POWER BUCKET SEAT HEADACHE!

[72-CLASSIC_RIDE]

I had been craving a power drivers bucket seat assembly for my ride for sometime. Came across one locally and decided to have a look. Seller guaranteed it worked. Bought it and the power seat 4 way switch, took it home and proceeded to bench test it. Long story short, it sorta worked. Would actuate up / down but forward / back intermittently worked. Mostly would only travel back. When I actuated selanoids, only one seemed to fully engage while the other started to but sounded like it had not fully engaged. Found if I slowly & manually spun pully while energizing the problem selanoid, it would find a spot and engage but seat still only would travel back most of the time. Decided to pull cover off transmission, remove internal gear drive assemblies and inspect. Lubrication was hard on gear shafts and would'nt allow selanoid to fully engage unless in right position to find a path past hard lubricant on problem selanoid drive gear. Cleaned gear shafts, relubricated and assembled. Figured problem solved! Nope. Forward / back still only traveling one direction mostly. Okay, picked up switch and shook it. Could hear someting inside rattling around so, disassemble switch to see if problem was with switch. Yep, switch was broken and not a easy find to replace. This is where ingenuity came in! Following pic's describe problem and how I fixed it.

 

Plastic stem broken from center of assemble. This stem had a dual purpose use. First, it secured toggle swith into socket, preventng it from slipping out of position and also from falling down into the internals, but more importantly, it prevented internal contacts from touching each other causing a short if wrong contacts touched each other.

Pics show the broken stem, a simulation of my repair and the actual repair secured in assembly. Basically, drilled a hole thru center of switch body where stem broke off, determined a suitable size / length screw and a insulator surrounding screw to prevent any metal to metal that would touch contact(s). The diameter of the insulator was important as the base of all contacts were kept centered by it and insulator had to seat down inside diameter of contact assembly base. Only thing left is to cut relief into power seat harness plug to switch for screw head protruding thru back side of switch.

I am guessing this plastic post snapped by a sharp blow or drop on the toggle switch. You can see in pic below how toggle switch engages the contacts when moved side to side and up / down. The 4 elevated plastic teeth provide the downward pressure onto contacts when toggle switch is moved. I think my idea makes a more robust repair and will prevent possibility of happening again.

Following pic shows operation / orientation of motor, transmission and selanoids.

 

A pretty compressed explanation of repairs but I think provides enough should anyone experience any similar problems with theirs. Took a video of current with motor running and was very strong but not perfect. Haven't done the final bench test (will do tomorrow) but am confident all will work flawlessly now.

Only thing left is to diassemble, clean, paint & lubricate to complete for installation in car. I will have to purchase a after market power bucket seat bracket that is needed for the left rear side (as OEM are impossible to get) and am not sure what additional problems it will provide for correct fitment. But once solved, I will finally have my Power Bucket Drivers seat!

One other note. The Motor drives the transmission using a O-ring on 2 pulleys to power seat movement when selanoid(s) are engaged. The drive belt or O-ring in this case is also tough to find. I found a couple new transmission like O-rings that are every bit as strong (fit & function) as the original. These are my spare replacements. The O-ring tends to stretch and becomes loose on pullys that eventually will throw O-ring over time.

Just thought I would share!!!

 

All have a GREAT day.......

 

Doug

[FOUROHTOO]

Yeah but how many guys gotta power seat? THANKS for sharing..now i have a picture of the plastic cover for the pulleys that i dont have.. need that cover if any one has..ps true connections in riverside ca has the bracket 800 600 4144..nobody else seems to know the power bracket is different.DOUG

[72-CLASSIC_RIDE]

Just to follow up on my quest to rectify power assemby operational issues, I have bench tested seat assemby and it is now fully functional. Everything is working just as anticipated without a hitch.

Now to get the floor mounted bracket(s) to complete the conversion, some free time and nicer weather so I can finish this mod.

I realize there are not a lot of us who have the power bucket seat but thought if any do attempt it in the future, the information may be helpful.

 

Doug