'59 Seat Track Rollers

[Bwmurph]

Hi All,
I will be re-installing my seats soon after installing new carpet and have a couple of questions:
1) I have been lightly gluing the carpet down over top of the HushMat I installed with 3M spray adhesive. Is this correct ? Just curious as I am going to do it anyway. My old carpet was NOT glued down.
2) Do the seat track brackets go UNDER the carpet ? It appears that is correct as the carpet doesn't extend far enough to go under both sides of the brackets. Guess I better not glue that down until I've got the brackets in place
3) What grease should I use on the seat track rollers ? I am planning to use white lithium, but if there is something that is better or that should be used I want to use it.
Any and all replies, suggestions, etc .. are appreciated
Thanks,
Bernie O

 

[Tom Bryant]

Lithium is a good product for seat tracks. That's what I'd use. Not sure about the other 2 questions. My '59 didn't have original carpet in it when I bought it in 1969.

Tom

 

[Bwmurph]

OK, this is getting frustrating. Got the carpet back in after a few setbacks Then put the seats back in (pretty tough getting to all the bolts) and took it for a ride. Mechanically everything is great, but my DS seat is about 2" forward from where I had it and I can't move it back anymore. Figured I had something wrong and took the seat back out, thought I found the problem, put it back in - same problem! Is there a difference between PS and DS seats. The passenger side DEFINITELY goes back 2" further than the DS.
What am I doing wrong here ?
Bernie O

 

[Tom Bryant]

OK, each seat track is different. You have a left inner, left outer, right inner and right outer. The outers have the adjuster handles. There is also a right and left seat bottom cushion spring assembly and a right and left seat frame. It could be that you got them switched.

Tom

 

[Bwmurph]

I'm positive that I don't have the seat cushions and seat frames switched (I kept the cushions on their respective sides in the garage and I had to beat on the pass. side seat frame to get it out, so I can tell which one that is). However, I did send the seat tracks out to be blasted I had them in separate, identified boxes, but they could have mixed them up during blasting. Of course it's easy to tell the outer tracks with the adjuster handles, but is there a way to differentiate the other tracks ? Also, regarding the tabs on the seat frame you have to bend to keep the seat back in place: Do they go under or over ? Or does it matter ?
Thanks

 

[Bwmurph]

I think I may have hit on something: I'm looking at the Corvette Service Manual (ST-12) and I notice on the Seat Assy. diagram that the inside track assy. that only has one tab (where the bolt goes through), the tab goes to the outside of the seat. I have mine on the inside. I've got both seats out of the car (again!!) and I'm going to switch the tracks. Wish me luck.

 

[Tom Bryant]

I cleaned out the car so I could get to the seat track. The passenger side isn't bolted in right now so I pulled it out. There is only one hole for the front of the track to bolt into and it's on the inside of the track. Can't be one on the outside front because of the angle of the transmission tunnel. Also the only hole in the floor for the seat track only will line up with the tab on the inside. So there isn't any way to put them in wrong. With the front tab on the outside they won't go in. There must be some other reason why your drivers seat won't slide back as far as it should..

 

[Bwmurph]

Tom, thanks for going to all that trouble for me ! But, yeah, I just found that out. I switched the tracks and there is NO WAY they are going to work with the bolts on the outside - there isn't eve n a hole for it on the pass side, but there is one on the driver side; strange. One other thing I noticed looking at the ST-12 is the bolts that hold the tracks to the seat frame have the washers between the track and the frame; I had them under the bolt head - maybe that makes the bolt head to high and the track hits it. If that's not it I'm out of ideas. Probably won't switch the tracks back to the correct sides until tomorrow; Ive had enough for today.
Thanks,
Bernie O

 

[Tom Bryant]

Mine has a stack of flat washers between the track and the seat frame at both rear locations. It goes bolt head, lock washer, seat track, stack of 4 flat washers and frame. There doesn't appear to be any flat washers between the track and the frame on the front. I'd say that without that space something is hitting and stopping the track short of full back. like you surmised. Mine have never been apart.

Tom

 

[Bwmurph]

Success !! That must've been it. I put a couple of thin flat washers between the track and the seat frame on all the back bolts and that did the trick. However I did have to drill and tap one the bolt holes/threaded nuts and install a larger bolt. Luckily that didn't cause any issues. Both seats are back in and working as designed!!
Thanks for all your help Tom, if I ever run into you I'll buy the beer !
Bernie O

 

[Tom Bryant]

Glad it worked out.

Tom