(early 1985/leather base seats/stock)

Last week, I was getting a NCRS operations check on my 1985 and the forward up and down on my base drivers seat was not adjusting. I get normal sound and all the other adjustments work - I'm assuming the track gears that make the seat go up and down are (suddenly) stripped.

I took a look at what various folks are selling and it seems that the entire seat track assembly is most often what is sold. Is this the way to go or is there some way to reasonably attempt to fix the individual gears that are the problem?

Sorry, but no. The only option is to replace or reman what you have.

There is a plastic carrier inside the gearbox that fails over time. Once that happens, all the gears lose their alignment and start eating themselves up.

The final result is a torn up gear, lots of noise and no movement.

Sad...

Thanks, Andy. I had a feeling this was so. I'll order tonight - should have plenty of time to get everything ready for the national.

Do you (or anyone else) know if everything is as (relatively) straightforward to get the seat off as it looks in the Helms?

On mine the weak casing or gear shafts allow the gears to move apart and slip past each other. At full travel, you hear a clicking noise.

If the gears are tight, the motor overcurrents and trips the switch which stops it from adjusting.

If you're getting no motor hum at all then I'd be checking your switch wiring or motor, not the seat track.

But after 20+ years the drivers seat track is probably junk anyways or close to it.

Pulling seats is easy. Move it all the forward, remove back nuts, move forward, loosen double-clip harness plug (tricky), pop little plastic rivets out with a small screwdriver, remove trim pieces, remove nuts, remove seat.


BUT... you can also simply remove the bottom seat cushion, there's a wire-clip in front that clips onto the plastic seat frame, if you can get a good look at it, and unlatch it, just lift the cushion out and you can see the rack there. May be some seat rods in the way though.

Thanks, CC!

What CC said. IT's not that bad.

A LOOONNNGGG extension helps, tho.

Where you been hide'n?

Quote:

I know, I know - unbelievably busy at both jobs (running about two to three weeks behind in the private consulting gig) plus a death in the immediate family plus various other Corvette obligations (organizing a meet for the Central New Jersey NCRS chapter, etc.) means I've been pretty close to 'radio silence' on the forums...

Sorry to hear about your loss. That adds so much stress to a busy life.

Glad you're back, tho!