seat winding itself back! Can I tighten?

[NOGEN 3]

Hey all. The drivers seat is winding itself back into Muzzah position whenever I get in to drive her and seing as I like to see out the front windscreen, I need to know if I can tighten the winder or does it have to go to the trimmers? If thats the case, I don't want to put the (VP)SS seats in if I don't have to...

[Cheap6]

I really should do a "How To" on this as it's a common problem:

There is no need to remove the seat covers so no, a trimmer isn't necessary.

The seat creeps back because the the little piece of foam rubber that acts as a brake has deteriorated. The foam can (or not, if it has disintegrated) be found behind the seat recliner knob.

The fix will cost you nothing and takes about 5 mins..

You need a gasket scraper (or perhaps a wood chisel), a pair of outside circlip pliers, a blade or knife and an old VN-VS live axle anti-roll bar link rubber. You could get creative with something other than the link rubber; something like a piece of an old computer mouse mat would do.

Use the gasket scraper to lever out the centre cover from the recliner knob (if you are careful you won't mark the cover or knob) then push the circlip pliers into the split in the recliner knob to spread it, allowing you to pull the recliner knob off the seat. Again use the circlip pliers to remove the circlip holding the recliner knob "brake" and retaining washer (easy to see what I mean when you do it) and remove any remnants of the foam still left.

The "brake" can then be replaced with a slice of the link rubber (or mouse mat foam) as thick as you can use while still being able to push the washer on and get the circlip back into the groove - about 5mm give or take. Thicker will make the seat harder to adjust, too thin won't work.

Then put everything back together. Easy.

[NOGEN 3]

Cheers M8- I'll give it a go....

[Lost_Pete]

Good stuff.

[Doctor Bob]

there used to be a repair kit but its NLA from Holden, it had a different washer setup.
basically as has been said you need to put more preload on the mechanism

[savage1987]

OMG you are a legend Cheap6, both my cars do this, on both front seats, and it drives me insane!!! Also not a bad idea to tighten any allen bolts you can find if you do ever have the seats out as they develop that annoying wobble (whole back of the seat can be shaken by the headrest)

Sam

[m3taL]

well i know what im doing tomorrow night!!!

My missus come with me in my car the other day and she was paying out on my fully sick "Muzzah" seating arrangement.. im so over lifting it back up!

Cheers "Clix some scales"

[savage1987]

Mmm yes cheap6 you have a reputation present from me too!

Maybe I'll use loctite on those frame hex bolts this time too... I already tightened them up once before in the VN.

Sam

[Tom_1569]

Legend, but now i have a job to do lol. Since alot of people are oviously going to be doing this, why dont we all take photos of the process, put them all up and make the best detailed work guide we can, since everyone will have experience at doing it, im sure we can make a very comprehensive workguide.

[savage1987]

Not a bad idea, although with my 2 cars in almost constant use I don't know when I'll have a chance!!

[SAMO-87]

I really should do a "How To" on this as it's a common problem:

There is no need to remove the seat covers so no, a trimmer isn't necessary.

The seat creeps back because the the little piece of foam rubber that acts as a brake has deteriorated. The foam can (or not, if it has disintegrated) be found behind the seat recliner knob.

The fix will cost you nothing and takes about 5 mins..

You need a gasket scraper (or perhaps a wood chisel), a pair of outside circlip pliers, a blade or knife and an old VN-VS live axle anti-roll bar link rubber. You could get creative with something other than the link rubber; something like a piece of an old computer mouse mat would do.

Use the gasket scraper to lever out the centre cover from the recliner knob (if you are careful you won't mark the cover or knob) then push the circlip pliers into the split in the recliner knob to spread it, allowing you to pull the recliner knob off the seat. Again use the circlip pliers to remove the circlip holding the recliner knob "brake" and retaining washer (easy to see what I mean when you do it) and remove any remnants of the foam still left.

The "brake" can then be replaced with a slice of the link rubber (or mouse mat foam) as thick as you can use while still being able to push the washer on and get the circlip back into the groove - about 5mm give or take. Thicker will make the seat harder to adjust, too thin won't work.

Then put everything back together. Easy.

Really helpful info. Yes, a How To thread would be a very good idea.

I will have a go at doing mine soon, when i get some circlip pliers. Is there anything else I could use instead of circlip pliers?

[Cheap6]

Really helpful info. Yes, a How To thread would be a very good idea.

I will have a go at doing mine soon, when i get some circlip pliers. Is there anything else I could use instead of circlip pliers?

I've had photos ready for a How To since I did my seat a few months ago but haven't yet made time to put them up. It wouldn't be much different to what's already here except for the images anyway. I'll get to it eventually .

You could get the knob off the seat with two flat blade screwdrivers in the slots. I found the pliers easier. I'm not sure how you would get the circlip off. You could improvise something but probably easier just to wait and buy a cheap Chinese made set of the pliers. Some of the "Dollar Discount" shops (those places that sell kitsch crap) sell tools and I've seen them at the markets too. For a one off job it won't matter if they're rubbish but not if you want to use them again for other jobs.

[88GreenVN]

Goes out to shed now to try this.

[88GreenVN]

Some photos of the quick job before work today. Now after completing this easy easy fix I shook the seat and it did not move 1 bit.

And &%#@*!??%* for not finding this some time ago. Now my mouse pad was killed in the process of this job and is 25mm shorter

The search button is NOT my freind now.

[stocky]

so the whole thing has 2 circlips on it?

[88GreenVN]

so the whole thing has 2 circlips on it?

No just 1 circlip and 1 metal washer plate and then the mouse pad rubber washer. Soooo easy to fix - My mouse pad ain't too happy And the circlip suffered abit - buchered is a good word. In a rush to get it done before work today

[Cheap6]

Some photos of the quick job before work today. Now after completing this easy easy fix I shook the seat and it did not move 1 bit.

And &%#@*!??%* for not finding this some time ago. Now my mouse pad was killed in the process of this job and is 25mm shorter

The search button is NOT my freind now.

See how you go with just one thickness of the mouse mat. You may need another one to stop the seat slowly creeping back. It depends on what is in the map pocket on the back of the seat .

To cut the centre hole neatly out of whatever material anyone decides to use, a short length of suitable diameter pipe can be sharpened on one end using a a grinder (or I guess with a file if you like hard work) to make a punch.

88GreenVN since I haven't stumped up the photos and you have, feel free to post it in the 'How To' section with whatever text you think is appropriate. I can put my photos later if it will add anything.

[88GreenVN]

See how you go with just one thickness of the mouse mat. You may need another one to stop the seat slowly creeping back. It depends on what is in the map pocket on the back of the seat .

To cut the centre hole neatly out of whatever material anyone decides to use, a short length of suitable diameter pipe can be sharpened on one end using a a grinder (or I guess with a file if you like hard work) to make a punch.

88GreenVN since I haven't stumped up the photos and you have, feel free to post it in the 'How To' section with whatever text you think is appropriate. I can put my photos later if it will add anything.

I thing it was funny hacking up the mouse mat with out a coffee. - But I had the seat all ready to toss out and thought I could fix this - WOW. and it worked a treat.

Dont know how to do a "How to" and a round hole would be better. Just had to have a go at it right there and then.

[DannyboyDS]

I should read the Vn VP section more often.

Gentlemen, I bow to you.

[88GreenVN]

I should read the Vn VP section more often.

Gentlemen, I bow to you.

Some good stuff - Thanks to Stocky for saying this thread was around and to Savage1987 for tracking it down and Cheap6 for the write up.

Auto recline seats were a real pain and such an easy fix. Soooooo much easier than swapping the cloth and foams over