7 replies to this topic

[slindborg]

I took the seat runners off the cloth seats I have purchased to replace the Leather items currently fitted. I then stripped the runenrs down to work out why the hell they get soooo much play in them. Will post pics later of the runners in various stripped stages. There are 4 ball bearings (just the balls) in each rail with notches in the slider and rail base to limit travel at extremes. After getting the notches out of the way (will require a blob of weld upon reassembly) I managed to get the slider and base appart. The base seemed to have blobs of wear in its surface, guessing thats from where the seat spent most of its time set at. The slider (where the seat itself bolts to) had small bits of wear through the paint but not noticeable dents like the base did. I also noticed that the jack nuts (or what ever the fluck you want to call them) would sit on the base, even with the "bearings" fitted you can slide it back as if you are a tall person and one end will rest on a jacknut and the otehr end will "float". One idea I have is to space the two U channel parts with something suitable as its not possible to fit extra bearings in the current setup due to the travel limts being greatly reduced. Would hard Nylon or Brass/Bronze strips be suitable as spacers that still slide etc? Ideally a long line of needle bearings in the channels would be best but I fear finding some that are 1mm diameter by less than 5mm long would be an expensive task. Failing that, It's a new seat runner setup design entirely, but I'd rather not go down that route. thoughts?

[SAPD]

Sorry Stuart, I didn't realise they were so bad. They had no more play in them than the leather seats I replaced them with I must admit that I'd found it a bit strange myself but had searched on here and seen that loads of other people had a bit of movement in the seat runners and so thought it was just a TADTS. Apologies too for not being able to help one bit with the technical questions you've posed

[Ouija Board]

Stuart I would go for hard nylon or tuffnel or PTFE strips. we use PTFE strips at work in our military enviroment, and they will take a lot of abuse, and be surprisingly hard wearing. The advantage over brass apart from cost, is that the brass could possibly start clogging up the runners, depending how much wear it gets, given the confined tolerances between the channels. again from experience, all beit on heavy duty applications, is that the brass dust or shavings does attract a lot of dirt. Just my thoughts, but hope that helps. Good Luck!! Rob

[slindborg]

Sorry Stuart, I didn't realise they were so bad. They had no more play in them than the leather seats I replaced them with

I must admit that I'd found it a bit strange myself but had searched on here and seen that loads of other people had a bit of movement in the seat runners and so thought it was just a TADTS.

Apologies too for not being able to help one bit with the technical questions you've posed

lol its not a at you although you are a fatty fatty fat fat for causing the bearings to wear into divots

They might well be very un worn (my current ones rock like fcuk) examples but I'd like to get them completely smooth/un rocky and bombproof before fitting them. You know, peace of mind and all that.


Rob any idea on suppliers of small quantities of PTFE products?

[rik]

I got sick of the play too. I've come up with a way of bolting the seat into a fixed position, but you can ajust it, I just carry a 6mm allen key in the boot if needed. I can't remember exactly what i did, but it involved riv nuts The bolt pushes down from from the back, essentially tilting the seat forwards, as far as any play allowed it before, and hence eliminating any more play. This causes the bearings to roll back and forth all day, since the seat is no longer putting any force through them, but I just put a blob of grease down and they stuck to it and are quiet now. I picked up a brand new seat runner off someone on here a while ago, but I'll only fit it if/when I sell the car so I won't wear it out again.

[slindborg]

I got sick of the play too. I've come up with a way of bolting the seat into a fixed position, but you can ajust it, I just carry a 6mm allen key in the boot if needed.

I can't remember exactly what i did, but it involved riv nuts

The bolt pushes down from from the back, essentially tilting the seat forwards, as far as any play allowed it before, and hence eliminating any more play. This causes the bearings to roll back and forth all day, since the seat is no longer putting any force through them, but I just put a blob of grease down and they stuck to it and are quiet now.

I picked up a brand new seat runner off someone on here a while ago, but I'll only fit it if/when I sell the car so I won't wear it out again.

Thats an easy optin, but I'd like to be able to shutn the seat back and forth without needing tools to do so

is this the kind of shizzle im looking for? http://www.polyflon....k/bearings.html

[slindborg]

http://picasaweb.goo...rt/VXSeatRunner

[Ouija Board]

Stu Sorry for delay, only just read your question. Not sure about PTFE suppliers as we get it pre-formed for generic requirements. However, I mbeleive "RS Components" may well sell it. (I could be wrong), but it may be in their mechanical catalouge. If not the obvious "Google search". Sorry I can't be more definite. Rob