i think. I will most likely take it apart and do all the items that you addressed in your DIY. However from my explanation of the above issue, do you have any idea what it most likely is?

Thanks, Alex

[e30boarder]

my seats are doing the same thing... are the e30 m3 seats pretty much the same? That write-up is great btw